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New Age Movement

Introduction

The New age movement embraces a number of beliefs foreign to Christianity and the Bible. These beliefs would include such concepts as occultic practices, the human potential movement of the 1960's, the teaching of Theosophy, the teaching of eastern gurus, and the law of Karma and reincarnation.

The term New Age although it had been used by various writers for the past century, did not emerge as a household word until the 1970's. The history spans a century and stems mainly from the writing of Madame Blavatski and the Theosophical Society. Still others trace the history much further to the Transcendentalism of Ralph Waldo Emerson and stepping backwards to Gnosticism in the first century A.D. All of these have a segment of the truth, but one thing that forever separates the New Age from Christianity is its doctrine. Unlike the western cults, the Bible, and Jesus Christ, do not play central roles in the New Age movement. Unlike the eastern cults, the New Age does not claim to be the restoration of Hinduism, Buddhism, or Taoism. It claims to be a melting pot of all beliefs with the overriding theory of monistic pantheism, that is, all is one, and sometimes it is said, all is god. What also distinguishes the New Age movement from eastern cults is its two fold agenda of transforming the self, and then transforming the world.

The New Age Movement embraces some eastern ideas and some western. These would include eastern philosophies as pantheism and monism. What is interesting about the New Age is the new twist in terminology applied to old beliefs. An example is found in karma and reincarnation. The New Age groups have different cycles for people to go through. Some New Age groups may teach transmigration of the soul, that is the soul passes from lower life to a higher life, and perhaps back to lower life again, such as in classical Hinduism. Other groups may teach that the soul can only pass from one human to another human. Still other groups may teach the interplanetary travel of souls on earth, or other planets, travelling from one place to another in its evolutionary cycles for reincarnation.

The New Age Movement has been popularised in many facets of our society. Actress Shirley Mac Laine has written about her experiences in three major selling New Age books, she speaks about her dabbling in the occult, séances, out of body experiences, reincarnation, soul mates, and her New Age friends who assisted her, while she looked for answers to life through New Age teachings. Judging by the sales of her books, she is not the only one, who is searching for the meaning of life, that can only be found through our Lord Jesus Christ, and not New Age teachings.

The New Age has also been accepted in scientific circles through the writing of Fritj of Capra, a physicist, who began to describe his laboratory  experiences in New Age terms. In his books, The Tao of physics, and The Turning Point, he attempts to draw parallels between two New Age concepts and discoveries in physics. The New Age has entered classrooms through yoga, in physical education classes, meditation as a stress release, and through the promotion of Confluent Education of Beverly Galyean.

The New Age is prominent in many cartoon figures, meditating, communicating to ascended masters of wisdom, and teaching the monistic world view, that all is one. It has not escaped the movie industry, where underlying New Age philosophies become the central theme of movies such as The Dark Crystal, (a Disney production) and Shirley MacLaine's story, ( Out on a Limb ) also Science Fiction movies.  All of these serve as examples of the emerging world view called The New Age Movement that is monistic, where all is one. The only reality to the New Ager is the reality within. Here are four key factors why New Age thinking has gained such wide acceptance:

1. The birth of nineteenth century transcendentalism and mind science/ metaphysical groups.

2.Occultic practices becoming more popular.

3.Growing interest in oriental philosophies.

4. A widespread condemnation of Christianity

1. Birth of Nineteenth Century Transcendentalism and Mind Science Groups

The New Age scientist Fritjof Capra has followed in the footsteps of a nineteenth century scientist who abandoned his practice to seek after the mystical realms of the spirit world. His name was Emmanuel Swedenborg, Capra claimed to see the atoms of his own body dancing, not just any dance, but the Shiva dance, of Hinduism. Like the claims of his predecessor Emmanuel Swedenborg, Capra's visions are taken as reality. Swedenborg claims to have gone on astral trips of our solar system. A fallacy as pointed out by Dr. J. Gordon Melton, is that Swedenborg only visited the planets that were known to have existed in his day, which eliminated Uranus, and Pluto.

Transcendentalism as popularised by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) became the accepted practice of many Americans. Emerson, a Unitarian and a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, gave up his Unitarian ministry to pursue broad minded studies, including the eastern philosophy that his work reflects. It is a noted fact that many early metaphysical groups traced the origin of of some of their principles to the transcendentalism of Emerson.

