What is meant by the term, "The New Age Movement?"

NOTES

1 Yogi Bhajan, The Teachings of Yogi Bhajan, The Power of the Spoken Word, p. 171, #673

2 Ibid., p. 177, #710.

3 Irving S. Cooper, Theosophy Simplified (Wheaton, Illinois: The Theosophical Publishing House, sec. Quest ed., 1989) p. 57.

4 Yogi Bhajan, The Teachings of Yogi Bhajan, The Power of the Spoken Word, p. 173, #684.

5 F. Max Muller, Sacred Books of the East (Oxford 1879-1910) Brahmana translation: 44:328; quoted in Robert E Hume, The World’s Living Religions (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, rev. ed., 1936) p. 23.

6 John H. Hick, "Reincarnation," The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Westminster Press, 1983) p. 491; quoted in Norman L. Geisler & J. Yutaka Amano, The Reincarnation Sensation (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1986) p. 29.
Does salvation come by human effort or by the grace of God?

http://www.thetruelight.net/booksections/articles/bookarticle18.htm

By Mike Shreve

According to the dual doctrines of karma and reincarnation, salvation comes by human effort. Karma Yoga focuses on ridding oneself from all negative karma by achieving perfection in thoughts, words and deeds. When the seeker for 'liberation' attains this goal (through ascetic practices, good deeds, righteous actions, ceremonies, sacrifices, pilgrimages and contemplation) he then begins to sow only positive karma into his future. Once such a character cleansing is consistent, relatively uninterrupted by error, release from the cycle of rebirths is inevitable.

This foundational concept is common to Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism (though in Sikhism there is a strong teaching against asceticism and a strong belief in the grace of God). Other esoteric sects and New Age groups embrace reincarnation as the true journey of the soul, such as ECKANKAR, Kabbalism and Theosophy, as well as numerous swamis, gurus and mystics. These, and almost all other religious expressions in this world — including the Mideast religions that teach just one earthly existence—place the burden of attaining 'salvation' upon the weary shoulders of collective humanity.

There is no greater example of this 'salvation by works' perspective than the foundational doctrines of Buddhism. When Buddha was 'enlightened' under the Bodhi tree, he claimed to receive the following insights that became the main foundation stones of his worldview:

"The Four Noble Truths"

1. Life is filled with suffering and pain (dukkha, also said to mean "imperfection, emptiness and impermanence").

2. The cause of suffering is desire (tanha, craving, thirst) for things such as existence, prosperity, achievement and pleasure.

3. The only way to overcome suffering (nirodha) is to overcome desire.

4. This is accomplished by following the Eightfold Path (magga), enumerated below:
"The Eightfold Path"

(1) Right Knowledge (2) Right Thought (3) Right Speech (4) Right Conduct (5) Right Livelihood (6) Right Effort (7) Right Mindfulness and (8) Right Meditation.

By doing everything 'right' the sojourner through time can finally experience release from maya (the delusion of this realm), from karma (in Buddhism kamma — the law of cause and effect), and from samsara (the cycle of rebirths). Followers of this path are striving to overcome "the four basic evils—sensuality, the desire to perpetuate one’s own existence, wrong belief and ignorance." The disciple who so perfects his character and lifestyle is a candidate for Nirvana (cessation of desire and release from self). For most Buddhists Nirvana is not interpreted as annihilation for Buddhists do not believe there is a personal self to annihilate. It is instead, the end of individuality and separateness. One writer explains, "Denial of identity does not imply denial of continuity."¹

This sought-after peak on the mountain of spirituality is similar in some respects to what other religious groups have called Samadhi, Christ Consciousness or Ultimate Bliss. However, it is slightly different. Most Hindus believe the self will ultimately be absorbed into Brahman, like a drop of water falling into the ocean. The traditional Buddhist believes that there is no enduring ‘self, ’so the end result would be more like that same drop of water evaporating infinitely. Pursuing the "Eightfold Path" to attain this ultimate state is certainly a commendable goal in life (and I greatly admire Gautama Buddha and all his followers for their passionate pursuit of this goal). Undoubtedly, though, this whole process is simply 'salvation by works'.

One writer explains, "Man’s position, according to Buddhism, is supreme. Man is his own master, and there is no higher being or power that sits in judgment over his destiny."² In contrast, the Bible teaches that we are to trust God for our salvation: "The salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them…and save them, because they trust in him."(Psalm 37:39–40 KJV) We are required to come to him with contrition (godly sorrow): "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit." (Psalm 34:18) And finally, we are expected to exercise simple faith in his promises: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Once repentant persons receive Jesus into their hearts, their sins are forgiven and they have the promise of immediate access into heaven at the moment of death. One scripture says to be "absent from the body" is to be "present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8) No wonder Paul concluded: "And you he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:1, 8, 9)

Not only did Paul believe in salvation by grace (unmerited favor from God), he had a personal experience of the power of this promise. Prior to his conversion experience, he was a persecutor of Christians and even caused the deaths of some believers. According to the doctrine of karma, Paul should have suffered severe retribution for his violent acts. According to his own testimony, he instead obtained mercy. (See 1 Timothy 1:13–14.)

