THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT

The Marriage of Eastern Mysticism And Western Egotism Which Birthed Masked Pantheism

In this article concerning the cult which calls itself "New Age" it is my intention to reveal some, but not all, of its doctrinal defects. The object of these observations is to document their departure from the truth of God as revealed in His Scriptures, the Holy Bible. In doing so, the appropriate Scripture passages will be in italics, followed by the book, chapter and verse numbers in parentheses. As always, direct quotes from outside resources used in this article will be enclosed by quotation marks, followed by a number whereby the source can be found in the bibliography. My personal opinions, observation and remarks will be preceded by [Editor's note:], then enclosed by quotation marks..... So, where do we begin?

A Conglomeration and Confusion of Pre-existing Cults

To begin with, the recipe for New Age consists of one part astrology... in its belief that a new age is dawning upon the world....the age of Aquarius, which is actually a "star age" as determined by astrologers. This new age of Aquarius will be characterized by "heightened occult knowledge and occult happenings." [1] In this instance, the recipe for New Age adds a dash of spiritualism, the belief that people are able to communicate with the spirits of the dead, which is in direct opposition to the teachings of God. "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" (Exo 22:18) "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch," (Deu. 18:10) "Idolatry, witchcraft, hated, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such tings shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Gal. 5:20-21) "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (Rev. 21:8).

Speaking of spiritualism, New Age is nothing new but seeks to draw power and credibility from other cults. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints "Joseph Smith was deeply involved in spiritualism and had frequent communication with spirit guides." New Age also draws droplets of doctrine from "Christian Science, the Moonies of the Unification Church, Hare Krishnas, Scientology, Yoga." [2]

Added to this time of increased occultism will be a rise in "humanism and the brotherhood of man." [3] In this belief, Western egotism begins to raise its ugly head.... ie; I am the most important being upon this earth; I am responsible and answerable to no one other than myself; I am the final authority concerning what is ethical, moral, scrupulous and decent. The folly in this type of mind-set is often addressed in the Word of God. Here are just a few: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." (Rom 1:22) "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Pro 3:5)" Jesus saith unto him,' I am the way, the truth, and the life:" (Joh 14:6)

"Time" Will Tell

Time magazine characterized the New Age movement as "cloudy.... claiming vague connections.... major faiths of the East..... plus an occasional dab of pantheism and sorcery." [4] So next, let's check out their annexation of reincarnation in their "ragbag" [5] religion. Here New Age promotes the doctrine that man can detour around God and "somehow.... believe there must be some secret and mysterious shortcut or alternative path to happiness and health. And nobody ever really dies." [6] "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (Heb 9:27) Here again, Western egotism, "I shall not die,but live forever." And it's amazing how many people have bought into reincarnation. Recently, I read that nearly 30% of American men believe in reincarnation, but for the record, in 1987 it was documented at 23% of Americans as a whole. [7]

Now, let's pause for a moment as we consider reincarnation in light of another teaching touted by New Age, which declares that there is no good or evil, an offshoot of the doctrine of humanism. New Age's monistic view that "all is One" (Pantheism).... "evaporates ethical distinctions and supposed opposites... light and dark, good and evil, humans and God.... merge and fuse." [8] [Editor's Note:] "Here is a great example of New Age philosophy, Charles Manson." When Manson ordered the murders of actress Sharon Tate and many others, he "felt he had reached the state of consciousness beyond morality; therefore, he was free to kill." [9] Since New Age believes in the philosophy of One, each person is a god and they don't believe in sin according to its biblical definition. Any flaw in a person's character is simply lack of enlightenment and the solution is to alter the person's consciousness so as to think properly about his "oneness" with the Force (impersonal presence). [10] If there is no good or evil, then why did Jesus Christ die on the cross of Calvary? "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Rom 5:12) "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (Joh 1:29)

Please excuse me for becoming carried away on the discussion of good and evil. We were going to discuss reincarnation in the light of New Age's belief that there is no such thing as wrong and right. And if that is true what constitutes whether a person will be reincarnated in a higher or lower life form in the next time frame? Without good or bad, wrong or right, moral vs. immoral, what is the criteria for going forward or backward on the reincarnation roller coaster which can (might or could) indiscriminately drop you back into the world as a Crown Prince or a cockroach.... as a farmer, factory worker, frog or a flea. And if it all depends upon enlightenment.... who is the "all-enlightened one" who makes that decision, if there is no God and all is One.... does the whole world vote on it? [Editor's Note:] "I say that tongue-in-cheek."