Emerson's theory of a universal spirit that permeates the universe was taken in part from Emerson's rendition of Hinduism. He believed that man was at his best when he was in harmony with the universal spirit. The unity school of Christianity, founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, is an example of one early metaphysical group that attributes Emerson with their foundational teachings in combination with Christian Science.

2. Occultic Practices Becoming More Popular

The occult delves into supernatural powers outside of the God of the Bible. Wide acceptance of the occult entered into mainstream society beginning with the table tapping of the Fox sisters, founders of the Spiritualism movement in upstate New York during the middle of the 1800's. Of course occultic practices have been around since early Old Testament days, it has been accepted widely into modern society. It became the accepted thing to do. This resulted in vast numbers of people beginning to dabble in Spiritualism.

The seeking of supernatural powers, and supernatural information outside the God of the Bible, led many to practice the occult in their homes, through the use of Ouija board, séances, ( which Spiritualism embraced) tarot card reading, and tea leaf reading, ESP, telepathy, and telekinetics. In the twentieth century people like Houdini, Arthur Ford, Ruth Montgomery, Jeanne Dixon, and their colleagues promoted séances, medium ship, and occultic practices.

The popularity of the occult has led many people away from the True God, who is Life, and Truth, to seek answers to life's problems through these supernatural powers, which are not the Truth.

3. Growing Interest in Oriental Philosophies

Oriental philosophy began to take on divergent aspects in the western culture. The gurus from the east realised they had to shed the asceticism found in many eastern groups to make their philosophy appealing in the west. Adapting oriental philosophy to the materialistic west was the key.

The gurus knew that they would only gain converts, if they told western society to go ahead and keep western materialism while embracing eastern philosophies. Divergent forms of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism took on new meaning as it was disguised in western terminology and scientific jargon. Whether it be Transcendental Meditation disguising itself under scientific terms, or the Taoist interpretation of the Bible, by Sung Myung Moon, or the abandonment of shaven heads and chiffon robes by the Hare Krishna movement. each of these had to adapt itself to western culture in order to gain converts. This made Oriental philosophy appealing to western man.

4. Widespread Condemnation of Christianity

There has been an ever increasing widespread condemnation of Christianity. An example of this can be found in The Humanist Manifesto 2, in 1973, the Humanist Manifesto 1, was in 1933,
 : ( We believe that traditional dogmatic, or authoritarian religions that place revelation, God, ritual or creed above human needs and experience do a disservice to the human species...we find insufficient evidence for belief in the existence of a supernatural God).
Notice how the wording makes attacks upon Christianity. Even though there are millions upon millions of polytheists around the world, the humanists did not feel the need to attack gods, but the monotheistic God of Christianity. The word creed used in the Manifesto, was another attack upon Christianity, since the other monotheistic groups of Judaism and Islam do not have formal creeds.

From the 1960's until the present time, the Bible, and Christianity, have become the scapegoat for groups who wish to change the mode of our society. Many lectures on evolution have made unprovoked attacks upon the Bible, and Christianity. The fallacy with this is that not all those who believe in creation are Christians. There are many who believe in creation, who do not hold to the Bible, and Christianity. So why is Christianity and the Bible, singled out in these lectures on evolution? We see a wide-scale attack on Christianity, and a condemnation of the Bible. Another example is found in debates on abortion. Seldom will a debate take place without an attack of the Bible, and Christianity, also entering the discussion. The fallacy again is that not all those who are pro-life believe in the Bible, and Christianity, so why the appointed attack?

Other organizations like Gay Rights Activists, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the American Atheists Association have openly and publicly condemned the Bible and Christianity in their efforts to promote their own agenda. Often this occurs in print in newspapers, magazines, books, etc, also on radio, and television. Again we see the widespread condemnation of the Bible, and Christianity. These contributing factors have led people to begin looking for alternatives to Christianity, the New Age movement was there to meet them.

New Age Organisations  

We classify organised New Age groups under four topics:
1. Religious Groups
2. Political Groups
3. Socially Active Groups
4. Prominent Representatives

The New Age Movement is an international networking of smaller groups, all uniformly working for the same goal. First on their agenda is personal transformation of the individual. This personal or individual transformation takes place through any one of hundreds of techniques of the smaller New Age groups. Second on their agenda is global transformation, which includes, world peace, a unified government, and one world religion.

Religious Groups

There are more than 5,000 religious New Age groups. Their underlying world view is based on pantheism (all is god) or monism (all is one). Dr. Walter R. Martin has helped to identify a religious New Age cult without lending to the unbalanced thinking of conspiracy theories or guilt by association.
 

