On April 25, 1982, folks around the world opened up their newspapers and stared at a startling full-page ad. The ad trumpeted in bold headlines that:
The ad said the "Christ" has emerged quietly since 1977; that throughout history, humanity has been guided by a few enlightened "Masters of Wisdom." This Christ is the "World Teacher", called Maitreya, known by Christians as Christ, the Jews as Messiah, the Buddhists as the fifth Buddha, the Muslims as the Imam Mahdi, and the Hindus as Krishna. It claimed that he was hidden from the world, but within the next two months he would appear in a TV broadcast in which he would be heard by all nations telepathically in their own language.
This ad was placed by the Tara Center. Their newsletter offered more information under the broad heading, esotericism:
…[it] might be described as the philosophy of the evolutionary process both in man and nature. It is the science of the accumulated Wisdom of the ages…It is also the art of "bringing down to earth" and anchoring those energies which emanate from the highest sources. In recent times, this information has been committed to writing and made more accessible to the general public by a Tibetan Master, Djwhal Khul, through the writings of H.P. Blavatsky and later, A.A. [Alice] Bailey.1
The article explains that from 1919-49, Alice Bailey received teachings from the "Master DK" (Djwhal Khul) which was published in 25 books by her organization, Lucis Trust. The book THE RAYS AND THEIR INITIATIONS prophesied the revelation of this inner wisdom to the world "after 1975." In 1948, Bailey discussed the return of Christ in THE REAPPEARANCE OF THE CHRIST.
If these claims were true, this would be extraordinary news a world-shattering event. However, close examination of this material reveals things which do not tally with the Biblical version of the second coming of Christ.
For example, in Matthew 24:21-24; " For then will be a great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. Then if anyone says to you, "look, here is the Christ or There do not believe it." For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Jesus also warns in the same passage that "If they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers, believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (vs.26-27)
Now the "Christ" mentioned above has never shown himself. He is hiding in London. His predicted appearance two months after the 1982 ad never came to pass, even 8 years later. This is not the coming of Jesus described in the Bible. It obviously resembles Jesus warning about the coming of a false Christ!
The Bible does not allow the Second Coming to involve a wimpy emergence from a London street, nor a "We Are the World" media blitz. Rev.1:7 says "he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pieced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." 1 Thess.4:16 declares that "the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God…"
From these facts, it is quite obvious that the "Christ" being heralded by the Tara Center and prophesied by writers such as Alice Bailey is definitely not the Jesus of the Bible. Thus, we must ask, which Jesus is it? Again, the Bible admonishes about one "…that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached" (2 Cor.11:4) Elsewhere, the apostle Paul warns that "…though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." (Gal.1:8)
Though many do not realize that it is possible for there to be false Christs, these verses make it clear that not only is it possible, but that it was actually foretold 2000 years ago! Not everyone who claims to be teaching Christian doctrine is actually doing so. Not every spiritual communication or supernatural experience comes from God, or is necessarily good. This is why the apostle, John, warned us to "believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1) Thus, we have "tried" this "Christ" and found him wanting by Biblical standards. But if this is not a Bible-based Christ, then whose Christ is he? The answer, as you may have already guessed, is that he is the Christ of the New Age.
Many people have heard of the New Age movement, but there is a lot of confusion about it. Is it a religion? Is it new? Is it a new scientific breakthrough, or is it something else? Does it work? We will attempt to answer these questions in this brief booklet. However, we will also pose an important question of our own: Is the philosophy of the New Age movement Biblically sound?
The New Age is a crazy-quilt of spirit worship, Eastern mysticism, Mind-science religion and avant-garde psychology. Its essence lies in Hinduism, which holds that everyone and everything is part of a divine "loneness" or God-within. Thus people look no further than themselves for all of life is answers. (Unfamiliar New Age terms are in bold, and are defined the glossary at the end of the booklet.)
Contained in that definition are several teachings, disturbingly close to what Eve was taught by the serpent in Genesis 3:1-5. This is not surprising when one considers that New Age leaders have taught that the serpent was doing good in the Garden of Eden. He was "initiating" Eve into higher consciousness.2 You will notice that 3 concepts emerge from the serpent's lie:
1) "Yea, hath God said…?" (verse 1). He cast doubt on the Word of God.
2) "Ye shall not surely die…" (verse 4) He denied the reality of death.
3) "…your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods…" (verse 5) Finally, he claimed that , she could attain the status of God.
In these three proposals, in embryo form, is the entire belief system of the New Age movement. Almost everything taught by New Age gurus either casts doubt on the Bible or the reality of death, or else it affirms the ability of humanity to attain godhood. However, these doctrines are usually not presented in this bold a form; as subtlety has always been the serpent's strong suit! (Gen.3:1)
The New Age is not new. It is, literally, as old as sin. Much of its doctrine is Gnosticism, an ancient heresy opposing historic Christianity. The Gnostics believed that one was not saved by grace, but by "inner knowledge." Their religion was one of occult disciplines. In the same way, the New Age disciple today believes that by gathering hidden knowledge, he can attain perfection.
