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Date:         Thu, 16 Apr 1992 22:28:00 EDT
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From:         JHART@UMASSD.BITNET
Subject:      NEW AGE MOVEMENT

                        The New Age Movement (part 1 of 3)

        The New Age Movement (NAM) is a world wide network.  It consists
        of tens of thousands of cooperating organizations devoted to
        encouraging us to adopt a totally new way of thinking,
        perceiving, and understanding.  NAM is redirecting our thinking,
        modifying our world view, and manipulating us to surrender to a
        new alternative.  On the surface, NAM is presented as
        scientific, non-religious.  However, upon closer examination, it
        will be shown to be religious.
                Since its rise in popularity in the 1970's the NEW AGE
        Movement has drawn millions of people into its theological and
        philosophical teachings with promises of solutions to every
        conceivable problem.  This concept makes it almost irresistible.
        The perpetual youth offered by Yoga, the miraculous curative
        powers attributed to crystals or herbal tea, and the eternal
        round of second chances graranteed by reincarnation are typical
        examples of New Age promises which appeal to a universal human
        weakness.
                NAM is a loosely knit movement with no central governing
        body and no specific organizational headquarters.  Instead it is
        a conglomerate of hundreds, if not thousands, of networks.  The
        NAM is really nothing new at all.  It is polytheism/ pantheism/
        natrualism, a revival of Gnostic, Occultic, Hindu theological,
        philosophical and sharministic techniques which have been around
        for thousands of years.
                It is right here that the world's religions divide into
        two distinct camps: monotheism/ supernaturalism versus poly -
        theism/ pantheism/ naturalism.  In the Bible, honored by
        Christians, Jews and Muslims, God is consistently depicted as
        the transcendent Creator, who is dictinct and separate from
        creation (nature).  It is a creation that is not part of him
        but which he has brought forth out of nothing.  Unlike Hinduism
        and all other pantheistic/ polytheistic religions, where the
        universe itself is God or an extension of God.  The God of the
        Bible reaches into the cosmos from outside and overrides natural
        law to work miracles.  This is the basis of supernaturalism.
                In contrast to supernaturalism, all other religions
        represent varying forms of natrualism.  While the gods and
        spirits and higher powers of such religions may seem to vary,
        they have one thing in common:  They are all part of the
        universe and work from within it in obedience to universal laws.
        In supernaturalism God is outside of nature and distinct from
        it.  In naturalism, nature is all there is, and thus there can
        be no 'miracles', but only natural events.  (Hunt, Dave. America
        The Sorcerer's New Apprentice.)
                In 1966 at an international Hindu conference, the Hindus
        planned a strategy to convert the world to Hinduism.  The Gurus
        were chosen as the first crusaders.  Their plan was to bring the
        teaching of Hinduism to the west.  In 1979, at the World Confer-
        ence on Hinduism, a spokesmen was quoted as saying, "Our mission
        in the west has been crowned with fantastic success.  Hinduism
        is becoming the dominate religion and the end of Christianity
        has come near."
                A secret organization called Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP)
        is the world missionary organization of Hinduism.  In the VHP
        constitution, paragraph 4 states, the aim of the VHP is to
        establish an order of missionaries.  The purpose is to propagate
        dynamic Hinduism.  The VHP magazine states that Yoga teachers
        are the front line missionaries.
                Why are highly educated Westerners turning to ancient
        Eastern mystical pracitces in the midst of the greatest
        scientific/ technological boom in history?
                Marilyn Ferguson answers this question in her book 'The
        Aquarian Conspiracy', a book that has been called The New Age
        Bible, Marilyn Ferguson enthusiastically reports:
                        A great, shuddering irrevocable shift is
                overtaking us . . . It is a new mind, a turnabout in
                consciousness in critical numbers of individuals, a
                network powerful enough to bring about radical change
                in our culture.
                        This network - The Aquarian Conspiracy - has
                already enlisted the minds, hearts and resources of some
                of our most advanced thinkers, including nobel laureate
                scientists, philosophers, statesmen, and celebrities . .
                who are  working to create a different kind of society.
                        The technologies for expanding and transforming
                personal consciousness, once the secret of an elite
                group, are now generating massive change in every
                cultural institution - medicine, politics, business,
                education, religion and the family (Inside jacket).

      How is the process being implemented in the business community?
                In such prestigious companies as IBM, AT&T, Rockwell
      International, Bank of America, Hughes Aircraft, General Motors,
      etc.,  workers and executives are being required to participate in
      various seminars called 'human potential seminars'.  While the
      titles of these seminars have very scientific sounding names, they
      are in reality New Age teachings.
                According to an article which appeared in 'The New York
      Times', April 17, 1987, Gurus hired to motivate workers are
      raising fears of mind control.  According to many experts, these
      training seminars induce a trance like state.  Participants claim
      harmful influence from spirit entities as a result of these trance
      states.
                Richard L. Watring, (Personal Director, Budget
      Rent-a-Car Corporation in Chicago) warns that these New Age
      psychotechnologies can alter normal consciousness and that their
      fundamental worldviews and Judeo-Christian religious beliefs are
      being tampered with.
                Marilyn Ferguson, author of 'The Aquarian Conspiracy',
      lists a number of psychotechnologies . . . for altering
      consciousness such as Medition, Self-hyponosis, Focusing,
      Centering, Guided Imagery, Visualization, Transcendental
      Meditation, Yoga, Biofeedback, Dianetics, Silva Mind Control, and
      many others.
                Here we begin to see the conflict between pantheism/
      polytheism vs monotheism emerging.
                According to the 'Los Angeles Times', there is an
      emerging backlash against employers who try to boost productivity
      by requiring workers to take part in so-called human potential
      seminars, motivational programs designed to change workers'
      values, attitudes and self-esteem.  (Los Angeles Times, March 25,
      1989).
                A growing number of employees are charging that these
      New Age based programs are indoctrination that challenges their
      religious beliefs.  Other workers say that the programs cause
      mental anguish by manipulating emotions, violating their privacy.
      The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which
      investigates job discrimination claims, acknowledges a rise in
      complaints against new age consultants.  The commission has
      circulated a policy notice to commission employees stating that if
      any of the programs conflict with their religious beliefs they
      have a right to be exempt from participation. (Religion Watch -
      May 1989).
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