Vol. 9, No. 7, 1992

Articles on the New Age

Ruth Gordon

Annually, about five million people are treated by the estimated twenty-five thousand licensed chiropractic practitioners in America (Can You Trust Your Doctor? John Ankerberg and John Weldon, p. 203).

There is much debate not only about the validity of chiropractic but also whether or not it is based on occultic philosophy. "There is a logical reason for this association between chiropractic and new age medicine historically, chiropractic has occultic roots" (Ibid, p. 208).

Well known chiropractor and developer of Touch for Health, John F. Thie, observes that modern chiropractic holds certain new age beliefs: the modern "Chiropractor believes that the innate intelligence that runs the body is connected to universal (cosmic) intelligence that runs the world (i.e., God)" (Ibid, p. 207).

"The philosophy of chiropractic has been traditionally built around the concept of innate intelligence. As proclaimed by the chiropractic philosophers of the past generation, innate intelligence resides in the brain of every living creature and is expressed through the nervous system to give life, thought, guidance, and direction to the tissue cells and organs of the body.

"In keeping with this philosophy then, disease results when interference prevents innate intelligence in the brain from communicating satisfactorily with the organs or tissues of the body. This happens when vertebral subluxations cause a pressure on nerves and disturbance to this communication" (Christian Chiropractors Association, Glenn M. Hultgren, D.C., August 1988, p. 20).

"Though some physical manipulation, general massage for tension headaches and rational, conservative spinal manipulation therapy for some neuromusculoskeletal disorders is medically justifiable and may be safe and beneficial, the fundamental chiropractic theory of subluxations [spinal misalignments] causing disease is false" (Can You Trust Your Doctor, Ankerberg & Weldon, p. 202).

"As Christians, we need to have a clear definition from a philosophical as well as anatomical standpoint. We must realize that innate intelligence is the measurable life energy, neuro-energy, bio-electrical energy which originates in the hypothalamus of the brain and is transmitted through the nervous system" (Christian Chiropractors Association, Glenn M. Hultgren D.C., August 1988, p. 20).

"Many in chiropractic both past and present have erroneously made the assumption that this innate intelligence is God or even a part of God. Modern New Age chiropractors also use this premise to teach that God is within us and God's power flows from above down--inside out, and this is totally contrary to biblical teaching" (Ibid, p. 21).

This is in line with the New Age gnostic / pantheistic world view where God is totally synonymous with creation: "All is One." They believe God is a principle, a universal law, vibration or energy: "It, not Him." They believe in an impersonal God, and that Christ's death, resurrection and atonement for sin are unnecessary and irrelevant (SCP Journal, Winter 1984, p. 38).

In contrast, Christians know that the Bible teaches that God only dwells in a human by His Holy Spirit and only after a conversion experience (Romans 8:9). The Biblical world view of God is that He is transcendent, "other" than creation - that He is a personality (Ibid, p. 38).

A major problem in chiropractic is that "the practice is far too extensively employed to be justified on the basis of its limited effectiveness. Furthermore chiropractic theory and practice are easily integrated with many other new age therapies, thereby promoting new age medicine in general" (Can You Trust Your Doctor? Ankerberg & Weldon, p. 202).

"There are three basic categories of modern chiropractic practice: first traditional Palmerian chiropractic which continues to rely on the occultic, quack and unscientific theories developed by the founders of chiropractic, Daniel and B.J. Palmer;"

"Second, new age eclectic chiropractic which, in additional to chiropractic, uses a variety of other new age occultic techniques; and"

"Third, legitimate chiropractic which seeks to remain within the realm of modern medical scientific practice. Anyone concerned about his health should avoid chiropractors who fall into the first two categories" (Can You Trust Your Doctor? Ankerberg & Weldon, p. 206).

"The problem in chiropractic is not with reformed-minded chiropractors who are attempting to use manipulation in a medically justified manner. These chiropractors are to be commended" (Ibid, p. 206).