IN MY OPINION...

Did you know that the theories of C. G. Jung (pronounced "Young") are profoundly opposed to Christianity?  According to an article in the Christian Research Journal, "Confronting The Errors of Jungianism," Jung is "more sorcerer than true psychologist." 

Jung was no ordinary psychologist by any means.  In fact, he considered himself a "spiritist" and delved into practices that include alchemy, casting omens, and spirit channeling (a sophisticated term used by New Agers for spirit possession or contacting spirits from a realm beyond our physical senses.)  As well, "he held not that good should overcome evil, but that it should reconcile with evil," or to put it another way, "integrating evil with good."

Unfortunately Jungianism has influenced not only our popular culture, but Christian teaching as well, in spite of the fact that the Bible labels sorcery "an abomination" and are understood to be acts or behaviors of a dangerous nature.  Sorcery of any kind is expressly forbidden by God. (Leviticus 19:26-31; II Chronicles 33:6; Isaiah 47:8-11)  The writer of the article, J. Budziszewski, says about Jungianism: "[It] is based on damnable lies about the nature of good, evil, God, and the human soul.  Yet these lies are being taught in ostensibly Christian seminaries and promoted by ostensibly Christian psychotherapists.  I shuddered when I spoke to a Christian lady who said that her minister had been teaching her to 'gain strength from her dark side.'"

Budziszewski then asks, "How can these dangerous teachings be confronted?"  His answer is to inform Christians who have never heard of Jung about his New Age teaching.  Those who have had Jungianism presented to them as a kind of psychoanalysis that, unlike Freud, is more open to "spirituality" must be warned that for Jung "spirituality" means evil spirits.  For the third group, which consists of people who have read a little of Jung but have been confused by "the cagey way he speaks when he is addressing people who are not insiders, Jung must be stripped of his rhetorical disguises."

The difficulty, says Budziszewski, is that there's a little truth mixed in with Jung's lies.  "Through a little twist, he turns the truth that for the time being God tolerates certain evils into the lie that God is beyond good and evil.  Through another twist, he turns the truth that we must reckon with what we repress into the lie that we must achieve a reconciliation with what is evil.  To dispel this kind of confusion, we need to identify each truth, but show how he distorts it."

Then there are those who Budziszewski calls "the wolves of the flock," the ones who fully understand what Jung's ideas mean, and teach them anyway.  "Like the Gnostics against whom St. Paul and the early church waged spiritual battle, these people don't need instruction, but rebuke.  Christ gave disciplinary authority to the church for a reason.  He meant it to be used."

According to Budziszewski, we face two obstacles to exposing Jung's earlier writings: His writings were composed in a misleading style and his teachings twisted the truth rather than ignoring it.  Christians can respond to this dangerous philosophy in two ways: First, become informed about the deceptive teachings of Jung's psychology.  Second, familiarize yourself with the metaphysical concepts and techniques of New Agers.  If you know someone who proclaims to be a Christian and yet embraces an incompatible, non-Christian pluralistic world-view, he/she has not (yet) received the Spirit of God.  In Scripture believers are admonished, "give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:31

From what we know about Carl Jung, it is unwise for Christians to "seek after" his dangerous philosophy.  Instead we should do as the Apostle Paul says: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  Romans 12:2

Copyright 1999
By Marsha West