He was forgiven of God. Immediate upon salvation, he became an heir to eternal life, and later on, one of the greatest apostles to bear the message of the Gospel. What a radical proof of the power of the cross — especially to those who feel lost in a maze of their own failures!

Of course, salvation is not an absolute cure-all for all of life’s woes. Those who are saved may still suffer. They may still go through painful situations, some of them quite extreme. Failures may come, sometimes followed by grievous consequences. There is no guarantee of anything different as long as we are in this world. Even though Jesus, the Son of God, walked in perfect oneness with the Father, he still suffered because of the temptations he faced (Hebrews 2:18) and the persecution he endured (1 Peter 1:11). He also warned his disciples, "In the world you will have tribulation" but he followed that admonition with the command, "Be of good cheer!" (John 16:33)

One of the most glorious Bible promises foretells that, "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18, See 2 Corinthians 4:17.) Suffering will finally cease for the children of God. Once eternity dawns for us, our inheritance of ultimate peace and joy will be "to the praise of the glory of His grace" by which God has brought us into a relationship with himself. (Ephesians 1:6) Yes, in the end, it will rebound to God’s credit, not ours!

NOTES

1 David J. Kaluapahana, Buddhist Philosophy: A Historical Analysis (Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii, 1976); quoted in Norman L. Geisler & J. Yutaka Amano, The Reincarnation Sensation (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1986) p. 174, footnote #13.

2 Walpola Rahula, What the Buddha Taught (New York: Grove Press, 1974) p. 1; quoted in J. Isamu Yamamoto, Buddhism, Taoism & Other Far Eastern Religions (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998) p. 45.
What is the correct view of “desire” and “suffering”?

http://www.thetruelight.net/booksections/articles/bookarticle19.htm

By Mike Shreve

As just reviewed above, the main objective of Buddha’s teaching was escape from suffering. The Four Noble Truths succinctly state that life is inevitably going to include suffering, the origin of suffering is ignorance and the cause of suffering is desire. Cessation of desire ends suffering and that happens through implementation of the Eightfold Path. Is this true? Is this a correct appraisal of the solution to man’s dilemma? The fact of human suffering is not an issue, but the origin, cause and solution of human suffering are issues that demand our attention.

Suffering is not always caused by desire. What about victims of disease, crime, natural disasters, betrayal, abuse, religious persecution, accidents or demonic influence? Of course, those who embrace the Buddhist point of view might submit that the suffering resulting from such situations proceeds from the 'desire' to have a life free from complications, problems, disasters and rejection from others. Those who unfortunately face such situations should react with passive detachment, thus rising above the suffering.

There is a certain element of truth in this portion of Buddhist doctrine, because far too often those caught in negative circumstances allow themselves to feel overwhelmed. Far too often they are crushed and even paralyzed emotionally by their sorrow. Sometimes, non-attachment does allow a person to objectively and calmly view his situation, so that a rational answer can be reached. However, non-attachment can also produce non-involvement in situations that plead for action. So achieving a place of non-suffering may not necessarily be the complete answer. A concise, biblical response to these two issues is as follows:
The correct view of "desire" — First, let it be said that legitimate desires are not wrong and should not be purged from our thinking. There is a difference between selfish desire, which ends in death, and godly desire, which ends in life. (See James 1:13–15.) The Bible states that God 'desires’ his people to show mercy. During a time of intercession, the Lord Jesus prayed over his people saying, "Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am." If it is not wrong for the Lord himself to have righteous desires, it is certainly not wrong for us to have righteous desires. The Scripture does reveal that God "casts away the desire of the wicked," but it promises "the desire of the righteous will be granted." (Proverbs 10:3, 24) The Most High even assures his covenant people, "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and he shall give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) Such righteous desires would logically include the meeting of natural and material needs as well as spiritual. However, if and when these things do not happen the way we desire, the Scripture cautions us "to be content." (Philippians 4:11) Our highest desire is God himself and when other desires are not realized, we maintain rest in our relationship with him. Inordinate desire is synonymous with lust, a very destructive agent in the human makeup. But holy desire is a motivation that we all definitely need.
The correct view of "suffering" — The goal for a Christian is not to fully escape ALL suffering, just certain kinds. There are numerous categories of suffering that we are encouraged to avoid, conquer or rise above. These types of suffering are primarily the result of internal causes. These usually involve wrong thinking patterns that produce wrong behavior—sensuality, sinful cravings, negative emotions, inward temptations, guilt, resisting God’s will, and a number of other negatives. We avoid, conquer or rise above these sources of suffering two ways. First, we maintain a commitment to do all things right. (Actually, Buddha’s Eightfold Path itemizes each area we need to deal with quite well.) Second and most importantly, we draw from the grace, mercy, forgiveness and strength promised by the personal and loving God we serve (something Buddha did not teach). Our God cleanses us. He forgives us. He empowers us. He fills us with his presence and goodness. As David said, our "help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:2) This divine aid insures our winning all the more.

