Common New Age Presuppositions and Beliefs

[Rockstar]

The devil is at it again. The lies and play of words he used in the beginning chapters of human history to bring our first parents to fall into sin are seducing many today in the opening chapters of the 21st century. "Yea, hath God said...?" (Gen. 3: 1) was his question raised to undermine the authority of God's Word. "Ye shall not surely die..." (Gen. 3:4) was intended to directly contradict what God said would be the penalty for man's disobedience - death (Gen. 2:17). "Ye shall be as gods..." (Gen. 3:5) was the devil's deceptive but flattering incentive to allure Eve to sin. The New Age Movement does these very same things. It disregards the authority of the Word of God. It flatly denies the resurrection yet preaches reincarnation. In a sense, it tells man that he "shall not surely die." It caters to man's sinful and selfish nature by offering him the intoxicating thought of becoming god. Unfortunately, many do not recognize these propositions as originating from Satan.

There is a vast and complex field to cover when discussing this subject. This will be merely a sketchy overview. However, it is important to point out that this is being written not in order to judge the motives of new age movement's proponents. Ex-advocate of new age movement and Christian apologist Elliot Miller was careful to point out that:

New Agers are generally sincere.... Many New Agers are genuinely humanitarian.... It is not that there is nothing sinister or dangerous about the New Age Movement - but evangelicals should resist the temptation to try to locate the evil in simplistic black-or-white categories, for in so doing they will fail to see New Agers for who they really are


1. The new age movement espouses a pantheistic world-view. This is the belief that All is God—not just "God is everywhere" (omnipresent) but that "God is everything," the sum total of all that exists. This, of course, fails to recognize God's transcendence and overemphasizes His immanence. The line of distinction between the Infinite from the finite is practically removed—qualities that describe God the Creator and His creation, respectively—and when this happens, man is no longer seen as a responsible creature. He becomes accountable to no one, to no authority outside of himself. Mariel Francisco points out that the aspect of New Age thought that Filipinos will most happily embrace is its "new creation centered theology."

The late Dr. Walter Martin, a Christian apologist, quotes one of the leading proponents of new age movement in the West, Benjamin Crème, as stating: "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."

2. The new age movement believes each individual creates his own reality, similar to what Hindu pantheism calls "maya." This is "illusion," and accepting this false doctrine results in the belief that there are no absolute and universal standards between right and wrong. The January 26, 1992, issue of the Sunday Inquirer magazine promoted and defended the new age movement. In it, we read:

Evil comes into being because something that was good in the form in which it existed in an earlier epoch retains this form in a later age. In failing to transform itself it become retrogressive. Therefore Evil is Good manifesting out of its appropriate time. In this sense, the worst thing one can be is to be obsolete, behind the times, stuck in the past. If we are unable to see ourselves in a New Age, this is what, tragically, we may become.

This, then, makes "self 'the creator of his own reality in which self decides what is right and wrong, appropriate and inappropriate, pleasant and unpleasant. This is otherwise known as "moral relativism." It is not surprising that NAM "often tolerates rather than challenges such unchristian behavior as sex between unmarried partners, homosexuality, and (in some circles) recreational use of drugs, thus providing a spiritual alternative to the many in our time who are unwilling to abandon such lifestyles."

3. The new age movement also stresses the belief that man is divine, and Jesus is like all other men who became "the Christ." The new age movement generally claims that within every man is a spark of divinity that can be self-realized when he goes through the altered states of consciousness. Consider what psychic researcher and NAM local counterpart Jaime Licauco says as he speaks on "The Other Meaning of Christ's Birth." He says:

I think that this interpretation, i.e. that Christ's birth represents God's becoming man, is only half of the story. What man seems to have lost sight of is the fact that the same story also represents the possibility of man's becoming God. And this to me is the more meaningful message of Christ's birth and the only one that ultimately makes sense. For why should God descend to the level of man except to lift him up, and to show that he, too, can become God? ... That God can assume a human form is not difficult for us to accept; but the idea of man becoming God is still difficult for us to conceive. Yet that is one message that the birth of Christ truly brings."

He further infers from controversial French Jesuit priest/paleontologist Teilhard de Chardin's writings (noted as the "Father of the New Age") and then concludes that "... we will become Christs, not merely Christlike. In other words, we will all be gods."12 This is an open attack on the Person of Jesus Christ — a defiance of God and a deification of man. This is nothing but the serpent's lie: "Ye shall be as gods!" This naturally results in self-worship. The contemporary emphasis on the belief in the powers of the human potential is an outgrowth of this.

