We live in a "psychological society" today, and the more the community shows tendencies toward secularization, the more it reflects the zeitgeist. The influence of psychology on thinking and acting in our society in general, including that of Christians, should not be underestimated. The Spirit of Prophecy warns clearly here:

“He [Satan] has disguised himself as an angel of light and deceives thousands and leads them captive. The benefits he derives from the sciences of the human mind are tremendous. Here, like a serpent, he sneaks invisibly into God's work to spoil it... The sciences of phrenology, psychology and mesmerism are the channels through which he comes directly to this generation, and he works with a power that is for the end is typical of the time of probation.« (Mind, Character and Personality II, 698)

It is interesting to note the context in which Ellen White mentions psychology here, along with phrenology and mesmerism. Phrenology is the science of being able to deduce character from the shape of the skull; it began, at least in Germany, with the cult of the Germans and ended with the murder of six million Jews. Mesmerism might be better known; here we are dealing with suggestive-hypnotic procedures intended to "treat" a whole range of illnesses.

When we speak of "psychology," we have to look at the subject a little more closely. On the one hand, attempts are being made to make psychology the most exact science possible, to the extent, of course, that people without a biblical-Christian basis are doing it. This means that the prerequisites and results of an experiment are carried out and interpreted without a Christian background. One must therefore speak of an apparent objectivity, because every scientific statement stands in an ideologically founded context. This connection is given by the society in which research is carried out, by the constraints of the scientific community, by the individual conscience of the research and by the research object itself, which is an extremely difficult one in psychology, as it says in Jeremiah 17,9:10-XNUMX : »The heart is a defiant and despondent thing; who can figure it out? I, the LORD, search the heart and examine the mind, and give to every one according to his doing, according to the fruits of his works.”

As a human being, the scientist is fundamentally influenced in his research by certain interests and by his own values, all of which lie outside the scientific system. He acts in accordance with his own values ​​and norms and always strives for certain goals. Hence all psychological and pseudo-psychological systems, sometimes more openly and sometimes less openly, are based on the "elements" of this world. However, the point here is not to make a blanket condemnation, but to see things in the right light.

Ellen White writes: 'The sciences which treat of the human mind are greatly glorified. They have their place, but they have been seized by Satan as his powerful means of deceiving and destroying souls. His arts are supposed to be from heaven, and he thus receives the worship that pleases him. The world that seems to benefit so much from phrenology and animal magnetism has never been as corrupt as it is today. Through these sciences virtue is destroyed and the basis for spiritualism is laid.« (Mind, Character and Personality II, 712)

This article is therefore primarily concerned with a psychology of the modern schools, in the sense of a "so-called" science, such as Sigmund Freud's psychotherapy, Carl Gustav Jung's psychoanalysis and many humanistic varieties of therapy.
How and by what means does psychology come into the church?
A spiritual vacuum is emerging as a result of the increasing secularization. At the same time, more and more conflict and problem situations arise in the community. You want to help, but you feel helpless. The call for specialists is getting louder.

Now Satan succeeds in exploiting this state of deficiency and offering his program. The person concerned is referred to a psychiatrist, psychologist or psychotherapist. But apparently it is even better if the "therapeutic pastor", the "communications expert" is present and active in the community. One speaks here of the so-called »psychoclergy«.

Pastors, preachers and ministers have chosen new teachers from the fields of psychotherapy and, thirsty for knowledge, take tutoring in seminars on group dynamics, pastoral psychology and psychotechnology. Many spare neither time nor money, traveling hundreds of miles to train as "therapeutic counselors" or "psychological counselors" in order to finally overcome their painful ignorance of the "authority" of Freud, Jung, Skinner or Rogers. It is the pastors' own permanent helplessness, who sometimes suffer from unstable emotional states themselves, who distance themselves from the foundation of pastoral care, the Bible, in non-believers and now, with a hopeful willingness, accept everything that seems to promise help. After all, they were persuaded in the counseling seminars: "The minister gives the Christian comfort and the psychiatrist the necessary treatment, without one coming into conflict with the other." (Jay E. Adams, Liberating Pastoral Care, 1984, p. 10) Such statements degrade the pastor to the superfluous unskilled worker.

