P.T. Barnum

P.T. Barnum was right: there is a sucker born every minute. And this past weekend many of them could be found at the Newlife Expo in the New Yorker Hotel. New York Daily News columnist Michael Daly described some of the “services” offered to attendees:
“The expo is a veritable convention of charlatans, including numerous purveyors of healing stones and anti-aging elixirs, as well as an ‘aura photographer,’ a celebrity pet psychic, and a ‘light doctor’ selling instant transportation to an all-healing ‘lightship.’ (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/columnists/daly/index.html)

This is an ideal time to ply a pagan trade since a growing number of Americans are embracing New Age religions. Generation Hex: Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca claims that “Wicca is America’s fastest growing religion. By the year 2012, it’s projected to be the third largest religion in the United States.” (http://www.zimbio.com/Wicca/articles/36/America+fastest+growing+religion+Wicca+Welcome)

But what is it about these occultic practices that attract people?

Secret knowledge.

What we are witnessing is the return of Gnosticism—a general term used to explain the centuries-old heresy committed by numerous sects that emphasized “secret and pseudo-mystical knowledge.” (The Fathers of the Church, Expanded Edition - Mike Aquilina, Our Sunday Visitor, 2006, p 42) It is this “secret knowledge” that NewLife Expo demonstrators and New Age religions like Wicca claim to possess. Want holistic health? Use these healing stones or allow someone to massage your aura. Want to live forever? Talk to the reps at People Unlimited whose literature states, “’Physical immortality now! Fee $150.’" (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/columnists/daly/index.html).

Gnosticism has existed since biblical times. In fact, according to The Fathers of the Church (cited above), 1 Tim 6: 20-21 is a warning “against emerging Christian Gnosticism” (p 25). St. Paul Instructs Timothy to “keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words, and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called. Which some promising, have erred concerning the faith.”

There is no secret knowledge. Christ is God made Man, and thus the ultimate revelation: “No man can come to me, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him; and I will raise him up in the last day . . . Not that any man hath seen the Father; but he who is of God, he hath seen the Father.” (John 6: 44, 46)
So do yourself a favor. If someone offers you secret knowledge about God, imitate Lot by walking away and not looking back.

Donald Tremblay