1. The group is openly committed to furthering the New Age ( i.e. Age of Aquarius ).

2. The group openly espouses distinctively New Age beliefs such as Monism (all is one). Pantheism (All is god ). Gnosticism (salvation or spiritual healing come through special experiences of enlightenment), karma and reincarnation, spiritual evolution, ascended masters (equal with Christ).

3. The group openly advocates New Age/occult practices, such as channelling/medium ship, astrology, psychic healing, numerology, magic, various needs for inducing altered states of consciousness (e.g. meditation, chanting, sensory deprivation, hypnosis), and the use of crystals or pyramids for psychic reasons.

4. The group uses New Age terminology such as, "Create Your Own Reality" " Higher Self"  "Self -Realisation" "Cosmic Consciousness" "Universal Energy" "Chakras" "Kundalini" "Yin and Yang" etc. ( The New Age Cult, Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1989, pp. 109-110).

Dr. Martin wisely warns us that just because a group may use buzz words that are also found in the New Age Movement, it does not necessarily follow that the group is in actual fact a part of the New Age. The basic question we need to ask is: What is their agenda? Is their purpose personal transformation, and ultimately global transformation? Since this is the basic goal of the New Age Movement.

Political Groups

The Political groups in the New Age Movement work as lobbyists on state and federal levels with the goal of bringing about changes that will benefit the New Age. A group known as the Lucis Trust is located in the United Nations building in New York, U.S.A. Other organisations such as Planetary Citizens are often seen by our society as a harmless group working for world peace. When we look under the veil that shrouds the organisation, we find that their goal for achieving world peace is actually a one world government.

Socially Active Groups

Socially active groups are those interest groups trying to bring about massive change by introducing larger numbers of people to New Age teachings, either openly or subtly. Beverly Galyean's Confluent Education which was federally funded to be introduced into California schools as an experiment, actually taught children that they have a godlike creative consciousness, the experiment produced a rash of yoga, meditation, and conscious expanding instructions in the schools. Corporations in large numbers have hopes of gaining better sales and more productivity through inviting New Age teachers to conduct seminars to white and blue collar workers alike. The courses taught were New Age techniques under a more sophisticated name.

The New Age Movement has also infiltrated the psychology and medical fields. Hospitals around the U.S.A. began to offer courses for training nurses how to lay on hands for healing while focusing their attention and concentration upon the destruction of the disease in the person they were laying hands on. These courses were accredited as further education in the career of the nurses who participated. Holistic health and medicine virtually took over the health food industry. Christian chiropractors from around the world have also reported their colleagues using New Age techniques in their practice.

Prominent Representatives

The prominent representatives are spokespersons for the New Age Movement, introducing the public at large to New Age thinking. One of the most popular New Age promoters is actress Shirley MacLaine. The basic message of her books is that each one of us are already divine within. We create our own reality, we create our own existence, we are god. She taught the monistic world view that we are all one.

Mr. Benjamin Creme is another representative on the forefront of the New Age Movement. He and the organisation he founded The Tara Centre, located in Los Angeles, California, brought the New Age to the doorsteps of the world by purchasing $750,000 worth of advertising in seventeen of the largest newspapers around the world. His April 25th, 1982, full-page advertisement read: "The Christ is now here". Mr. Creme claimed that he had received several telepathic communications from the Christ, who was living in the Pakistani community of London, England. He claimed that it was his job to tell the world that the Christ had returned. Mr. Creme repeated the advertisement on January 12th, 1987, only this time the message had been changed to read: "The Christ is in the world".

Marilyn Ferguson popularised the New Age through her book The Aquarian Conspiracy. She outlined the world view of the New Age Movement, both politically and religiously, speaking of their goal to have one-world religion and one-world government.

David Spangler has written five best selling books on the New Age Movement. In his own brand of thinking, he tries to steer people away from using objects in the New Age, such as crystals, pyramids, and other New Age paraphernalia, and tries to head them toward a higher consciousness within.

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky is founder of the Theosophical Society. Theosophy teaches that the foundations of all religions, is really the same religion. Man, according to Theosophy, has three levels of existence; physical body, a mental body, and an astral body. The way man moves to the astral plane, is through many reincarnations. Madame Blavatsky claimed to receive her information from ascended Masters.

