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Christians, Beware
of the Occult Invasion
Appendix
A
The
Occult Bombardment
on Society
Demons have found expression in society through abject and obscene use of horror, violence, sex, and materialism by various electronic and print media of television, radio, videos, billboards, movie theaters, computer software, 900-telephone numbers, psychic hotlines, magazines, newspapers, music, and pulp novels. Even pets are in the act. “Learn to get in touch with your pet. Acclaimed animal telepathic communication. ...The fee for the 10-minute session with the psychic is
$30....”
About 67% of American adults claim to have had a psychic experience such as extrasensory perception. Approximately 30 million Americans (one in four) believe in reincarnation. A Gallup Poll taken in 1978 showed that 10 million Americans were involved in some form of Eastern mysticism.
Many who get involved in occult practices do so by starting out with so-called “harmless” practices such as reading horoscopes or using a
Ouija Board. They afterward proceed into deeper involvement because of an increasing curiosity.
A “Thirst for and Fascination with Evil”
Our age seems to have a deep fascination with evil, the bizarre, and the inexplicable. It thrives on horror and repulsion. There is a price to pay for this curiosity. The occult is not something neutral that an individual can get in and out of without adverse effects. One cannot just pick fire without getting burned.
The “Forbidden Practices”
The nine “forbidden practices” of Deuteronomy 18 have been used in defiance of God’s supremacy for ages and are still being used today.
Deuteronomy 18:9-13 — When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone
1) that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [How many children have been murdered by their own parents?]
2) or that useth divination,
[There are many kinds of divination such as Aeromancy, Arithmancy, Belomancy, Cartomancy, Dowsing, Graphology, Hydromancy, Palmistry, Teacup Reading, etc.]
3) or an observer of times, [Over 32,000,000 Americans trust in
astrology, about one of every five Americans. Over 10,000 people work as astrologers full-time and another 200,000 work as part-time astrologers. Three out of every four newspapers in the U.S. carry a daily horoscope.]
4) or an enchanter, [Seen in the “Affirmation” chanting that is supposed to aid in making things happen while practicing visualization.]
5) or a witch, [Estimates of the number of Wiccans in N. America in 2000 ranged from 300,000 to the low millions. In a recent poll, teens were asked what supernatural phenomena they believed in. 74% believe in angels; 50% believe in ESP; 29% believe in witchcraft; and 22% believe in ghosts.]
6) or a charmer, [Some 86,000 women mail order buyers who paid $8.40 each for a genie-in-the-bottle good luck pendant, a mystical talisman. The House of Collinwood has 92,976 buyers who purchased ankhs, pyramids, talisman amulets, zodiac medallions, occult necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, at $12 a piece on the average.]
7) or a consulter with familiar spirits,
[See Chapter 9.]
8) or a wizard, [One example is the Smurfs cartoon. Broadcast in twenty-five countries and several languages, with over 30,728 web pages, Smurf music, Smurf video clips. Papa Smurf is the most infamous wizard or sorcerer of our day. “Smurf” means “little devil.” Even if cloaked as a cute cartoon, if it’s “white” magic against “black” magic, the Smurfs are 100 percent occult.]
9) or a necromancer. [Communicating with the dead; channeling; séances — One Who Calls Up the Dead (NAS)] [Some 42% of American adults believe they have been in contact with someone who has died. Some 14% of Americans endorse the work of spirit mediums or
channelers.]
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Impact on Today’s Society All-Pervasive
The occult impact on today’s society is all-pervasive. Our minds are so conditioned to its familiarity that we are desensitized to its dangers.
Education
From university to grammar school to continuing education programs, the Occult has invaded the educational systems. Two examples:
1. The University of California at Berkeley recently awarded its first bachelor’s degree in magic. Many reputable universities now offer courses in parapsychology.
2. Continuing Education
As an example of continuing educational classes involvement with the occult we quote from the
Troy School District, Spring/Summer 2004 program that offered the following classes.
Health and Fitness — Beginning Yoga, Continuing Yoga, Yoga for Weight Loss, Yoga/Pilates Synergy, Prenatal Yoga, Tai Chi Chuan, Meditation for Stress Management, Health & Higher Awareness.
Self-Improvement — Angelic Messages: “Your angels, guides, and God are trying to get messages to you. Come for an evening of fun and revelation where you learn how to communicate with your divine beings.”
Psychic Adventures — Spend an Evening with a Psychic: “If you always wanted to meet a real psychic, this is your chance. Share an evening of mystery as a professional reader demonstrates her psychic powers….” Your Karmic Destiny: “How do
karma and soul conspire to choose the specific parents, mate, children, even friends and co-workers to bring out the best and worst in us? From tyrants to angels in disguise the people in our lives are there for a reason! Come explore the metaphysical meanings and mysteries of relationships.” “Potpourri of Psychic Adventures: Psychics use many tools to tap into your vibrations. Numerology, psychometry, palmistry, tarot cards, auras, crystal ball, flame reading and tealeaves are just a few.”
