How Do MLMs Use New Thought and Prosperity Teachings?

Question

I am aware that MLMs are said to incorporate New thought and Prosperity teachings quite often. What is the implementation of such philosophies on their business model?

Answer 1

New Thought and Prosperity teachings become handy in motivating MLMs members towards a mindset of abundance and success and balance their viewpoint. There is a belief from these lessons that thinking positively, creating mental pictures, and declaring affirmations will get one rich and healthy, thus adding value to the story of the MLM getting rich. Such a method is ethically dubious as to why people in religion, being prosperous or rich is seen as the blessing and being poor or unsuccessful is a result of lack of faith or positive mindset.

Comments

Update: We left. Thank you to anyone who prayed for us. God made things clear regarding this matter in our lives.
You know, I was one that messaged you with a pretty positive view on mlms and how it changed my life for the better. However lately,  I feel myself being pulled away from it the closer I get to God. My heart is currently on fire for apologetics and I’ve stopped listening to the resources supplied by upline and my eyes have been opened to the new thought teachings that are taught there. I’ve started speaking against some of the things they say and have been feeling upset when I hear people twisting the Bible all out of context to make it fit the business. Yes it has been a great experience and that’s only because it’s where I found God in. Lately, things just feel wrong. I’m going to keep praying on it and see where God pulls us. I fully submit to His will. Definitely pray for us.

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I grew up as a daughter with a mom who did an MLM, and watches her often support other MLM’s her “friends” are involved in.
I read when she finally made the decision to step down within the company and all of her friendships changed because she was no longer apart of the “group.”
To this day, I can still see the prosperity gospel clouding her judgement at times. She has called herself out verbatim with using “Christianese” it’s so weird that you used that term.

But what’s scariest to me after reading this content and going through counseling is realizing that the “mlm positivity” is what often drives a wedge between me and my mom. It is so scary to think that she still looks up to prosperity gospel pastors and isn’t involved in a good Christian community anymore. I often worry about her faith but man, this gave me words I didn’t have.
Thank you for the in depth deep dive. I pray that this changes lives and pushes others toward the real Gospel, reading it right out of the Bible and having good Bible literacy, not just “claiming pretty verses.”

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Aside from the fact that very very few people ever make any money and in fact usually lose money, these MLM's tend to prey on Christians. But yet I haven't heard anyone besides yourself in Christendom speaking about this!  Thank you for speaking out about this.

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Thank you for this. You’re the first Christian YouTuber that I’ve come across to actually go in depth on this topic. I’ve wrestled with this for a few years, and this gave me more perspective and freedom to continue to grow as a barber/entrepreneur and build a business that serves the community.

As you were going through all the different books/authors, I was surprised to hear John Maxwell and Rich Dad Poor Dad. From leadership to financial literacy, I’ve learned a lot from reading them. But it’s good reminder for me to continue to read the scripture in its context

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Thank you so much for addressing this topic and drawing the parallels between new thought in MLMs and church. My mom has been in a Word of Faith church for years but now she’s sick and it’s been so difficult communicating with her about her  health care. She doesn’t want to talk about the cancer diagnosis or anything. She just walks around repeating her “healing” scriptures in her own world. I’m angry and sad all at the same timePls keep us lifted in prayer.

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thank you for covering this so gracefully. my husband & i left amway a year & a half ago after 10 YEARS. we are healing from so much, there is a lot of cultic behavior, pride, idols, etc. it's incredibly isolating & we spent thousands of dollars on products (most never used), meetings, conferences, etc. the misuse of scripture is soooo insane & it mixes in a lot of new age & new thought in regards to manifestation, affirmations, & the power of words. God forbid you say you're sick or sad.. "stop being negative. your words prophecy your future!". we were always told that if you saw this business, it's because "it's God's will for your life!" & we definitely read all the books you mentioned.. our "team" was very big on olsteen, creflo dollar, kenneth hagin, the copelands, td jakes, terri savelle foy, todd white, jesse duplantis, joyce meyer, etc. "kingdom mindset" was constantly preached. & if you ever had a moment of sadness, doubt, etc.. you were living in fear. & yesssss so many false converts!! we've watched dozens of people leave the business & become insanely lost - new age, witchcraft, & a brutal hate for God. it's incredibly sad to see.. & you were definitely spot on with a lot of the key themes/words. so incredibly toxic. thank you for this!

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My goodness. Thank you for exposing this.
My friend worked for MKay. When they had their conventions, They would sing, "
I've got the Mary Kay enthusiasm down my heart, up in my head down in my feet." Another friend worked for Amway, He said he was told, "Where  there is soap, there is hope.".
Twisted.
And the prosperity gospel is a lie, I used to be in it, but I saw how delusional it was.

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When I look back as my walk as a Christian... I look back at my time when I was still doing yoga and way into the oil company thing. Visualization, positive thinking, prosperity teaching - yep. The ladies who were my uplines we all about the self help, mindset...and what I call it now is *Christian Mysticism*.