M. Bobgan describes this development as follows: “The world's systems have undermined the ministry of ministry and Christians have tried to copy them in such a way that Christians today feel unable to help. Even gifted Christians who are in pastoral ministry feel unqualified for the ministry because the world has set up a system of requirements, diplomas and degrees to record who has the ability to give life counseling. This discouragement exists even though this ministry is a calling of God and a gift of grace.« (Martin Bobgan, Psychotherapy or Pastoral Care?, 1991, p. 15)

It makes me wonder if we didn't sell our spiritual birthright for some psychological watery soup! The Bible sees it this way: "They forsake me, the living spring, and make for themselves cisterns that are cracked and give no water" (Jeremiah 2,13:XNUMX).

We are in the midst of a massive assault on the stronghold of the Bible; an attack that seems to go unnoticed and snake-like. As early as twenty years ago, Robertson McQuilkin warned:

My thesis is that the greatest threat to the authority of Scripture over the next two decades will come from the behavioral scientist who, in perfectly good conscience, will erect barricades and defend the main entrance against any theologian who attacks the inspiration and authority of Scripture while he is all the time smuggling the contents of the Scriptures out the back door through cultural and psychological interpretation.« (Quoted from Douglas »Bookmann«, The Scriptures and Biblical Counseling, p. 96)

Let's read for ourselves the warning voice of an insider who clearly shows us this dramatic situation:

“Genuine Christianity doesn't mix well with psychology. If you try, you often end up with a watered down Christianity instead of a Christian psychology. But the process is very gradual and is therefore hardly noticed. I myself wasn't aware that I wanted to mix up two very different views. And others whose job it was to warn me were under the same spell.
This was not a frontal attack on Christianity - I'm sure I would have resisted it. This time the wolf wasn't at the door - the wolf was already in the pen, but in sheep's clothing. And he was petted and pampered by the shepherds to the point of being their favorite sheep.« (Quoted in M. Bobgan, ibid., p. 24)

When pantheistic thought entered our church at the turn of the century through the Kellogg Crisis, Ellen White and other faithful men declared war on these heresies. Nevertheless, these influences were never overcome. Through the subtle theories of Freud and his many disciples, these fallacies come back to us in disguise. In addition, in psychiatry, psychotherapy is often combined with medicine, which gives it the brilliance of science.

The psychotherapist is often a doctor, who is right at the top of the trust scale these days. Just as the doctor is the specialist for the body, the psychotherapist is the specialist for the soul - so the obvious conclusion. That's why you believe you're in the best of hands and put your trust in him carefree. Few realize that this is a different gospel, a false offer of salvation. We now want to relate this to the concrete situation in the church. What influences can be expected?

Psychology as a substitute for religion: influence on the ministry of preaching and teaching

Through the influence of psychoanalytic literature and through various training programs, it can happen that biblical statements are unfairly expanded or misinterpreted. The author heard a sermon about Paul's soul life that went far beyond the scope of the Bible and brought in a "false" new light. Another time the Joseph story was "preached" with an expansive psychological portrait of the soul. An excerpt from a book for evangelical youth work, which is designed primarily in the spirit of Jungian depth psychology, may serve as a concrete example. The author writes about Zacchaeus here:

“It compensates for his Minority Complex and his repressed feelings of guilt. But he didn't humble himself with the equalizer, did he overcompensated seinen prestige drive and his need for recognition.
Zacchaeus becomes an exploiter, a abuser and a show-off... Zacchaeus is full of longing. The longing is deep in him, finally him even to be allowed to be. He would like to step out of his role:« (W. Wanner, Who am I - who are you?, Adolescent Psychology Handbook, p. 217-218, Brunnenverlag)

The author explains the reparation that Zacchaeus makes not from the commandments of God, but from the fact that Zacchaeus so many creative possibilities discovered! Through the spirit of this world, many psychoanalysts have tried to turn the contents of the Bible upside down. Carl Gustav Jung writes about the conversion of Paul:

»Saul owes his conversion neither to true love, nor to true faith, nor to any other truth (!), only his hatred of Christians led him to Damascus and thus to the experience that was to be decisive for his life. He lived his worst mistake with conviction, and that led him to this experience.« (Carl Gustav Jung, psychology and religion, quoted in Wanner, In the other place, p. 117)

These are examples that leave nothing to be desired in terms of clarity. The influence of various psychotherapeutic schools, but especially the humanistic direction, is reflected in the use of a very specific one in sermons vocabulary, clad in empty phrases. There is always talk of self-realization; independence from influence; you must first love yourself before you can love others; the sincere conviction of one's worth; forgiveness towards oneself; acceptance of one's own ego; the powerful influence of the subconscious, etc.