Hypnosis Weight Loss Seminar — “Hypnosis blocks the craving for certain fatty foods...You will get a free hypnosis cassette tape entitled, ‘Hypnotic Mind Power for Weight Loss’”
Hypnosis Stop Smoking Seminar — “...This 1-1/2 hour hypnosis session will enable you to kick the habit without experiencing the typical side effects... Hypnosis blocks the craving for nicotine and tobacco...eliminates the jitters...”
Business
AT&T, General Foods, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Ford Motor Co., Proctor and Gamble Co., TRW Inc., Polaroid Corp., and Pacific Telesis Group Inc. are among the companies spending millions of dollars on New Age workshops, self-improvement training programs and seminars held by EST, Silva Mind Control, The Forum, Arica, Life Springs and other “psychotechnologies.” One example.
Philosophy of EST — No difference between right and wrong. “Life is always perfect just the way it is. When you realize that, then no matter how strongly it may appear to be otherwise, you know that whatever is happening right now will turn out all right. Knowing this, you are in a position to begin mastering life.” “Wrong is actually a version of right. If you are always wrong you are right.” There is no objective truth, no absolutes except the absolute of “whatever is, is right.” With this viewpoint one could argue that anyone has the right to do whatever he wishes, including killing six million Jews, because he is perfect. The assumption is that God is man and man is God and that each individual must come to understand he is his own God.
Health Care
Holistic health care methods may be directly or indirectly related to occult practices, such as: Anthropometry, Biorhythms, Craniometry (Craniology), Crystals, Dreams, Enneagram, Iridology, Phrenology, Physiognomy, Psychic Surgery, Reflexology, Rorschach Inkblot Test.
Political
Although some political decisions may have been inconsequential, others influenced by the occult have been disastrous. One
examplel.
Hitler
— Hitler heard a voice when in the trenches telling him to move. He did and his life was saved. Rudolph Hess, Henrich Himler, and Manfred Rommel were involved with the occult. Hitler committed suicide on October 30, Satan’s holiday.
The Thule Society — Hitler was member of Thule Society. The Thule Society was well grounded in occultist philosophy. Eckart, Rosenberg, and Hess shared occult interests.
Swastika—Occult Symbol — List was also interested in occult signs and symbols. In
Das Geheimnis der Runen (The Secret of the Runes)
he portrayed runes as the sacred symbols of ancient Aryan knowledge which, interpreted properly, could provide a real understanding of spiritual forces. He used the swastika, which he depicted as a fundamental occult symbol of salvation, to represent the victory of the Aryans over the lower races.
Blavatsky had also considered the swastika as a powerful occult symbol and had used it in the seal of the Theosophical Society. In
The Secret Doctrine, Blavatsky wrote of the occult significance of the swastika. She characterized the swastika as the most sacred symbol in India.
In Mein Kampf
Hitler had viewed the swastika as symbolizing “ . . . the mission of the struggle for the victory of the Aryan man, and ... the victory of the idea of creative work, which as such always has been and always will be anti-Semitic.”
Hitler-Blavatsky Connection — In her esoteric work, especially
The Secret Doctrine, originally published in 1888, Blavatsky emphasized the concept of races as paramount in the
development of human history. Hitler, like Alfred Rosenberg, also claimed Aryan origins for all of these cultures. Hitler was well versed in these racial peculiarities.
Science
Parapsychology — is a new branch of psychology aimed to put many of the supernatural phenomena associated with the occult on sound scientific footing to create respectability. One of the popular areas in parapsychology in recent years has been ESP (extrasensory perception). Psychical research is another field of parapsychology. This is systematic scientific inquiries concerning the nature, facts and causes of mediumistic phenomena.
UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) —
In May 1999 an ABC News poll revealed that 70% of Americans believe in extraterrestrial life. One percent believed they had personally contacted it. The phenomena of alleged personal contact with aliens cited in the poll are described in three principal ways in UFO literature: (1) as a “close encounter,” where some form of contact with an alien is made; (2) being “abducted” on board a UFO; or (3) as becoming a “contactee,” where personal contact continues even for years.
Entertainment
The most serious attack on society is in entertainment, whether through violence and sex or in the cute and innocent packaging of cartoons. The inroads have been so successful they have touched every family.
Internet and “Violence Porn” — “Violence porn” is the latest degradion of our culture. Such imagery leads to desensitization to violence. The site that posted the shotgun victim says that 250,000 individuals peruse their web pages each day.
Movies — Star Trek, ET, and
Star Wars feature occult characteristics.
