New Age Guru Turns to Jesus
Western graduate Doreen Virtue is on mission to help others leave the movement she once embraced
Until five years ago, Doreen Virtue was听a top-selling New Age author, speaking听at seminars around the world and听appearing on shows like Oprah and听The View. She had her own brand of听鈥渁ngel cards鈥� and published books about听New Age practices like card reading,听energy healing, hypnosis, and chakras.听Virtue鈥檚 life took a dramatic turn in 2017,听when she decided to read through the听entire Bible for the first time. She read听Deuteronomy 18:10-12 and was stunned听by God鈥檚 warning to the Israelites not听to follow the occult practices of the听surrounding nations.
鈥淚 remember reading through听the list of the things that the听Canaanites did and realizing it was听the same things that I was doing,鈥澨齭he recalls. 鈥淭hen I got to the part听where it says, 鈥楢nyone who does听these things is detestable to the听Lord.鈥欌��
Virtue was shocked. For most of听her life she had believed she was听a Christian. Her mother was a听Christian Scientist and raised her听as an 鈥渙pen-minded鈥� Christian. In听fact, she was somewhat unique听among New Age teachers for听the way she blended Christian听vocabulary with New Age听philosophy.
鈥淣ew age seemed like it was the听answer. I heard the gospel all the听time, but I had a heart听of stone.鈥�
For much of her life, she believed she听was following the 鈥渞eal Jesus鈥�, focusing听on the 鈥渓oving parts鈥� that appealed to her听in the gospels. But like other New Agers,听she also believed that all paths led to God听and that concepts like sin and the devil听were made up to control people.
Reading God鈥檚 Word opened her eyes听to see that her New Age beliefs and听practices were in fact a deception.听
鈥淭he veil was lifted by the Holy Spirit and听I finally understood that I was a sinner,鈥澨齭he recalls.
At 59 years of age, the New听Age guru fell to her knees and committed听her life to Jesus as her Lord and Savior.听
We should expose the darkness. This is a salvific issue that can make the difference between heaven and hell.
Virtue later published a message on听her Facebook page recounting her听conversion experience and warning听against the New Age practices she once听embraced. She was subsequently fired听by her publisher and criticized by many of听her followers. Numerous videos began to听emerge on YouTube with titles like 鈥淲hat听Happened to Doreen Virtue?鈥�
Her followers made wild speculations听about why she had become a Christian.听Some said she was the victim of听government mind control, others that听it was the effects of menopause. Some听even argued that she was doing it for the听money, a claim she attempted to refute听by giving refunds for two years to anyone听who previously bought听her products.
Virtue wanted people to understand that听the real reason she had left the New Age听was her encounter with Jesus Christ.听She began posting new videos sharing听her testimony and warning people to听stay away from her previous New Age听teachings. As an outspoken but raw听new believer, she soon realized that听she needed a better grasp on theology听and the Bible and decided to apply to听暗网禁区, enrolling as a fulltime听student in 2018.
鈥淕oing to Western was one of the best听decisions I ever made,鈥� she says. 鈥淎t first听I was so wobbly on my theological feet,听but I learned how to rightly divide听God鈥檚 Word and to see Jesus in听every part of the Bible.鈥�
Virtue appreciated all of her听classes and professors, especially听Carl Laney鈥檚 Bible survey courses.听She was also grateful for a class听that taught her how the Old听Testament was used in the New听Testament.
鈥淏iblical theology was听new to me,鈥� she admits. 鈥淚t was听fascinating to see the whole Bible听as God鈥檚 plan of redemption.鈥�
Virtue graduated with her MA in听Biblical and Theological Studies听in 2021 with highest honors.听Her success as a student was a听confirmation to her that she was听developing a biblical worldview听and a new heart through Christ鈥檚听work on the cross.
Today, Virtue is passionate about听discipling people who come out听of the New Age. She works with many听women, helping them get plugged into听a local church and encouraging them to听read the Bible. She continues to combat听New Age philosophies both inside and听outside the church, so that others won鈥檛听be blinded as she was. Because of听continuing public persecution from New听Agers, Virtue is hesitant to share where听she lives or what church she attends. But听she will not stop sharing her story as she听attempts to reach more New Agers who听are trapped in deception.
"We should expose the darkness. This is a salvific issue that can make the difference between heaven and hell."