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Doreen Virtue & Steven Bancarz

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Seeker444

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I wasn't sure where to put this post. I hope this is the right place.

I am curious about what everyone thinks of Doreen Virtue. For those who are not familiar with her work, until last year she worked primarily with tarot cards, predictions, astrology, new age, etc. She spoke a lot about angels and sometimes about Jesus. She said that she felt called to attend church and started to go to church, and had a vision of Jesus in the church. She immediately renounced all of her work, stopped production of her products, removed all references possible to her previous work, and changed her life. It has been just over one year since this change, and she speaks publicly about her journey and how she is discovering some of her previous work is being distributed and is trying to stop it. She seems very genuine as she has faced a great deal of criticism from both sides (new age and Christian), and she continues to diligently follow the teachings of the bible. She also does bible study in social media, where she discusses the bible and encourages people to read the entire bible.

I also saw a discussion she had with a fellow former-new ager on youtube named Steven Bancarz who had great wealth with his work but then found himself to feel empty despite his riches. He then became born again Christian and speaks about Christianity and renounces his former practice on youtube.

I'm not sure how common this is but these were 2 high profile people in the new age lifestyle.
 
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Seeker444 said:
I wasn't sure where to put this post. I hope this is the right place.

I am curious about what everyone thinks of Doreen Virtue. For those who are not familiar with her work, until last year she worked primarily with tarot cards, predictions, astrology, new age, etc. She spoke a lot about angels and sometimes about Jesus. She said that she felt called to attend church and started to go to church, and had a vision of Jesus in the church. She immediately renounced all of her work, stopped production of her products, removed all references possible to her previous work, and changed her life. It has been just over one year since this change, and she speaks publicly about her journey and how she is discovering some of her previous work is being distributed and is trying to stop it. She seems very genuine as she has faced a great deal of criticism from both sides (new age and Christian), and she continues to diligently follow the teachings of the bible. She also does bible study in social media, where she discusses the bible and encourages people to read the entire bible.

I also saw a discussion she had with a fellow former-new ager on youtube named Steven Bancarz who had great wealth with his work but then found himself to feel empty despite his riches. He then became born again Christian and speaks about Christianity and renounces his former practice on youtube.

I'm not sure how common this is but these were 2 high profile people in the new age lifestyle.
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Never heard of them. It sounds like they shouldn't be getting criticised by Christians, from what you have stated.
 
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God will call His people from everywhere. These sound like genuine conversions . New Age is a very dangerous place to be, but with God all things are possible. I have heard of it before and Jesus has saved them from ruining this life and the next by calling them out of the darkness. We have a merciful and loving God.
 
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It doesn't seem too many Christians criticize them (I haven't seen it myself) but they have stated this. I think most of the criticism comes from the New Age side which makes sense. To be honest, the main catalyst that led to my decision to learn to develop a relationship with and trust God again is because out of the blue I decided to look up Doreen Virtue, as I had not viewed her content in at least a year, so I was surprised when I saw her new path. Imagine how many people were dedicated to the new age because of these two people & are now rethinking everything, such as myself. I now for the first time in my life want to read the entire bible.
 
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I hope Christians aren't hard on her. New Age people...ugh. From the few people I've known who were deeply involved in New Age stuff--chakras, crystals, gurus, etc.--they're often boiling pots an anger underneath the cool, enlightened facade. I don't know what that's about...
 
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Christ_empowered said:
I hope Christians aren't hard on her. New Age people...ugh. From the few people I've known who were deeply involved in New Age stuff--chakras, crystals, gurus, etc.--they're often boiling pots an anger underneath the cool, enlightened facade. I don't know what that's about...
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That hasn't been my experience with new age but it's different for everyone. When I watch her live bible studies the comments are all SOOO kind and loving, so I imagine most of the criticism has passed now. She says no matter what, she will never go back. She was baptised shortly after her experience.
 
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Seeker444 said:
It doesn't seem too many Christians criticize them (I haven't seen it myself) but they have stated this. I think most of the criticism comes from the New Age side which makes sense. To be honest, the main catalyst that led to my decision to learn to develop a relationship with and trust God again is because out of the blue I decided to look up Doreen Virtue, as I had not viewed her content in at least a year, so I was surprised when I saw her new path. Imagine how many people were dedicated to the new age because of these two people & are now rethinking everything, such as myself. I now for the first time in my life want to read the entire bible.
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That's fantastic! There is much about the New Age movement that I find wanting. Of course I would say that as a Christian, however, ideas have consequences and in the marketplace of ideas, not all ideas are equal, often times not even close.
 
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http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/2001/06/what-new-agers-believe.aspx


Belief in Deity
God is the impersonal life force, consciousness, ultimate truth and reality, the incorporeal, formless cosmic order personified within all people and matter. God is all and all are God.

Incarnations
Most believe there are no particular incarnations to worship, as all in the universe are embodiments of God.

Origin of Universe and Life
The universe, life, and matter were not created by God but "are" God. The universe and life emerged out of the creative power of the eternal universal life force.

After Death
Some believe in continual rebirth--no death--as life is spirit. Some believe that our souls rest for a time before deciding on a new body (or bodies). Heaven and hell are states of consciousness, self-imposed, due to ignorance of God as all.