The writings of Alice Bailey, who founded the Arcane School, are second only to Madame Blavatsky in spreading the New Age. She received her writing when the Tibetian would channel information through her in the form of automatic writing. Her books unfold the reappearance of the Christ and the plan for the New Age.

Biblical Analysis of the New Age Structure

The New Age concept of world peace, one world government, and one world religion is contrary to what we find in the Bible. One cannot have true peace with oneself, until he has made peace with the true and living God of the Bible. The mistakes of New Age theology, is to look for peace within oneself. The only lasting peace is the peace that comes from God above, which is why (Luke 2:14) says, ( Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests) the peace that was promised on earth is only through the true Messiah, Jesus Christ. Jesus said in (John 14:27) ( Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you, I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid).

Worldly peace according to Jesus, will never last. Only the peace He gives to us will really last. If a person is not looking to the true Jesus, then he will never receive the true peace that Jesus has to offer. Jesus spoke of peace again in (John 16:33) ( I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world). The contrast that Jesus shows us here is that the world will never have peace. Genuine peace can only come from him.

Paul makes the comment on peace in (1 Thessalonians 5:3) ( While people are saying peace and safety, destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape) What we find in the New Testament, is that there will be moments of peace in the world, and people will become excited about this, but due to our human sinful nature, there will always be more evil and destruction. While there is nothing wrong with the desire to have peace, the New Ager's problem is that they are looking to the wrong source.

The impossibility of a one world religion is well presented in Scripture. The only one world religion will be a false one, since no religion is compatible with Jesus Christ and his message. The apostle Paul states this in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 6:14-16) ( Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.)

Paul's contrast between light and darkness distinctly separates us from the world's religions. Only Christianity holds to the truth of God, and all the world religions have gone the way of darkness, following after man. Jesus brings out the uniqueness of Christianity in ( John 10:1,and 8) ( I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. .......... All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.) Jesus singled himself out as the only way to heaven. All those who had tried to climb up by any other way, which includes the New Age and world religions, is a thief and a robber. This is why Jesus said, that he is the only way, and no one can come to the Father but by him. in (John 14:6) ( Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me)

Contrary to the desires of the New Age Movement, the only one world government mentioned in Scripture is that of the anti-Christ in the book of Revelation. It is not the image of world peace, lasting for decades as the New Age tries to portray. Rather the Bible speaks of hardships, tribulation, persecution, martyrdom, slaying of saints, and a consummating battle of Armageddon with the world against Christ and His saints.

New Age Beliefs

The New Age Movement has many diverse techniques used to transform one's consciousness, self, attitude, outlook on life, and belief systems. Some use esoteric methods such as meditation, silent prayer, channelling, medium ship, and chanting in unison. Other New Age groups use exoteric items such as crystals, minerals, homeopathic medicine, pyramids of various sizes, and other objects said to have innate powers, whether it be gemstones, magic wands, or religious artefacts. Most new Ager's believe that any of these techniques can better oneself, and some New Ager's will use a combination of these techniques.

Since one's experience becomes the source of truth in New Age thinking, you will seldom find New Ager's saying that one technique or another has no value at all, even though each New Ager has his favourite. New Age religions do not have a prescribed doctrinal statement. Over all we see a uniform agreement among New Age religions. What they agree upon is their dislike to Christianity. They label Christianity as narrow minded, dogmatic, and authoritarian. They deny the doctrine of the Trinity, ( one God in three persons) They deny that Jesus Christ is uniquely God in human form. They deny the blood atonement of Jesus Christ for our salvation, they deny salvation by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. They deny the biblical doctrine of heaven and hell. As for what the New Age do believe is the following:

1. All is one, all is God.

Monism and Pantheism are central concepts in the New Age world view. Monism teaches that all is one, what is meant by this in New Age thinking is is that there is only an apparent distinction between what we perceive with our eyes and what really is. The only distinction between the material, and the non-material world is our perception of it. Therefore a monistic New Ager would say all is one, we're all a part of each other, we're all a part of the same thing, and there is a permeating spirit behind and under girding all matter.

Pantheism goes one step further than Monism by saying that God is the spiritual oneness in all things. God is all there is. The explanation for the world in pantheistic beliefs is that the world is a slow vibration of the substance of God. They would say God is the high vibration of spirit, while matter is the low vibration of spirit. Benjamin Creme shows us the pantheistic view found in most eastern religions: You are God. I am God. This microphone is God. This table is God. All is God. ( The Reappearance of Christ and the Masters of Wisdom, London, Tara Press, 1980, p. 116)

God is Impersonal and Amoral

One cannot conceive of a personal loving God in any real sense under the Monistic and Pantheistic world view. New Ager's will often ascribe personal characteristics to their idea of God. Impersonal entities cannot love, create, give life, or communicate. While New Ager's are fond of saying, God is love, they have not yet surmounted the difficulty of saying that a microphone or a table ( if it is god) is also love.

