New Age, Old Lies

by william g. wells

A room is dimly lit with lava lamps and candles. A red-robed woman walks around a circle of sitting people, slowly waving her arms over each person. “Let me cleanse your aura,” she says softly. She brushes her hands over their heads as if tearing away spider webs of fear and desire with each motion. “Now empty your minds and let the spirits speak to you. Surrender yourself to the spirits of the earth. Become one with Gaia.” The circle of meditators begins to hum softly...“Aum...aum...”

Maybe this is what you think of when you think of the New Age movements. (Come on, admit it, you’ve seen Dharma and Greg.) People living in communes, weaving baskets and making necklaces during the day, dancing around bonfires at night, but acting WEIRD twenty-four/seven! But whether they call themselves “Aquarians,” “New Agers,” or practitioners of “alternative spirituality,” the one thing about all followers of New Age movements is that they are very different from anything traditional. They have rejected Christianity or “organized religion” in order to pursue their own path to God.

“New Age” can mean all sorts of things: moody elevator music, freaky granola-eating cults, astrology or witchcraft. New Age movements, groups and practices include things such as astrology, channeling, Eckankar, ecofeminism, Gaia or nature worship, holistic living, Krishna consciousness (Hare Krishna), self-realization, transcendental meditation and Wicca. But there are a few things that most New Age movements have in common.

01 Respect for ancient or mystical ideas  In many ways, the New Age movement is simply a revival of old beliefs. Much of what passes for “New Age” discoveries are actually ideas taken from ancient Hinduism or Buddhism. Sacred geometry was taught before Jesus was born and is now being revived in many teachings. Wicca is a relatively new belief system, taking on its present form almost completely in the 19th century. However, similar practices of nature magic and witchcraft were specifically condemned in the Old Testament. There’s nothing “new” about the New Age movements!

02 Rejection of organized religions Even though New Agers will often say they believe in absolute tolerance of all religious expressions, there is usually one notable exception. Many groups have a contempt for organized or traditional religion, as they view Christianity, Judaism and Islam to be. So many followers of New Age cults are there because of negative experiences they have had with religion, even Christianity.

03 Syncretism Syncretism means combining many different things into a new thing. Some Aquarian groups say that each of the major world religions has some truth to offer, but none are completely right. Through syncretism, New Agers claim that each person has the authority to pick and choose the beliefs they want to follow from any or all religions.

04 Authority of the East New Age movements tend to reject Western philosophy and religions in favor of those offered by the East. Because Eastern cultures have tended to be less materialistic, New Agers elevate them above the materialistic and technological West.

05 Reliance on self The quest for truth begins within, they say. Instead of looking to God for guidance, New Agers look inside themselves where they hope to find ultimate truth, love, or maybe even godhood themselves.

06 Use of talismans, gadgets or trinkets  Though they emphasize the importance of the spiritual, non-material world, New Age groups often rely on tangible things for spiritual enlightenment: crystals and crystal balls, tarot cards, occultic jewelry, tattoos. Whether using drugs to attain a new consciousness, or candles to create a more spiritual odor, these things are ultimately just religious props or good luck charms.

Reaching the New Age
As with anyone else, the most important things to remember when sharing Christ with New Agers are to treat these people with respect and love. Remember to listen to what they have to say and to be compassionate. Use good judgment when getting to know people involved in New Age practices. Be sure you know what you believe and don’t compromise any of those beliefs, even for the sake of understanding them better. 

NEW AGE BUZZWORDS 

conscious evolution: Animals evolved over millions of years, but people can choose to evolve through discipline and meditation into higher spiritual beings.

channeling: Psychics allow themselves to be inhabited for a brief time by spirits or "spirit guides," who then speak through them.

walk-ins: Spirits who inhabit people for a brief time, taking control of their bodies.

co-creativity: Intentional search for harmony with nature.

divine potential of man: People can become gods if they follow the right path to enlightenment.

Gaia: The name of the spirit of all life on Earth.

holistic practices: Anything that takes into account the sum total of a person: body, mind and spirit.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is meditation bad? Meditation on its own is just a practice. Meditation is thinking and focusing on an idea or a person. If that something is Jesus, prayer or Scripture, great. If it’s simply an exercise to empty your mind and open yourself to new possibilities, beware.

Why is it called the "New Age" movement?Actually, there are many "New Age" movements. Early this century, astrologers began speaking about the end of the "Age of Pisces" (the Christian Era) and the beginning of the "Age of Aquarius." By the 1970s, this dawning came to be known simply as the "New Age." The term can refer to religions, philosophies, techniques, approaches to living, music or art.