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People have increased interest in their spiritual values. If we look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, it is apparent that physiological, safety, belonging, and the lower needs are often met in our society. The higher needs of self-esteem and self-actualization are met when people find true meaning in their lives and become comfortable with the very essence of their being. This is often done through a spiritual search. The realm of the New Age is a popular route that people explore in an effort to meet these needs. Christianity is another path that assists individuals in their search for meaning. Do these two philosophies conflict? Can they both deliver the fulfillment that seekers desire. The following article, inspired by Walter Martin’s book, The Kingdom of the Cults, looks at both the New Age Movement and Christianity in the modern world .
Religious writer, Russel Chandler describes the New Age Movement as, “ A hybrid mix of spiritual, social, and political forces, and it encompasses sociology, theology, the physical sciences, medicine, anthropology, history, the human potential movement, sports, and science fiction.” The new age is eclectic if it is nothing else. Simply put, this movement seeks to include all disciplines, and all religions to appeal to the largest audience possible.
The New Age Religion appeals to people seeking spirituality outside of the organized church. Often New Age devotees are individuals raised in narrow fundamental homes that discouraged questioning and creative expression. The New Age movement is open to exploration and personal development. In this way, people who have felt repressed and dominated by their parent’s religion, branch out to find new spiritual paths. This process is a positive phase of spiritual development. According to Scott Peck, author of "The Road Less Travelled" and many other insightful writings. It is important that an individual seek out their own faith. If a person does not disgard and reinvent the faith of their parents, then they really posess no faith of their own.
In terms of a spiritual search, the New Age offers an avenue for people struggling with their faith a divergent and personalized journey.
The question remains about where the New Age Movement can take an individual. According to Elliot Miller, a new age expert; this is a loosely structured network of organizations and beliefs that share a common vision. The vision is that a new age is coming, a time of peace and mass enlightenment. This new age has also been referred to as the ‘Age of Aquarius’. In reality, there is nothing new about the new age. It is based in Hinduism, an ancient religion.. A major difference between the new age movement and Hinduism, is that the new age is a affirming path. One that approaches all things as being good and acceptable. Hinduism on the other hand is a world denying religion. The idea of abandoning all worldly possessions and meditating in the mountains would not attract many from this wealthy society. The asceticism is replaced by materialism. And in our culture this works.
Other aspects of the New Age include practices such as astrology, numerology, witchcraft, crystal gazing, Taro cards, magic, and palm reading which in the Bible are denounced. These are known as the occult. These practices appeal to the individual seeking to increase personal power. The power of seeing into the future, casting spells, reading fortunes for others, and transcending the natural world.
An essential difference between new age philosophies and Christian philosophy is the concept of God. In the New age movement God is generally seen as a force present in everything. This is evident in the monism belief, pervasive throughout the movement. This belief refers to the teaching that all is one and one is all. God is everything, and everything is God. There is no good or evil, because everything is the same. This God is not a personage, as in the Christian beliefs. This God is more of a force or energy. Something that can be accessed through higher states of consciousness. It is a force that can be experienced, but not in the way the Christian religion refers to a personal experience with God.
The Christian religion acknowledges a sovereign God who is the creator of the earth. It is this same God who came to earth in human form as Jesus . This Jesus became the Christ, or the anointed messiah of the world. The death of God in human form then became the sacrifice needed to save the world. The Christian view of God is not one of a force, or energy. The God in Christian faith is a personal God. One that is accessible through honest recognition of personal limitations, and the desire to turn these personal faults, or sins, over to Jesus who has the power to overcome all human problems, even death.
Differences between these spiritual paths are profound. The manner in which the two organizations carry out their beliefs are also distinctly different. The New Age encourages individuals to seek greater internal experiences through meditations, altered states, and trances. The focus is on increasing one’s power and spiritual ability through varied techniques. The true Christian doctrine encourages a spirit of forgiveness, love and fellowship. The building of communities is the strength of the Christian church. The openness to new members, and welcoming people of all socioeconomic levels is apparent through Christian missions.
Within the New Age movement there is little that binds the members into a sense of community. The diversity of techniques and the isolated focus of New Age elements creates separate disciplines, and distinctly different organizatins. There are individuals who cross between the areas of transcendental meditation to communing with the dead, and there are palm readers who are also into crystal gazing. So, there is some networking and interchange in the varied disciplines. There is less evangelism and seeking out of new members in the New Age sect. Generally an individual has an interest and seeks out organziations that offer seminars, or introductory classes in a given technique.
In the Christian faith, the true follower seeks to diminish the self, so that God can take on a greater role in the individual’s life. This commitment to humility, and turning away from personal willfulness takes the followers of Christ down a completely different path. Ultimately, the Christian wishes to turn all aspect of life over to God through prayer. The events of the Christian’s life will then be governed by an omnipotent father who guides the faithful through painful events that compose a lifetime. This spiritual route leads to a sense of peace that exceeds words, or worldly understanding. In the New Age movment an individual seeks greater intensity in spiritual experiences. As the individual grows in power. He/she may become leaders in the New Age experience and lead other people in their quest for spiritual development. In this way the New Age Enlightened are themselves lifted in their own self-esteem and influence.
The experiences of two people immersed in the New Age Movement are revealed in the books, Nightmares of the New Age, and Enticed by the Light. These two people share very different personal experiences while pursuing New Age Enlightenment. One was a leader in the movement, and felt a sense of dissatisfaction and emptiness with each new technique he tried while following the New Age path. The other author found herself plagued with the demonic voices of what she thought were spirit guides. Both of these individuals ultimately found peace in their relationship with Jesus Christ. The message of these books was that Christianity and the New Age Movement are not compatible.
The search for meaning needs to be a personal search. It should be one that encourages a person to have an impact on the world in a positive manner. This can be done through love and acceptance of others, and a pure desire to serve a true God. A spiritual path should be clear and unified. If a Christian or a New Age follower seeks to find their greatest peace, they need to constantly assess where their path is taking them. What is the individual’s goal for their own development? What have the leaders of the movement accomplished that makes them worthy of respect or praise? If the individual approaches these questions with a pure heart. There will be an answer from the spiritual world that is the best choice for each seeker.
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