OVERVIEW OF THE NEW AGE RELIGIONS

By Paul McGuire

 

The first thing we must understand about the New Age Movement is that it is not new. It is a compilation of old myths, of ancient Buddism, all dusted off and translated into high-tech Western scientific terms. What has been coined the New Age Movement by the mass media is really the combining and blending of various spiritual movements that are centuries old. 

 

HINDUISM 

 

The origin of Hinduism dates back as early as 2000 to 1000 B.C. Hinduism has no historical founder, but its tradition teaches that its spiritual laws and truths were revealed to spiritual men called rishis, who lived along the banks of the Ganges and Indus rivers in northern India . According to Hinduism, Brahman is the supreme, absolute, eternal, infinite, neuter Spirit Being. Brahman is also perfect and unchangeable. Hinduism teaches that only that which is permanent is real. Because all things change except Brahman, only Brahman is real. Hundreds of lesser gods can be worshiped by the Hindu because all gods are seen as different aspects of the one Brahman. According to Hinduism, every living thing has a spirit or soul, called an atman, which comes from Brahman. The final destination of the human atman is union with Brahman, but this cannot be achieved in just one lifetime. Therefore, each individual atman, or soul, must pass from body to body, lifetime after lifetime, guided by the law of karma. This is called reincarnation, or the transmigration of the soul. The law of karma determines what type of life will be lived in each reincarnation. According to this law, your current life is the product of your deeds in past lives. Your next reincarnation will depend on your deeds during this life. It is this tenet which is the basis for many things taught by people like Shirley MacLaine, Ruth Montgomery, and various other gurus and spiritual teachers. This belief in reincarnation has been given a fresh infusion of credibility by scientists like Raymond A. Moody Jr., M.D., author of Life after Life, which investigates NDEs (or Near Death Experiences) and OBEs (or Out of Body Experiences). Although not directly embracing reincarnation, his accounts of NDEs when one encounters a “Being of Light” paved the way for a New Age theology which openly accepts reincarnation. 

 

Moody reports that after meeting several “beings of light,” the NDE-er usually meets a supreme Being of Light, whom people with a Christian background often call God or Jesus but whom those of other religious traditions call Buddha or Allah. Still others apparently say that this supreme being of light is none of these personages, but nevertheless is someone very awesome. One wonders who this other being is? According to Martha Knobloch, a Christian expert on the subject of reincarnation, powers of darkness can come as “beings of light” and create the hallucinations involved in NDEs and OBEs. In addition, Knobloch believes that demons can actually cause people to remember “past lives” that they never lived. 

 

BUDDHISM 

 

The religion of Bhuddism was founded in India by Siddhartha Gautama (later called “the Buddha” or “enlightened one”), who lived between 560 and 480 B.C., as a protest against certain Hindu doctrines. Siddhartha Gautama was raised in an affluent family and did not even know that poverty existed until he left the pleasant confines of his father’s palace. Siddhartha was so disturbed by the poverty and despair that existed that he decided to go on a spiritual journey to find answers. Shaving his head and donning a robe, Siddhartha Gautama traveled and consulted with gurus and spiritual teachers. Finally, Siddhartha Gautama began to meditate, became “enlightened,” and developed what became known as the Noble Eight-fold path that would lead to nirvana or “perfect insight,” a quality of mind. These eight techniques consisted of: (1) right belief, (2) right aspiration, (3) right speech, (4) right action, (5) right occupation, (6) right effort, (7) right thought, (8) right meditation. 

 

In a nutshell, the Bhudda’s Noble Eight-fold Path is a program of self-effort that is designed to earn you peace. Like every other New Age teaching and mystical practice, the road to Paradise is paved by your own personal spiritual performance. In other words, you earn your way to heaven through your works. This is the antithesis of the teaching of the Apostle Paul’s method of salvation described in the Bible as based on faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” 

 

FROM THE PAST TO THE PRESENT 

 

Coupled with these ancient belief systems (Hinduism and Buddism) are the more recent ideas of women like Madame Blavatsky who founded the Theosophical Society and wrote Isis Unveiled in the late nineteenth century. Blavatsky’s Theosophical Movement emphasized the Hindu and Buddist teachings of reincarnation and taught there are mahatmas (“great souls” or exalted beings) who have come to earth to teach us the way to enlightenment. The ideas of the Theosophical Society blended with Mary Baker Eddy’s Christian Science teachings and with dozens of other hybrid religious movements in the early twentieth century. However, the most immediate spiritual predecessor of the contemporary New Age Movement was the Hippie movement of the 1960’s and the earlier Beatnik movement of the 1950’s. Both of these cultural and social phenomena came about as reactions to the materialism of the post-World War II years. 

