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

Are human beings divine in essence, destined to eventually become God?

http://www.thetruelight.net/booksections/articles/bookarticle12.htm

By Mike Shreve

Involvement in Far Eastern or New Age religions is ordinarily connected to the belief that man is divine. In fact, this is the motivation behind the traditional Hindu greeting called namaste. This Sanskrit word means, "I bow to the Divine in you." The hands, placed palm-to-palm in an upward, prayerful pose, and the polite bow are intended to be a daily reminder, an often-recurring recognition of the 'Universal Self' within all men. The premise is that we are all potential Christs. We are all potential Buddhas. We are all evolving into ultimate, absolute oneness with the Godhead. We all contain this 'seed' of the Divine. Realizing this 'higher Self' is promoted as the key to bliss and enlightenment. Yogi Bhajan propagated this view. He taught, "It is true that between man and God there is no difference. The difference is in the realization. Man has never realized that he is God, man has always realized that he is man."¹

Many other voices from the East echo this sentiment. Baba Muktananda, swami of Siddha Yoga, urged his adherents, "Kneel to your own self. Honor and worship your own being. Meditate on your own self. God dwells with you as you."² Sai Baba, a popular, modern guru in India, has informed his followers that the person who realizes the atma-principle becomes God himself. And Maharishi Mahesh Yogi unflinchingly instructed, "Each individual in his true nature is the impersonal God."³

Bible doctrine runs contrary to this view. The psalmist David, speaking to the Creator, said, "What is man that you take thought of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than God, and you crown him with glory and majesty!" (Psalm 8:4–5 NAU) Notice, it does not say that man is a manifestation of God or even equal to God, but "a little lower than God." We need to remember that it was a desire to be "like God" that brought about the fall of Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:5)

Jesus revealed the correct view of man’s state when he explained, "If a man loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (John 14:23 RSV) Jesus never said that his disciples would become God. He simply pledged that God would make them his abode, his home. He promised that in a personal way, he would indwell their hearts. Jesus also explained to his followers:

"I am the vine, you are the branches… without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered." (John 15:5–6)

Four things need to be said about this vitally important passage:

(1) There is no permanent, eternal life apart from the vine (Jesus). Those who are not joined to him "wither" spiritually, separated from the source of life.

(2) Once believers are joined to Jesus, the life-sap of the Spirit of Christ (the Holy Spirit) flows through them, producing the fruit of the divine nature.

(3) Though divine life resides in born again believers, they never become God — individual branches never actually become the vine as a whole. Branches are dependent on the vine for existence. So we are dependent upon Jesus as our life-source.

(4) If the traditional Eastern view is right, Jesus would have never made this statement. For no one could ever be 'disconnected' from the vine. Even the most evil would still possess a higher Self, identifiable as God.

A yoga devotee is promised 'enlightenment' if he escapes the confines of the senses and achieves what has been termed "I AM Consciousness." This is supposedly an awakening of the understanding that we all, as emanations of the Divine, have an infinite existence—with no beginning and no end. Atman (the soul) and Brahman (the Oversoul) blend together with no lines of distinction. So ANY person has a right to say, "I AM THAT I AM" or "I AM GOD."

The Christian, biblical position is antithetical. Only God, the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent One, has the right to say, "I AM THAT I AM." (Exodus 3:14–15 KJV) For any human being to make such a claim is not only wrong; it is blasphemous and spiritually egoistic. The Jews of Jesus’ day well understood this and tragically, a number of them—not recognizing Jesus’ Messiahship—labeled him a heretic and blasphemer for having said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." (John 8:58)

Notice Jesus described Abraham as a created being with a beginning point, yet he described himself as being eternally self-existent with no beginning. If Jesus espoused the idea that all men are divine, he would probably have said something like, "Abraham had an I AM nature, I have an I AM nature and all of you have the I AM nature." Instead, he reserved this status and this declaration to himself, to the consternation of the Israelite leaders. Little did they know that he was the same One who spoke out of the burning bush to Moses, saying, "I AM THAT I AM." (Exodus 3:14 KJV) Because Jesus had a pre-incarnate existence as the eternal image of the invisible God, in his human state, he still had the right to declare his eternal divinity. No other human being could ever make such a bold claim and be correct.