Demonization by Osmosis Through Movies — The Exorcit, Devil Times Five, The Possessed, Good Against Evil, Exorcist II: The Heretic, The Entity, My Demon Lover, The Devil’s Advocate, The Blair Witch Project, Book of Shadows, Blair Witch, The Exorcist re-released, Bedazzled, and
The Little Vampire.
Cute Cartoons — Occultism in Innocent Packaging.
Animorphs, Beauty and the Beast,
Bewitched, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Captain Planet, Charmed, Freakylinks, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Pocahontas, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, So Weird, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Haunted, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, The Sixth Sense, The X-Files, The Others, Touched by an Angel,
and What Lies Beneath.
Toys —
Movies and Television Shows have broadened the Toy Market. For example,
Pokémon, Oujia Board, and Dungeons and Dragons.
Books
— One example, Harry Potter
The “Harry Potter” reading phenomenon has swept the globe being published in over 40 languages. In June 22, 2000, the books were being sold in over one hundred countries. Revenue for children’s book publishing and distribution rose 31% to $872 million, primarily due to Harry Potter. A U.S. consumer research survey reports that “over half of all children between the ages of 6 and 17 have read at least one Harry Potter book.” Both
Christianity Today and Lutheran magazines have given thumbs up to Harry Potter.
So What’s Wrong with Harry? Harry Potter promotes an interest in magic and the occult. Teaches that witchcraft is for kids and is fun. Astrology, numerology, casting spells and magic can be exciting. “White Magic” is made to look innocent. Makes evil look innocent. Disobedience isn’t serious unless you get caught. Being “special” means you deserve to escape punishment for behaving badly.
Harry lies and is rewarded—Lying, stealing and cheating are acceptable and fun. Killing and torture for fun. Among the terrifying images: a disembodied voice repeatedly hissing “kill”; monstrous, flesh-eating spiders; children being attacked and paralyzed; and an apparently dead cat hung upside down by its tail. An 11 year-old witch is possessed and kills people on Halloween and doesn’t realize it even though she has blood on her.
Rules are made to be broken. Spells are legitimate and are repetitive prayers. Revenge is an acceptable course of action. Adults get in the way most of the time. The ordinary person is
typified as being bad because they have no magical powers. Heroes are the people who are using the occult.
There were 208,302 buyers of the Handbook of Supernatural Powers, which gives directions for ancient spells and potions. There were 91,846 buyers of the book Magic Power of Witchcraft. There are 16,842 members of the Circle of Mystic and Occult Arts Book Club of Prentice Hall Publishing. There are some 2,500 occult bookstores in the U.S. and over 3,000 publishers of occult and New Age books, journals, and magazines.
Music Examples of Occult Influence —
Rolling Stones — “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Their Satanic Majesties Request,” “Goat’s Head Says.”
Black Sabbath — A concert dressed as witches and warlocks.
“Halloween”
— In occult and witchcraft circles, October 31 represents a day of worship called
Samhain (pronounced sow-en). This is the Celtic New Year. The Celtic people were worshipers of earth gods, woodland spirits, and sun deities. Halloween is second in sales only to Christmas.
Symbols of Halloween — Trick or Treat (People left treats outside homes to keep spirits happy.)
Jack o’Lantern (People carried a lantern when walking on the eve of October 31. Lights kept the evil spirits away.)
Witches. Black Cat (It was believed that witches could change into cats. Some believed cats were spirits of the dead.)
Dressing in Costumes (After the bonfire to Samhain, people were afraid to walk home in the dark for fear of being possessed by spirits. They dressed in costumes, carving scary faces in their fire holders to frighten the spirits away.)
Ghosts and Haunted Houses — Ghosts are alleged disembodied spirits of dead persons. When ghosts take up residence, a house is said to be “possessed” or “haunted.”
Appendix
B
New
Thought, New Age,
and Mind Science Movements
Historically, there were several nineteenth-century antecedents of the New Age movement. These include (1) the New Thought Movement, (2) the Theosophical Society, and (3) the revival of the Occult in America.
(1)
New Thought
Movement |
(2)
Theosophy |
(3)
Occult Revival
In America |
Mind
Science |
Anthroposophy |
Spiritism
in America |
| Christian Science |
The Arcane School |
Yoga
in America |
| Unity School of Christianity |
I AM Movement |
Astrology:
Age of Aquarius |
| Religious Science |
|
Influx of Eastern Philosophy:
Hindu Monism and
Pantheism,
Transcendental Meditation,
Reincarnation |
|
(4) New Age — Date:
1960s
|
New Thought Movement
Founder:
Phineas P. Quimby, a Mesmerist from Maine. Date: 1802-1866.
History: Quimby pioneered Hypnotism in America. Healed Mary Baker Eddy. Quimby’s “studies in mesmerism, spiritism and kindred phenomena…laid the basis for a new structure in the world of
thought.”