We will briefly review New Age beliefs and provide Biblical critique. Many New Age enthusiasts claim to be Christians. One of the authors felt he was following Christ. However, his knowledge of the Bible was limited, and he had no experience, in 16 years of being a psychic, of ever encountering the real Jesus. This is why understanding the Bible is so essential to minister to New Age people. Many think that they are following Christ, but the "christ" they follow is false.
There is more than one "Jesus" out there. Of course, there is only one true Jesus Christ. He is Almighty God come in the flesh, Who died to save us from our sins. None of the false Jesuses can make that claim. The New Age Jesus, like all the cultic Christs, is always just "a god". He is never the unique, only begotten Son of God. Often, when New Age people are asked by Christians if they believe Jesus is God, they reply, "Sure, why should he be left out?" That response, for all its flippant blasphemy, points out the gap between Jesus Christ and the New Age Jesus.
New Age disciples believe that Jesus is one of many great masters who have lived on earth. He had to work through many lifetimes to attain the Christ-self. He was able, by studying under Egyptian and Tibetan masters, to acquire occult power to do miracles. Once he did so, he was able to pass it on to his disciples. They assert (falsely) that the Bible never taught that Jesus was uniquely the Son of God.
Jesus is now a spirit entity, they are taught, who occasionally speaks through channelers. Both the authors of this book believed that Jesus spoke through them at times. However, the doctrines this channeled "Jesus" teaches contradict the teachings of the Bible! God warns those who "Seek unto them that have familiar spirits [spirit guides], and unto wizards [channelers] that peep and mutter…to the law and to the testimony; [the Bible] if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.", (Isaiah 8:19-20)
Remember this principle! Anything any "spirit" says must line up, precisely, with the already-revealed Word of God. Otherwise, there is "no light in them." Ignorance of that fact has led more patrons of channelers into serious error than could be imagined. These channeled Jesuses and other "Ascended Masters" like Mafu, Ramtha, or Lazaris, casually set aside every cardinal Bible doctrine; and this brands them as false and deceiving spirits!
Let it be unequivocally understood that Bible says of itself that it is without error. (1 Pet.1:25, Is.40:8, 51:6, Ps.119:89; 12:6-7; 19:7-8; 111:7; Lk.16:17) Jesus himself even taught that not the tiniest letter or stroke of a pen would ever be changed. (Mt.5:18) Now if Jesus is teaching that in 27 AD, why would He contradict himself in the 20th century? Let's be logical.
The only response to this indisputable fact from New Age teachers is to declare that the Bible has been censored by Church councils, and that this is why such New Age dogmas as reincarnation are not in it. The problem with this assertion is that it is historical and logical nonsense.
If God promises that His Word will endure forever, what man or council has enough "muscle" to arm-wrestle God out of the way and fool with the Bible? 2 Chronicles 20:6 says of Him: "In thine hand is there power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee." Isaiah14:27 agrees: "The LORD of hosts has purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?" If God can keep the galaxies in their courses, He can certainly protect His book from mere human tampering!
Historically, there is no evidence for the tampering which supposedly took place. Most of the New Testament, for example, seems to have been written between 47-70 AD.3 John's writings could be as early as 70-90 AD.4 We have the entire Old Testament in place about 600 years before that.!5 Those Old Testament texts have not been tampered with, as both Christian and Jewish scholars agree. We have 5000 manuscripts of the New Testament today, making it the best-attested ancient document in history!6
Of those, about 75 papyrus fragments exist which go back was early as 135 AD, and include parts of 25 of the 27 books of the New Testament and contain about 40% of the total text.7 There are also some 15,000 existing copies of various translations of the New Testament from as early as 150 AD.8 Also, a Christian leader, Ignatius of Antioch who lived c.70-110AD quoted precisely from all the gospels, Acts and a sizable part of Paul's writings.9
This is not to bury you under a ton of statistics, but only to point out that 150AD was centuries before the council of Constantinople, wherein many New Age teachers claim that the scriptures were tampered with. How can they expect us to believe that all 15,000 plus copies were somehow recalled and rewritten?
Anyone who claims that the Bible has been censored has an huge amount of historical evidence to refute. But most New Age pupils read these claims and never check if they are true. They accept everything from their gurus and "entities" as absolute truth, yet spurn the Bible, which has a staggering mountain of archaeological, historical and manuscript evidence to confirm its authenticity!
If they subjected the Course in Miracles, The Urantia Book or entities like Seth or Ramtha to the skepticism they give the Bible, they would reject them out of hand. But these people have come to trust in the words of people (or even demons) rather than in the living God Who wants nothing but the best for them
The Bible teaches that Jesus is God (John 1:1-2,14, Col.1:15), and that He is uniquely God. In Rev.1:11, 17-18 and 22:13-16 Jesus states that He is God, the first and the last, the only God there ever was or will be (Isaiah 43:10). Anyone who thus denies Jesus is denying God.(1 John 2:23) This isn't the New Age Jesus.