To attribute divinity to all men necessarily involves attributing sinfulness to God. If we are all emanations of the Divine then not only the positive, but the negative, not only the good, but the evil in every human being is an expression of God’s very own being. Is it really logical to say, "We are all God!" — when the pronoun "we" includes not only good people, but rapists, murderers, thieves, liars, blasphemous persons and the like? This is once again inconsistent with the revelation that "God is light and in him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5)
Finally, the belief that we are all God is usually married to a pantheistic view of the universe. God is no more than a cosmic current permeating all things, an impersonal energy force that human beings can manipulate or control. When these viewpoints are married they actually relegate God to a position subservient to man. Yogi Bhajan even offered the analogy, "Man can make God change; God cannot make man change. This is a cosmic law. The key can open the lock; the lock cannot open the key."⁴ He also declared, "The Almighty God is very weak before the man of God."⁵ The truth is altogether opposite—finite man is very weak before the Infinite God, ethically and morally accountable to him and subject to his laws.

This topic has never been addressed with any better logic than that found in the next two quotes:

"God cannot bud. He cannot blossom. God has always been in full bloom. That is, God is and always has been God."⁶

The fact that a man ‘comes to realize’ he is God proves that he is not God. If he were God he would never have to pass from a state of unenlightenment to a state of enlightenment as to who he is."⁷

An expert on world religions, Dean Halverson also noted, "according to the Upanishads, the goal of enlightenment is for the individual self to lose its separate identity in the universal Self. The end result of biblical salvation, on the other hand, is to have everlasting relationship with God. Eternal life means to be in relational communion with a personal God, not in an undifferentiated union with an impersonal oneness."⁸

NOTES

1 Yogi Bhajan, The Teachings of Yogi Bhajan, The Power of the Spoken Word, p. 76, #274.

2 Jack and Betty Cheetham, An Age of Meditation (Plainfield, New Jersey: Logos International, 1976) p.15.

3 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Science of Being and Art of Living (New York: Meridian, an imprint of Dutton Signet, a division of Penguin Books, 1995) p. 271.

4 Yogi Bhajan, The Teachings of Yogi Bhajan, The Power of the Spoken Word, p. 79, #288.

5 Ibid., p. 131, #522.

6 Norman L. Geisler and Ronald M. Brooks, Christianity Under Attack (Dallas: Quest Publications, 1985) p. 18; quoted in Ron Rhodes, New Age Movement (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995) p. 60.

7 Ibid., p. 43; quoted in Ron Rhodes, New Age Movement, p. 60.

8 Dean C. Halverson, ed., The Compact Guide to World Religions (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1996) p. 91; quoted in J. Isamu Yamamoto, Hinduism, TM & Hare Krishna (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1998) p. 45.
What is the origin of evil?

http://www.thetruelight.net/booksections/articles/bookarticle22.htm

By Mike Shreve

According to the Bible, evil streams from three main sources:

(1) The 'Original Sin' passed down from Adam to all his offspring, which results in a sin nature resident in our human flesh (Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:12, Ephesians 2:3);

(2) Sinful choices that we, as human beings, make (John 5:14, James 1:13–14);

(3) Demonic powers that are constantly tempting the inhabitants of this planet, seducing them to commit evil. Most biblical theologians believe evil spirits (demons, devils) were originally righteous angels until they joined Lucifer (Satan) in his rebellion against God in the beginning. (See Isaiah 14:12–19, Ezekiel 28:12–19, 1 Thessalonians 3:5, Revelation 12:1–9.) Events that result from their influence cannot be attributed to God, since they do not work in submission to his will. The Bible clearly states that God is so holy that he "cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone." (James 1:13 NIV) Logic dictates that if God does not "tempt" human beings, he certainly did not "tempt" the angels to turn against him in the beginning. Neither did God purposefully create demonic powers with an evil nature. The true Creator would never influence demonic beings to do anything evil. Instead, their evil nature is a result of their original free-will choice to oppose the Creator and his laws.