 

Poets, writers, philosophers, and intellectuals (such as Alan Watts, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, and Gregory Corso) called for a new brand of American consciousness and popularized the use of marijuana and Eastern meditation in our culture. By the 1960’s, the ideas of men like Timothy Leary were increasingly acceptable to larger segments of society, and the appeal of pop music groups, such as the Grateful Dead, the Jefferson Starship, the Doors, and the Beatles, ushered the psychedelic-mystical revolution into the living rooms of millions of ordinary middle-class teenagers. When John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison began to follow the guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation (TM), millions of Americans joined them. Many of the spiritual movements now popular in the New Age movement had their twentieth-century revivals in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. In fact, many social analysts believe that the New Age movement is nothing more than an attempt to rediscover the interests of the 1960’s and the idealism of the Hippie movement. 

 

But the current New Age Movement has made some interesting departures from its earlier predecessors that reflect the maturity of its followers. There has been a de-emphasis in the use of drugs in favor of health foods, meditation, channeling, crystals, and astral projection. Channeling and astral projection have replaced the powerful psychedelic experience of the 1960’s, although there are signs of a possible resurgence of LSD through the work of modern shamanists like Terrence McKenna and the popularity of the Albert Hoffman Institute in Los Angeles, which seeks to protect the use of LSD experimentation. (Albert Hoffman was the Swiss chemist who accidentally discovered the chemical LSD.) 

 

NEW AGE PRACTICES AND TERMS 

 

To understand more clearly what the New Age Movement is we must understand some of the terms associated with it and the practices employed by it. 

 

Channeling

 

The practice of channeling is not new. It is what the Old Testament termed mediumship, consulting with spirits, and spiritism. Channeling or mediumship is when an individual willfully yields to a spirit by going into a trancelike state. Channeling has been around for centuries and is mentioned in the Old Testament. King Saul consulted mediums and channelers when he was looking for supernatural answers. First Samuel 28:7 says: “Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.’ And his servants said to him, ‘Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at Endor.’” We knew that Saul knew that it was wrong to consult mediums, for he had to visit the medium in disguise, having previously cut off all mediums and spiritists from the land. Today there are several famous channelers: J.Z. Knight channels an entity or spirit called Ramtha, Jach Pusel mediums Lazaris, and there are thousands of lesser known channelers or mediums who give private consultations. Some even have their own television shows. In some cases, these channelers are fakes and charlatans, and in other cases they are actually letting spirits talk through them. The Old Testament is very specific about forbidding the practice of channeling, consulting spirits, or using mediums. Leviticus 19:31 states: “Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.” Shirley MacLaine, Kevin Ryerson, Jane Roberts, J.Z. Knight, Jach Pursel, and the thousands of others who are practicing and encouraging channeling may appear to be very compassionate and intelligent people. But the practices of channeling, consulting spirits, and mediumship contradict Old and New Testament teachings. 

 

Astrology

 

This New Age practice goes way back in ancient history. The ancient Tower of Babel , built by the ruler Nimrod, was actually a giant astrological platform. The prophet Isaiah warns against the practice of astrology in Isaiah 47:13-14: “You are wearied with your many counsel; let now the astrologers, those who prophesy by the stars, those who predict by the new moons, stand up and save you from what will come upon you. Behold, they have become like stubble, fire burns them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame....” The ancient Hebrew prophets taught a theology that did not include the use of astrology. Linda Goodman is one of the most famous astrologers of our era, selling over 60 million copies of her first two books on astrology, Sun Signs and Love Signs. Both of these books have been translated into over fifteen languages, and she has received bids of millions of dollars from publishing companies seeking the rights to her new books. Goodman is not a fatalistic astrologer who believes “it’s all in the stars.” Two themes emerge in her writing: (1) time does not really exist; and (2) when you learn to become a mover instead of a pawn, you rise above your horoscope. However, in an interview with Whole Life Times magazine Goodman responds to the question: “What do you think is going to happen in this New Age? You speak in one of your books about this being a time of preparation for the appearance of a Messiah.” Goodman answers: “I also point out in the ‘Lexigram’ chapter of Star Signs that the Second Coming is not going to be a barefooted man floating down in a white robe. The Second Coming is in each heart, when each man and each woman realizes that ‘I too am a Messiah.’ And then I did a Lexigram on the word Messiah. I am he. She is me. He is her. I am she. He is me.” 