Occult Connections:
Openness to the psychic and occult realm reinterpreted through New Thought metaphysics.
Beliefs: Everything is in the mind. Our thoughts create our good or evil, health or sickness, prosperity or want. Very receptive to
Eastern religions. Physical healing lies in the mind. Physical diseases are caused by wrong thinking or false beliefs. These false beliefs are remedied by “the Christ.” The mind’s operation on the body brings health.
God refers to any of a number of immortal, supernatural beings, who rule alone or in company with other gods, over the destinies of humankind.
Jesus discovered the “Truth” of how to correct the error of sickness.
The Christ is considered not a person but an impersonal Divine Nature or Principle. Jesus was believed to have embodied or appropriated the Christ-principle as no human had before. Jesus was not a savior to mankind. He was merely a “way-shower.” Salvation is based not on Jesus but on the recognition of the Divine Nature or Christ-principle within.
Christian Science
Founder:
Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910). Date: 1879.
History: Mrs. Eddy was chronically sick growing up, and she began to be involved in mesmerism (hypnosis) and the occult practices of spiritualism and clairvoyance (Ruth Tucker,
Another Gospel, p. 152). She met mental healer Phineas P. Quimby, who believed that illness and disease could be cured through positive thoughts and healthy attitudes, by changing one’s beliefs about the illness. After Quimby’s death in 1866, Mrs. Eddy determined to carry on his work. She had developed a “psychic dependence” on Quimby, drawing on his spiritual presence, claiming even visitations by his apparition. Eddy took Quimby’s teachings one step further, claiming that sickness, death, and even our physical bodies do not exist, but are only imagined.
Occult Dynamics: Mrs. Eddy was a spirit medium for about 25 years. There is openness to certain psychic abilities in Science and Health. Telepathy is possible in treatments. Christian Science healing is considered a form of psychic healing.
Beliefs: Disease and Death. There is no such thing as sin. It is an illusion. There is no such thing as sickness. It also is an illusion. Sick people must be convinced they are not sick. Then they will get well since sickness is an illusion and doesn’t really exist. There is no such thing as death. A person gets old and dies because they believe that is what is supposed to happen.
The whole universe is falsehood—an illusion. The Christian Science method of healing is denying the disease itself, e.g., “I am not sick. I do not have cancer.” Prayer to a personal God is a hindrance.
Women can become pregnant by a supreme effort of their own minds. A man is not needed for procreation. Man is not made of the dust of the earth as in Genesis 2 because matter doesn’t exist. Genesis 2 is “a lie.”
Jesus.
Jesus was never tempted by the devil. Eddy says, “He was tempted by the false beliefs in His own mind.” Jesus never died because death does not exist. He just thought He was dead. The blood of Jesus has no atoning value and since sin is an illusion we are not guilty.
Source of Authority.
Mary Baker Eddy claimed the Bible was her “only textbook” and “only authority.” Yet she also said the Bible has thousands of errors — 30,000 in the Old Testament and 300,000 in the New Testament. Christian Scientists believe that Mrs. Eddy’s discovery of Divine Science is the “final revelation” from God. They claim
Science and Health is divinely inspired (even though it has been proven to contain numerous plagiarisms and revisions).
Science and Health is the “first book” which has been “uncontaminated by human hypothesis”
(The First Church of Christ, Scientist and
Miscellany, p. 115; Science and
Health, pp. 99, 139, 456-457).
Unity School of Christianity
Founder: Charles and Myrtle Fillmore (1889-1931).
Date: 1889.
History:
The Unity School of Christianity, an offshoot of New Thought, was founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in 1891. They are distinguished from mainstream New Thought by their belief in reincarnation.
Occult Dynamics:
Innate psychic powers can be developed. Openness to psychic research.
Beliefs: —All religions teach truth. The Bible is simply another book of scripture. “It is not necessary that you despise the scriptures of the Jews, of the Hindus, or of any people, but you are to take them for what they are: the records of men as to what their experiences have been in communing with the omnipresent God”
(The Twelve Powers of Man, p. 115).
God
is an impersonal principle and infinite mind. Jesus is a man who attained Christ consciousness.
The Christ is the inner, divine God-self of every person. Salvation is by knowledge, proper thought, mental affirmation.
Man is inwardly divine. Sin is error in thinking. Satan is false thoughts.
Death leads to higher planes of existence through reincarnation.
Religious Science
Founder: Ernest Holmes [1887-1960]. Date: 1917.
Chief textbook:
The Science of Mind, published in 1926. Headquarters known as the
Institute for Religious Science is based in Los Angeles.
History: The
United Church of Religious Science, another offshoot of New Thought, was founded by Ernest Holmes who wrote
The Science of Mind in 1926. This book later became the textbook for
Religious Science.
