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The New Age Movement Revival of the Ancient Occult
By Dwayna Litz
Occult: 1.Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, phenomena
2. Beyond the realm of human comprehension; inscrutable. 3. Available to only the initiate; secret 4. Hidden from view; concealed (n.) occult practices or techniques; a student of the occult.
-American Heritage Dictionary © 2000
An Old Fashioned Christian in the New Age
People involved in the New Age Movement are victims. They are not aware of the “gifts” of the demonic realm but rather deceived to assume the powers they experience are all from God. Their definition of a demon is the same as their definition of God, which is whatever they want it to be; totally subjective to their personal opinion and inward guidance. They are where they are as a direct result of rebelling against Christianity and organized religion.
The Bible is never quoted out of humility, as no one in the movement believes in or reverences the atonement of Jesus Christ, nor do most ever acknowledge they are sinners, appalled by verses such as Romans 3:9-12, 23. They are independent, worthy, proud, arrogant, and egocentric people boasting of being highly evolved over everyone else, especially Christians who trust in the Bible as God’s inerrant Word. They don’t believe in Satan, and they don’t believe in the Jesus of the Bible. They are seeking spirituality apart from faith, high on a spiritual narcotic. When they pray, they are entering the demonic realm. Interestingly, they are drawn to the Light inside of Christians, attempting to cajole believers in Jesus Christ away from “what was from the beginning…concerning the Word of Life” (1 John 1:1) to a new gospel of self-righteous enlightenment.
My experience has often been that the spirit at work in these people is drawn to me, and New Age teachers have been very nice to me. That is, until they realize they can’t have me. At that point, I have seen their spirit change drastically toward me to abhor who I am in Christ, to the point of calling me “evil” for renouncing their anti- Christ beliefs and lovingly telling them they are wrong.
Oh, how the New Age teachers quote the Bible with delight! But the “Stepford Wives”[1]smiles falter whenever I quote verses from that same Bible back to them. Verses like John 3:30, Matthew 14:27, Matthew 23:27, and Matthew 25:41-46. I once even had a New Age healer/teacher tell me that a certain passage of the Holy Scripture, namely the book of Revelation, was written by a demon. As shown in the outline that follows, in Satanism, what is dark is light and what is light is dark.
Give Me That Old Time Religion
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
It’s good enough for me
1. How did Satanism/The New Age Movement come to America with such perceived veracity?
The occult came to the West largely through the influence of groups like The Beatles in the 60s and 70s. [2] Aleister Crowley, from Italy (known as the “father of Satanism”), was the mentor of Anton LaVey and various rock musicians. He was also a spiritual mentor to John Lennon. His picture is on the cover of the Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band album…Songs like “My Sweet Lord” with its stanzas of hallelujah switching to Hare Krishna, became the latest rage in the West.[3] America’s young people were singing right along, and the demonic principalities were listening. [The Bible says that we are surrounded by principalities and speaks of other dominions, and warns us of demons which are angels of Satan. The Bible also describes angels of God that are ever present in this world, too. These angels are of the true Light- of the Lord of the Bible. The demons parade themselves as angels of light, so in the Bible, we are admonished to test the spirits. The Bible even speaks of angels being at war—at war in this good vs. evil battle in the spiritual realm. We have assurance that Jesus is stronger than any demon and a Christian need not fear (Rom. 8:38-39, Mark 5:12-13, Matthew 9:34, and Jude 1:9).]
A door opened wide for Eastern paganism and spirituality in the hippie movement in America. The demonic, metaphysical experiences in Buddhist and Hindu countries have not only come to be accepted here in the West, but also even sought after as signs of “enlightenment”; whereas before the 60s, purity and virtue, the Bible and family, American patriotism and American history were still held in high esteem as the protocol for the majority. The occult, of course, has always existed in the West in a small degree, but was viewed with chagrin by the vast majority, and most Americans were appalled by its ideologies that discount the divine inspiration of the Bible, the atonement of Jesus, His physical resurrection, and the absence of hell and heaven as physical places as described in the Bible. This Christian belief and conviction has sadly been replaced in this postmodern country with the “one world religion” (Satanism) of the New Age Movement. America used to be set apart as a Christian nation. It is now becoming more and more post-Christian, and we are continuing to pay the price for that socio-economically. America lost her dignity to a large degree, ever since she started looking to other avenues than the Bible for salvation. She lost her humility in her “New Age.”