 

Crystals

If anything hallmarks the New Age Movement it is the use of crystals. I recently visited the Bhodi Tree Bookstore on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles . This is the most famous New Age bookstore in the world, recently popularized by Shirley MacLaine in her television movie and book Out on a Limb. Inside the bookstore there was a large assortment of crystals for sale, as well as numerous books and magazines on the subject. Crystals are supposed to generate cosmic energy and facilitate higher consciousness and divine healing. Crystals have been used for everything from relieving depression to warding off evil spirits. They are in a sense a New Age cure-all. Recently, a “Crystal Congress” was held in Los Angeles and noted speakers from around the world - like scientist and author Marc Vogel, Uma Silbey (jewelry designer and author), and Katrina Raphael (healing professional and author) - came to lecture on the healing arts and metaphysical applications of crystals, mineralogy, and geology. 

 

New Age Medicine and Holistic Health

 

New Age thinking has infiltrated the medical establishment and has begun to permeate the thinking of medical doctors. In this area it is difficult to discern between what are legitimate new forms of medicine based on Eastern medical techniques and new scientific discoveries, and what is clearly New Age or occult. Terms like homeopathy, herbs, chakras, acupuncture, deep tissue bodywork massage, rolfing, polarity energy balance, clinical ecology, environmental stress, Reichan Therapy, Tibetan Reiki Therapy, Kirlian photography, electro-acupuncture, mineral balancing, chelation therapy, colon hydrotherapy, amino therapy, aromatherapy, integrated metabolic programs, bio-energetics, flower essences, and reflexology are just a few of the current trends in the medical arts. The New Testament says: “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19 -20). Eating properly, the use of herbs and vitamins, relaxation, massage therapy and exercise all promote health. The problem is that some New Age Medicine and Holistic Health practices move into the area of what could be considered the occult. 

 

Meditation

 

This ancient Hindu and Bhuddist practice involves emptying the conscious mind in order to become passive and to awaken the God-consciousness within you through the use of a mantra. By concentrating and chanting a mantra word, your mind supposedly becomes attuned to what mystics call your higher self or cosmic consciousness. Meditation is an integral part of most New Age practices, but there is a radical difference between prayer and New Age meditation. Prayer is communication with God through Jesus Christ. It may involve verbal prayer or “praying in the Spirit,” but this communication is always directed toward the person of God. New Age meditation, on the other hand, is an emptying process where one focuses on a mantra which is usually a chant designed to contact a Hindu deity There is a long tradition of sound Christian meditation, not to be confused with Eastern forms of meditation. It is certainly proper to meditate on the Word of God or to think in a concentrated manner about what God is doing in your life. “I have more insight than all my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation,” says the writer of Psalm 119:99. Meditation on the Bible involves focused thinking about what God has said. It is completely different from opening your mind to the “cosmic consciousness.” 

 

Visualization

 

First of all, visualization to some degree is a normal function and creative tool of the mind. Every person before beginning any project or goal employs some kind of visualization in order to achieve it. Many athletes use a technique of visualization when they mentally picture themselves winning or performing a specific task successfully. Studies show that good automobile drivers who have low accident records often visualize or fantasize how they would get out of a particular accident situation while they drive. When they are faced with a potential accident, they have already rehearsed in their minds what action they are going to take to avoid it. A certain degree of visualization is necessary to perform activities in life successfully. This kind of visualization is, however, different from the shamanistic Hinduism of someone like Shakti Gawain, guru and author of Creative Visualization, who employs the technique of visualization in the mystical or occult sense. In this type of visualization, your mind or mind power becomes the god or source of all power. You begin to believe that you can control everything in your life through visualizing it. The result is that you begin to play God and attempt to control everything through visualization.

 

HOLLYWOOD RELIGION 

 

Mega-star Tom Cruise, uses his fame to promote Scientology, while fellow believer John Travolta produced the movie Battlefield Earth written by L. Ron Hubbard. It has been reported that Tom Cruise’s break up with Nicole Kidman had to do with Scientology. Demi Moore credits much of her success to New Age author Deepak Chopra, and Ophra Winfrey uses her national talk show to promote the occult teachings of The Course In Miracles. Since Shirley MacLaine proclaimed “I am God” on a television special based on her mystical experience, a full-scale revival has emerged with, but with occult, New Age and pagan religions – and its being led by some of America’s hottest stars. 

 

On a recent interview with Barbara Walters, John Travolta’s wife proclaimed unabashedly, “Scientology rocks!” The movie Seven Years In Tibet starred Brad Pitt as the real-life mountain climber who escaped a British prisoner of war camp, climbed the Himalayas, met and tutored a young Dalai Lama. A new film coming out from Hollywood will be based on the Harry Potter novels and will promote Witchcraft the occult. Other films such as The Craft: Welcome to the Witching Hour from Columbia Pictures, glamorize teen-age girls experimenting with Witchcraft who place spells on the other students in the school. John Travolta has done a number of films that have given him an opportunity to promote Scientology. In the movie, Phenomenon, Travolta plays a man with supernatural powers and in Battlefield Earth and its upcoming sequel the tenets of Scientology are promoted. 