Occult
Dynamics: An openness to parapsychological research and certain practices of the psychic/occult world. By the time he was twenty, Holmes had rejected Christianity and studied Christian Science, hypnotism, psychic phenomena, Theosophy and spiritism He regularly attended séances.
Beliefs: Emphasizes that all other holy texts, such as the
Koran, espouse the same values. Man, “by thinking, can bring into his experience whatsoever he desires…” This “spiritual philosophy for the New Age” offers a “specific method by which anyone…may relate consciously to the Creative Life Force [God] of the universe…for the purpose of achieving what
ever constructive objective is desired…. Health, abundance, security, love, peace, and happiness are…within the immediate grasp of all who apply…principles…which the Science of Mind explains.”
God is the Impersonal Mind. Jesus is a great man who expertly utilized Science of Mind principles and became “Christ-conscious.”
The Christ is the divine part of all people. Salvation is by knowledge and positive thinking.
Satan is a Christian myth. Death is an illusion.
Theosophy
Founder: Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-1891).
Date: 1875. Literally means: “wisdom of God” which is to be found in all religious.
Occult Dynamics and Beliefs: The Society derived much of its philosophy from Hinduism and Buddhism. The sources of divine knowledge were the mysterious “Mahatmas” (“Great Souls”), who supposedly lived in the Himalayas. The second leader of the Theosophical Society, Annie Besant, moved to India and further Hinduized the Society by stressing the importance of Yoga and Sanatana Dharma. “I confined myself to the Hindu Scriptures, and…regarded these scriptures and the Hindu religion as the origin of all scriptures and all religions.”
Reincarnation: Each human being evolves through seven planes of existence (the physical plane, the astral plane, the mental plane, etc.). Each plane brings him closer to union with the Absolute (God). This process can take a long time, hence requiring innumerable reincarnations. Human beings who continue to evolve through reincarnation eventually become “Masters,” a group of formerly historical persons who have finished their earthly evolutions and voluntarily help lesser-evolved human beings to reach their level. The human race as a whole also evolves. So far there have been three races: the Lemurian, the Atlantean, and the Aryan.
Channeling: Revelation comes from “adepts,” who are “beings [from the spirit world] perfected spiritually, intellectually, and physically, the flower of human and all evolution.”
[The Theosophical Movement, p.
112] The Theosophical tradition had been built from the initial channelings of Helena Blavatsky from the Masters or Mahatmas. Koot Hoomi was one of the adepts who gave revelations to Madame Blavatsky. Numerous splinter groups emerged around a new channel sometimes referred to as a Messenger. Most prominent of these subsequent channels were Alice Bailey, of the Arcane School, and Guy Ballard, founder of the I AM Movement.
Jesus:
Theosophists reject any suggestion that Jesus died on the cross to pay for man’s sins. Man saves himself through continual reincarnations. This spiritual evolution leads men further away from the physical plane and closer to spiritual planes of existence. Because of this process, every human being is a potential “Christ.” Jesus is a Theosophic master.
The Christ is the divine part of every person.God is an indefinable Substance, Principle, Law, One Spirit, Creative Force.
Man is a god evolving toward Godhood. Satan is a Christian myth.
Salvation is spiritual enlightenment achieved through Theosophic philosophy and practice.
Death is a beneficial transition to the next “station” prior to reincarnating.
The Mighty I AM
Founder: Guy and Edna Ballard (pen name, Godfre Ray King, 1878-1939).
Date: 1930s. Purpose: To bring “ascended I AM power” to America that she might fulfill her cosmic destiny as the world’s repository of “Light.”
Source of Authority: The spiritistic revelations of Guy and Edna Ballard.
Claim: To be among the vanguard movements bringing light and truth to the world. To be the only way of attaining the “Ascension” — Spiritual resurrection.
Occult Dynamnics: Spiritism; voluntary possession; magic; retributive magic.
Beliefs: Similar to Theosophy. Believes in a stream of progressive revelations from the Ascended Masters to prepare humanity for the emergence of the Aquarian Age and a planetary rise in “Christ-consciousness.” The “I AM Presence” is in each person and represents a point of contact with divine reality. God is an impersonal Force, Principle, and Energy. There is a pantheon of gods and demigods, including the ascended Guy Ballard
and “Jesus.” “St. Germain” is the greatest. Jesus is an ascended master.
The Christ is the I AM presence within every person. Salvation is by a lifetime of good works and occult
practice. Satan is a Christian myth. The Second Coming is Jesus “returned” when he appeared to the Ballards as an ascended master.
Death is the individual reincarnation until achieving the status of ascended master.
New Age
Date: 1960s. The term New Age refers to the “Aquarian Age,” a phrase taken from astrology, which New Age followers believe has dawned.
