This is very much a case of old news but it is news that has never quite gone away. Furthermore, it is sometimes best to address a situation or an event, when the dust has settled.
Way back in 2015 the relatively well-known author of New Age Garbage (NAG) known as Doreen Virtue, was sitting in her car when she heard a sermon on the radio. Soon after Virtue began attending church and in 2017 she began to study the Bible in greater depth. Somewhere along the line she experienced a vision of the Christ but since moving from the Episcopalian Church (the equivalent of the Anglican Church in the USA) to the Evangelical Church, that incident has been much played down.
The conversion of Doreen Virtue from the New Age to Christianity, at some point between 2015 and 2017, caused something of a stir amongst the New Age and the Mind, Body and Spirit community. Many within her fan base were confused, some felt anger and betrayal. I was puzzled but not necessarily for the same reasons as those who had supported Virtue throughout her career.
I have no interest in New Age Garbage (NAG) or Mindless Bull-Shit (MBS), it interests me not in the slightest. The alternative meanings of the TLA (three letter acronyms) above are mine. An introduction that has since spread across the Internet, not widely perhaps but spread they have. The use of the two TLAs and my dismissal of the New Age may appear harsh. I have no desire to lie. Three quarters of what we see within the MBS environment, is best described by my American friends. They call it snake oil sales.
I had heard of Virtue prior to her conversion to Christianity. I had seen her books and oracle cards on sale in bookshops, at fairs and online. I have never bought any of her products and I have not read any of her work. My surprise at her conversion had a cynical basis and there was puzzlement at the reaction of her fans. I was also puzzled when hearing Christians refer to the New Age as a religion. That is not how it is usually described.
I have often wondered at the choice of name. Is Doreen Virtue her real name or merely a writer’s pseudonym? It is so close to that of Doreen Valiente, that I have questioned whether it is a deliberate choice. Is it a calculated attempt to ‘cash in’ by association, on the posthumous reputation of the mother of modern Wicca?
The cynical part of my nature asks questions others are perhaps afraid to ask. I see a mass production author of NAG, who having exhausted one market has moved to another. The podcasts continued but aimed at a different audience. Within a year of her conversion, she had a book out telling her story. This has made me suspicious but many have taken it all at face value.
Virtue is within the MBS world a celebrity. People who have a certain status within such fields, are unlikely to give up the prestige either willingly or easily. It is natural that someone who is a name on the New Age circuit, would want to be a name within the New Christian community. What surprises me is that so few are asking the same questions that I am. Surely her turning out books so quickly must have made some people question? Well, perhaps not. Having moved from the New Age to the New Christian, I wonder how long it will be before she moves on again? Once this market is exhausted, will she perhaps discover Christo-Buddhism? Only time will tell.
Of course I could be completely wrong and overly suspicious. My cynicism in regard to human behaviour, may be making me unduly wary of Virtue’s motives. The conversion may actually be genuine. It is alleged that Virtue has requested that her former publisher withdraw her previous works from sale. If true, then it could indeed be an indication that her conversion is genuine. It could also be a very good market strategy. The publisher in question has not complied. Legally binding contracts were signed, they have no reason to withdraw either the books or the oracle cards. What Virtue is doing with the royalties (if any) is not known to me.
Evangelical Christians that have associated with Doreen Virtue since her conversion, have themselves faced criticism. Some of this stems from the alleged manner of her conversion, as it is or was, partly the result of a vision of the Christ. Many Evangelicals are highly sceptical of such phenomenon, which are common occurrences in the New Age environment. They have dismissed the vision as being un-Biblical and potentially Satanic. These criticisms were strong enough for Virtue to withdraw her claims and retract some of her statements. Her book however, is still available with a chapter dedicated to the vision. It had gone to print and could not be altered.
I have never quite understood the ongoing feud between two particular You-Tube personalities but I am aware of it. I am also aware that it is primarily one sided. One particular You-Tube Christian influencer is well known for his attacks on various pastors, preachers and content creators. He has made a career out of such videos. He has used the association of Doreen Virtue as a stick, with which to beat others. He has focused on one particular man, his favourite target and the attacks have been vehement. His target responded and then withdrew from the fray. With admirable dignity the chosen target has successfully maintained the moral high ground. I suspect this critic to be quite annoyed at that.
Where however, does this leave us and Doreen Virtue? The honest answer is, I don’t know. If her conversion is genuine then I wish her well. I walk a crooked path myself and at times it will cross others. There is no shame in treading the parallel path of a dual faith. If however, the conversion is an act, then her former fans have every reason to feel betrayed. The honest truth is that only time will tell whether Virtue is living up to her name and whether she has finally found her spiritual home.
The Wacky World of You-Tube
The Mad, Mad World of Internet Christianity.
Barack Obama – Speech 28th June 2006.
Freemasonry and Christianity
The Internet, Keyboard Warriors and Standards of Behaviour.
A Faith Perspective
From the Archive – The Perceived Conflict Between Science and Faith (2014)
American Christianity & Politics
Young Earth Creationism and the Televangelist Movement
Toxic Internet: Social Media & the Seeds of Division
The Toxic Internet & Intolerance
The Toxic Internet & Tall Poppy Syndrome
The Toxic Internet & Misinformation
Free Speech
https://chatteringmagpie-summonerofthehearth.blogspot.com/2021/11/free-speech.html
The Castaway.
Daniel Bran Griffith - The Chattering Magpie 
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