 

In fact, Scientology is the most powerful religion in Hollywood. Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley, Priscilla Presley, Travolta and Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, all publicly claim to follow the teachings of Scientology. Beside the stars, there are countless other actors, directors, writers, agents and technical people who are Scientologists. L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology’s founder, wrote the best-selling book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. Hubbard believed that in society, the artist is more powerful than the politician. As such he has specifically set organizations and groups to specifically recruit artists, actors and other creative people in Hollywood. Ironically, the contemporary Christian culture has completely missed this truth. Most Christian actors, directors and writers go out of their way to hide the fact that they are Christians. At the same time the Christian culture emphasizes criticizing Hollywood rather that challenging the system with superior art and creativity. 

 

With the risk of sounding unkind, I do not think that it would be unfair to say that the evangelical culture is backwards, when it comes to art and culture. The reason for this is that mindset of the contemporary Christian culture, along with some of its leadership is essentially anti-art and anti-intellectual. Due to a compartmentalized and Pietistic Christianity it falsely teaches that things like art, politics, business, film and science are not as spiritual as things like praise, worship and Bible studies. The result is a non-Biblical pietism that stifles art and creativity in the Christian culture. Due to the fact that the Christian culture has deserted arts and entertainment, for the most part ( there are some notable exceptions ) 

 

The entertainment industry and mass culture are being swept away by a occult revival. Examples of this are basketball superstar Michael Jordan, formerly of the Chicago Bulls, embracing Zen Meditation. Ex-Beatle George Harrison, actresses Elizabeth Taylor and Laura Dern and fashion designer Calvin Klein all practice the teachings of Transcendental Meditation (TM) founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Even the somewhat conservative Harrison Ford helps to raise money for the Dalai Lama. Sally Jesse Rafael hosted psychic and astrologer Walter Mercado. The entire program was devoted to Mercado talking about his consultations with stars and pronouncing psychic blessings on the audience. Mercados’ television show is seen by 500 million people worldwide, and he runs a multi-million dollar psychic empire of books, tapes and lectures. Mercado and other people who are involved in the occult or paranormal are often put on a pedestal by the media as “saints” who can do no wrong. In contrast, when the media does a story on a Christian evangelist or leader, it is usually in a harsh and critical light. 

 

There are exceptions, such as the recently favorable interview outspoken Christian and actress Dyan Cannon on the Larry King Show. Cannon doesn’t seem to fit the mold of your typical Hollywood Christian who is afraid to be identified with Christ. Notwithstanding her skin-tight pants and careful navigation of tricky questions, Dyan Cannon was not afraid to share her faith with tens of millions of viewers. 

 

However, for the most part Hollywood has rejected Biblical Christianity. Instead, many celebrities embrace New Age teachers like Marianne Williamson, who has been a spiritual advisor to former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Williamson’s career was jump-started by talk show host Oprah Winfrey who has embraced the occult teaching “A Course In Miracles” which is promoted by Marianne Williamson. “A Course In Miracles” uses words like “miracles, “Son of God” and “Jesus Christ.” But, they are not talking about the Jesus Christ of the Bible. 

 

Marianne Williamson is very popular in Hollywood circles. Cher, Roseanne Arquette, Raquel Welch and others attend her lectures. Williamson even officiated at the wedding of Elizabeth Taylor at Michael Jackson’s 2,700-acre estate in the Santa Ynez mountains. Williamson’s influence extends well beyond the Hollywood community. She rolled her prominence as advisor to the First Lady into a book, The Healing of America, which deals with politics and social change. In the book she calls for a “new prophetic voice…not a soloist but a choir.” 

 

One of the biggest promoters of New Age thought in America is Oprah Winfrey. She has helped push the careers of New Age teachers such as Betty Eadie, who wrote Embraced By the Light and who claimed that during a near death experience Jesus showed her that all religions lead to God.. In response to that statement, Winfrey said, “That’s what I believe.” 

 

Winfrey’s words, ”That’s what I believe,” reflect the root cause of why paganism, Eastern mysticism, the New Age and the occult are rampant in Hollywood. It’s not that a group of Hollywood executives, producers, and stars got together in some dark room to plan a conspiracy. It’s simply that Hollywood films and television programs reflect the spiritual beliefs of those who produce them. However, the net result is the same because the power of those films and television shows to influence young minds and shape the belief systems of new generations is staggering. As the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, said, “the artist is more powerful than the politician.”