Does New Thought Walk its Talk with COVID Precautions?

BY REBECCA HARMON

In times of trouble, religious and spiritual people often turn to their leaders for guidance, support, and comfort. What happens if/when those leaders abdicate their sacred responsibilities? Back in 2020 as the novel Coronavirus began to wreak havoc on everyday American lives, I remember too many responses that hinted at deep problems in a movement that I had been struggling to understand for a few years: organized spiritual metaphysics.

Since 2012 when I first stumbled into a metaphysical center/church, I have experienced equal parts joy and sorrow. In many ways, the period in my life from 2012 through today has been a journey of reconciling those extremes to find my place within the philosophy as well as a peace about it.

In the Spring of 2020, the world had more questions than answers about the Coronavirus, and it seemed that guessing wrong – especially in spiritual communities which tend to be older – had lethal consequences. For me this meant that the only reasonable option was to take maximum precautions.

If we overshoot the precautions, we can come back together after it’s over and all have a good laugh at how paranoid we had been. The alternative – to keep gathering and not worry about it – seemed risky, dangerous, and out of alignment with the principle of Oneness (a principle hailed within New Thought as a core tenet).

Public health and the offering plate

My first go-round with a minister about the tension between public health and the offering plate was in March of 2020 after I emailed my friends who attended the local church and the minister. I suggested they consider suspending in-person services and classes for a while. ALL of these women are well into their 60’s and 70’s and the church was a small, poorly ventilated space.

Many agreed with me, but what happened next would turn out to be foreshadowing of behavior that I would see again and again. I received a response from the minister that began with “Thank you for your concern. And we still have an active community that needs your weekly financial support. Please consider making regular contributions through PayPal.”

Offerings, tithes, financial gifts – these were the FIRST concern.

Although I knew better, for a moment I hoped that this was one misguided person, and not representative of the larger movement. More than 18-months later I wish I could report that I see less evidence of that perspective.

In a recent social media post, I asked if the group (a private group focused on discussions around spiritual metaphysics) thought that ministers should be required to disclose their vaccination status. The responses were fascinating.

Illness is not possible

Several people indicated that this was indeed a good idea, but more people than I had hoped ALSO indicated that it should not be required. Private channel communications (e.g. not on social media) began to flow into my inbox. I watched as ministers and Practitioners posted that they should not have to report their vaccination status for many reasons, including because illness is not possible in an individualization of God and disease is not a spiritual idea in the Mind of God (a perspective I refer to as “fundamentalist religious science”).

At the same time, I began to hear stories of ministers (open anti-vaxxers) who are flouting local public health recommendations around masking, refusing to disclose their vaccination status – sometimes hiding behind privacy concerns – all while continuing “business-as-usual” on Sunday mornings, which includes hugging people and talking in close proximity to others.

I’m going to pause here to note that as of September 18, 2021, 672,689 American have died due to COVID-19.

How can an organization reconcile a goal of working to make the world work for everyone with actions like these among their recognized leaders at a time when so many have died from this virus?

A world that would work for everyone demands TRANSPARENCY in the face of real risks. People who attend a Sunday service, workshop, seminar, class, or meeting should be able to make that decision based on full disclosure of the information around risks to themselves and their families.

I am not suggesting that ministers be required to get vaccinated or lose their licenses (although I will pause here and point out that many Practitioners have lost licenses for MUCH LESS). I am suggesting that leaders in an organization that promotes itself as having the answers for how to create a world that works for everyone are acting in a way that is completely OPPOSITE that goal.

Sensible precautions

The world isn’t working for everyone if people can’t attend a Sunday service and have a reasonable assurance that every sensible public health precaution is being taken to keep them safe – including having the information they need to decide if it’s in their best interest to expose themselves to the group.

The world isn’t working for everyone when ONENESS is a marketing phrase but not an actual practice.

When it comes to this virus, ONENESS is an appropriate theme. We are all in this together. The virus does not discriminate. If an organization wants to promote itself as an organization that is the embodiment of Oneness their actions – not just their marketing – need to reflect it.

Oneness in the face of a global pandemic means that everyone – especially LEADERS – are open, honest, and transparent around their vaccine status. It means that leaders and local churches/centers not only implement but support in every way the local public health guidelines such as masking, social distancing and more.

It ALSO means that while some may believe that if their consciousness is in the “right place”, they cannot get sick, they understand that not everyone else is in that same place. Therefore, they act in ways that show care, love, and respect for all by behaving in ways that will keep EVERYONE safe – regardless of “consciousness”.

Hard decisions

Promoting an organization as “expert” in creating a world that works for every person requires hard decisions from the top.  I would like to see more direct and relevant guidance from the same office that is busy printing rules for Practitioners on social media posts around this MUCH MORE IMPORTANT issue.

I’ll even make this easy for them by writing their draft copy:

For immediate dissemination:

Being a spiritual leader during a pandemic requires that you lead by example. Effective immediately all credentialed leaders in are expected to abide by the following:

• Wear a mask and require it, as recommended by your local public health agencies, for Sunday services, classes, meetings and more;
• Get vaccinated. If you have strong personal beliefs (or are ineligible) – make sure you’re transparent with EVERYONE so people coming to you/your center can make the best choice for themselves and their families;
• Support in word and action the behaviors that MODEL our commitment to making the world work best for all.

In doing this we demonstrate the Oneness that we promote/teach by acting in a way that is truly respectful of all.

In the medical center and university where I work, employees who refuse to disclose their vaccine status or get a vaccine are at risk of losing their jobs, health insurance, and other benefits.

While I do not anticipate any bravery from the top ranks of the larger metaphysical organizations, I do have hope that the many people I see expressing concern and regard for others will exercise their rights to do what they can to force compliance: withhold their tithes, offerings and gifts from churches/centers and ministers that show a willful disregard for public health and a lack of care and concern for the people that they expect to support them.

We will get through this pandemic and find a new normal on the other side. Whether today’s spiritual organizations survive to have a chance in that new normal will rest largely on their ability to truly understand what it means to make that world that indeed works for all.

Rebecca Harmon is a healthcare professional, college educator, writer and popular speaker in her professional field. In 2019 she earned a credential as a licensed spiritual Practitioner but has decided not to renew those credentials due to concerns of integrity within the larger movement.

“I don’t shop at Hobby Lobby or eat at Chick-Fil A. For the same reasons, I will not be providing any support – financial, intellectual property or other – to an organization that acts in conflict to principles that I hold as important.”  ~ Rebecca Harmon

Rebecca writes regularly about her spiritual journey. You can find more from her about that journey on her blog: Practitioner’s Path.