Why Evil?
No original sin, no Satan, and no evil. Most believe people make "mistakes" when they are ignorant of the power of goodness, which is God, within themselves and others. Some believe evil is perpetuated through accumulation of past-life wrongs and spiritual ignorance.

Salvation
Salvation lies in the realization of oneness with the impersonal life force. Awareness can be heightened through methods that induce altered states of consciousness, e.g., hypnosis, meditation, music, drugs. Spiritual "tools" include crystals, tarot cards, amulets, channeling, fortunetellers and psychics. Some believe the salvation of humanity will occur when a critical mass is reached, when people converge in experiencing their oneness with God and with each other. This will bring a New World Order or new Planetary Order, resulting in oneness of civilization and one-world government, peace, and harmony.

Undeserved Suffering
Suffering is the result of greed, hatred, and spiritual ignorance in a person's, or humanity's, past lifetimes, which returns as suffering (karma). Suffering is sometimes viewed as occurring for a specific purpose, to further spiritual growth and learn a life lesson. Suffering is also seen as illusory, in that it results from attachment to bodily pleasure and pain, and only the universal life force within, God, truly exists.

Contemporary Issues
Abortion is not condemned, as there is no official doctrine. Generally, adherents are supportive of a woman's right to choose abortion.
 
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SytheF said:
  1. DOREEN VIRTUE BOMBSHELL: NOW A CHRISTIAN PROMOTING JESUS
2. EVEN MORE ABOUT DOREEN VIRTUE CHRISTIAN TURNAROUND

Virtue was a Wiccan before this. Now she's using a new avenue to appeal to the new Christianity. That which goes to the left and espouses everything contrary to orthodoxy.
IMO, it's a sham. I don't know anything about the Bancarz guy .
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hello SytheF, dirtfarmer here

I am in agreement with you. Colossians 2:18 states. " Let not man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind." From what I have read she intends to worship angels to a greater degree.
 
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Quote- "Doreen Virtue...She also does bible study in social media, where she discusses the bible and encourages people to read the entire bible."
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I'd tell people to read the gospels FIRST AND FOREMOST, then the NT, then the OT.
 
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I have heard of both, but have more experience with Steven Bancarz, heard his testimony, from what I can see/discern, believe him to be genuine.... We continue to test the fruit, listen for the praise of Jesus, and embrace those whom earnestly call upon the Name of Jesus. :)
 
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SytheF said:
Virtue was a Wiccan before this. Now she's using a new avenue to appeal to the new Christianity.
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That was my impression. To be fair, the article you posted was from someone talking about Doreen, but the context seemed to be first hand information from Doreen.

After skimming her youtube channel it looks like she's still playing around with spirits, but now she's calling them visions from the lord.

Her conversion would be more convincing if she were promoting the teachings of Jesus instead.
 
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The Scriptures make it clear that God is spirit. It is also clear that God is not the only spirit. Indeed it's written that God has put before us both good and evil, so choose good, and only God is good. Yet God has a kingdom and so there are those spirits that serve him, and those spirits that don't serve Him. According to the Scriptures, those that serve Him declare Jesus Christ as Lord, or specifically their Lord because they know Him. And so it is that they tell you Jesus Christ came in the flesh, or specifically that Jesus the Christ took on flesh was killed on the cross, died and rose again. So you can find Him at the right hand of God and He is Lord of lord's and King of kings. It is written that God as put His on the throne.

So we can personally know the King of kings. His sheep hear His voice. never-the-less we tend to blow in the wind. Jesus said of John the Baptist that he was the greatest born of women and yet also compared him to a reed blowing in the wind. And it is also written that we battle with the powers, principalities and dark forces of this world. Still, it is also written that their is more with us than against us.

Now a story of a person or persons using tarot cards and basically choosing evil is of no surprise. And a person leaving that for Jesus Christ then is no surprise either. And stories of people blowing in the wind is expected. So to me this is a non-story, the kind of which are as regular as the sun coming up, or the Son coming up.

Having spent years working in a Christian healing ministry, I can say for certain that many many Christians have at some point tried some kind of occult or demonic activity. The Lord went to the cross and forgave us for not listening to Him, and that because men choose evil. Perhaps not all have used Tarot cards, but all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, so what are we talking about here?

My friends, choose good (God) and not evil. Do that today, and don't go back to it. Yet the sheep tend to wander off and the Shepherd still collects them. Those that are His know Him and His voice. They might wander off but they won't follow another's voice. How can you after you come to know Him. Like Peter explain, Jesus has the words of life, so where can we, His sheep, go?

So perhaps I kind of get side tracked at times. I might look at this or that. I might even get angry or mad at Him because things are not like I think they should be. Still I have to turn back to Him who I personally know. If you don't know Him you need to. He is the One with that still small voice who sincerely tells you, 'I love you', and the really of God brings tears to your eyes.

I don't look to others. How can I. I look to my Lord Jesus Christ, because He is the One who loves me. He is the One with the words of life. So what do I care about another story of someone blowing in the wind. I too have that problem at times, though the occult is not what tempts me to wonder off.

There are so many other evil spirits; so one goes after money, another power, another fame, another drugs or alcohol, and then another Tarot cards. And "New" always sounds good to us, but it is the first and the last we are looking for. He has always been there. He created us, so He loves us. We know that, right?
 
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