There are some causes of suffering that are primarily external and inevitably to be faced in life. These include trials, tribulations, outward sources of temptation, demonic influences and mistreatment by others. Even Jesus, the perfect Son of God, "suffered being tempted." (Hebrews 2:18) So if we also "suffer being tempted" it is certainly not a sign of spiritual immaturity. However, in all these situations we are encouraged to react with positive attitudes like: a willingness to endure, a heart that rejoices and a spirit of trust in God. We overcome the negative with the positive. At times, the negative may still be there, but we rise above it.

Finally, there is a category of suffering that God actually urges his people to embrace. Jesus declared that a true disciple must take up his cross daily and follow him. A cross is a complete death to self for the sake of helping others. This involves, not passive detachment from a hurting world, but active involvement in sharing its burden and meeting its needs. Such sacrificial service is certainly not an easy road to travel. Sometimes compassion’s grip can be quite painful, but it is necessary. Paul zealously laid hold to this challenge, explaining that one of his deepest desires was to know Christ "in the fellowship of his sufferings." He also kindly forewarned true disciples that it is given to us "in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake." (Philippians 1:29; 3:10) We can be certain, though, that release from all suffering will take place as soon as we are set free from these physical bodies. We will then consciously experience "unspeakable joy" in heavenly places. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5) Yes, this will be especially true when our souls are finally released into the eternal state.
The sufferings of Jesus — Some claim it is spiritually erroneous to emphasize this aspect of the existence of Jesus. Was it really necessary for Jesus to suffer? Was it really the core purpose of the incarnation of the Son of God? Maharishi Mahesh Yogi commented, "It’s a pity that Christ is talked of in terms of suffering… those who count upon the suffering, it is a wrong interpretation of the life of Christ and the message of Christ… How could suffering be associated with the One who has been all joy, all bliss, who claims all that? It’s only the misunderstanding of the life of Christ."¹

In a similar vein of thought, Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh respectfully offers, "The figure of the crucified Christ is a very painful image to me. It does not contain joy or peace, and this does not do justice to Jesus."² Yet the apostle Peter explained, "Those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3:18–19)

I believe that both Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Thich Nhat Hanh were completely sincere in their assessment of the nature of Jesus’ death. I believe their words were motivated by kindness and sensitivity to the pain of another. However, my response to their view is this: that the final focus of a Christian’s heart is not on the cross, but on the empty tomb. If it were not for the great victory of the latter, the great misery of the former would agreeably be too "painful" to gaze upon. Nevertheless, Jesus "endured the cross," "for the joy that was set before him." (Hebrews 12:2) Thankfully, his followers are blessed to also share in this joy even during this earthly sojourn.

Some interpret the sufferings of Jesus to be the result of unwise behavior on his part. Marcus Borg, editor of the intriguing book, "Jesus and Buddha, The Parallel Sayings," offers the unique comment: "Jesus’ activity as a social prophet—as a voice of religious social protest—is the most likely reason that his public activity was so brief compared to the Buddha’s." (Jesus’ public ministry probably lasted about three years, while Buddha’s lasted fifty years.) Borg continues, "Jesus’ early death was probably because of his social-political passion; if he had been simply a wisdom teacher and healer, I doubt that he would have been executed."³

Jesus’ own testimony counters this argument. The Son of God often prophesied the certainty of, and reason for, his soon-to-come death on a cross. He assured, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day." Notice the word must. This was an unavoidable event. It had to happen. Jesus continued exhorting his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:22–23) So Jesus knew in advance exactly what kind of death he would die. His early demise was not a terrible mistake, or backlash from an unwise method of presenting his message. It was simply his destiny, the cup the Father gave him to drink. (See Matthew 26:39.) Jesus even claimed that no man took his life from him; he gave it up willingly. (See John 10:18.) Irrefutably, it was according to "the definite plan and foreknowledge of God" — the plan for man’s redemption. (Acts 2:23, See Luke 24:13–32) No wonder the Bible refers to Jesus as the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:8)

NOTES

1 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Meditations of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, pp. 123-124; quoted in Josh McDowell and Don Stewart, Handbook of Today’s Religions (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983) p. 84.

2 Kenneth L. Woodard, "The Other Jesus," Newsweek Magazine (March 27, 2000) p. 60.

3 Marcus Borg, ed., Jesus and Buddha, The Parallel Sayings (Berkeley, California: Seastone, 1997) Editor’s Preface, pp. xi-xii.