The New Age Jesus had to learn his abilities. He had to be a disciple of the "Tibetan Master," Maitreya. Thus, New Age prophets like Benjamin Creme would have us believe that Jesus is a lesser being than their "Christ," Maitreya. This is not what the Bible teaches! John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16-17 says that Jesus is the creator of all things and that "he is before all things, and by him all things consist." He is not a lackey for Maitreya!
Acts 4:12 says that there is no other name under heaven whereby we can be saved, and Philippians 2:9-11 proclaims that
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father
Notice that name is not Christ or Maitreya, but Jesus! There is no other "Christ" out there except one who will drag you screaming into hell! 1 John 2:22 warns: "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is anti-Christ…" That is a pretty solid identification of the source of this teaching.
A corollary to this doctrine of Jesus being "a Christ" rather than "the Christ." is the belief that we all can become christs. This New Age dogma denies the literal coming of Jesus Christ in the clouds in glory. Instead, we are told by many New Age gurus that the "Christ" will come into every human heart. While that sounds pious, it comes straight out of the pit of hell.
The Bible warns us about trusting in our feelings. (Jer.17:9, Prov.14:12) and that if you dig deep enough into the core of a person, all you will find is a foul vein of pride and sin! Yet out of this mine of spiritual "fool's gold," the New Age devotee believes he can extract a "holy Christ self" or "Christed One" which is pure and in tune with the universal mind.10
The Jesuit, Pierre Tielhard de Chardin, taught that humanity was moving towards an Omega Point in which all would become "divinised" or "Christified" (conscious of the Christ-self within).11 This concept has filled New Age ideology. We can all become Christs, if only we open up our souls to the light within.
If everyone can become a "christ", that utterly destroys the uniqueness of Jesus. This is precisely what Satan wants, because one of his first assaults in any cult is against the person and nature of Jesus. Obviously, if Jesus is the "first and the last" Christ (Rev.22:13-16) then that means that there won't be any more "Christ's" running around. In other words, the job is taken!
Another feature of the New Age movement is its use of spirit mediums, or as they are now called, "channelers." In common with many terms in the New Age, the term channeler is chosen to sound high-tech. Too many people were thinking of mediums as elderly ladies in lace drinking tea and doing table tipping in musty parlors. Channeling sounds like something you would do with your satellite dish. Spiritually, that is just what it is.
Just like a dish owner turns on his circuitry in the hope of picking up TV signals from satellites, so the channeler opens himself up to the spirit plane and says, "Come in. I'm open to receive you." However, just like the dish owner doesn't know just what he may find out there, so the channeler doesn't really have any way of determining what sort of spiritual signals they are receiving.
In the heyday of spiritism, some mediums would attempt to "screen their callers" by asking the spirit if it "stood in the light," or even if it came "in the name of Jesus." This is not an effective way to try the spirits, since Lucifer himself is the "light-bearer" and there are a lot of different Jesuses out there.
The Bible teaches that trying to contact the dead (whether ordinary dead folks like "Uncle Harry" or distinguished dead folks like Ramtha) is very dangerous sin! (Lev.19:31, Deut.18:10-12, Is.8:19-20, Rev.21:8) In the Old Testament, the penalty for consulting with those who spoke with "familiar spirits" or spirit guides was death (Ex.22:18, Lev.20:6)! God wasn't kidding with this!
Therefore, for a medium to pray for Jesus' protection before attempting to speak with the dead is a bit like a fellow asking the Lord to protect him from AIDS before going to see a prostitute. In His graciousness, God certainly can protect him, but when we move into sin of any sort, we have no claim on divine protection.
The sad thing is that in the channeling craze, even such feeble attempts at trying the spirits have ceased. Few New Age disciples would think that there is anything in the spiritual to worry about; there are no demons! Here the New Age is very much the heir to Mary Baker Eddy's Christian Science (which is neither Christian nor scientific). Eddy denied the existence of evil. She preferred to call any nastiness she might encounter "malicious animal magnetism."
Similarly, the New Age teacher may speak of people being "unevolved", but never evil! With this kind of Pollyanna spirituality, what guarantee is there that the entities like Ramtha or Lazaris are good or evil? The Bible warns us that there are spiritual powers of wickedness (Eph.6:12) and that the devil seeks to destroy humanity whenever he can (1 Pet.5:8). This refusal to acknowledge the possibility of evil influences in channeling make it very dangerous.
What makes this system even more perilous is that most of the "entities" which speak through New Age channelers do not claim to be dead relatives. They assert that they are mighty beings from ancient Atlantis, or extra-terrestrial wise ones from beyond space and time. They claim to be what the old mediums called "spirit doctors", highly evolved beings as far above us as we are above ants.