4. The new age movement believes the Law of Rebirth, Reincarnation and Karma. This teaches that man does not really die. He is, instead, "endlessly reborn into new life cycles until such time as he perfects himself sufficiently to qualify for endless rest (nirvana)." Here, the soul returns into another body after death and the quality of the next life will be determined by how he has lived in the past life.

The Bible teaches that except for living believers at the rapture, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27). At death, believers in Christ go home to be with the Lord in heaven, while unbelievers go to hell. Those who enter the former do so not because of any human merit but because of the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed on them by faith in Him.

Walter Martin quotes Alice Bailey, a highly regarded source of New Age thought, stating:

Through the constant return of the incarnating soul to the school of life on earth, there to undergo the perfection process of which He (Jesus) was the outstanding example. That is the meaning and teaching of reincarnation.... The immortality of the human soul, and the innate ability of the spiritual, inner man to work out his salvation under the Law of Rebirth, in response to the Law of Cause and Effect, are the underlying factors governing all human conduct and all human aspiration.

5. Central to the new age movement's belief system is the belief in evolution—that we have all evolved from lower forms of life, but some of us evolved more highly than others just as some of us "manifest our divinity" more than others. This more evolved and advanced form is achieved by employing mind-expansion techniques such as meditation.
This is a direct affront to the Scriptural teaching of man's origin and nature that he is a creature of God made after God's own image, distinct and separate from his Creator. Man is a finite person, a 'derivative replica' of his Infinite Creator.

6. The new age movement offers a salvation by "gnosis." Gnosis is simply the Greek word for "knowledge." But the new age movement uses the term to refer to experiences of enlightenment that help the New Ager supposedly go through a spiritual evolution towards becoming god. This is the heart and core of "the New World Religion." New Agers often appeal to theright/left-brain distinction where the latter is supposedly analytical and the former is intuitive, creative and subjective. This becomes an excuse to abandon analytical thought and to barter away rationality in order to gain a subjective and renewed sense of spirituality in the effort to discover one's "higher self' or attain "higher consciousness." When one assumes this, his concept of sin and the need for Jesus Christ's atonement for his sin becomes insignificant. This vilifies the work of Jesus Christ and man's need for salvation from the guilt, penalty and power of sin.

All of this sounds impressive, especially when the New Ager refers to various authorities who do not know the grace of God and who hold Ph.Ds from Europe and North America. This gives a cloak of pseudo-scientific scholarship that makes the New Ager appear credible. But in reality, this openness to the subjective and to the unknown also opens the doors of gullibility to the spiritual realm of demonic spirits.

7. Most new age movement spokespersons have had some contact with superhuman "masters" or "higher beings." These "divine" messengers are contacted through what has been called "channeling"—simply a contemporary term for the spiritist's mediumship. American actress Shirley Maclaine, spokesperson David Sprangler, Silva Mind Control System's founder Jose Silva, Russian Theosophy founder Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and even local counterpart Jaime Licauco all openly claim to receive direction or special revelation from these spirit guides.
Once again, we have here a Satanic substitute for the God-given special revelation of Himself and His will for man's life through His inspired, complete and final Word, the Bible. From a Scriptural perspective, these "Ascended Masters of Wisdom," as they are sometimes called, are actually demonic beings luring people away from the one true God. This may also explain why New Agers have a common base of beliefs. The geniuses behind these spokespersons are intelligent, personal, fallen beings out to delude sinners into remaining in the bondage of their sin.

8. The new age movement's strong belief in the human potential, especially man's potential to evolve into god through the altered states of consciousness, gives no room for the Biblical doctrine of the incarnation and the physical, literal return of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also contrary to the Biblical doctrine of sin and depravity. To New Agers, the manifesting of divinity achieved by employing mind expansion techniques is the coming of the Christ, which they refer to as "the Christ-Consciousness." This is allegedly a higher state of mind that everyone can attain.

Also inherent in this New Age belief is the denial of the truth of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. As it was in New Testament days, these are the present-day resurrection-deniers. But this is to be expected from a demon-inspired religion since all the other foundational doctrines of the Christian faith hang on the veracity of the literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. His person, His work, His teachings and even the inerrancy and authority of both the Old and New Testament Scriptures were and are all vindicated by that miraculous event. Thus, it should not surprise us that Satan consolidates his efforts into causing people to doubt, if not fully deny the veracity of Christ's resurrection.