In Eastern religions, evil is primarily the product of illusion or maya. It is considered essentially unreal. Liberation consists, not so much in conquering evil, as it does in conquering ignorance. Experiencing Ultimate Reality enables one to be free from the domination of that which is unreal, including the evil that abounds in this world.

Buddhism especially emphasizes that to experience Nirvana, a person must ignore evil and suffering, because these things are alien to the consciousness of true existence. Years ago I met Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, a well-known leader in Hinduism. He explained the Eastern View, "There is no intrinsic evil. All is good. All is God. No force in the world or in man opposes God, though the veiling instinctive-intellectual mind keeps us from knowledge of Him."¹ The New Age Movement has inherited this mindset from Hinduism, its spiritual parent. An avid New Ager, Shirley MacLaine, quotes her spirit guide as instructing, "Until mankind realizes that there is, in truth, no good and there is, in truth, no evil, there will be no peace."² Strangely (yet logically, if the related concepts of monism and pantheism are to be upheld) Brahma, the Creator god in Hinduism, is identified as the Source of both good and evil:

"Formerly, all creatures were virtuous, and by themselves they obtained divinity. Therefore the gods became worried, so Brahma created women in order to delude men. Then women, who had been virtuous, became wicked witches, and Brahma filled them with wanton desires, which they in turn inspired in men. He created anger, and henceforth all creatures were born in the power of desire and anger." (Mahabharata 13.40.5–12)
The perspective of Taoism, with its yin-yang theory, also maintains that evil is a manifestation of the Tao (the Universal Force). Both evil and good stream from the same Source, the primal Cause of all causes. Evil flows from the yin aspect (the negative principle) of the Absolute, while good flows from the yang (the positive principle). Because the Tao is eternal and ultimate, the harmonizing aspects of yin and yang are eternal and ultimate as well, necessary for spiritual equilibrium in the universe.

Though accepting the story of the fall of Adam and Eve, neither Islam nor Judaism promote the concept of the "Original Sin" being passed on to the offspring of these parents of the human race. In these two religions, man is intrinsically good, and able to live a righteous life if he so chooses. Only Christianity admits this inherited spiritual dilemma facing the inhabitants of this planet. One scripture warns, "Through one man [Adam] sin entered the world, and death through sin…" (Romans 5:12)³

Kabbala, the esoteric offshoot of Judaism, proposes something altogether different. In the Zohar (the "Book of Splendor" —one of the two main sources of Kabbalistic doctrine), it is "implied that the evil in the universe originated from the leftovers of worlds that were destroyed."⁴

In Scientology evil originates in the '‘reactive mind.'

With regard to demonic spirits, most religions admit their existence, but they differ greatly concerning the origin of these dark entities. According to the United Church of Religious Science (Ernest Holmes), the "devil" is not an actual entity; "the only devil we shall ever know will be that which appears as the result of our negative thinking."⁵ It is "anything which denies the unity of good, the allness of Truth, or our oneness with Spirit."⁶ In Ernest Holmes’ belief system, evil spirits are reduced to "discordant and chaotic thought patterns consciously retained which tend to influence the conscious faculties negatively."⁷ In a similar way, the Bahá’í faith dismisses the idea of Satan and evil spirits as mere superstition. Any reference to something being 'satanic' is metaphorical, not literal.

