Try free for 30 days

1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Happy Lies

By: Melissa Dougherty
Narrated by: Melissa Dougherty
Pre-order free with Premium Plus

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Pre-order for $26.61

Pre-order for $26.61

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

Apologist Melissa Dougherty helps us understand how our society got to be so toxically subjective, why endless positivity is inherently negative, and how we can live with truth and love in these self-obsessed times.

How did we end up in a world in which each person's subjective reality is more important than the truth? And what does that tell us about why we're confused, restless, and, if we're honest, just so sad?

Apologist and YouTube host Melissa Dougherty deftly traces the roots of today's social chaos back to the 1800s philosophy of New Thought. With clarity, compassion, and a bit of loving snark, she exposes New Thought's deceptions and shows us why it's important for our minds and hearts to hold fast to biblical truth. Make sense of a world gone crazy as you discover:

  • What a cultural movement from back in the days when people strolled more than scrolled has to do with our cultural angst today
  • How toxic positivity and unrealistic optimism have infiltrated the church
  • Ways to respond when you're criticized for even suggesting moral truth
  • How understanding the New Thought mindset can help us build bridges with people who reject Christianity
  • Why a "don't worry, be happy" philosophy leads to a lot more worry and a lot less happy

This groundbreaking book propels us out of our loneliness and into the freedom that comes from believing in something outside of ourselves, resting in a love that doesn't have to do with our moods, and knowing an eternal truth greater than any "authenticity" masquerading as our savior.

©2025 Melissa Dougherty (P)2025 Zondervan

What listeners say about Happy Lies

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.