Now as we continue our recipe for The New Age movement... let's take our previous ingredients and mix them in with two cups of finely chopped "channeling." I believe this is the defining doctrine of this fast spreading cult. This goes beyond spiritualism and necromancy and climbs to the dizzying heights of a deceased individual speaking through a living person who is called the channeler. Oddly enough, though very conveniently, the deceased spirit is never known to have existed in a previous life. A great ploy to stop the spirit guide from being exposed as a hoax!

Channeling (Your Money to Their Bank?)

J.Z. Knight, a housewife from Yelm, Washington has been documented as a channeler for Ramtha. Ramtha is a 7-foot warrior from Atlantis (not Atlanta) who died 35,000 years ago and relates his messages to thousands of people through this humble housewife. Sadly, his wisdom is flawed, since through his insight "Many people became involved in financial scams which wiped out their life savings. In the early 1980s it involved the sale of Arabian horses to people who based their decision on the personal advice from Ramtha. A government investigation terminated the scheme, but not before millions of dollars were lost."[11] Ramtha also teaches that "guilt is a false sentiment because sin does not exist."[12] All in all, Ramtha didn't seem to do well in his job as a spirit guide. Maybe that's why he wasn't reincarnated.... after all, if these guides are so good, why aren't they "spirited" to a higher plane of existence?

Then there is Lazaris, [Editor's note:] "I believe this is an example of New Age's attempt to accommodate and relate to Christianity. Remember when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead?" Lazaris was a much more commercial entity than Ramtha ever thought of being.

I cannot personally vouch for his spiritual astuteness or perception, but he was a moneymaker! A weekend seminar offered to hundreds of people at a time can collect as much as $200,000.

"The spirit guide has a two-year waiting list for private consultation at $93 per hour. You can reach out and touch him by phone at $53 per half-hour, billed to your credit card. Audiotapes are available at $20, videotapes at $60." [13] [Editor's note:] Perhaps Lazaris was more lucrative because his channeler was a Los Angeles art dealer who previously earned his living selling insurance. However, he did say, "It's not a business; it's a labor of love."[14]

Channeling in many ways seems little different from seances held by mystics or the hearing of 'inner voices.' Alfred Alschuler authored an article sub-titled "Inner Voices Throughout History" in which he attempted to give channeling a historical and religious credibility. [15] In his article, one notable example was a man who claimed to have been "warned by an inner voice that saved his life. During the war he was told to get up and move further down the trench as he ate his dinner. Doing so, it was only a moment later when a bombshell burst where he had been sitting and every person he had left behind was killed. The man whose life was saved was Adolf Hitler.[16] [Editor's note:] "Add Hitler to Charles Manson, plus the financial schemes of Ramtha and 'do it for the dollar' Lazaris and you have quite a list of people to recommend the New Age movement."

Which Came First? Crystals or "Pet Rocks"

Before closing, I really must address the subjects of crystals, but I will be very brief and let you fill in the gaps. Crystals are sacred objects to the New Ager which provide healthful energy fields and their power is increased through meditation. "As we meditate, we begin to find that we are limitless." [17] "....we use our focused attention to manipulate vibration in some way to make physical changes. For example, we can shift the vibratory rate associated with 'illness' to one of 'wellness.'" [18] We won't go into the 12 step "Exercise to Open the Third Eye" while holding a quartz crystal two inches below your belly button and "silently, to yourself, say the sounds 'RA' on the inhale and 'MA' on the exhale.... then take a deep breath and shout 'HA HA HA'. [19] [Editor's note:] "It just seems too unreal!"

