“The Telepathy Tapes,” a hit podcast and developing documentary project, has gained a massive following due to its claims that non-verbal autistic children are capable of telepathic communication. But, according to a former psychic-turned-evangelist, the concept carries serious spiritual dangers, especially for Christians.
In a recent episode of her podcast, “Ex-Psychic Saved,” Jenn Nizza welcomed biblical counselor Mark Baker and author and speaker Doreen Virtue to discuss the rising popularity of “The Telepathy Tapes,” created by filmmaker Ky Dickens, who has two neurotypical kids, and why believers should approach it with caution.
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“This is a very sensitive topic,” Nizza told listeners. “Can we read people’s minds, and should we be attempting to read people’s minds? What about people with autism who are so vulnerable as it is spiritually?”
Baker, who has been in ministry for more than 25 years and counseled for over two decades, reflected on how the series has made a significant cultural splash.
Debuting in September 2024, the podcast quickly became the No. 1 show in the world and now includes bonus episodes, fundraising efforts for a documentary, and potential book and film projects.
“In a world that often dismisses the extraordinary as mere fantasy, ‘The Telepathy Tapes’ dares to explore the profound abilities of non-speakers with autism — individuals who have long been misunderstood and underestimated,” reads the podcast description.
Though acknowledging the topic of the podcast is “fascinating,” Baker warned it’s “also deeply concerning when we hold it up to Scripture.”
Virtue, who spent decades in the New Age movement before becoming a Christian in 2017, said her alarm went off immediately. She shared the story of a close Christian friend with two non-verbal autistic daughters who use spelling to communicate. That friend rejected the notion that telepathy was involved, attributing her children’s responses to learned knowledge and past experiences, not mind-to-mind transmission.
“She absolutely thought that that was offensive, that anyone would even suggest this, because, she said, this is her daughter actually learning, even though … she cannot speak at all,” Virtue said.
Both Nizza and Virtue contended that any accurate “mind reading” in psychic contexts was not a supernatural gift from God but information supplied by demonic spirits.
“Demons have been around for ages,” Nizza said. “They have seen what has transpired in people’s lives and can report that with 100 percent accuracy. When we participated in divination, we had already invoked those demons.”
Baker pointed to passages such as 1 Thessalonians 5:21 and 1 John 4:1 to emphasize the biblical command to “test the spirits.” He also referenced Revelation 16:14 and Deuteronomy 13 to warn that miracles and accurate predictions are not proof of divine origin.
“This is how deception works,” Baker said. “They build confidence by giving you things that are believable, and then comes the hook.”
The guests described elements of “The Telepathy Tapes” they found troubling, including references to communication with the dead, out-of-body travel, “downloads” of special knowledge, and portrayals of children as spiritual guides for humanity’s future.
Virtue noted that such concepts mirror New Age teachings she once promoted, such as “Indigo children” and “Crystal children” supposedly born with heightened spiritual abilities.
“There’s nothing in the Bible about telepathy,” she said. “Biblical prophets were 100 percent accurate and called people to repentance. None of the so-called prophets today do that. Instead, they stroke the ego, telling people they’re special, they’ll be rich, they’ll meet their soulmate. It’s spiritually dangerous.”
Nizza and Baker also expressed concern about the emotional appeal to parents of special needs children who long to communicate more deeply with their children. Nizza recounted hearing of a Christian parent convinced their relative with autism could read minds and deliver “godly” messages, even being referred to as a prophet.
“That’s going to be very alluring to somebody who wants to communicate with their non-verbal loved ones,” Nizza said. “But we have to test it against God’s Word.”
Virtue added that such claims can exploit grief and parental hopes. “The devil is heartless,” she said. “He exploits people who are grieving, lonely or vulnerable. This is the same pattern I saw in the New Age, just in a different package.”
The panel cautioned against giving undue weight to the podcast’s inclusion of scientific figures, warning that appealing to authority can mislead people eager to believe.
“You can get a scientist to agree with just about any theory you have,” Virtue said. “But what does the Bible say?”
For Baker, the conversation highlighted what he sees as a widespread lack of discernment in the Church.
“If you’re not exercising discernment, you’re going to be deceived,” he said. “We need to know Scripture so well that when we encounter something false, we can immediately recognize it.”
Throughout the episode, Nizza, Baker and Virtue urged Christians to reject spiritual counterfeits and remain rooted in the truth of the Gospel. They stressed that while the desire to connect with non-verbal loved ones is understandable, believers must resist practices that Scripture forbids.
“As parents, our greatest prayer should be for the salvation of our children,” Nizza said. “They can be whole and healed in eternal glory with Him. At the end of the day, our souls are going to one of two places, and that depends on our relationship with Jesus.”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