History: New Thought beliefs predate contemporary New Age thinking by nearly a century. Building upon these nineteenth-century foundations, the New Age movement began its modern development in the
1960’s. In 1965, federal policies toward immigration from the Orient were changed, and a new wave of Asian spiritual teachers (gurus) appeared in America, bringing pantheistic ways of thought. Esteemed Hindu gurus began traveling on lecture tours, including Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Bhaktivedanta Swami, Swami Rama, Swami Muktananda, Swami Vishnu-Devananda, and Swami Satchidananda. Consequently, Hindu religious traditions began to find new and eager adherents in America. Some of these Yoga traditions included the schools of Vedanta, Tantra, Vaishnavism and various Advaitic Hindu teachings. The contributions of these Yoga schools of thought to New Age thinking was immense.
1970s — There is a New Age coming. This generation is the transition. Social and personal transformation by healing and new insights. Facilitated by channeling, crystals, divinatory techniques (tarot cards, astrology, etc.), holistic health practices.
1980s — Movements centered upon world peace, environmentalism, and multi-ethnic cooperation. Healing, holistic health, hatha yoga, vegetarianism, chiropractic and massage practices. Channeling. Four million adherents in U.S.
1990s — Shifted to personal spiritual transformation.
Occult Beliefs: Teachings from all world religions. “We honor the truth and beauty of all the world religions, believing each to
have a seed of God….” God revealed himself in Jesus, Buddah, Krishna, and others. Humanity is God. [Rhodes] Most New Age groups adhere to five points:
Monism: All things are made of essentially the same spiritual substance and at a certain level are merged into the oneness of all.
Pantheism: All is God. God is everything. Reincarnation: The preexistence of the soul. It returns to physical existence repeatedly until it achieves the highest state of the Great Oneness of the universe.
Enlightenment: We have esoteric knowledge contained in our subconscious self that can allow us to manipulate energy and matter by our thoughts and thereby achieve health and wealth.
Spiritism: Spirits can be contacted both of dead humans and extraterrestrial sources that provide us with insight into ethics and the meaning of life on earth.
There are many spirits in the astral plane that are willing to converse with humans. This is accomplished when the body is surrendered over to the disincarnate entity through vacating the mind and will by means of a self-induced trance. These spirits may or may not be those of human beings. Some may be from animals or other planets. All that exists (matter, energy, space, and spirit) is divine.
The person of Jesus is defined differently. One popular approach is to see him as having been a master of Eastern mysticism by virtue of his having traveled to India during the years of his youth and young manhood.
The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus The Christ (ca. 1907) is widely read. It is the product of trance channeling.
Evil
does not exist. One should not resist evil. Good and evil arise from the same source, so what we mistakenly consider evil is actually also good. Since there is no ultimate Creator, who is the final court of appeal in matters of right and wrong, every person is left to decide for oneself what is acceptable behavior. Even murder may be acceptable in some circumstances.
Our planet
is about to ascend to a higher level of evolution. Only a certain percentage of humanity will be willing and able to accept the necessary changes needed to affect earth’s advancement. People who resist will be eradicated.
Crystals can be used as a vehicle for our own energy that will allow or cause our desires to come to pass.
There is
no personal God Who is Creator and Who stands apart from His creation. Man is inherently perfect, unlimited in power and wisdom. Man is God in essence, but must experience a shift in consciousness (enlightenment) to realize this. Man creates his own reality with no need for dependence on a Holy God, or Jesus Christ’s substitutional atonement, for there is no real ethical or metaphysical separation from God.
Jesus Christ
was an “enlightened Master” in a class with Buddha, Zoroaster, and others. Jesus Christ is now one of the “ascended masters,” an elite group of gurus who guide humans toward realizing their Christ-consciousness. (11)
Effects On
Ethics. Because “all is one,” there is no distinction between good and evil. No absolute moral wrongs and rights. Everything is relative. Because human beings are God, they create their own reality. For example, the millions of Jews executed under Hitler’s regime created their own reality. Hence, Hitler’s actions cannot be condemned as ethically wrong since Hitler was only part of a reality that they themselves created. One cannot condemn terrorists who blow up passenger jets because people on those jets create their own reality.
New Age educational curriculum places extreme emphasis on personal autonomy. Children are taught to rebel against the limiting beliefs of their parents. Values are not to be imposed from without (as from Scripture or parents) but must be discovered from within.
Appendix
C
Visualization,
Astral Projection,
and OBEs
What Is Visualization?
1. Ability to create a visual image in the mind.
2. A hypnotic method in which participants imagine a situation or activity other than their present one. The participant focuses on details of the imagined scene either for purpose of anxiety or stress reduction, or rehearsal for new behavior, bringing into play all the senses.
Visualization: An Occult Religious Practice
Visualization is the most powerful occult practice known. It is used by Eastern mysticism, shamanism, yogis, Transcendental Meditationists, channelers, Roman Catholic “saints” and hundreds of Christian psychologists and evangelical leaders.