Perhaps these difficulties are why some of the writings of Mr. Creme seem to contradict other statements he has made on God:( "In a sense there is no such thing as God, God does not exist. And in another sense there is nothing else but God-only God exists......all is God. And because all is God, there is no God")ibid., p.110).

Since the monistic world view teaches all is one, evil and good are seen as being different aspects of this same oneness. Furthermore, they are only seen as relative for our existence on earth, so they have no real meaning. Fritjof Capra, expresses how all things will be absorbed into this oneness: ( "All boundaries and dualism have been transcended and all individuality dissolves into universal, undifferentiated oneness") ( The Turning Point, p. 371). Because God is viewed as only being a universal spirit, He becomes impersonal and amoral.

The World is Not Real

The monistic and pantheistic world views both hold that the world itself is an illusion, its not reality. The Hindus refer to it as Maya. Matter is real, but it will fade away when all becomes one. The concept of eastern teaching is often hard for western thinkers to grasp. When New Ager's say that the world is not reality, they are not saying that the world does not exist. What they are saying is, the ultimate reality is not the world. but the spirit or oneness that permeates the world. The world and all material existence, is a low vibration of the spirit matter that is God.

Most New Ager's will say that God created the world out of Himself, as actually a part of his essence, as we saw in our earlier quote by Benjamin Creme. New Age writer Jane Robert's who channelled for her spirit guide Seth and wrote his communications down through automatic writing said this: ( He is not one individual, but an energy......its energy is so unbelievable that it does indeed form all universes, and because its energy is within and behind all universes, systems, and fields, it is indeed aware of each sparrow that falls, for it is each sparrow that falls) ( The Seth Material, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Prentice Hall, 1970, pp. 237-238)

Subjective experiences of the self becomes the source of authority for New Age people. If you experience it, then it must be real, so they say. New Age teachers shun objective tests for their experience.

Truth is Within and You Are Divine

New Ager's have taught their followers that truth is within, but "truth" has taken on a varied meaning. The word truth is being substituted for relative experience, so the result of any New Age experience is subsequently called truth.

New Age teachers also convince their constituents that they are divine or god within. The conclusion they draw is your experience cannot be false, since you are god. In support of the deified human race, New Age actress Shirley MacLaine writes, ("Each soul is its own god. You must never worship anyone or anything other than self. For you are god.) ( Dancing in the Light, p.358) She also supports experience being one's truth, ( My own out of body experience......served to validate the answers to many questions-the surest knowledge being derived from experience) (ibid., p.35)

The Nature of Man in the New Age

There are three common points of agreement that most New Age groups have concerning the nature of man.

First, in a brash contradiction of the Bible, New Agers will deny the evil nature of mankind and claim that man is basically good.

Second, New Agers believe that man is divine. New Age thinking borrowed this common statement from eastern religions. I am not this body. When New Agers speak of the spiritual nature of man, the non material essence, they account for its existence as being a part of god. Often this is expressed in New Age literature as you are divine or you are a god.

Third, building on their foundation that man is divine and basically good, New Agers conclude that you create your own existence. By this they mean that you have caused and can cause events to take place in your life out of your will. Its not just the desire to do well in life, but actually creating things and circumstances. Benjamin Creme goes so far as to say that we should pray, to the god within us. He would rather you didn't pray to him, but to god within you, which is also within him. ( The Reappearance of Christ, p.135) Shirley MacLaine, in (Its all in the Playing,) said, (I had created everything I saw, heard, touched, smelled, tasted, everything I loved, revered, abhorred, ......I was my own universe.) (New York, Bantam Books, 1985, p.192

The New Age view of the nature of man undermines the biblical understanding of Jesus Christ. The New Age denies Jesus' true deity, that he is uniquely God, and no other man can be God. The New Age also denies Christ's purpose in dying on the cross, for the sins of the world, since it teaches that man is already god, or is basically good.