2. Root of The New Age Movement: Hinduism/ Pantheism – Worship of “the Universe”
a. 5 Elements (pentagram)
Earth, wind, fire, air, sky (or spirit)
Satan has (limited) power over the elements
Job 2:6-God gives Satan power (Job 1:6-8)
Job 1:16- Satan sends fire from heaven
Job 1:17- Satan has power over the nations
Job 2: 7- Satan has power over disease (limited)
Exodus 7:22- Satan duplicated miracles of Moses-power to work miracles
Revelation 21:1, 5 - God destroys the elements/ new heaven and new earth
b. No personal Creator God or Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
Genesis 1:26
The New Age Movement can give no explanation for how the world was made. They explain it with the big bang or evolution theory.
The New Age redefines the phrase, “In the beginning God.” It knows nothing of a personal Father God, Creator.
The Metaphysical Bible Dictionary of the Unity Church (New Age cult) says: The “garden” symbolizes the spiritual body in which man dwells when he brings forth his thoughts after the original divine ideas. This garden is the substance of God (Eden) or state of perfect relation of ideas to Being. The Garden of Eden is the divine consciousness. Having developed a consciousness apart from his divine nature, man must till the ground from whence he was taken, that is…he must express ideas in harmony with Divine Mind…perfect balance is struck in consciousness between knowing and feeling when man spiritualizes his thoughts. (p.181)
Satanism teaches evolution, too:
“Satanism is based on the belief…that life is a Darwinian struggle for survival of the fittest.” – Introduction of the Satanic Bible, by Satanist, Burton, H. Wolfe [author of The Hippies, Hitler, and the Nazis, and A Biography of Anton Szandor LaVey]
Satanism does not believe in the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) either:
“Three things are against me, and I hate three things. But those who keep my secrets shall receive the fulfillment of my promises. It is my desire that all my followers shall unite in a body of unity, lest those who are without prevail against them…reject all the teachings and sayings of such as are without. I have not taught these teachings, nor do they proceed from me…So saith Shaitan.” (secret message to Satanists through the demon, AL-Jilwah; Satanic Rituals, Anton LaVey; pp. 163-171)
“The day of the cross and the Trinity are done.” (p. 127, Satanic Rituals; Anton LaVey)
c. Reincarnation
The New Age denies hell and heaven, as described in the Bible. It teaches that people come back in the air until they find their way, and they just keep on trying whether through an animal or another human being. When someone “exteriorizes,” as L. Ron Hubbard puts it, they are just ready for the nearest maternity ward.
