The New Age Movement

World Religions, Cults, and Worldview

The New Age

The term New Age refers to the soso-called coming Aquarian age of peace and harmony and unity with God which is supposed to replace the age of the Pisces Based on astrology, new agers believe there are new ages every 2000 years The New Age movement is truly a buffet of beliefs and practices Adherents pick and choose what they want to believe (for the most part)

The New Age

Most New Agers believe that everything and everyone is part of the force (like Brahman) People have unlimited inner power and need to discover it. 1000s of groups work together for a common New Age cause (e.g. Amnesty International, Zero Population Growth, World Goodwill, New World Alliance) http://www.carm.org/new http://www.carm.org/new-ageage-what

The New Age

The basic beliefs of New Agers come from Hinduism and Buddhism (along with Eastern mysticism and paganism) It also includes Transcendentalism ideas taught by Thoreau and Emerson This movement focused on the unity of all creation, the inherent goodness of humanity, that divine truth is known in the heart (not Word), rejected organized religion and miracles (focus on rational thinking), and focused on the divinity of the individual

The New Age

New Age beliefs were also influenced by mediums and contacting spirits Another belief is the power of the mind to heal the body (Christian Science) or power of positive thinking There was also a push from Native American religions to focus on the environment Just as Hinduism is a family of religions, the New Age movement defies definition

The New Age

A New Age person may be a Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, astrologer, or might have a focus on various causes like holistic healing or UFOs (channeling aliens) The surface expression matters not What matters is that underneath there is a unifying philosophy that there is a force, humanity is divine, reincarnation and karma are real, and enlightenment is the goal Very similar to Hinduism with influences from witchcraft and the occult (mediums, etc.)

The New Age

Most New Agers hold to the divinity of nature (Romans 1), and that spiritual power can manipulate natural forces Many in the New Age movement believe that anyone from aliens to New Age teachers must rescue earth from the evils of Christian beliefs through this movement

New Age Influence

A CNN poll revealed that 30% of Americans believe in reincarnation New Age beliefs have impacted just about every aspect of life Medicine holistic health, Deepak Chopra and population control Education meditation in the classroom and values clarification Politics U.N. push for one world government or religion (Robert Muller), Global Education Associates

New Age Influence

Since the close of World War I, Europe and the civilized nations of the world have sought to unify the nations for the good of mankind. President Woodrow Wilson called for a New World Order, and nearly every Western leader since has issued some sort of call for a new world system. Winston Churchill, some seventy years ago, made it clear when he said, The purpose of the New World Order is to bring the world into a [one] world government.

New Age Influence

After 1,600 years of fighting among the nations of Europe, we have watched as these nations have come together in the last fifty years, in what was originally called the Common Market A coalition of the United Nations has created the World Bank, the World Health Organization, the International Criminal Court, and the International Court of Justice.

New Age Influence

Today, the United Nations has a world constitution, a world currency, a world income tax, a world military force, a global identification number, and what they call a global ethic which is code for a future world religion There is a push for a NewNew-Age Age-kind kind-of unity, a oneone -world agenda

New Age Influence

Science The Tao of Physics by Capra Psychology the human potential movement Ecology the Green movement Business Anthony Robbins Music The Beatles, Hair

New Age Influence

Religion A Course in Miracles (deceptive use of Christian words like God, Christ, atonement, etc.) Creation is illusion, no Word from God, all is God, we are all Christs, sin, judgment, and hell dont exist, we are perfect, one with force already Promoted by Oprah in 2008
http://kimolsen.wordpress.com/2007/12/10/ahttp://kimolsen.wordpress.com/2007/12/10/a-biblicalbiblicalresponseresponse -toto-a-course course-in in-miracles/

New Age Influence

Oprah also promoted A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle (Are You Ready to Be Awakened? You are a god) See critique of this on our website under Media, Spiritual Growth & Apologetics (info on The Shack and The Secret there as well) http://www.ccctucson.org/information.asp?TopicI D=76 Quote, Illustrated Guide to World Religions, 174174-75

New Age Influence

Shirley MacLaine is one of the most popular New Age promoters (although she says she resents this label) She popularized the movement in the 80s80s-90s People are searching We can share the Gospel with them

New Age Writings

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

Perception humanitys problem is not moral, but like Hinduism, it is intellectual We have forgotten our true, divine nature We have forgotten that we are connected to the Universal Mind (an impersonal God/Force) Barbara Hubbard said, The fatal human flaw is the illusion that we are separated from each other, from nature, and from the creative processes of nature herself. This is a pantheistic and monistic view (all is one)