New Age teachings are patterned after the Gnosticism of the first century A.D. Gnostics taught that Jesus was separate from the Christ. They said Christ, was a spiritual principle that came upon Jesus, either during his baptism, or birth. Benjamin Creme, takes the former position, showing that Gnosticism is still prevalent in New Age teachings: ( The Christ took over the body of Jesus, and manifested through it for the last three years) ( The Reappearance of Christ, p.53) He says again,( When I say the coming of the Christ, I do not mean the coming of God......the Christ is the master of all the masters, but he is not God, and never claimed to be God) ( ibid., p.115)

New Ager Emmet Fox writes of Jesus: ( His teaching is entirely metaphysical......a very inconsistent legend was built up by worthy people concerning original sin, vicarious blood atonement, indefinite punishment for finite transgressions. No such theory was taught in the Bible. The Plan of Salvation is completely unknown to the Bible, as it is to the Koran) ( The Sermon on the Mount, New York, Harper Brothers, 1934, p. 5)

Benjamin Creme attempted to say that all spiritual leaders are the same individual: ( At the centre of this Spiritual Hierarchy stands the World teacher, the Lord Maitreya, known by Christians as the Christ......the Jews await the Messiah, the Buddhists, the fifth Buddha, the Moslems, the imamMahdi, and the Hindus await Krishna. These are all names for one individual. ) ( Advertisement, Tara Centre, April 25, 1982. While some New Agers seem to have a surface reverence for Christ, most New Agers make no distinction between Him, and any other religious figure.

Moral Consequences in the New Age

All systems of belief that recognise evil and sin in any fashion must deal with the moral consequences of actions done in the human race. The New Ager's embrace the eastern philosophies of the law of Karma and Reincarnation.

The law of Karma is the total submission of one's actions during any given state of existence. Those who believe in Reincarnation, believe in the transmigration of the soul, from a lower life to a higher state of existence, and perhaps to a lower life again, attribute the law of Karma as the determining factor for which state of existence the soul enters. Those who believe in reincarnation that the soul may only pass from one human state, to another human state, believe the the law of karma determines where and what condition the person re-enters the world. If the Karma was bad, the re-entrance may be in an under developed poor country, and perhaps in the poorest class of that country.

If the Karma was good, a person may be born in a flourishing country, and in a wealthy family. Shirley MacLaine informs her readers, (" If  you are good and faithful, in your struggle in this life, the next one will be easier.) (Out of a Limb p.45) New Age writer Alice Bailey said ( The immortality of the human soul and the innate ability of the spiritual, enable man to work out his own salvation, under the Law of Rebirth, then in response to the Law of Cause and Effect, are the underlying factors governing all human conduct and all human aspiration) ( The Reappearance of Christ, New York: Lucas Publishing Co. 1948, p. 147)

Salvation in the New Age

Salvation in the New Age is to be released from the law of Karma and reincarnation. The techniques to achieve this come from various measures in the New Age. Some call it God consciousness, God enlightenment, spiritual enlightenment, becoming one with the one, self realisation, self actualisation, and among other terms personal transformation.

New Age writer David Spangler believes that Jesus found the same enlightenment that Buddha found: ( Jesus was an individual who himself had to recapitulate certain stages. He built upon the pattern that Buddha had established. He himself had to become awakened. He had to, in his consciousness, touch this Christ pattern) ( Reflections on the Christ, Moray, Scotland: Find horn Publications, 1978,p.6) Shirley MacLaine writes: ( To become an enlightened individual first requires a focus on this inner spirituality, and that entails the belief that when we go within ourselves, there will be something there) ( Los Angeles Times, August 19, 1987).

Marilyn Ferguson, author of "The Aquarian Conspiracy" points out that the divergent methods of technology reach to the same consciousness: ( Incantations, mantras, poetry and secret sacred words, are all bridges that join the two brains-what counts is that something in us, is wiser and better informed than our ordinary consciousness) ( Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1980,p.81) ( Meditation, breathing exercises and fasting are among the common technologies for shifting brain function) ( ibid. p. 374).

Biblical Analysis of New Age Beliefs

The God of the Bible

The monism of the New Age (all is one) shows no objectivity for truth. The Bible says God is eternal, and uncreated. (Isaiah 40:28) ( Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, he will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.) and (Genesis 1:1) ( In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth). and also (Colossians 1:16&17) ( For by him (Christ) all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things were created by him and for him). These scriptures show that God is eternal and uncreated.

