• New-agers present Yoga as an effective way to control the mind and emotions through physical exercises and repetition of some mantras that help the person focus. Eastern religions gave birth to this occult practice. Christian parents and schools are unmindful of the satanic nature of this religious practice; it tries to enter into the lives of believers in the name of bodily exercise. Children of believers enroll in yoga classes in schools and become victims of evil-spirit possession soon enough.

• God-men and Gurus have huge gatherings behind them – all because they seem to address the pressures of today through their discourses. Many of them make their devotees believe that they are gods themselves each having a solution to their problems in their own hands. Christian preachers are no different. They are building their own kingdoms and beseech money for their “ministry” – TV stations, TV programs, building projects, and book publications. Believers keep contributing to these personal-wealth-accumulation-plans of the “Gurujis” who become targets of ridicule by the world; they become the primary cause for unbelievers blaspheming the name of God.

• New-agers present Ayurveda as a natural way of healing diseases. Originally, Ayurveda is occult – eastern religions prescribe this as an alternative to the scientific research-based allopathy (synthetic medicine; not spiritual). Ayurveda is knowledge of life. Jesus is the Life and in Him is eternal life. God has given to us eternal life and this life is in His Son. -1 Jn 5:11. He has given us His word which contains eternal life. (Jn 6:63) so that we would receive life and that in abundance. Many Christians ignore this truth and gulp down lies.

• Siddha is an alternative medicine that prescribes concoctions of roots, herbs, and natural chemicals to heal diseases. New-agers claim that the combinations, formulae, and practice are of divine origin – revealed only to the super-spiritual Sitthars. This is the Thamizhar alternative to Ayurveda. Christians fall victim to these as they do to Ayurveda. Some become addictive – like balms and painkillers. While natural medicine can heal some diseases of the body, some believers keep talking about the effectiveness of these treatments that they tend to forget God the Healer; they set Him and His healing virtue far from the sufferers.

• The people of the world take pride in their fit bodies. They feed it with the best food available and tend it with special care so that they look attractive and strong. Pride of life! “Bodily exercise profits little”, says Paul in his epistle. But this has become an essential part of Christian youth who enroll themselves in gymnasiums in the neighborhood and build healthy muscles and six-packs. People give little attention to the fitness of their soul and their spirit. Focus has shifted from the essential godliness which is profitable to the present and to the life-to-come to the non-essentials and non-profitable things that benefit only the present.

• Eating out is the new in-thing. Hotels were stop-gap arrangements for families when the mother fell sick or when there was not enough provision to cook for an unexpected guest; they have now become the sad normal! The snobbish, like the rich, choose posh restaurants and spend their hard-earned money on costly food. Pride of Life! The scriptures appreciate the wise woman who cooks for her household and does not eat the bread of idleness! (Pro 31:27). Christian families are accountable for every dime spent – especially on luxury budget outings. A three-course meal in a Christian home could be an occasional affair; if this is the norm, it is high time for introspection!

• Wasting of food matters little to households today; people waste food at homes, hotels, functions, and banquets. Are Christians not accountable for wasted food? Jesus’s disciples collected the leftovers both times when He performed a miracle to feed the multitude. And they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. – Matt 15:37 and twelve baskets full – Matt 14:20.

• Fast food culture has now evolved to food-on-the-table with the arrival of cloud kitchens and food delivery apps. While technology has provided the convenience of bringing food to the table, many are failing to value food – especially children who are not able to relate the food to the effort that is behind the growing, harvesting, processing, and cooking of food. It is pathetic that some children don’t even know that cow gives milk, or the land produces grains. Christians must teach their kids the value of food. Parents should train children to give thanks to God for the food that is set before them. Let them also focus on what is on the table than on smartphones and TV programs. Believers must also educate kids about people who can’t afford even one meal a day and that many die for want of nutritious food and potable water.

• Birthday bashes are common among the people of the world. They waste huge money in entertaining friends with lavish parties with alcohol and gourmet food (and drugs!) dominating the proceedings. Parents are proud to “throw” such parties for their children but become more concerned when the children grow up to conduct revelries on their own. Christian homes traditionally celebrate birthdays, but they don’t realize that the birthday parties mentioned in the gospels always end on a sorrowful note. It was never celebrated as an occasion in the early church but this occult practice has invaded Christian homes – blowing off a burning candlelight and cutting the cake with the name of the person on it for consumption, the crowd dressed in weird-looking masks and caps and the atmosphere loaded with smoke and strobe lights.
In the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. – 1Tim 4:3.