The Mechanics Of Visualization
Visualization is called by a variety of different names depending on who is using or promoting the practice. Visualization includes meditation of every description, Guided Imagery, Right Brain Tapping, Zen, Channeling, Psycho-synthesis, Seminars: EST, Silva Actualizations, Life Spring; Dream Journals; Arica, Theosophy and Gurdjeffian Systems; Fischer-Hoffman Process (re-entering into childhood anxieties, followed by the intense use of imagery for reconciliation with forgiveness of ones parents); Autogenic Training.
(The Aquarian Conspiracy, pgs 85-87)
Spirit Guides and Visualization
Through the practice of visualization, spirit beings are contacted. Hear the testimony of former occultist, now a Christian and researcher and author of the book,
The Beautiful Side Of Evil, Johanna Michealson, a nurse for a psychic surgeon and a student of Silva mind control. She was taught in the Silva method, that through visualization she could contact her guru (an enlightened one). Since she thought she was a Christian, it seemed that it would be alright to visualize Jesus.
“Through meditation her visualized guru was Jesus, just as she requested. At first this Jesus appeared kind and loving... But as the meditation sessions continued ‘Jesus’ showed himself as a beastly character and made it clear to Johanna that she would suffer immensely if she failed to carry out his instructions.”
(Dark Secrets Of The New
Age, Pg 113)
After Johanna realized what was happening, what visualization was, its source, purpose, and the Satanic aspects of it, it took several months for the harassing “voices” and unsolicited apparitions to leave her alone. It took going to God in prayer and confessing her sin of being involved in this occult practice and denouncing it and asking the real Jesus to come into her life.
Will Baron’s testimony: “We finally imagined ourselves seated under a tree in a beautiful garden called the garden of the soul. These techniques were to balance the mind, body, and emotions and to open us to the higher self and receive communication from the masters. After about five minutes of silent meditation, Muriel spoke again. ‘We invite the presence and energy of our beloved master, Djwhal Khul…. Do not use your minds…. Listen to the voice of God.’ After a time of silence, Muriel spoke again, ‘We are going to go around the light circle in sequence and channel Master Jesus.’”(1) To Will’s surprise, the members of the group began to receive transmissions from “Jesus” (definitely not the Jesus of the Bible).
New Age writer, Lola Davis notes “A powerful tool for developing spiritual intuition is meditation...Through meditation, Davis says, man can seek guidance from the One called Lord Maitreya.”
(Dark Secrets Of the New
Age, pg 101)
“Lord Maitreya” is considered to be the “Messiah,” whom one can contact via visualization, along with his “helpers,” the spirit guides. These spirits are called “Masters.” One of these beings Randolph Price contacts, calls itself Elena. According to Price, Elena refers to these spirit guides “...as angels of light—whether from earth or other worlds.”
(Dark Secrets Of The New
Age, pgs 100-101)
The New Age religion of Eckankar calls these visualized beings “spiritual travelers.” They say man only reaches an advanced spiritual state by communicating with these “travelers.”
“...these travelers...are what we know as the supermen of the universe...a traveler...is equivalent to a saint, an agent of God, or what we might call a Sat Guru; and he is exactly what the term implies here. ‘Sat’ means true and ‘guru’ is light-giver... Furthermore...his teachings...lead to the most complete religious experience, and the most happy.” (Paul Twitchell,
Eckankar: The Key To Secret Worlds, IWP Publishing, 1982, pgs 72-73)
In the Eastern religions, these “beings” are called Yidams (protective deities), in Voodoo they are the Loa (a type of protective deity, but also feared). New Age call these spirit guides “Energies,” such as the occult Alchemists call them. In psychology, they are called “Archetypes,” a term coined by the late psychologist/occultist Carl Jung.
Psychology and Visualization
Visualization has been popularized in psychology. Its purpose is to change the current behavior of persons by using visualization to go back in time and contact the “Inner Child.”
In the Inner Child philosophy, if one goes back in time and contacts this Inner Child, the child can then guide them out of their bitterness and resentment. During this time the person can visualize different circumstances, handling the situation differently. Visualization can help one change his behavior, thus better Karma, thus a shorter time in the reincarnation cycle and on to God Realization, with the help of spirit guides.
Carl Jung, the western perpetuator of this philosophy called “regression therapy” and “rebirthing”, understood that there was
a Hindu yoga purpose for this. He said himself that rebirthing and karma are inseparable. In Jung’s thinking, these Archetypes lie dormant in the subconscious until they are brought to the conscious. Jung basically had two prime sources of his “psychology”. One was from studying the ancient and esoteric practices of the shamans of Eastern religions and other ancient religions. The second was through his own spirit guides, Philemon and Ka. Jung utilized Philemon for most of his life. He even painted a picture of Philemon which was printed in his autobiography. Jung said that Ka was the spirit of a disembodied ancient Egyptian. He further stated that he was possessed by these two entities.