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

In her book, THE BOOK OF COCO-CREATION, she writes: Out of the full spectrum of the human personality, oneone-fourth is elected to transcend and oneone-fourth are destructive, defective seeds. In the past they were permitted to die a natural death. Now, as we approach the quantum shift from the creaturecreature-human to the coco-creative human - the human who is an inheritor of godgod-like powers - the destructive one onefourth must be eliminated from the social body. Fortunately, you are not responsible for this act. We are. We are in charge of Gods selection process for planet Earth. He selects - we destroy. We are the riders of the pale horse, Death. Psychologist Barbara Marx Hubbard is a member and futurist/strategist of Task Force Delta; a United States Army think tank.

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

In The Revelation: A Message of Hope for the New Millennium she writes: [In 1966] I saw, perhaps most fundamentally of all, that the vast effort of humanity to be fruitful and multiply would have to be curtailed in our generation. One more doubling of the world population will destroy our life support system. Our Mother will not support us if we continue to grow in numbers! We must stop. New Age ideas in the movie Avatar

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

Everything is divine Again, like Hindus, most New Agers believe that everything flows from one divine essence and all are a part of this essential reality This is the force They believe this is a Cosmic Mind, Consciousness, often called the Universal Self

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

Most New Agers find some way to get in touch with this force This shows humanitys desire to be in relationship with God, though quite misguided here Getting in touch with or manipulating this energy can be done through psychic means A few miles from here on Broadway Eckankar (co(co-worker with God [DEFINE!]) religion of light and sound. Office in MN

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

From their website: Each of us is connected to God through Divine Spirit (the ECK), which can be heard as Sound and seen as Light. Eckankar offers a spiritual toolkit to help you experience the Light and Sound of God. They say the Light and Sound come from the Holy Spirit (whom they see as the force). Belief in reincarnation People can experience them by looking and listening within themselves and through Soul Travel. The ability of Soul to transcend the physical body and travel into the spiritual worlds of God. Soul Travel is taught only by the Living ECK Master.

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

Humanity If the Cosmic Mind is all (monism) then humans are part of this force and are divine A blurring of the Creator/creature distinction goes back to the lie of the serpent (Gen. 3) The goal of Yoga, meditation, and mindmindexpanding techniques is to experience oneness with the force Ultimate goal is absorption into the Universal Mind after reincarnations

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

The power of the mind (Joel (Joel Osteen teaches the New Age doctrine of positive confession) http://www.letusreason.org/popteac29.htm External reality is diminished when all is seen as one and a transcendent God is denied So, the individual is elevated in his sense of shaping reality Since the basic stuff of the universe is the Mind, we can use our minds to have power over reality

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

The New Age claims made about the power of the mind range from believing that positive thoughts or affirmations manifest themselves in physical health and fulfilled dreams to the idea that, through the act of observation, the consciousness of each individual actualizes brings into reality one of the many possible, but yet unrealized realities. Joel Osteen quotes http://www.letusreason.org/popteac29.htm Summary of all Osteen books and sermons: Think and speak positively and God will give you everything you want (youre sovereign, not God)

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

Reincarnation New Agers like the idea of their modified view of reincarnation It allows the possibility of learning lessons throughout lifetimes They dont like the idea that God judges after one lifetime They like the idea of evolving through perfection However, this often leads to irresponsibility in this life (Ill just get it right next time around) But, notice it is salvation by works, human effort

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

Spirit guides New Agers encourage people to get in touch with their spirit guides These can be the dead, aliens, spirits of animals, angels, etc. Through occultic rituals (crystals, tarot cards, etc.) they seek to channel these forces as their mentors

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

Spirit guides Metaphysically, the quartz crystal can be easily programmed to help provide a positive outcome. It can clear away negative energy from the aura and rere-align the chakra (energy) centers of the body. It can be useful in long distance healing through imaging and meditation. Michael McKnight

Core Beliefs of the New Agers

Spirit guides The channeling of such beings fills the void that is left by the New Age movements concept of Ultimate Reality, which is that of an impersonal OnenessBeing so abstract, it is impossible for us as personas to relate to such a reality. Shirley MacLaine wrote, When I go within I look for communication and guidanceand in general have a friendly exchange with someone or something I perceive to be more advanced than I perceive myself. Illustrated Guide, 179 NYU prayer

The New Age Movement

World Religions, Cults, and Worldview