According to Hinduism, evil spirits came forth from Brahma’s side, created with an evil nature — or they could possibly be human beings who lived evil lives or failed to follow their dharma. According to Zoroastrianism, their existence is traceable to Ahriman, the god of evil, who possesses the power to create. Taoism teaches that evil spirits (kuei) may actually be disembodied human spirits: those who suffered violent deaths, or those who were buried without the necessary, prescribed rituals. The Qur’an of Islam teaches that these corrupt beings were created out of fire. Only the Bible relates the origin and nature of evil spirits correctly. Much of the ministry of Jesus involved casting out evil spirits and delivering people from their diabolical influence. So it should be still in the ministry of a true man or woman of God.

Thankfully, it is also foretold in Scripture that all demons will ultimately be exiled forever from the presence of God.
NOTES

1 Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, How to Become a Hindu (Himalayan Academy, sec. ed., 2000) p. 243.

2 Martin Gardner, "Issues is Her Business," New York Review, 1987; quoted in Kenneth Boa, Cults, World Religions and the Occult, Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1990, from Shirley MacLaine, Dancing in the Light.

3 See "Christianity" under The Origin and Nature of Man, pp. 68-69.

4 "Kabbalah," Encyclopedia Judaica (Jerusalem, Israel: Keter Publishing House, Ltd., 1971) vol. 10, column 583.

5 Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind, p. 584 (page citation is to reprint edition).

6 Ernest Holmes, A Dictionary of New Thought Terms (Marina del Rey, California: DeVorss Publications, 1991) p. 34.

7 Ibid., p. 41.

Prior to salvation, is the Creator internal or external?

http://www.thetruelight.net/booksections/articles/bookarticle13.htm

By Mike Shreve

As a yoga instructor I taught my students that God resides within every human being, that all people possess an inward 'spark of divine nature.' This is basically the stance taken in Far Eastern and New Age religious groups, that the Creator is internal. In order to find him, devotees are instructed to look within. Meher Baba instructed his disciples "Do not search for God outside of you. God can only be found within you, for his only abode is the heart."¹ Usually, this belief grows out of pantheism: the proposition that creation, with its substance, forces and laws, is an emanation of God. If Deity indwells everything in Nature, it is only logical to believe he already indwells all of us.²

In direct contrast, the Bible teaches that men and women are born into this world separated from God. Helen Schucman, author of "A Course in Miracles," counters the biblical view insisting, "A sense of separation from God is the only lack you really need correct. This sense of separation never would have arisen if you had not distorted your perception of truth, and had thus perceived yourself as lacking."³ However, the Bible does not teach a 'sense of separation,' but rather, a 'state of separation.' (Isaiah 59:2 warns that, "Your iniquities have separated you from your God.") This 'separating ' influence is not only our individual iniquities, but the sin status we have all inherited from Adam. The good news is: the Bible also teaches that we can be reunited with God. This happens when Jesus Christ comes to dwell in our hearts by faith. (See Romans 8:9–11, Ephesians 3:17–19.)

An important biblical happening supports this view of man’s status with God. Right before Jesus ascended into heaven, he encouraged his disciples to wait in the upper room until the promise of the Holy Spirit came. The Bible explains that on the Day of Pentecost (a Jewish feast day) "there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind." This supernatural 'wind' filled the entire house where the disciples were sitting. (See Acts 2:1–21.) Tongues of fire appeared over their heads and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Notice the Bible says they were filled. The Spirit of God came into them from outside of them. The Holy Spirit was not awakened from within their inner being. Seeing this automatically answers the question posed at the beginning of this section.

Yes, without a doubt, God is external prior to a person’s experience of salvation. This separation between God and man is the chief reason for the emotional and mental misery that racks the human race. No wonder Jesus is entitled the Prince of peace, for "peace with God" and "the peace of God" are gifts he deposits in every heart he reconciles to the Father. (Philippians 4:7, Romans 5:1) This really is the cure for our dilemma.

NOTES

1 Information brochure from Meher Spiritual Center, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, A Place of Pilgrimage For All Time, p. 5.

2 Actually, this argument would be offered by both pantheists and panentheists.

3 Helen Schucman and William Thetford, A Course in Miracles (Tiburon, California: Foundation for Inner Peace, 1976) “Text,” p. 11.