This means that these spirits are felt to have god-like wisdom and prescience. Old "Uncle Harry" might not be any smarter "beyond the veil" than he was while alive; but these "Masters" must certainly have access to all knowledge. But the advice they give, if not correct, could be utterly devastating!
Let's bring this problem down to earth. Let's say you are sick. You naturally wish to consult an "expert" in medicine, an MD. However, you don't just call up someone and ask "Are you an MD?" The fellow on the other end of the line could say "yes" and offer no proof. At the very least, you would like to see some diplomas and state licenses hanging on his wall when you visit him.
The state is involved in this; and has board exams to certify people like doctors. It is their way of protecting people from incompetent people who claim to be professionals, but are not. Citizens expect the state to do this, and are highly irate when they are bilked ! As important as physical health is, a person's eternal destiny is even more vital. After all, we'll have our physical bodies a scant few decades, but we will have an eternity of forevers to regret bad spiritual decisions.
In spite of this, most people go to their "spirit doctors" through channelers with absolutely no idea of the qualifications of the being who is giving them advice. They don't know if the being is good or evil (they presume he is good). The don't have any inkling of whether or not "it" knows anything at all about the subject (they are presumed to be omniscient). There is no way to be certain!
There isn't a test one can take to be board certified as an "entity." There are no diplomas in spiritual wisdom. Yet people who would carefully examine the motives and credentials of their doctor, lawyer, or plumber; think nothing of trusting their eternal destiny to an invisible being of unknown origin or purpose.
Fortunately, there is a test in the Bible for these entities, and it is simple. We've mentioned Is.8:19-20 as saying that if the spirit does not line up with Biblical doctrine, there is "no light" in them. 1 John 4:2 also gives a further test: "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God." The problem is that none of these New Age Masters will confess that. They all deny the unique manifestation of Almighty in the flesh of Jesus Christ!
That means they all "flunk" the board exam of the one Being in the universe who should know the spiritual "score". Yet most patrons of channelers are woefully ignorant of these simple Biblical principles!
The unnerving thing about these entities is the fact that their teachings are virtually identical. They all agree in denying the fundamental truths of historic Christianity. They use the same phrases and doctrines. Ironically, even the "space brothers" supposedly encountered by UFO contactee cults parrot the same philosophy as these entities.
Remember hearing the same "party line" from old-time Communist party ideologues? No matter which communist you heard, it was like a tape loop running inside their head and you'd get the same clichés. The same thing seems to be happening with these entities. They all agree in denying the unique deity of Christ and the majesty of God. They all herald the coming of "the Christ" without giving glory to Jesus! It is as if they are all plugged into the same cosmic switchboard with a trunkline running right down to the inferno!
This is worrisome because thousands look to one or the other of these Masters as their mentors. A few of them are "privileged" to be able to have personal readings with famous channelers; but countless others are impacted with tapes and books "by" the entities. One of the long-standing entities, Seth, began with Jane Roberts in 1963. This entity produced 5,000 pages of typewriting, and millions of copies of books of Seth's teachings have been sold.12 In fact, Seth outlived his channel, and is now appearing in other channelers.
What is upsetting about this phenomenon is that there is no "check and balance" in it, no way to determine its validity or truth. Nevertheless, when a few entities like Jach Pursel's Lazaris or JZ Knight's Ramtha order them to jump, millions of New Age aficionados ask how high on the way up!
It is that very manifestation which the Tara Center ads for Maitreya have been trying to evoke now for 8 years. Fortunately, the power of God has prevented it thus far. It is very easy to see how a world-wide movement could be catalyzed virtually overnight by simply having the right word come up the cosmic party line.
A corollary to the channeling sensation is that books are out there to teach you how to become your own channel. You can have your very own live-in "entity!" This spirit being can then teach you how you can achieve your own god-identity! Unbelievable as it sounds, you can truly become a god!
In fact, New Age teacher, John Randolph Price goes so far as to declare that "Anti-Christ" is "any individual or group who denies the divinity [god-consciousness] of man." 13 Leading New Age advocate, Shirley MacLaine calls the idea that we are our own god, The giant truth that one individual is his or her own best teacher, and that no other idol or false image should be worshipped or adored because the God we are all seeking lies inside one's self, not outside."14
Many who saw Shirley's miniseries Out on a Limb were astounded to see this intelligent, talented actress portray herself on a beach screaming "I am God!" over and over. She is not alone. Countless New Age disciples daily chant affirmations of their own god-hood in front of their mirrors.
Members of the New Age cult, "Church Universal and Triumphant" (recently attracting media attention for its "doomsday" activities in southern Montana), daily chant hours of repetitions of affirmations in which they proclaim "I AM THAT I AM taking the sacred name of God in vain by the case lot!15 This sect, in common with many New Age groups, places great emphasis on the power of the "spoken word" to affect reality. They call it "Dynamic Decreeing."