There might be someone reading this who has been enslaved into New Age philosophies or thinking. Perhaps you are now beginning to see the dangers of it and would like to be delivered from them. We urge you to come to Christ, for He alone can save you from sin and its consequences. He alone can adequately sustain all our needs. Jesus said: "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst... and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (Jn. 6:35-37).

[Pigfish]

You gotta be kidden. What crap. I wish I was a moderator right now.

[Iceman]

Careful not to cast your pearls before the swine...Ahh but you did..."Pigfish" so delicatley replied to your post.

Whoever does'nt enter in by the door the same is a thief and a robber...this is what you tried to say in a long round about way...many have tried... Jim Morrison, and from my readings Skybirds..."Nietzsche"..maybe this is partly why in the end of his life he called himself the "Crucifed"...trying to continualy break into the Kingdom of Heaven may make ya go insane.

Have to be invited in and go in by way of the Door.

We love ya Pigfish.

[martes86]

What an ugly sum of poo poo (according to the filter ) and a great crap (according to Pigfish :rotfl: ). What use does that thing have here?

[The Avon Lady]

Oops.

This thread's for the goyim.

Outta here!

[joea]

Originally Posted by The Avon Lady

Oops.

This thread's for the goyim.

Outta here!

Good one Avon Lady.

[Rockstar]

ול�־יקר� עוד �ת־ש�מך �בר� והיה ש�מך �ברה� כי �ב־המון גוי� נתתיך׃

Of the whole world; that is, of all in it that believe, whether Jews or Gentiles. "behold he is the father of the whole world, who are gathered under the wings of the Shechinah."

All that the Christian world enjoys, it is indebted for to Abraham and his Seed.


lol goyim

[August]

goy
Pronunciation Key (goi)
n. Offensive pl. goy·im (goim) or goys

Used as a disparaging term for one who is not a Jew.

[Rockstar]

not the least bit offended.

I'm neither a jew or gentile

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by August

goy
Pronunciation Key (goi)
n. Offensive pl. goy·im (goim) or goys

Used as a disparaging term for one who is not a Jew.

It could be but then I would have called yas Shkatzim (plural) or a Sheigetz/Shiktzah (singular, masculine/feminine). Rewind your Woody Alan movie classics for some examples.

Lo Yissa Goy El Goy Cherev Ve'lo Yilmedu Ode Milchamah - Nation Shall Not Lift Up Sword Against Nation And Neither Shall They Learn War Anymore.

Familiar enough verse? Depending on context, the word simply means nation or non-Jew. Only context would determine if the intention was derogatory. That was not my intent. Who says Yiddish humor can't backfire!

And if we're talking about Abraham, look what G-d says to him about his own descendants:

Ve'Eh'escha Le'Goy Gadol - And I will make of thee a great nation.

This has been todays SubSim Hebrew grammar lesson. Class dismissed!

[bradclark1]

Originally Posted by August

goy
Pronunciation Key (goi)
n. Offensive pl. goy·im (goim) or goys

Used as a disparaging term for one who is not a Jew.

Obviously from someone who is rabidly anti-christian.
Utterly deplorable if you ask me.

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by bradclark1

Obviously from someone who is rabidly anti-christian.
Utterly deplorable if you ask me.

Did you post at an inopportune moment, dodo?

You don't know me. But we're getting to know you plenty from your posts here.

[August]

Originally Posted by The Avon Lady

It could be but then I would have called yas Shkatzim (plural) or a Sheigetz/Shiktzah (singular, masculine/feminine). Rewind your Woody Alan movie classics for some examples.

Lo Yissa Goy El Goy Cherev Ve'lo Yilmedu Ode Milchamah - Nation Shall Not Lift Up Sword Against Nation And Neither Shall They Learn War Anymore.

Familiar enough verse? Depending on context, the word simply means nation or non-Jew. Only context would determine if the intention was derogatory. That was not my intent. Who says Yiddish humor can't backfire!

And if we're talking about Abraham, look what G-d says to him about his own descendants:

Ve'Eh'escha Le'Goy Gadol - And I will make of thee a great nation.

This has been todays SubSim Hebrew grammar lesson. Class dismissed!

You might want to let dictionary.com know that.

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by August

You might want to let dictionary.com know that.

Done!

[bradclark1]

Originally Posted by The Avon Lady

You don't know me. But we're getting to know you plenty from your posts here.

Who are "we"? Can't take your own medicine? Tsk, tsk.
If you can't take it don't give it. No name calling now.