What really is the Kundalini?

http://www.thetruelight.net/booksections/articles/bookarticle15.htm

By Mike Shreve

Echoing the sentiments of my teachers, as a yoga teacher, I often referred to an inward 'spark of divine nature' that all human beings possess. Yogi Bhajan called this inner divine essence "the kundalini," explaining it to be "the dormant power of infinity," a coiled energy at the base of the spine that must be aroused.¹

Many swamis, yogis and gurus strangely refer to this dormant energy as the 'serpent power'. They also claim this coiled energy is a manifestation of the goddess Sakti (also spelled Shakti). Theoretically, when this 'awakening' of the kundalini takes place, it travels up the spinal column through five chakras (spiritual energy centers), then through the sixth chakra (the third eye), finally reaching the seventh chakra at the top of the head (called the crown chakra). At that point, within a person’s inner being, the goddess Sakti comes into union with the god Shiva. This experience is supposed to bring enlightenment or God-consciousness. It is "the dissolution (laya) of the ordinary self into its eternal essence… This experience is also understood as the primordial union of the male and female cosmic principles… It is thus simultaneously a microcosmic, bodily occurrence and a universal one."²

Rabi Maharaj recalls from his past experience as a guru, "When aroused without proper control, it [the kundalini] rages like a vicious serpent inside a person with a force that is impossible to resist. It is said that without proper control, the kundalini will produce supernatural psychic powers having their source in demonic beings and will lead ultimately to moral, spiritual, and physical destruction. Nevertheless it is this kundalini power that meditation and yoga are designed to arouse…"³

The world renowned Swami Muktananda recounted his experience with the 'awakening of the kundalini.' He encountered a naked ascetic blissfully meditating on top of a pile of human excreta. This Hindu 'holy man' invited him to come sit on his lap and lick his head. The ascetic then proceeded to initiate Muktananda into Kundalini Yoga. Later that day he explained, "My mind seemed deluded… I felt I would soon become insane… My entire body started aching and… the tongue began to move down the throat, and all attempts to pull it out failed… My fear grew… I felt severe pain in the knot (manipur chakra) below the navel. I tried to shout but could not even articulate… Next I saw ugly and dreadful demon-like figures. I thought them to be evil spirits… Suddenly I saw a large ball of light approaching me from the front… It merged into my head… I was terrified by that powerfully dazzling light…"⁴

Though not all stories dealing with the 'awakening of the kundalini' match the bizarre aspects of this account, still, my concerns are very grave when it comes to this subject. I spent many hours in meditation seeking to 'arouse' the kundalini—and I succeeded, when I was finally lifted out of my body into the experience of 'white light'. However, after becoming a Christian I had a very profound, spiritual encounter that proved to me the dark, negative source of this power. The following points need to be emphasized concerning "the kundalini":

• Serpent Symbol — Though many New Age groups relate to the serpent as a symbol of esoteric wisdom, biblically, it primarily represents that which is satanic and blatantly evil. A venomous serpent is an agent of death. How could this creature be symbolic of that which leads to goodness, life and the experience of God? (See Genesis 3:1–15, Revelation 12:9.)

• Sexual Overtones — The experience of 'enlightenment' is compared to a supernatural 'union' between a god and goddess, so there are sexual overtones. Possibly because of this, some fringe sects, especially those involved in what has been termed the 'left-handed' form of Tantric Yoga, have made ritual sex (especially with socially forbidden partners) an aid to developing higher consciousness. Some gurus even include the handling of the genitals in the so-called 'awakening' process. Yet the Bible clearly commands that we abstain from sexual immorality.

Regardless of how it is wrapped spiritually, any doctrinal package containing this suggested approach is of darkness and deception. Of course, there are many Hindu ascetics, Buddhist monks and other Far Eastern mystics who live pure lives. They would be appalled at the thought of these immoral practices going on in the name of achieving enlightenment.