This is rooted in the Yoga concept of the mantra, the idea that if you say a phrase over and over, it begins to percolate down into the core of your being and at the same time, becomes part of physical reality! Thus, when the Hindu chants the god-name "AUM," he hopes to raise his vibrations up to the level of Brahmah. Similarly, when a "Decreer" repeats "I am that I am" countless times, he hopes to his vibrations up to being equal to God!
On a practical level, many New Age disciples believe that by affirming statements about health or finances; they can alter reality. They have been told that just as God spoke forth a word and brought the cosmos into being, so they-as god-like beings-can speak forth a word and bring a BMW into being. Ultimately, they believe they can create their own reality.
This is founded in the doctrines of the Mind-science cults like Christian Science. These groups believe that matter is illusion. The Hindus call it Maya. Nothing is real except spirit. Since they believe that this "spirit stuff" or akasha is manipulated by thoughts, therefore you can indeed do just what God did and change reality. This is why Christian Science, one of the oldest New Age cults, believes it can heal any disease and even conquer death; just by affirmations. Most New Age groups deny death; it is just a "transition" into a new reality.
Now if you can create your own reality, you can certainly create your own morality. This leads to moral relativism, which is commonly taught in today's public schools. It is the next logical step. If I can have my own truth, then how can there be any absolute sense of values? With God de-throned, in favor of all these millions of little would-be gods, who is to say what is right or wrong?
Let's think this through. If I am a god, and I can make my own reality, then what, ethically, is to prevent me from killing you? If I am God, then I can kill you, unless you are a tougher "god" than I am. If your control over reality is stronger than mine, than I couldn't kill you. But if I am the biggest "god" on the block, then I can kill, rape or steal with no qualm of conscience.
The logic is frightening: If I can kill you, and we are all part of the "oneness" of the universe, then your god-self must have wanted my god-self to kill you. As monstrous as this sounds, it is New Age doctrine-as evidenced by the scene in the MacLaine series mentioned above where Shirley is lamenting over a busload of children which had just gone over a precipice in the Andes.
Her mentor explains that there is no need to cry because all those children's god-selves wanted to be killed then. Besides, they didn't really die. They just melted into oneness until their next lifetimes-perhaps as school-bus drivers.
See where this strange doctrine leads? If you see your daughter being beaten to death by a criminal, that's all right. Just relax! It was the highest desire of your little girl's god-self to have her brain bashed in; just as it was the highest desire of the crook's god-self to do the job for her. Is this the kind of mystical moral ambiguity we want our children to be taught in school?
This brings us to the Hindu doctrine of karma and reincarnation. Today this is rapidly becoming the doctrine of choice among many Americans. Many people do not even realize it is incompatible with Christianity! One cannot believe in reincarnation and be a Biblical Christian.
Karma is a Hindu doctrine of salvation by works. Grace is utterly foreign to it. It holds that everything you do in life has a reaction-either good or evil. Thus, if you kick a beggar in the street, then some day you yourself must be a beggar and be kicked. If you beat your wife, then you will, in another life, be born a battered woman. Reincarnation is essential here. A person does so many bad things in their life that they could never atone for all of them in one lifetime. Therefore, they must reincarnate-over and over again, until they get it right.
When you die and are reborn, you lose recollection of your prior life. In the West, New Age believers believe you can consult channelers who can tell you things about your past lives, but that is the only way to really know. Now to most people, there should be a few holes in the logic of this "training method."
It is rather like discovering your toddler in the cookie jar. You wait a few weeks, then go up to the child and paddle his bottom without bothering to explain. Is junior going to learn not to steal cookies? No, he's just going to learn he has a demented parent. This principle of learning and discipline would be laughed out of any parenting class! Additionally, there is a kind of spiritual entropy at work here which must be dealt with. In reincarnation everyone starts out as a kind of "entry-level" person in their first life. Presumably, these first-time out folks are pretty rough around the edges and generate a lot of bad karma.
But how can a man with so much bad karma ever work it off? He goes through life after life, gradually improving (we hope), but for the first dozen lives, he will have much more bad karma than good-running as fast as he can to stay in the same place. He can't become more "evolved" until he gets rid of bad karma; and he can't get rid of bad karma until he is more spiritually evolved!
To even get one whit ahead in the game, you would have to get through an entire life without one sin-and that includes not hurting any animals or plants. How can anyone go through life without ever hurting anything-especially in the light of the Bible teaching that we are all sinful (Rom.3:23)?
This is why many New Age enthusiasts are vegetarians. They believe that killing a cow to get a steak is bad karma. Some will not even wear leather shoes or eat vegetables because you have to kill an onion to eat it. Where can this ever resolve itself?16 This is salvation by works with a vengeance! You accidentally step on an ant, and its back to the wheel of karma for another lifetime!
Another problem with reincarnation is the fact that if it were true, then people should be "evolving" and the world should be getting better. Obviously, it isn't. This century has seen slaughter to a degree unparalleled in history! If we are standing on the pinnacle of untold centuries of spiritual evolution, then how could we have produced a Hitler or a Charles Manson (both reincarnationists). If reincarnation is true, then we should be a planet of saints by now.