Do we have a “sin problem’ or an “ignorance problem”?

http://www.thetruelight.net/booksections/articles/bookarticle20.htm

By Mike Shreve

Most yoga devotees and New Age or Far Eastern religionists believe man’s problem is not sin, but ignorance. However, the subjects of "sin" and the "lower nature" are often addressed in the Scripture base of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, and sometimes with strong language. For instance, the Bhagavad-Gita warns against the "triple gate of hell": lust, anger and greed. (See Bhagavad-Gita 16:21–22.)

If ignorance is the source of man’s dilemma, the logical deduction is that salvation comes through knowledge. Yogi Bhajan posed the question, "Who is the savior? It is your own higher consciousness which can save you from your own lower consciousness."¹ The premise behind this statement is that human beings are asleep to the fact that they are truly divine. They need to be enlightened, awakened to this realization of their 'higher Self'. They certainly do not need to view themselves as sinners. During the first World Parliament of Religions in Chicago (1983) Swami Vivekananda, founder of the Vedanta Societies, offered the curious comment, "It’s a sin to call a man a sinner." Of course, this obvious play on words contradicts itself, because to sin makes one a sinner.

Many of my peers in the study of yoga felt the use of this term was negative, even repulsive—and I must admit that I did too. Yet this word is inseparably integrated into the teachings of Jesus and the purpose for which he came? The angel that foretold Jesus’ birth instructed Joseph, "You shall call his name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) According to this heaven-sent herald, providing salvation from "sin" was the primary reason for the Lord’s entrance into this world.

During his earthly ministry Jesus often used this word and dealt with the concept behind it. Once he even protested, "Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin." (John 8:34) And there is no more powerful statement than Jesus’ forceful declaration to those who rejected his claim to Messiahship, "If you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins." (John 8:24) Such phrases would be inconsistent with a real 'Avatar' — (for those who believe that to be his identity) — if the dilemma of the human race is just an 'ignorance problem'?

The teachings of Gnosticism often challenged the early church and its doctrine. The Gnostics proposed that 'salvation' is achieved through knowledge (gnosis). Once seekers are awakened to the 'knowledge' of their divinity they are lifted above the confines of sense consciousness. When this happens, they conquer negativity in their lives and begin to live on a higher plane of saintliness. So revelation knowledge, not repenting of sin, emerged as the answer. Most likely in response to the Gnostics of his day, the apostle John wrote, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8) Erasing the concept of sin enables men to set their own standards, instead of aligning with God’s. This can, at times, make aberrant behavior allowable.

The main issue at stake is not the rightness or wrongness of the idea of 'sin', but rather, the interpretation of the nature of the Godhead. If God is just an impersonal energy force, human beings are not morally accountable to him. Hindu Scripture gives many guidelines concerning a person’s moral and ethical behavior. Yet in the story of his conversion to Christianity, former guru, Rabi Maharaj, pointed out, "Hinduism teaches that each man’s dharma, or rule of conduct, differs and must be discovered individually; there is no moral code binding upon all."² This runs parallel to the concept of relativism, the idea that behavioral choices should not be governed by predetermined rules and regulations, but by the sensation of the moment.

If God is a personal Creator, there are definite, moral absolutes to which all human beings must conform. Because God authors these laws, failure to observe them is considered a transgression or a 'sin' against him. A personal God, in great love and fatherly concern, watches over the thoughts, attitudes and actions of human beings to see if they are in conformity with his will. Those who come to God, acknowledging his standard of proper behavior, are privileged to receive pardon and cleansing upon repentance over wrong choices. The next step is for them to lovingly, worshipfully submit to God’s rules and oversight. This should be done in the realization that God’s purpose in giving guidelines is not to dominate, but to liberate. He knows what kind of behavior has a destructive, binding and blinding effect on us and what ushers us into a place of freedom, bounty, illumination and blessing. His boundaries really are for our protection and comfort.

The Scripture warns that when lust (selfish desire) has "conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (emotional death, mental death, spiritual death, physical death and ultimately, eternal death). (James 1:15) But Jesus came to give "life… and that more abundantly." (John 10:10) Teaching on the concept of sin fills the Bible, as does the cure for this great dilemma of the human race.

This does not negate the fact that 'knowledge' is essentially important. The Scripture announces that "the LORD is a God of knowledge" and "through knowledge the righteous will be delivered." (I Samuel 2:3, Proverbs 11:9) It also instructs that those who are bound to their lusts are living in "ignorance." (1 Peter 1:14) So being 'awakened' out of 'ignorance' by the influence of the Spirit of God is, and will always be, a primary concern. However, understanding that we have a 'sin-problem' is inextricably a part of this 'knowledge-awakening'.