Consider what Satanism teaches:
“There is no heaven of glory bright and no hell where sinners roast. Here and now is our day of torment! Here and now is our day of joy! Here and now is our opportunity! Choose ye this day, this hour, for no redeemer liveth. Say unto thine own heart, ‘I am my own redeemer.’ Then all thy bones shall say pridefully, ‘Who is like me? Have I not been too strong for mine adversaries? Have I not delivered MYSELF by my own brain and body?’ THE BOOK OF LUCIFER; THE BOOK OF ENLIGHTENMENT…Lucifer was the bearer of light, the spirit of the air, the personification of enlightenment.” (The Satanic Bible, pp. 33-34, Anton LaVey)
Luke 16:19-31, Phil. 1:21, 23, Heb. 9:27, 2 Cor. 5:8
d. “Man is God and God is Man”
The New Age Movement teaches that man was once God and God was once man. It teaches that all people are gods, and the purpose of meditating is to be at one with the Divine consciousness, or christ consciousness within every man. Consider what Satanism teaches:
Priest: “Man is God”
Participants: “Man is God”
Priest: “We are Men”
Participants: “We are Men”
Priest: “We are Gods”
Participants: “We are Gods”
Priest: “God is Man”
Participants: “God is Man”
Priest: “His is the hand that heals”
Participants: “His is the hand that heals”
Priest: “His is the place called heaven”
Participants: “His is the place called heaven”
Priest: “His is the place called hell”
Participants: “His is the place called hell”
Priest: “His is what is ours”
Participants: “His is what is ours”
Priest: “He is what we are”
Participants: “He is what we are”
Priest: “We are Men”
Participants: “We are Men”
Priest: “We are Gods”
Participants: “We are Gods”
Priest: “God is Man”
Participants: “God is Man”
The Bible says there is no other God but the God of the Bible, there is only one great I AM; all other spirits are subject to Him:
Genesis 3:4-5, Is. 43:10, Is 47:10
Even the demons know there is no such thing as reincarnation (Matt. 8:29)-they just lie to people, for they exist to deceive people away from Jesus Christ. God has given Satan and his hosts of angels (demons) limited power in this world, but that power is only for time. God’s kingdom is for all of eternity. The Bible says “And the devil that deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:10). Their power on earth is limited.
See Rev. 22:11-16
e. No belief in Satan, demons, or hell as defined in the Bible
The New Age Movement teaches that there is no existence of hell, as described in the Bible. The definition of Satan is subjective to each New Ager, just like the definition of God. They don’t quote the verses in the Bible about Satan, demons, or hell, as they don’t believe in eternal punishment for those who reject the blood atonement of Christ. Their destiny is based on karma (the power within themselves).
Jesus Christ of Nazareth spoke more about hell than He did heaven in the Bible: Matt. 25:41, 46; Matt. 10:28; Rev. 20, 21 (see Rev. 21: 8), Matt. 16:23
Consider what Satanism teaches:
The very word “devil” comes from the Indian word devi which means “god.” Satan represents opposition to all religions which serve to frustrate and condemn man for his natural instincts. The Greek word demon meant “guardian spirit or source of inspiration.”…Occult lore states that only the most formidably “protected” or insanely foolhardily sorcerer would try to call forth the Devil himself. These are the names and origins of the Gods and Goddesses called upon, which make up a large part of the occupancy of the Royal Palace of Hell:
THE FOUR CROWN PRINCES OF HELL
SATAN- adversary, opposite, accuser, Lord of fire, the inferno, the south
LUCIFER- bringer of light, enlightenment, the air, the morning star, the east
BELIAL- without a master, the baseness of the earth, independence, the north
LEVIATHAN- the serpent out of the deeps, the sea, the west
TO BECOME A SATANIST, IT IS UNNECESSARY TO SELL YOUR SOUL TO THE DEVIL OR MAKE A PACT WITH SATAN. Most Satanists don’t accept Satan as an anthropomorphic being with cloven hooves, a barbed tail, and horns. He merely represents a force of nature.
-Satanic Bible, pp. 55-57, 61-62
The New Age Movement is simply a re-packaging of Satanic beliefs. The New Age also teaches their people to pray to the north, the south, the east, and the west for “protection.” Their four-pointed star stands for these corners of the universe. Just like Satanism.
There is an underworld- Phil. 2:10
f. Not all power comes from God!!!!!!!!
Rev. 13:13-14, Luke 21:7-8
“My understanding surrounds the truth of things and truth is mixed up in me…I create and make rich those whom I will…and the universe is lighted by some of my gifts.” [Channeled by AL-Jilwah (demon) Satanic Rituals, pp. 170-171]
3. New Age Practices- Spiritual Narcotic
Talismans (stones, crystals, white sage, etc) -used for protection, health, wealth, and meditation.
