The New Age World ViewRick Rood
Unlike most Easterners who tend to be isolated and separatistic in orientation, NAM has great missionary zeal. This zeal also gives rise to its emphasis on global peace.
NAM has a Western view of history where there is a historical utopia in the future. The kingdom of the New Age will arrive through the ascendancy of what they call "transformative processes."
Easterners also have an evolutionary view of origins and life, but through the influence of Darwin and modern science, NAM understands "enlightenment" (i.e., God- consciousness) as the next evolutionary leap of mankind.
NAM has also incorporated the Western penchant for modernity and technology. Thus, we see a wedding of science (e.g., the new physics with quantum and relativity theory) and Eastern thought.
Complete empiricism (all truth statements must be touched, tasted, seen, smelled, or heard) is false; i.e., pure materialism cannot account for all of reality.
Not that Christianity affirms that man is in any sense divine, but man is stamped with the image of God.
But the Christian claims that his worth is only found in relationship with God. Christianity respects our free will if we choose to reject him, and retains our individuality in the life to come. These three elements are contrary to NAM.
Man does have the potential to do great things and we often fail to actualize such ideals for lack of effort or self-image.
Christians also look for the dawning of a new age where the perfect government will be established; there will be no more wars, sickness, or evil, and we will be ever-conscious of God.
Be aware of other names for NAM (see p. VI - 19 of this outline). Watch for NAM "buzz words" (as listed on p. VI -19 of this outline). Be conscious of NAM symbols like the rainbow, pyramid, triangle, eye in a triangle, pegasus, concentric circles, rays of light, swastika, yin-yang, goathead on a pentagram, the numerals 666, and unicorn. If God is spoken of in terms of an impersonal entity or identified with the world or energy in any way, then you have probably stumbled upon New Age ground. Be wary of claims that humans possess "unlimited potential." This is just another way of saying that we are god. When seminars or books attempt to talk to us about our potential at all, be attentive for modernized forms of sorcery. Sorcery can be defined as the ability to manipulate objects, people, or events by one's will or perception. "Visualizing" or "imaging" an event to occur is essentially an occultic practice. Remember that a New Ager is essentially a mystical type of humanist. New Agers carry the humanistic belief in the essential goodness of man to the point of godhood. Look for any teaching that over-emphasizes the goodness of man or ignores the reality of sin in the world. When Jesus Christ is referred to as "the Christ spirit," or when "Christ consciousness" is used, a warning flag should go up in your mind. New Age thought is also permeated with the idea of using feelings to determine truth. Shirley MacLaine admitted that she had no proof of reincarnation, but she felt it was true. Mysticism is appealing when one ignores his rational faculties. But the Scriptures tell us to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God" and to discern the difference between "the spirit of truth and error" (1 John 4:1,6). The New Age god would have us put our logic aside, but the God of the Bible encourages us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matt. 22:37–38). NAM holds the deceptively "tolerant" view of the validity of all religions, the eventual unity of all governments, and the illusory distinction between good and evil. Note that no single sign necessarily indicates NAM. However, they are probable indications of New Age thought in present society.
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