The Freedom Diaries, My Freedom Diaries. The Freedom Diaries and its sequel My Freedom Diary are heretical books written by Mark Holloway, the latter with his wife Miriam Holloway, in which he claims to recount conversations he has had with God, and teaches others to do the same. The books have been heavily promoted on Radio Rhema apparently without any discernment by Radio Rhema regarding its theology or New Age risks.

¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not treat prophecies with contempt ²¹ but test them all; hold on to what is good, ²² reject every kind of evil.

– 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NIV).

How do we test what Mark Holloway is saying? Anything God says will never conflict with Scripture or His revealed character in the Bible. Radio Rhema has failed to apply this test to Mark Holloway's teachings, and consequently has not considered whether The Freedom Diaries and My Freedom Diary are appropriate books to promote. Let's look at an example from Mark Holloway's blog, where he quotes his "God" saying:

But when people get excited and demand scriptural backing tell them to ask me. If they're genuinely interested tell them to have their own conversation back and forward with me and ask me to expand on truth. I'm happy to talk to anyone.

Does Mark Holloway's teaching here have a biblical basis? No, completely the opposite.

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

– Acts 17:11 (NIV).

The clear implication is that Mark Holloway is not of noble character when he tells his readers to not examine Scripture. Is there any biblical basis for God expanding on truth where a scriptural backing is lacking? Again, no.

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

– 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV).

God has clearly told us that Scripture is itself enough to thoroughly equip us. We do not need extra, non-biblical teaching from Mark Holloway's "God" to "be thoroughly equipped for every good work" or to know God's truth.

The Freedom Diaries and My Freedom Diary are rated Danger for containing teaching out of character with Scripture, contradicting Scripture, for teaching that a supposed conversation with God has greater authority than Scripture, and for downplaying the seriousness of sin. What Mark Holloway has written will encourage Christians to not discern, and not test against Scripture the things he writes.

Danger: The group/person or belief/practice is considered dangerous due to mind control or particularly bad doctrine. These groups (or people) have a strong tendency to damage their members/followers.

Very Hot Topic: At present we only have four listings which are so hot they deserve two flames – Abortion, which claims the lives of thousands of New Zealanders each year, Scientology which actively tries to suppress the rights of personal freedom, in particular free speech and religious freedom), and Mark Holloway and his book The Freedom Diaries because they are so unbiblical but so widely supported. Note that this rating has nothing to do with the "cultishness" of a group.

Printed on 18 December 2019 at www.cults.co.nz.
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