Test All Things
Founder: Eastern Hinduism
Founded: 1960’s
Writings:
New Agers claim no external source of authority, only an internal one ("the god within"). They believe the individual is the standard of truth, saying that "truth as an objective reality simply does not exist" (Shirley MacLaine, It's All in the Playing)
Other Beliefs:
1. God is all; all is God
2. Personal Enlightenment is important
3. Altered Consciousness, Psychic powers, and Spirit contact are the means of such Enlightnment
VIEW OF:
1. God: New Agers confuse the Creator with His creation and think that God is part of creation, not separate from it. They borrow from Eastern religions the belief in monism that "all is One" only one essence in the universe, everyone and everything being a part of that essence. But the belief in monism is really Hinduistic pantheism (all is God). New Agers view God as an impersonal force (e.g., the "Star Wars Force") rather than a Person. They believe that every person and thing is "intertwined" with God and use Luke 17:21 ("the kingdom of God is within you") to support this idea (despite the fact that "within you" in this passage means "in your midst"). They claim every human has a divine spark within him because of being part of the divine essence. New Agers are obviously part of a religion of idolatry and self-worship.
2. Jesus: A major idea in New Age thinking is that of the "Christ Consciousness." In other words, Christ is an office rather than an individual, such as Jesus, whom Christians know to be THE CHRIST. This idea of "Christ Consciousness" asserts that Jesus was not the only Christ, but that He equipped Himself to receive the "Christ Consciousness," as supposedly also did Buddha, Krishna, and Mohammed. (This is an old occult Gnostic teaching which stems from the ancient Babylonian mystery religions. New Agers also like to say that Jesus spent 18 years in India absorbing Hinduism and the teachings of Buddha.) New Agers believe that Jesus received the Christ Consciousness at His baptism, and that it left Him at His crucifixion.
3. Holy Spirit: An energy that can be used creatively or psychically.
4. Salvation: Development of psychic powers and higher consciousness. This is achieved by looking inside one’s self and practicing New Age techniques to finally attain awareness of personal divinity
5. Good and Evil. Mimicking the Eastern religions, New Agers distort the distinction between good and evil. They believe that because "all is One," ultimately there is neither good nor evil. They think that a person can transcend his consciousness and go beyond the bounds of moral distinctions so that even murder sometimes becomes an acceptable way of serving one's gods (e.g., Charles Manson).
6. Virgin Birth:
7. Future Life (Reincarnation). New Agers believe in the ancient Eastern religious belief of reincarnation, that through a long process of rebirths, man can eventually reach perfection (cf. Heb. 9:27). New Agers often place animal rights above human rights, because many New Agers believe animals are reincarnated souls. They teach the Hindu principle of "karma": what a person sows in this life he will reap in the next life in his reincarnated state. This belief in reincarnation has led to believing in the power of "spirit guides" or "channels," those who allow spirits from another dimension to speak through their bodies. These entities always seem to repeat the three-fold error: (1) There is no death, (2) man is god, (3) knowledge of self is salvation and power (Brooks Alexander, Spiritual Counterfeits Project)
8. Sin: New Agers have a "New Thought" view of sin, which knows nothing of a representative man (Adam) by whose sin all men sinned. Nor does New Thought teach that there is any original sin. Indeed, it finds nothing which is of the nature of sin. It speaks of "troublesome desires" which appear to be natural human impulses which direct men from consciousness to their identity with God, and, therefore, are troublesome but hardly sinful. Since New Agers believe that each person is god, thereby having endless potential for self-improvement, sin is denied as the Bible defines it (man being inherently sinful and utterly depraved (Rom. 5:12). They think that any perceived lack that man might have is merely a lack of enlightenment, thereby eliminating the need for salvation or a Savior.
9. Bible: Another Divine Book
10. Death: New Agers believe in the ancient Eastern religious belief of reincarnation, that through a long process of rebirths, man can eventually reach perfection (cf. Heb. 9:27). New Agers often place animal rights above human rights, because many New Agers believe animals are reincarnated souls. They teach the Hindu principle of "karma": what a person sows in this life he will reap in the next life in his reincarnated state. This belief in reincarnation has led to believing in the power of "spirit guides" or "channels," those who allow spirits from another dimension to speak through their bodies. These entities always seem to repeat the three-fold error: (1) There is no death, (2) man is god, (3) knowledge of self is salvation and power (Brooks Alexander, Spiritual Counterfeits Project).
11.Man Hinduism in America teaches that man, outwardly (his body and personality), is an illusion. But in his true inward nature he is one essence with Brahman. The common phrase used to describe this assumption is "Atman is Brahman." In other words, the individual human soul, Atman, is ultimately one essence with Brahman. Here are some representative teachings. Muktananda explains, "The Guru is God Himself ... Thus, "Muktananda ... is the God of the universe.” Further, "As you worship God, you become God .... Swami Satchidananda refers to our "true nature which is God." Sai Baba teaches, "You are the God of this universe.”" Further, he emphasizes, "You are God in reality" and "You are not a man, you are God ....
Rajneesh emphasizes, "As you are, you are God."
The following is a typical yoga meditation intended to help the disciple realize that he really is God. It is given by Swami Vishnudevananada:
“I am the light of lights; I am the sun; I am the real, real, sun.... In me the whole world moves and has its being.... I existed before the world began.... I permeate and pervade every atom.... Oh, how beautiful I am.... I am the whole universe; everything is in me.... I am That [Brahmanl."
12. Satan The traditional view of Lucifer as the devil or Satan is clearly absent in New Age literature. Rather, he is described as a mighty being of light and the "Ruler of Humanity," as Alice Bailey, foundational apostle and leading writer of the New Age Movement, puts it. As to the history and achievements of Lucifer, Benjamin Creme, a leading lecturer and proponent of the New Age, says, "Lucifer came from the planet Venus 18.5 million years ago; he's the director of our planetary evolution, he is the sacrificial lamb, and the prodigal son. Lucifer made an incredible sacrifice, a supreme sacrifice for our planet."