Written by The Scribbler

Ever see NSD Linda Toupin’s “Child of God” document? It’s a photo collage of all of Toupin’s homes – from her modest river cottage to her multi-turreted Helm’s Deep of present day. Listed underneath each home are benchmarks in Toupin’s Mary Kay career: Directorship, a National Area, signing the pact with Beezelbub, (sorry, I couldn’t resist) and so forth. Positioned underneath the aerial shot of Helm’s Deep, however, is this passage:

You Are a Child of God

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?”
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us: it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others.

– Nelson Mandela

Makes you want to join hands and sing “Kumbayya” doesn’t it? Shine your light, embrace your power, eschew fear, and “You know say daddy me snow me-a gonna blame, a licky boom-boom down.” I’m not sure what’s more disturbing; the fact that psychobabble like this is being fed to Mary Kay beauty consultants or the fact that I Googled the words “Snow Informer lyrics” and actually got a result. Canadian reggae singers? In my epoch? Lord ha’mercy, Coy; what a time to be alive.

You’ll be amazed to learn that the “Child of God” passage didn’t originate from Nelson Mandela, but from New Age author Marianne Williamson. The quote can be found in her book, Return to Love, in which she champions the 1965 work A Course in Miracles.

Want to go a bit further down the rabbit hole? A Course in Miracles was written by Helen Scuchman, who claimed that the book’s text was channeled to her by Jesus. It’s pretty simple to check out this claim, for if what was dictated to Schuchman was indeed from Christ, it will agree with the teachings of the Bible. If it doesn’t, then we can confidently toss it onto the dung pile, along with all those pesky outdated platinum compacts. Let’s compare a couple of quotes from A Course in Miracles to what the Bible says:

Course: “The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation.”

Bible: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

Course: “The name of Jesus is the name of one who was a man, but saw the face of Christ in all his brothers and remembered God. So he became identified with Christ, a man no longer, but at one with God.”

Bible: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

Sobering stuff, isn’t it? So how does this information tie together? Like this:

Mary Kay’s NSDs and directors are doing a lot of name-dropping when it comes to God, but in all honesty, how often do those lengthy diatribes on vision casting, scarcity mentality, and victory affirmations get cross-checked against the Bible? Just because something looks godly doesn’t mean that it is, yet countless counterfeit teachings are being gobbled up by the downline quicker than Betty Lou’s Lemon Icebox Pie at the Memorial Day picnic. The Stacy James brand of naïveté is alive and well in Mary Kay: “MKC Corporate wants us to win cars and make lots of money. Having a suspicious mind will not serve you. Ulterior motives are not their style.” Remember that, Komrade.

Instead of taking Toupin’s document at face value and taping it to the bathroom mirror next to the affirmation list, the 8 X 10 glossy of Mary Kay Ash, and the endearing shot of Darrell Overcash in Pikachu boxers, the savvy consultant – after a bit of digging – would have discovered that the “Child of God” segment did not come from a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, but an anti-Christian author who advocates teachings that copiously defecate on the Word of God. Knowingly or unknowingly, NSD Linda Toupin is feeding the downline perverted religion.

Think about it. If all this information was uncovered regarding one “inspirational” passage, how many more e-mails and documents in Mary Kay contain double meanings or dark backgrounds? Even more disturbing, who’s going to check them out when the fear of being labeled negative is being dangled over their heads?

I pray that you will, friend. Next time your NSD floats you an e-mail that makes your computer sweat holy water, see if what she says jibes with the Word. If a Bible verse is used, check its context. And refuse to blindly bee-lieve any motivational teaching given you without first daring to discern. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance.”