Such statements, which were quoted here at random, could only be so well received because many Christians have never learned to think biblically and the zeitgeist of biblical truth distinguish!

As a result of the psychologization of the congregation, it is increasingly the case that fundamental humanistic statements can hardly be distinguished from Christian positions. The consequence of this is that the clear biblical word remains ineffective in its influence on the hearers.

Influence on judgment and decision-making ability

A great ruse of the enemy is that psychology often replaces the biblical concept of sin with the vague concept of mental illness that each psychological school redefines. A "communications expert" preached in the church that Mary had not sinned at all, but was simply mentally ill! We understand this statement, in this case only more pure psychotherapy can help! There are similar statements in the field of homosexuality and problems with alcohol. Of course alcoholism can lead to nerve and liver damage, i.e. cause organic diseases, but where is the root of such behavior? Unless we call sin sin, we will only be able to heal superficially. Jeremiah 8,11:XNUMX says, "They only superficially heal the damage of my people, saying, 'Peace, peace! and yet it is not peace.«

In 1 Corinthians 6, 9-11 sin is called what sin is, the solution is shown and it ends with a concrete life change.

Closely related to the problem of sin is the question of guilt. This can be clearly seen in the steadily increasing victimization of Christian thinking. "Victim" means victim. So victimization means that we see ourselves as victims. Adam already saw himself as a victim of the fact that God had given him this Eve, and of course he was the victim of her powers of persuasion.

Eve was again a victim of the serpent. Since then, the view of things has continued, only the reasoning has become much wiser and more adept. In particular, the psychology of depth psychology has done a great job here. Ever since Freud developed this theory, we have known for a fact that we Victim of our early childhood experiences, victims of our innocent erotic desires, victims of our psychodynamics (= I can't help it), etc.

Cognitive behavioral therapy has also made it clear to us that we are victims of our conditioning and learning experiences. Humanistic psychology tells us that we are victims of an unloving environment characterized by incomprehension and a lack of acceptance. Had the environment been better, our inherently "good" nature could have evolved accordingly. How are these things reflected in the church?

Then from the pulpit the "partial blame"! preached. Siblings persistently point out the problem of "imaginary" guilt. You're okay, you're just telling yourself you're guilty. But if we, as Christians, hold fast to the responsibility of man, this does not mean meeting him with harshness and Pharisaic incomprehension. When I understand that, as Paul says, "nothing good dwells in my flesh" (Romans 7,18:XNUMX), then I will not exalt myself above another. On the contrary, I will have a lot of understanding for those who are in temptation and would like to break away from it. Still, I can't deny him the responsibility, because if I do that, I take away his hope for change. Only where there is responsibility, there is hope! If I feel like a victim of uncontrollable circumstances for which I am not responsible, then change will be difficult.

Another reason for the increasing range of tolerance towards sin lies in the fact that a new morality was introduced – subliminally or constantly – through the various psychotherapeutic directions. On the path of psychoanalytically introduced logic, God's commandments are abandoned to subjective arbitrariness. It is no longer God's eternal orders that are considered the binding authority of human life, but rather psychoanalytic theses. Freud's statements about the uninhibited acting out of feelings and desires shaped our society. The "new" morality, as it is presented today through sex education literature in schools and through promiscuity before and in marriage, is unthinkable without Freud's sexual theories.

Especially in Christian Adventist schools and universities, the statements of the Bible and the moral theories of Freud and his students are in a duel. Everyone who wants to quiet their conscience and live out their carnal desires now learns that committing adultery is good because it does not "constrict" love for one's spouse two-way and gives it stimulating "impulses." "Pastoral workers" who are not guided by God and are under His word are too quick to recommend a divorce, leaving deep scars in the soul of the person seeking help.

Now, by the authority of psychoanalysis, it may also be right to disobey one's parents, for obedience would only strengthen the "superego" and lead to an increase in internal "pressure," leading to an "unbalanced malaise." could have consequences. The following must be recognised: what has been recognized as correct in commandments and regulations for many centuries and possessed authority is today devalued as wrong by the various schools of psychotherapy because, according to these theories, it could have a pathogenic influence on the psyche. This is by no means a value-free path to more stable mental health, but in fact a religious system of modern atheistic people, which fights belief in God as a "neurotic symptom" and has taken the place of God in an autocratic manner. Exceptions tend to confirm the rule, because a religion that is faithful to the Bible continues to be a "crutch" that must be discarded as soon as possible.