Yet who among us would say that our nation is better now than it was a generation ago. We cannot even walk our streets without fear, whereas 20 years ago, many homes were not even locked at night! Is this spiritual evolution through reincarnation, or is it the result of a generation of kids being raised on New Age-oriented educational system of values clarification, in which there are no absolute moral values? After all, who would dare give a little god any rules? This doctrine of ethics is actually no ethical system at all! If there is no good or evil, then there can be no ethics. Let's look at the fruits of such belief.
As many have observed, the worst advertisement for reincarnation is the country in which it has been the prevalent belief for millennia-India! If karma were true, then India should be the most "enlightened" place on earth. Sadly, the opposite is true.
India, a huge nation with bountiful resources, is a sink-hole of almost unparalleled poverty and filth. Because of karma, beggars starve to death in the gutters while cows are allowed to grow fat! Since karma has made the person a beggar, no one should help him. Most of the amenities we find in the West like orphanages or hospitals for the poor were totally absent from India until the influx of Christian missionaries! The ideals of people helping people, were utterly unknown in India until Jesus' servants arrived. But it is with this spirituality and morality which the New Age teachers and gurus wish to flood our nation.
In the face of all these absurdities, the only thing the reincarnationist can do is fall back on the pseudo-science of parapsychology and claim that there is evidence for people who remember experiences from past lives that can be checked out. Such people do seem to have irrefutable memories of being in villages half a world away and knowing the names of neighbors and streets and houses where they allegedly lived in their prior life.
The Dalai Lama is an example of this. This guru is believed to be a god by Tibetans. He travels the world and has been called the "Prince of Peace" (a title reserved for Jesus-Is.9:6) and has spoken from the pulpit of St. John the Divine Cathedral! He was picked as a baby for this because he could identify items owned by a previous incarnation of the Lama.
That sounds impressive, until you realize that part of the scientific method is eliminating all other "variables" from an experiment so that only one possible variable remains. That means that there can only be one reason left for these people having memories of distant places. This is not the case!
The foremost authority on the scientific investigation of reincarnation is Dr. Ian Stevenson. He admitted that there is no aspect of these memories which could not be explained by an alternate and very disturbing hypothesis: demonic influence.17 Although most New Age people will not acknowledge demons, the Bible affirms that such beings are ancient, and that they can influence thought. Thus, it would be no problem for a demon to place memories of distant places in the mind of a person to deceive them into believing in reincarnation.
This destroys the "scientific" argument. Reincarnation does not seem to be a viable option, either logically or Biblically; for the Word of God says that "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (Heb.9:27)
A thorough study of the ways in which New Age techniques have infiltrated the culture would be beyond the scope of this booklet. We need to mention some of the common categories of mental/physical techniques being used today.
Understand that these techniques involve the opening up of the soul's natural defenses against evil. Although they come in many forms, these practices all involve the exposure of the soul to forces of dubious origin. Since almost all of them are explicitly or implicitly forbidden by God, it is a virtual guarantee that their use will open doors for Satan to come in and attack you.
Imagine what it would be like to have all the skin on your body removed. Skin is a natural, God-given defense of your body against disease. Participating in New Age techniques strips the spiritual "skin" that the Lord has placed around you and leaves you wide open to any spiritual "germs" which may be out there.
Many of these techniques are drawn from Eastern religions or shamanism (a fancy word for witchcraft). It is the spiritual dimension of these practices, in addition to their occult origins, which makes them dangerous. Jesus warns that an evil tree cannot bear good fruit (Matt.7:17). Thus a practice whose roots are sunk deep in sorcery cannot, ultimately, produce good; even if some apparent benefit does come for awhile.18 Having explained that, here is a partial catalog of New Age-oriented techniques. It is by no means complete.
Yoga and the Martial Arts: Rooted in Hinduism or Taoism, both Oriental, pagan religions. Involves opening the soul up to supernatural power called siddhis, prana or chi, even at intermediate levels. Tantric yoga (sexual yoga), Raja Yoga (meditation), and internal martial arts like Aikido, Hsing I and Pa Kua Kung Fu or Tai Chi are especially dangerous.
Occult Healing Practices: Homeopathy, hypnosis (including subliminals), pendulums, magnetic healing, polarity therapy, iridology, acupuncture, the use of crystals or pyramids. All of these (with the possible exception of acupuncture) have dubious scientific bases, and claim to deal with spiritual energy fields. They are all rooted in pagan/occult world views. A good rule is: If there is no scientifically measurable physiological reason for the therapy to work, or if it claims to work on "polarity" or "energy balancing," you should stay away from it.19
Meditation, etc.: There is Godly meditation, it involves reflecting on God's Word. Of concern are meditation and stress reduction that involve emptying your mind or "centering." Such concepts are being taught as stress techniques, and while they may work, they are also an open door for any sort of influence which wishes to come in. This includes guided imagery, visualization, and progressive relaxation techniques. This is also true of astral projection. If you aren't "in" your body or mind, then who is?