Luke 19:40, Is. 2: 19-22, Rev. 6:15-17, Rom. 16:17-18, 1 John 2:2, 2 Thes.2:4, 9
Jesus Christ never healed anyone who did not give the glory to Himself. When the Holy Spirit heals, He draws people closer to the cross and to the Bible. The Holy Spirit’s healing humbles people in gratitude and convicts them as sinners. He never makes them feel “highly evolved.” New Age healing brings glory to man, not Jesus Christ. The healings do not make people want to study the Bible and believe in the crucifixion and the resurrection. These healings draw people away from the Gospel.
Jesus is our only true protection against evil. All other signs and wonders and prayers answered when praying to some other god, which is a figment of one’s own imagination- a god of one’s own making or concept- is praying to Satan. It is an open door to the occult. Prayers get answered, and people assume it is the same God as the God of the Bible. They do not know that God. Furthermore, they are in rebellion from that God. The people in the New Age Movement have a god which appeals to their ego-a god which exists to give them power; a god to do their will. Jesus prayed, “Not My will, but Thine be done.” Christians are not living to have all of their dreams come true in this life! Christians are not living to make their own realities-they turn to God and humble themselves before Him for Him to do as He wishes with their lives here on earth. Not so with the New Agers. Their prayers are “mind science”; meaning, you make and create your own reality.
People involved in the New Age speak a lot about “protection”, just like the Satanists. But they are not turning to God for that protection. Saying a certain prayer facing a certain direction, lighting a candle, breathing in and out a certain way, wearing a rock, arranging furniture…the list goes on and on. In the last days, when the Day of the Lord comes, the Bible says that people would rather pray to the rocks for the rocks to save them instead of praying to Jesus.
The New Age spirituality is a spiritual narcotic- it is a substitute for a relationship with Jesus. Their hallucinations are not mental, but spiritual.
George Muller, a Christian from the 1800s, was known for his prayers of faith to God. He spent hours in prayer. He was a pastor and a teacher and founder/director of orphanages and schools for girls and boys; he would ask God for donations, instead of asking people. The Lord answered his prayers through burdening people to give, and the orphanages grew and all the needs were met. In his autobiography, he speaks of his prayer time:
…I suggested we meet together every morning from six until eight to read the Scriptures. After the evening prayer, my communion with God was so sweet I would continue praying until after midnight. Then I would go to a brother’s room, and we would pray together until one or two in the morning. Even then, I was sometimes so full of joy that I could not sleep. At six in the morning, I would again call the brethren together for prayer.
-The Autobiography of George Muller, p. 27
The New Age believers feel sensuality in their meditations, but Satan and demonic principalities cannot offer a person more than God! Christians feel a warm heart when they pray, peace, happiness, joy in the Lord, and total contentment in their fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Our problem is we don’t know how much God loves us! If we only knew how much He truly has to offer us in following Him and obeying His Word, we wouldn’t choose sin, and we wouldn’t settle for a counterfeit of His greatness. The devil can pull some amazing stunts, whether it be “information from a past life”, “voices from the dead,” apparitions of “Mary”, visitations from “Jesus” or “Abraham”, “ dead relatives”, floating appearances of beings of light, automatic hand writing (where a person’s hand can barely keep up with the pen), astral projection (where the person leaves his or her body; i.e.“soul travel”), or any other phenomena which will draw people away from Jesus. This is all the fulfillment of Scripture. C.S. Lewis said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because I see everything else.”
However, one little word shall fail our great accuser and adversary. The name above all names. At the name of Jesus, all demons have to flee. May we be equipped to reach people who are defenseless without Jesus to the signs and wonders of the occult. Lucifer means light messenger. People involved in the New Age ideology are victims, and we should be prepared to reach them, as this Movement is gaining more and more ground throughout America.
“All Scripture is inspired by God.” – 2 Timothy 3:16
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” – 2 Timothy 4:3-4
“If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing…” – 1 Timothy 6:3-4
“Be on the alert, your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” -1 Peter 5:8
“And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” –Jude 22-25