In connection with a misunderstood tolerance, the opinion also arises in the community that one should speak without appropriate restraint about all personal feelings and inclinations. Is it right to present all of his feelings, motives and details of his life to almost everyone? The spirit of the world, with its television talk shows and its psychological group discussions, where one reveals almost everything to the other, also creeps into the communities. The Bible says the following: »Where there are many words, there is no lack of sin; He who controls his lips is wise.« (Proverbs 10,19:XNUMX)

The Bible recommends first talking to God alone: ​​“Hope in him always, dear people, pour out your hearts before him; God is our confidence.« (Psalm 62,9:XNUMX)

Of course, this does not mean keeping everything to yourself, even where advice is needed. It is precisely for such sensitive work that people are needed in the church.

Ellen White writes: "It is an ear that can listen with compassion to the heartbreaking accounts [narrations] of wrong, humiliation, despair and misery." (Mind, Character and Personality II, 763)

“When we connect to help one another on the way to heaven, when the conversation is of divine and heavenly things, then the opportunity has come to speak; but when the conversation is about self, or about mundane and unimportant things, then silence is golden. The obedient listener will receive correction with humility, patience, and a willingness to learn. Only then will our connections with one another prove helpful and be what God wants.« (Ibid., 772)

Not only should we give God first place when it comes to problems, conflicts and hardships, but rather the divine rules should also be observed when talking to others. Galatians 6,1:XNUMX says, 'If a man falls into any trespass, restore him with a gentle spirit, you who are spiritual; and take care that you are not also tempted.”

What tragic, eternal consequences have ensued from women revealing marital problems to men and men to women! Are we actually aware that all our conversations are being recorded by angels? Are we aware that Satan also takes advantage of what we say, because then he can frame his temptations to make our fall easier? Are we aware of whom we entrust ourselves and what consequences can result from this?

John 2,24:XNUMX says, "Jesus did not confide in them, for he knew them all... for he knew what was in man."

The influence on the »right arm« of the embassy

“The experiences of the past will repeat themselves. In the present and future, satanic forms of disbelief will take on new forms. Errors are brought in a pleasing and ingratiating way. False theories disguised as angels of light are presented to God's people. In this way he will try to deceive even the chosen ones. Most seductive influences are exercised; the mind will be under hypnotic influence.« (Mind, Character and Personality II, 719)

People with stress problems, pain conditions, psychosomatic illnesses and various psychological problems use, mostly without realizing it, overt or covert hypnotic techniques. Whether at the psychotherapist, health psychologist, dentist or in the spa clinic - hypnotic or self-hypnotic techniques are practiced everywhere. Innocently, of course, to relieve the patient's nervous tension, but: "... the spirit will never again be as strong and stable as before." (Ibid., 706)

What does it mean for a life with Christ if the Spirit is not as strong and reliable as it was before? “With our mind we grasp spiritual things and are the cranial nerves that connect the whole system together the medium, through which heaven is related to man and which influences our inner life.« (Ibid., 446) Do we now recognize the scope of such a false influence?

Hence Ellen White warns again and again: "We shall have nothing to do with such 'science'. We should fear them. Never should the first principles be brought into any institution.« (Ibid., 717)

"Whether the label is autogenic training, staged active hypnosis, or Jakobson's relaxation exercises, they all come and lead to the same origin." (P. Halder, behavior therapy, p. 47/48)

Nevertheless: preachers, evangelists, doctors, health institutes and brothers and sisters use these practices!

More cleverly than we think, Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. As probation draws to a close, he comes in religious guise. Many, far too many church members are completely unprepared. They would fall unknowingly into many of the traps laid by the enemy. Here is a copy of a letter to the editor (Psychology Today, Sept 1997):

»The inclusion of the religious can make therapies more effective and accelerate them. Leuner reports in his textbook of the katathymic picture life (= an advanced stage in autogenic training) of a patient with heart phobia, who spontaneously encounters the Christ figure in the first session. After just two sessions, her symptoms have disappeared and she is developing a new attitude towards life. I myself encourage specific ideas about Christ when the topic is suitable for this purpose and I have had mostly positive experiences with it.«

A word from Jesus comes to mind in connection with this report: "What good would it do a man if he gained the whole world and yet his soul suffered damage." (Matthew 16,26:XNUMX)