The monistic view of God says that God is impersonal. The Bible says that God is personal, otherwise love has no meaning, and neither would the word "Him" in reference to God. According to Scripture, God is a tri-personal being.
The Father is God ( Galatians 1:3) ( Grace and peace to you, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.)
The Son is God (John 1:1) ( In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God) (John 1;14) says that the Word became flesh (Jesus Christ). Also (John 5:18) ( For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him, not only was "He" (Jesus) breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God).
The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3&4) (Then Peter said Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?. Didn't it belong to you before it was sold?. And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal?. What made you think of doing such a thing?. You have not lied to men but to God.) also another Scripture as the Holy Spirit referred to as God. (Acts 13:2) ( While they were worshipping the Lord (God) and fasting, the Holy Spirit (God) said,  "Set apart for me, Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them).
 There is but one God. (Deuteronomy 6:4) Hear O' Israel, The Lord our God, the Lord is one. also (Isaiah 43:10c) ( Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me). There fore, the three persons are the one true God, in the Old Testament ( Isaiah 48:16) ( Come near me, and listen to this, from the first announcement, I have not spoken in secret, at the time it happens I am there, (the Father) And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me, (Jesus) with his Spirit. ( Holy Spirit)  And in the New Testament Jesus' statement in (Matthew 28:19) ( Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

God is also a moral being in the Bible, lies are not found in God. ( Numbers 23:19) ( God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act?. Does he promise and not fulfil?) also in the New Testament, it shows the moral nature of Jesus Christ,  (Hebrews 6:18 ) ( God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged). Also (Hebrews 4;15) says ( For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin).

Creation of the World and Matter

The New Age world view teaches that the world is an illusion, or that the world is Maya. Most New Ager's will say that the world is of the same essence as God, only at a slower vibration of energy. The higher vibration  is supposed to be pure spirit, whereas the lower vibration is supposed to be matter. However the Bible makes a clear distinction between God and the  matter we encounter in the physical world. (Hebrews 1:10-12) ( He also says, In the beginning O' Lord you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands, They will perish but you remain, they will all wear out like a garment, You will roll them up like a robe, like a garment they will be changed, But you remain the same, and your years will never end.)

In reference to Jesus as the creator, it says in (Colossians 1:16&17) ( For by him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together).
 They could hardly be a part of himself if he created them. Spirit is not the invisible aspect of matter, and matter is not the visible aspect of spirit. What is invisible and created was made by Jesus Christ. What is visible and created was made by Jesus Christ also. He made all things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible. Therefore he could not be a part of created matter.

Truth is Within and Man is Basically Good

In regards to the source of authority in the New Age movement, their monistic pantheism teaches that truth is within. This however provides no objectivity and therefore no verifiability of their truths. God interacts with man according to what we read in the Bible. In all the miracles of the Bible, from the parting of the Red Sea to the raising of Lazarus from the dead, we find objective, testable events that took place before eyewitnesses. The events of the Bible are real and testable by historical evidences.
Peter confirms this by saying in (2 Peter 1:16) ( We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ., but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty) The apostle Paul made an open declaration before King Agrippa, boldly stating that these things were not done in a corner. (Acts 26:26) ( The King is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner). He points out  that God did not use subjectivism in the evidences of the resurrection, but rather He did it in an historical setting that could be tested and verified.

We saw that that the New Age teaches that man is basically good. The fact that man is not basically good is evident in history, since then we have had no improvement, things continue to get worse. It is also interesting to note that goodness is a term of morality. The New Age wants to eliminate absolute morals, yet it ascribes a moral term to the nature of man.

The Bible tells us that  man is sinful in his nature. ( Romans 3:10-18) shows us that man is not righteous, not any one of us ( Romans 3:23) it says ( For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God). and also in (1 John 1:8) ( If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us)
You see these Scriptures tells us that man is not basically good, and the truth is not in you. The only way the truth is in one, is when one comes to Christ to repent of their sin, and receive him into their life, and have Christ living in them, and conforming them into his likeness and image. Jesus Christ said ( I AM  the WAY, and the TRUTH, and the LIFE, no one comes to the Father except through me) (John 14:6)

Reincarnation

The New Age belief in reincarnation is unbiblical as well. ( Luke 16:19-31) contains the story of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man died and went to hell where he was in torment, and Lazarus went to Abraham's bosom, the rich man wanted Abraham to send Lazarus back to warn his brothers, in case they end up in hell like him. His request was refused, if there was reincarnation the rich man would not be worried would he, but he knew he was to spend eternity there.
The doctrine of hell, or eternal punishment for the wicked, is denied by reincarnationists but we have already seen in (Luke 16:19-31) that none shall return from the dead. New Ager's seek after truth from those whom they claim have entered into and returned from their place of life after death, just like the rich man wanted Lazarus to do. God refused to permit Lazarus to return to the rich man's brothers, God said if they do not believe in the Scriptures, they will not believe even if someone was raised from the dead. So we should not expect Him to overlook this for New Ager's or anyone else by permitting others to return through reincarnation.