I now know better. But I look back at how I was still a baby Christian in that time.

I was deceived.

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I’m so glad you did this! We were a part of “hamspray” for a few years. I never wanted to do it but my husband heard about earning more money, there were went. He had a beard, they made him shave it off and we had to invest in different clothes because they wanted him to wear a suit to all the meetings. My husband wanted the group meetings and conferences (because travel and we looked good), but I was the one who was supposed to set up all of the meetings and try to find the money to purchase the things they said we needed (weekly tapes to inspire and encourage). Loved the products, but we never made any money. And I HATED being away from my kids and hated being told they would thank me for it later. I appreciate you using the phrase “sacrificing your children on the altar of MLM because that’s exactly how I thought of it. Prosperity teaching was all through it and even though I did find encouragement in SOME of the teachings, most of it (the teachings, the concepts, the leaving the kids for someone else to raise) just didn’t set well with me and felt so unbiblical. When one of my uplines told me that I needed to get serious and bring in more money, I said no. She stopped working with me. And when I didn’t do our yearly renewal, my direct up line was strangely no longer my friend. There WERE a couple of good things that came out of it, but mostly I am so thankful that I said no.

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My experience with one of these organizations, which has been around for decades and starts with an "A". It came through a coworker who was deeply involved. When we would travel for work, he would play cassette tapes from this organization. Now, having been raised in a home where Word of Faith nonsense was the order of the day,  I immediately recognized the vast similarities with a Kenneth Copeland event. As a result I immediately came to the conclusion that these people must be Charlatans. The more my coworker talked it up, the more I was convinced that the claims made were to good to be true.

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Hearing you mention Rich dad poor dad hit me like a ton of bricks.  My own pastor recommended I read that because I want to learn how to start a business and handle my finances better.  I started reading it and my alarm bells were going off but I couldn't tell why.

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I belong to an MLM until I found out the leadership, who routinely give thanks to God, were all New Agers! I found out when the top leadership took me to a new age church, it woke me up! My wife belonged to an MLM, and when we went to a leadership meeting, we found out their leadership is deeply attached to the NAR. They are even close friends with the leaders of the NAR.

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“New thought is a movement that is everywhere!” Honestly, this is so deep and dark and needs to be exposed!! I genuinely appreciate this so much! I was with Monat for 4 years and I’m surprised it didn’t completely destroy my life and family! I saw everything that you mentioned and questioned it in prayer! I’m thankful that the Lord saved me from this deceptive system. Thank you so much for this content… it’s so encouraging to see someone talk about it and to the degree you did! The spiritual element to it is SO Dark, but most people don’t see it or don’t care!

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Great research! I was part of an MLM and everything you discussed was on point. I really appreciate how you tied the mentality of MLM’s to how it conflicts with Christian principles! I feel a sense of grief for some of the stuff I dealt with specially the emotional abuse and brainwashing. I’ve learned that only God‘s principles are the true essence of living a good life. It’s not what a MLM or New Age organization tries to sell you. great job on putting this together and I appreciate all the time and research you put into it. Keep it up! ❤

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I appreciate the heart and effort put into this subject of Multi-Level Marketing. It’s a serious problem when people come to church to use people to move product or even use a church directory to approach Christian Brethren for “the business”. That’s not what a church directory is for.

However, to be fair, when we violate the Dorean Principle, we also turn Church Brethren into customers, like charging money for fellowship lunches, Bible Translations, Bible Commentaries, Bible Colleges, Seminaries, Christian Conferences, and even much needed Biblical Counseling. That’s selling the Gospel and Discipleship. And that needs to stop also.

There’s a book called the Dorean Principle written by Pastor Conley Owens that covers this topic and copyright, and there’s a YouTube Channel called “Selling Jesus” that addresses this important issue. Ministry should be supported, not sold.

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I’ve been a part of a few MLMs. One, who sells insurance, I found to be the most upsetting. I had left my career due to serious professional reasons and wanted something new. Someone I trust recruited me. Those in the MLM presented as Christ followers. That made me comfortable. Then, they showed the new age movie, The Secret. I ran out crying. On top of that a member of the leadership falsely called out my husband for not contacting people that were in his phone. My husband’s phone was a work phone. I was livid! My husband is the One My Soul Loves. No one demeans him. No one. There were a few other issues but those 2 led me to leave. The mask of Christianity was a draw for me. Those who present as such are always using new age tomfoolery.

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Thank you so much for making this content! I got saved out of new age/new thought/prosperity gospel/ MLM gospel and my whole life unraveled when I realized how controlled I was… people NEED to hear what you are saying!

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Just watched part 1 and everything you said was absolutely correct, I used to be an IBO in Quixtar (now Amway Global) and I heard all these sales pitches from them, secondly, when I saw the pyramid schemes in prosperity gospel churches, I was like, hey, I’ve seen this before