TM, Yoga and Visualization
Visualization is the key to
TM. The word “Transcendental” itself implies the spiritual.
TM means crossing from conscious to unconscious activity. In other words, one must go into an altered state of mind in which the vehicle in
TM is visualization.
TM is a part of yoga which takes visualization to achieve its goals. What are the goals of Yoga? To prepare the practitioner for death and rebirth through the practice of visualization—more commonly known as reincarnation. In Yoga, Visualization is the method that can break the cycle and escape the law of Karma.
Creative Visualization
Where one creates their own desired reality by the power of thought, their thoughts materialize in the physical world. This can include a new car, more money or anything else desired.
“Be the ‘you’ you truly are: a magical, creative unlimited being. Visualization, or what I like to call ‘conscious daydreaming,’ is a wonderful tool available to all. You can literally dream your dreams into reality and create your life exactly as you want it to be. The most amazing thing is... it works!”
(Whole Life Network, Summer 1989, p. 9).
“Then begin to see in your mind’s eye exactly what you want to manifest. See or feel or affirm everything you desire. If it’s a lovely new home, a summer cottage, a new car, a large bank account, by all means visualize this occurring.” (From a New Age newspaper)
“For it shows us that the seeming reality of this illusory world cannot prevail against minds joined for healing.... Whether you know it or not, you were part of the healing of the Berlin Wall.” According to
The Holy Encounter, a paper promoting New Age ideas, the Berlin Wall fell because of the New Agers’ “consciousness coup.” (Jan./ Feb. 1990, p. 1)
The Medical Field and Visualization
Mental imaging is a practice where one holds an image in their mind. As they envision and meditate on it each day, it becomes clearer and will come to pass. This technique is now used for healing traumas that are emotional, cancer and other diseases. One sees the cancer or disease being fought and conquered and essentially leaving.
Remote Viewing
Remote Viewing is Remote Perception; knowledge about an object by some indirect method of perceiving it.
Guided Imagery
“Guided imagery is being used in a wide variety of fields including, medicine, psychology, alternative health related professions, sports, business and the arts.”
(The Arizona Light, May 1989) In Guided Imagery, the guide tells the participant to get into a relaxed position, relaxing every part of the body one part at a time. Breathing exercises are used many times. The purpose of these breathing exercises [called
“prana” in the Hindu religion] according to the Eastern religions is to aid in awakening the “Kundalini” (Serpent or “Shakti” force) in the base of the spine which allow the powers within to be utilized.
Astral Projection
Astral projection is a type of out-of-body experience (OBE) in which the astral body leaves and journeys to anywhere in the universe. On its trips, the astral body perceives other astral bodies rather than their physical, etheric, emotional, spiritual, etc., bodies. In an ordinary OBE, there is a separation of a person’s consciousness from his or her body.
In the near-death out-of-body experience, there may be the experience of hovering above and perceiving one’s body and environs, and hearing conversations of surgeons or rescue workers tinkering with one’s body. In astral projection, it is the astral body, not the soul or consciousness, that leaves the body.
Out-of-Body
Experience—OBE
Surveys show that about 15% to 20% of the population have had an OBE at some time during their life (Blackmore, 1982).
OBE is a feeling of departing from one’s physical body and observing both one’s self and the world from outside of one’s body. The experience is quite common in dreams, daydreams, and memories, where we often take the external perspective. Some people experience an OBE while under the influence of an anesthetic or while semi-conscious due to trauma.
Near-Death
Experience—NDE
One study found that 8 to 12 percent of 344 patients resuscitated after suffering cardiac arrest had NDEs and about 18% remembered some part of what happened when they were clinically dead.
(Lancet, December 15, 2001).
Doctors note that when parts of the brain are shut down, patients may lose their bearings and a sense of drifting is common. A cardiac surgeon said that when someone is under the effects of anaesthetics, oxygen deprivation, or high fevers, similar sensations can be experienced as in using hallucinogenic drugs, but not by all patients.
[Jesus, p. 162] Dr. Zaleski, after a cross-cultural study, believes the near-death experience reflects the person’s religious heritage.
Dr. Karl Jansen has reproduced NDEs with ketamine, a short-acting anesthetic. The anesthesia is the result of the patient being so ‘dissociated’ and ‘removed from their body’ that it is possible to carry out surgical procedures. According to Dr. Jansen, ketamine can reproduce all the main features of the NDE, including travel through a dark tunnel into the light, the feeling that one is dead, communing with God, hallucinations, out-of-body experiences, etc. This does not prove that there is no life after death, but it does prove that an NDE is not proof of an afterlife.
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