These things are being taught in schools, hospitals and even in churches. It does not mean that the people who teach them are New Age. It may just mean that they have been trained to use these things and have no understanding of their spiritual dangers. Some may well be Christians who just do not know any better.
They need to be lovingly taken aside (Acts 18:26) and shown the perils of these practices. The New Age is deceptive, and many caring people have been misled by professors, clinicians or church leaders into thinking that these things are neutral, scientific techniques. There is usually no scientific basis for them.
That real problem leads us to the final area we wish to consider: the impact of New Age thinking upon education, politics, and even the church. Realize that nature abhors a vacuum, and that with the waning influence of genuine Biblical Christianity in the US and Europe; another spirituality is rushing in to fill the void. Many old, main-line churches which have abandoned the simple gospel have turned, in the past decade, to the ancient lie of the serpent, mentioned earlier.
As those churches in the US and Europe have lost their light, so the political and education infrastructures of society have been progressively filled with a flood of New Age occultism. This is only natural, since the Lord intended His church to be salt, and the salt has, in many cases, lost its savor. Thus, today, Europe and the US are becoming "post-Christian societies."
The most evident manifestation of this is the vast stampede toward what is called "globalism." While some may deny a concerted "conspiracy" in this area, it is evident that there is a systematic effort to destroy any sense of national or religious loyalty. The idea of any nation or religion being better than another has become the ultimate heresy. It is continually anathematized in the media.
Christians who insist, with Jesus, that He is the only way to God (John 14:6) are branded as fundamentalist bigots. Biblical Christianity has become the only "minority group" which can be mocked or persecuted in our "pluralistic" culture with impunity. This kind of cultural unanimity cannot be coincidence.
Christian believers aren't the world! We are not "global citizens." Jesus said, "the world hath hated them [His disciples], because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." John 17:14. Our Lord has warned us! We cannot say we didn't have an advance notice. But let us look and see precisely where the New Age globalism is working in our political and educational community.
Both education and politics have been linked together, especially since the politicization of public education in this century. The National Education Association (NEA) has been working hard for decades to mold education into a globalist, left-wing propaganda tool. They have pretty well succeeded. Whether the NEA's agenda is exactly the same as the New Age agenda is difficult to say. However, they do have a great deal in common.
The New Age education agenda is best found in the book, EDUCATION IN THE NEW AGE by the aforementioned Alice Baliey of Lucis Trust. In the book, the "Tibetan Master" spells out a detailed program which includes:
1) Children should be trained to accept a One-world global government and culture without question.20
2) Full implementation of the anti-Christian educational philosophies of John Dewey, but with a more eastern metaphysical approach.21
3) Destruction of the ideals of patriotism and national pride, helping kids become "world citizens."22
4) Hinduism and other pagan religions must be emphasized as attempts are made to blend them into Western civilization.23
5) Orthodox Christianity must be demeaned and declared obsolete to the children, while lifting up the New Age "One World" religion.24
6) The New Age pluralistic religion (All paths lead to God - all religions are equally valid) will be taught as the only acceptable belief system, excluding Jesus' unique claims.25
7) Adolescents will be encouraged to force these doctrines on their parents and rebel if the parents do not cooperate.26
8) Essential Christian doctrines like hell, judgment or even heaven are to be mocked and denied. Rather, karma and reincarnation should be taught 27
9) Permissive methods of discipline will be fostered, and concepts such as sin and guilt are felt to be unevolved and counter-productive.28
10) Children are taught that death is not an enemy to be feared or fought off, but rather is to be embraced as part of "the Plan."29
11) They are also to be taught that people who do not accept the New Age teachings (i.e. Bible-believers) are an evolutionary "drag" on humanity and must either capitulate or be killed like a bacterial infection.30
12) The model of the traditional family and its sexual mores must be discarded, and loyalty to one's family must be replaced by loyalty to the world.31
It is frightening to note how many of these concepts, first promulgated a generation ago, have become standard features of public education, supported by our tax dollars! More and more of these ideas are being brought in every semester! Both of the authors of this booklet were involved in education and curriculum formation for schools while occultists; and used our positions to indoctrinate our charges in New Age values. That was years ago! Today, the "brain trust" behind modern education reads like a Who's Who of the New Age.