Now Bake Everything In An Oven Of Unfulfilled Prophecy

Finally, in my article concerning Jehovah's Witnesses I mentioned that one sure sign of a cult is that they set dates for events which don't come to pass. New Age proponent, Robert Muelller wrote that the year 2000 would usher in a new order. "A Bi-millennium Celebration of Life, the advent of an Era of Peace. A Golden Age, and the First Millennium World Harmony and Human Happiness." [20] As we have found out (e.g. Iraq) Robert was wrong.

Then there is Jose Arguelles who wrote that "the 'materialistic' world would end on August 16th, 1987. Three planets would line up with the new moon.... unless 144,000 true believers (same number used by Jehovah's Witnesses!) gathered at 'sacred sites' and 'resonated' (in harmonic convergence). [21] As we well know, that didn't pan out either! "And he (Jesus) said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." (Acts 1:7) [parentheses mine] "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." (I Th 5:1-2)

What The Devil Is This?

P.S. Don't let me forget to mention that New Age also deals with the worship of Lucifer!!! Check it out in The Ultimate Frontier by Eklal Kueshana. In his book, Mr. Kueshana maintains that 'Lucifer' is the head of a secret Brotherhood of Spirits, the highest order to which man can elevate himself." [22] David Spangler, also a New Age author, shares this human wisdom, "Christ is the same force as Lucifer." [23] "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." (Isa 14:12-15)"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." (Rev 12:7-9) "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luk 10:17-19)

I am well aware that only the surface of the New Age cult confusion has been scratched in the brevity of this article, however, it is my prayer before God that lives will be directed toward the truth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. "The way, the truth and the life!"

Bibliography

1. Ruth A. Tucker, "Another Gospel," (Academie Books; Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan) 319-320

2. Ibid

3. Irving Hexham and Karla Poews-Hexham, "The Soul of the New Age," Christianity Today (Sept.2,1988) 20

4. Otto Friedrich, "New Age Harmonies," Time (Dec.7,1987) 64

5. Irving Hexham and Karla Poewe-Hexham, "The Soul of the New Age," 19

6. Otto Friedrich, "New Age Harmonies," Time (Dec.7,1987) 64

7. Karen Hoyt, "The New Age Rage," (Old Tappan, N.J. Fleming H. Revell, 1987) 11

8. Douglas R. Groothuis," Unmasking the New Age." (Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity Press, 1986) 18-31

9. Ibid 153 & 154

10. Harold J. Berry, "What They Believe," (Back To The Bible; Lincoln Ne.) 127 & 128

11. Diane Salvatore, "The New Victims of Cults," Ladies' Home Journal (Aug. 1987) 46, 48, 146

12. Robert Lindsey, "Reincarnated Spirit 'Ramtha' Urges Followers to Go West," Detroit Free Press (Dec. 15, 1986)

13. Brooks Alexander, "Theology from the Twilight Zone," Christianity Today (Sept. 18, 1987) 22

14. Otto Friedrich, "New Age Harmonies," Time (Dec.7,1987) 66

15. Ruth A. Tucker, "Another Gospel," (Academie Books; Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan) 328-329

16. Alfred S. Alschuler, "Recognizing Inner Teachings: Inner Voices Throughout History," Gnosis: A Journal of Western Inner Traditions, (Fall, 1987) 8-10

17. Uma Silbey, "Meditation and Quartz Crystals, "Meditation ('87 Winter '88) 39

18. Ibid 39-42

19. Ibid

20. Robert Mueller, "The New Genesis: Shaping A Global Spirituality," (New York: Image Books, 1984) 186

21. Martha Smilgis, "A New Age Dawning," Time, (Aug. 31, 1987) 63

22. Texe Marrs, "Dark Secrets of the New Age: Satan's Plan for a One World Religion," (Westchester, Il; Crossway Books, 1987) 74, 77, 79

23. David Spangler, "Reflections of the Christ," (Morayshire, Scotland; Findhorn Press, 1977) 40-45