Another doctrine denied by reincarnation is the Atonement of Jesus Christ ( Hebrews 9:28) states ( So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people, and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him). The atonement of Jesus Christ was truly offered once for the sins of many. This refutes the law of Karma, which says that a person needs to return many times to work out his own salvation through each new reincarnation. Jesus Christ took care of our sins on the cross. (1Peter 1;18&19) ( For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold ,that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect). We do not take care of our own sins by returning to earth. We cannot earn our way to God, it is only by receiving Christ as Lord, and having a personal relationship with him that we are saved. Christ has paid the way for us by dying on the cross in our place.

Reincarnation denies the very purpose of Christ's coming to earth. His mission is summarised in (Revelation 13:8) ( All the inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast, all whose names have not being written in the book of life, belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world). If reincarnation were true, then there would be no purpose in Jesus Christ coming and being called the Lamb slain from the creation of the world. The fact that He did come, shows us that we cannot save ourselves through the cycles of birth, death, and rebirth.

The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ and our future bodily resurrection, give the surest confidence to the Christian that reincarnation is false. In the resurrection, Jesus received the same body that He laid down. And in our future resurrection, we shall receive the same body, only in a glorified state. The bodily resurrection and our future resurrection of our body refute the doctrine of reincarnation.  To read on the resurrection as outlined in the Scriptures see (1 Corinthians 15)

The plan of salvation called (self-realization or self-actualization), in the New Age Movement is unscriptural. Biblical salvation is faith in Jesus Christ. (John 3:16-18) (For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him, shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world, to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him, is not condemned, but whoever does not believe, stands condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.) You see that this section of Scripture promises believers that they will not perish, but have everlasting life through Jesus Christ his Son.
As for self-realization the Bible states one important one, (Romans 3:23) ( For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God) and that means, that we are sinners, and need to be saved, and know the true God, Jesus Christ in a personal way. Only a self realization that we are are sinners. The self-realization, as described by the New Age is denounced by the Bible.  (Proverbs 14:12) states (There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death).
(Acts 4:12) states that (Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved). That is the name of Jesus Christ, verses 10 states this. No New Age guru can help us, no former religious leader can help us, no future religious leader can help us, no New Age technique can help us. Only through faith in Jesus Christ, that one name given under heaven, that all men might be saved, can we find genuine salvation.

One Scripture in (Hebrews 9:27) (Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement). refutes reincarnation. We only live on this earth for a very short time, and after that we face judgement. If we are in Christ, we are saved and not condemned, if we are not we face eternal punishment in hell. God wants us to come to Christ, when we do and receive the Holy Spirit into our life, we are (Born Again), in this world, before we die, not reincarnated, but born of the Spirit. (John 3:3) ( In reply Jesus declared,  I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God, unless he is born again). and again in (John 3:5) (Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God, unless he is born of water and the spirit).  Reincarnationists have got it all wrong, they need to be born again in the Holy Spirit, this comes when a sinner repents of his sin and asks Jesus Christ into his life, to begin a new life with Christ and to hear from him through his word the Bible, to have a personal relationship with him Then he will realize that his sins were paid by Christ on the cross, and he is forgiven of them, and saved and assured of spending the rest of his life when he dies in eternity with God.

The New Age is an old lie that leads to the same dead end that Adam and Eve faced. We are all going to die, so what will we say before God, that we can be justified by Him. New Ager's believe their works under the law of Karma will someday justify them,-they hope. Whereas the Christian has assurance of salvation in Jesus. The Christian does not hope to be justified, they know they are.  (1 John 5:13) (I write these things to you, who believe in the name of the Son of God (Jesus Christ), so that you may know that you have eternal life). And again (Romans 8:16) (The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children).
Therefore we have complete assurance that we are justified, and we don't have to work for our salvation, Jesus is our saviour, and the only saviour for mankind to be saved and justified before God.