• Dangerous Side Effects — The majority of those who believe in the 'kundalini power' do not pursue its 'awakening' by indulging in illicit or occult sexual practices. Most are sincerely seeking an experience of Ultimate Reality. However, most do agree in the danger of its 'unguided or premature arousal.' I was even cautioned as a yoga student to be extremely careful, because there were instances of some seekers becoming 'locked' in a catatonic-like, meditative state, even for years. In contrast, there is absolutely no account in the Bible of the Spirit of God moving on a person to their detriment. No prophet ever had an encounter with the Most High that caused him to be demonized, or to feel nearly insane (as Swami Muktananda admitted). Only good, healthy, enriching things result from contacting the real Creator. There is no lurking danger present when communing with the Lord of glory. No person filled with the Holy Spirit in the Bible lamented the experience because it resulted in a manifestation of evil, psychic powers.

The true power of God saves, heals, delivers, forgives—but it never destroys (mentally, emotionally, physically or in any way). Therefore, the source of this 'serpent power' could not be God. It must be the Prince of darkness and his subordinate demons. Those who yield to this dark influence are often granted false supernatural encounters that seem beautiful, enlightening and ecstatic in order to successfully draw them away from the true Source of eternal life. I am well aware of this type of religious deception, having experienced it myself. Remember, Jesus warned that Satan comes to "steal, and to kill, and to destroy" but he promised concerning himself, "I am come that they may have life… more abundantly." (John 10:10)

• Chakras—The whole idea of the "kundalini" is interwoven with a belief in chakras. These are believed to be "energy centers in the body"—"focal points where psychic forces and bodily functions merge and interact with each other." Each chakra is "associated with a specific color, shape, sense organ, natural element, deity and mantra."⁵ Though advocating this concept as being true, strangely, Yogi Bhajan insists chakras are "imaginary and nothing else."⁶
There are at least six reasons why I no longer espouse the existence of these psychic centers:

(1) Many teachers who believe in chakras cannot agree on the correct number. Some yogic models include seven, eight, nine and twelve chakras. In Buddhism there are four chakras; in Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana) there are five. If there really are rotating, internal energy centers in man, those who 'discover' them should agree on how many actually exist.

(2) Each chakra (in Hinduism) is identified with a different Hindu god. I firmly believe these gods are mere man-made myths, full of human-like frailties, essentially unreal. So it is only logical to deduce that the chakras with which these gods are associated are also essentially unreal.

(3) The concept of chakras is inextricably connected to the concept of the kundalini (the serpent power) rising up through these 'energy centers' to bring a seeker to new levels of consciousness. Because the kundalini power is NOT the true power of God, but a demonic counterfeit, then the whole idea of chakras is absolutely unnecessary. The experience of God-consciousness (conscious awareness of the reality of God) comes through the entrance of Jesus Christ into the heart of man. This has nothing to do with the supposed 'opening up' of internal energy centers.

(4) The concept of chakras is based on the idea that God is an internal, impersonal, energy force that can be controlled by the right incantation, mantra or ritualistic practice. Yet God communes with His people; he is not controlled by them. He is a personal God and he responds to prayer offered to him in a heartfelt, personal way. He is not impressed or motivated by numerous, repetitious utterances or magical rites.

(5) Certain gurus have made sweeping claims about the power of meditating on certain chakras. For instance, Sivananda taught that meditating on the first chakra causes all sins to be wiped away; meditating on the second chakra frees a person from desire, wrath, greed and deception; and meditating on the sixth chakra (the third eye) wipes out all karma from previous lives. If these things are true then we do not need the crucifixion of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, nor the Holy Spirit entering and regenerating our hearts for a character change (which are both absolute necessities). Furthermore, the consequences of our past sins are taken out of God’s hands and placed in ours.

(6) The concept of chakras cannot be found in the Bible or the teachings of Jesus.

For more information on the "kundalini" please see, www.yogadangers.com.