Dee Dickinson, the director of New Horizons for Learning, is a member of President Bush's White House Task Force on Innovative Learning. She has helped put together a graduate program in Education at Antioch University (a teachers' college!) in cooperation with the Washington Education Association. This course includes subjects like astrology and tapping the human potential. A frequent lecturer at Antioch is Miriam Starhawk, one of the leading spokeswomen for Wicca ("white" witchcraft). She is a witch!32
Ms. Dickinson, is also an advisor on the In Context project, which has such other New Age luminaries as Peter Caddy (Findhorn),"sacred" psychologist Jean Houston (Foundation for Mind Research), David Spangler (Lorian Foundation), and Danaan Perry (Holy Earth Foundation)!33 Spangler is one of the top men in the world in the New Age movement, and has taught that
No one will be allowed to enter the New Age unless he or she takes a Luciferic initiation…When man entered the pathway of self, he entered into a great creative adventure, of learning the meaning of divinity by accepting himself. The being that helps him reach that point is Lucifer, the angel of man's evolution…Lucifer is an agent of God's love…Christ is the same force as Lucifer…Lucifer prepares man for the experience of Christhood. Lucifer works within each of us to bring us to wholeness as we move into the New Age. 34
Would you want to trust your child's education to people who keep this kind of theological company? The New Age dogmas outlined above permeate much of the educational philosophy prevalent in the US. Leading New Age writer, Marilyn Ferguson expands on the intent behind the "new curriculum."
Altered states of consciousness are taken seriously: "centering" exercises, meditation, relaxation, and fantasy are used to keep the intuitive pathways open and the whole brain learning. There are techniques to encourage body awareness: breathing, relaxation, yoga, movement, biofeedback.35
1. "The Christ is Now Here", Tara Center, Box 6001 N. Hollywood, CA., 91603 (n.d.) p.3.
2. See William Bramley, THE GODS OF EDEN, Dahlin Family Press, San Jose, CA. 1989, pp.59-60 and Barbara Marx Hubbard, THE HUNGER OF EVE, Island Pacific NW, Eastsound, WA., 1989, p.7.
3. John A.T. Robinson, CAN WE TRUST THE NEW TESTAMENT? Eerdmanns, Grand Rapids, MI. 1977, p.63.
4. ibid., p.83.
5. Charles C. Ryrie, THE RYRIE STUDY BIBLE (NKJV) Moody, 1985, p.1995.
6. ibid., p.1996.
7. ibid.
8. Josh McDowell, EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT, Here's Life, 1979, p.48-49.
9. Norman Geisler & William E. Nix, A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE, Moody, Chicago, 1968, p.241.
10. ie. see Elizabeth Clare Prophet, THE GREAT WHITE BROTHERHOOD, Summit U. Press, 1983, p.205, 304.
11. Tielhard de Chardin, THE DIVINE MILEAU, Harper, New York, 1968, pp.125-27 and elsewhere.
12. Tal Brooke, WHEN THE WORLD WILL BE AS ONE, Harvest House, Eugene, OR., 1989, p.20.
13. John Randolph Price, THE PLANETARY COMMISSION, Quartus, Austin, TX., 1984, p.163.
14. Shirley MacLaine, IT'S ALL IN THE PLAYING, Bantam, NY, 1987, p.172.
15. Mark and Elizabeth Clare Prophet, PEARLS OF WISDOM, vol.11, no.41, Summit U. Press, 1968, p.172, for one example.
16. See William J. Schnoebelen, WICCA: SATAN'S LITTLE WHITE LIE, Chick, Chino CA., 1990 for more discussion of this aspect of karma and the corollary doctrine of ahimsa.
17. Dr. Ian Stevenson, TWENTY CASES SUGGESTIVE OF REINCARNATION, p.377, cited in Wilson & Weldon's PSYCHIC FORCES AND OCCULT SHOCK, Global, Chattanooga, TN., 1987, p.81.
18. For more on psychic healing, see Johanna Michaelsen's THE BEAUTIFUL SIDE OF EVIL, Harvest House, Eugene, OR., 1984.
19.For more on this complex subject, see Reisser, Reisser & Weldon, NEW AGE MEDICINE, Global, Chattanooga, TN., 1988 and Jane D. Gumprecht, MD, HOLISTIC HEALTH, Ransom, Moscow, ID., 1986.
20.Alice A. Bailey, EDUCATION IN THE NEW AGE, Lucis Trust, New York, (1954) 1987 edition, p.vi.
21. ibid, p.vi, ix.
22. ibid. pp.47-48.
23. ibid., pp.viii-ix.
24. Alice A. Bailey, THE REAPPEARANCE OF THE CHRIST, Lucis Trust, New York, 1948, pp.140, 149.
25.ibid., p.158-59 & Bailey, EDUCATION, p.88.
26. Bailey, EDUCATION, p.131.
27. Bailey, REAPPEARANCE, p.146, & EDUCATION, p.138.
28. Bailey, EDUCATION, p.77.
29. ibid., p.112.
30. ibid., pp.111-112.
31. ibid., pp.130, 138.
32. The Billings Newsletter, vol.XI, Box 3102, Lynnwood, WA. 98102, Nov.1989, p.1.
33. ibid.
34. David Spangler, REFLECTIONS ON THE CHRIST, Findhorn, Scotland, 1977, pp.36-39, 40-44.
35.Marilyn Ferguson, THE AQUARIAN CONSPIRACY, Houghton-Mifflin, Boston, 1980, p.315.
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