In the "Breath-Free-Program" for smoking cessation, the focus is no longer on personal will and the influence of God's power, but on positive thinking and visualization. In a brochure from the "Breath-Free" program, the reader is told to visualize themselves without cigarettes, whereby the "unconscious" is influenced and they can have victory over the cigarette. Because through visualization »new strength and energy arises to bring about a change.« (The Breath Free Stop Smoking Plan, pp. 28-32)

The concept of visualization comes from Hinduism, which teaches that our outer reality is just a dream (maja), a result of our thinking. Thus, by changing one's thinking and mere imagination, one can change this reality. Our imagination brings about personality change or physical healing. According to Hindu theory, the highest level of visualization can only be achieved through a hypnotic trance. This closes the circle again.

Whether for the purpose of healing the emotional life, whether to improve memory or to become physically healthier again, they are always Roots to review the procedure. Quite a few Christians are of the opinion that methods are in themselves value-free, it only matters how and for what purpose they are used. But are methods really always neutral, even when it comes to the human soul? Isn't it the case that every psychotechnology is based on a certain philosophical-ideological presupposition? Whoever uses a method is ruled by it, because with the method one takes over the spirit that determines the origin and the goal. In 1983 that contained Time Magazine an article about Neuro-Linguistic Programming: »Hypnosis, self-help, language training and non-verbal communication seem to be disjointed parts in a therapeutic rummage box. Nonetheless, these are all essential components in a rapidly growing therapy tongue-twistingly titled: Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP for short.Time, December 18, 1983)

Advertisements about NLP trainings dominate in psychotherapeutic and psychological journals. Whether it's "learning, laughing and loving", or discovering the "hidden sides of your life" or "success at work and in private life" - NLP is offered. Another time the "power of influence" is taught. But what does that have to do with the community?

In the 70s, an interchurch training organization, the LEAD Consultants Inc. founded with the aim of training pastors in the skill of dealing with church members. The president of this organization is a Methodist minister. In his training courses, LAB I and LAB II are taught, these are preliminary stages to NLP. The content of these training courses, which were attended by probably hundreds of Adventist ministers and lay people (Adventist Review Feb. 20, 1992) deals with concepts such as how to listen to people properly, how to resolve resistance in conversation, how to deal with someone who has suffered a personal loss, etc. In letters to the editor on this subject, congregation members state that the "psychology, that was brought was not bad in principle,' but the gospel was entirely absent. Or, that we have a "textbook more appropriate for a home-calling skills course, namely the path to health (Ministry of Healing) by Ellen White.

But what appears harmless turns out to be a step-by-step introduction to hypnotic practices. The participant's level of consciousness is gradually altered until a hypnotic state is reached and the desired change intended by the therapist has been achieved. All this happens with various exercises, under harmless-sounding names, wrapped in the cloak of science. However, history is always an old one: For 6000 years mankind has been trying to achieve more knowledge, more light, more power and skill. Always the ultimate goal is the desire to be like God, and Satan offers his means of making him "wise." Sister White writes:

“Satan tempted the first Adam in Eden and he tangled with the enemy and thereby gave him an advantage. Satan exercised the power of hypnosis over Adam and Eve and sought to exercise it over Christ as well. But after the word of Scripture was quoted, Satan realized that he had no chance of triumph.« (Mind, Character and Personality II, 713)

Training, practice in various social skills is not to be condemned in bulk; but using psycho-techniques to win back inactive, lapsed, or expelled church members is a grave mistake. Here the work of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 16,14:XNUMX) will be replaced by profane worldly methods and the fruit will not fail.

Dear siblings! In these last days of world history, a high level of vigilance, with eyes and ears wide open, is required.

"The power of Satan is continually exercised to paralyze the sensibilities of God's people, that their consciences may not be so sensitive to what is false, and that the distinguishing mark between them and the world may be removed." (Testimonies I, 274-275)

We need to find renewed confidence in the sources given to us by the Lord from His Word, for “there is no need to seek some mysterious science to help the sick. We already have the science of true rest, the science of salvation, the science of restoration, and the science of living faith in a living Redeemer." (Medical Ministry, 117)

Therefore the word of our God applies more than ever: “Thus says the LORD: Stand by the ways and look and ask about the ways of the olden days, which is the good way, and walk in them, and you will find rest for your souls. « (Jeremiah 6,16:XNUMX)

First appeared in Our solid foundation, 2-1998