Isaiah 8:12 “Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it.

      In the book Conspirituality by Derek Beres, he describes the overlap of conspiracy theories with spirituality, typically of New Age varieties. The author describes the follies, frauds, cons and cults that dominate the New Age and wellness industries, and how they betray the trust of people. 

      What I have noticed about all these new age movements and imitation spiritual lifestyles, is that there is nothing new under the sun. Eccl. 1:9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. These alternatives or feigned enlightened teachings have been around since the construction of the Tower of Babel was interrupted by God Himself. The alarming part of these alternative movements is how much of this overlapping conspirituality is showing up in the church. If the devotees of these psychological followings would put the same amount of time and study into the Word of God, and take the time to immerse themselves in the Lord’s presence, they would become spiritually mature people and able to understand the Word of truth and know when they are being duped. Eph. 4:14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. 

      The Lord wants us to learn and ask Him the hard questions and to discover the ever-increasing faith that is available to us through Christ our only Saviour. God says that it is honourable for us to seek out a Godly mystery that He presents to us. Prov. 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honuor of kings is to search out a matter. In the book of Revelation Chapter One Verse Six, the Word of God says that we are kings and priests unto God. Therefore, we have God’s permission to find out whether or not the spiritual mystery we are getting involved with will bring life or destruction to our faith. 

      There is an issue when people become involved in a conspiracy or an alternative religious obsession. They do not discern their beliefs wisely, and begin declaring anything said by anyone that does not agree with their newfound views as a conspiracy against themselves. They take the disagreement of belief as an attack against their very existence. At this point, their deception deepens to where they are now alienating family and friends because they are offended at anyone bringing forth an opposing view. Isa. 8:12“Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. For those whose lives are captured by dark conspiracies or cults, the cult often separates people from the ones who love them, and no amount of reasoning will work until the spiritual power promoting the cult is broken.

      The Word of God is continually reminding us to stay vigilant and aware that the enemy of our soul is out to corrupt the hearts of all humanity and to desecrate the Word of God. This is why we are admonished to study God’s Word and to apply it to our lives with God’s grace. 2Tim. 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Furthermore, we are instructed to test the spirits that bring forth questionable doctrines. 1John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. When new ideologies come to us and these beliefs do not acknowledge Jesus Christ is Lord, then rebuke that spirit and move on. Take a big imaginary stamp that says Return To Sender, stamp that false doctrine with it, and send it back to hell from whence it came.

      The Apostle Paul emphasized that if an angel should appear teaching an anti-Christ doctrine, then that angel is to be rebuked as well. Gal. 1:8 But even if we or an angel out of heaven should preach a gospel to you contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let him be accursed! It seems to me that the number of warnings we get through God’s Word to be on guard for false teachings and to be swift to remove them from our conscience as soon as the erroneous teaching is noticed means that heresy is still a problem in our time. I do not know if the word conspirituality will become a buzzword, but it does describe the homogenization of a worldwide religion that seems hell-bent on taking the Lord’s place on the altar of our hearts. 

      The question becomes, what are we to do with the smorgasbord of spiritual options that are out there? As I grow older and become mature in my faith, I have noticed that obeying the Word of God is not a complicated process. The Apostle James says to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. He writes, in James 1:25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. As Christians, we are to line up what we read and learn with the instructions God gives us in His word. Go and do likewise. May the Lord’s truth and peace lead us all.