by Ray Yungen
I do not agree with the view that the New Age is the path to
the Golden Age of global peace and harmony. But after
22 years of research, I fully understand why so many
people have embraced metaphysics [mysticism] and why
they seek transformation for humanity as a whole.
By and large, they have rejected orthodox (old paradigm)
Christianity as being unacceptable, but still want
to retain spiritual meaning and a utopian vision in
their lives. In addition, they see metaphysics as
helpful towards improving the quality of their daily
lives, whether it be better health, more loving relationships,
inner peace, or guidance for success and prosperity.
They would think it the height of ignorance and folly
to condemn such seemingly wonderful ways to better
the human condition.
Many would reject a challenge of New Age consciousness
from a Christian viewpoint as being the result of
misinformation. It is widely believed in New Age circles
that Jesus Christ was Himself a metaphysician of great
stature. They quote verses where Jesus proclaims:
"The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke
17:21)--meaning a reference to the higher self, "Be
still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)--a
reference, they say, to meditation, and "Greater
works than these shall he do" (John 14:12)--meaning
New Agers can have His powers. As far out as this
may sound to many Christian readers, New Age adherents
are quite sincere in this belief. They firmly argue
that reincarnation was originally in the Bible but
was taken out at the Council of Nicea so that church
and state could better control the common people by
fear. Although there are still plenty of skeptics
and critics, these beliefs are becoming less offensive
and more acceptable all the time.
One of the most common New Age attitudes is that there
are many paths to God and that it is wrong to judge
or condemn another person's path because not all people
are suited for the same one. New Agers teach that
each person should find the path best suited for himself.
There are two questions to be answered here: Is it
right to judge? And do all paths lead to God? Jesus
Christ foretold in Matthew 7:22-23:
Many will say to me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast
out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?"
And then will I profess unto them, "I never knew
you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
I find it most interesting that people who were doing "many
wonderful works" or miraculous works in His name
were, in reality, working "iniquity" or
evil. This leads me to believe that a great deception
These verses also tell me that all paths do not lead
to God and, because they do not, one had better judge
which path is correct. Many people, of course, counter
with, "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
However, taken in context, this verse (Matthew 7:1),
is talking about hypocrisy in human behavior and not
about withholding critical examination of spiritual
teachings. Galatians 1:8 bears out the necessity to
evaluate spiritual teaching with proper discernment.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
unto you than that which we have preached unto you,
let him be accursed.
And II John 1:9-11 says:
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine
of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If
there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine,
receive him not into your house, neither bid him God
speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker
of his evil deeds.
And again in Ephesians 5:11, "...have no fellowship with
the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove
How may we reprove something if we don't determine
whether or not it fits the bill of "unfruitful
works?" In II Timothy 3:16-17, we read:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect
[complete], thoroughly furnished [fully equipped]
unto all good works.
Noticing the New Age propensity for also quoting Bible verses
to support the claims of metaphysics, I have focused
on the obvious conflict between the Ancient Wisdom
and the God of the Bible that runs from Genesis through
Revelation. The continuity of this apparent contrast
is undeniable to the point that any New Ager would
have to acknowledge that it exists. This contrast
and objection is the foundation for any logical Christian
opposition to metaphysics. Notice the list of metaphysical
arts in Deuteronomy 18:9-12:
When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth
thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations
of those nations. There shall not be found among you
any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass
through the fire, or that useth divination [a psychic,
or an observer of times, meaning festivals connected
to nature worship], or an enchanter [one who manipulates
people by occult power], or a witch [one who uses
occult power]. Or a charmer [hypnotist], or a consulter
with familiar spirits [one who receives advice or
knowledge from a spirit], or a wizard [one who uses
a spirit to do his will], or a necromancer [one who
believes he is contacting the dead]. For all that
do these things are an abomination unto the Lord:
and because of these abominations the Lord thy God
doth drive them out from before thee.
The word abomination in verse 12 means "abhorrent"
or "disgusting." Please note the reference
to familiar spirits in the following verses from Leviticus.
This term is found throughout the Old Testament and
has a negative connotation:
And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits,
and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will
even set my face against that soul, and will cut him
off from among his people. (Leviticus 20:6)
An example of this is a book called Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain, which could be called one of the
bibles of the New Age movement (over three million
copies have been sold in the US and translated into
25 languages). Gawain explains the basic process of
visualization. First comes "relaxing into a deep,
quiet meditative state of mind,"1 which is to
be done every morning and afternoon. This opens the
"channel" for "higher wisdom and guidance
to come to you."2 Gawain then describes the nature
of this guidance:
The inner guide is known by many different names, such as your
counselor, spirit guide, imaginary friend, or master.
It is a higher part of yourself, which can come to
you in many different forms, but usually comes in
the form of a person or being whom you can talk to
and relate to as a wise and loving friend.3
Your guide is there for you to call on anytime you
need or want extra guidance, wisdom, knowledge, support,
creative inspiration, love or companionship. Many
people who have established a relationship with their
guide meet them every day in their meditation.4
What Shakti Gawain is talking about is the same thing spoken
of in Deuteronomy 18--familiar spirits. The so-called
higher self is nothing more than a familiar spirit
out to manipulate those people who open themselves
to it. It has been common in Christian circles to
speak of them as demons. The word demon comes from
the Greek term deamonion, which literally means spirit
guide. Familiar spirits make contact while the person's
mind is in neutral and try to establish a strong connection;
the result is control of the person by the spirit.
The core of New Age spirituality is that the higher
self (i.e., familiar spirit) is supposed to be the
guiding principle in every area of one's life -
period! That is why in Ephesians 6:12, the apostle
Paul warns us:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness
of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
He is saying that there are non-human powers (forces) that
are in opposition to God. The nature of this is apparent
to anyone who takes a close look at metaphysics with
this verse in mind. After a certain point, influence
and guidance from the familiar spirit progresses to
outright possession. This, I believe, is the kundalini
effect. One New Age proponent explains it the following
Before, kundalini had seemed like a fable to me, fascinating
and appealing, but as improbable in its way as God
talking to Moses through a burning bush or Jesus raising
the dead. But now I was sometimes aware, toward the
end of the third stage of Dynamic Meditation, of something
moving as elusively as neon up my spine, flashing
like lightning in my limbs.... When, in the fifth
and final stage, I danced, I now sensed myself moved
by a force more powerful, more inventive, than any
I could consciously summon.5
I believe that Raphael and Alice Bailey's "Tibetan"
are familiar spirits. I also believe they are revealing
their plan of operation in their writings. The intent
of these beings can be seen by what the following
metaphysical practitioners convey:
It is all there-just look for it. Seek the immortal, eternal
Spirit that dwells within you - the "I am presence,"
containing all that was, is, or ever shall be....6
The whole of life will become more meaningful as you
live from the center within. Remember that you are
Gods in the Making.7
It is not necessary to "have faith" in any power
outside of yourself.
Who do you think would want you to believe something
like that? Who would want you to believe that God
does not exist outside of yourself - that you don't
need to have faith in anything external. New Age writer/philosopher
David Spangler reveals who in his book Reflections
on the Christ when he writes:
Some being has to take these energies into his consciousness
and substance and channel them as it were to those
other beings who must receive them, in this case humanity.
The being who chose to embody these energies and to
be in essence the angel of man's inner evolution is
the being we know as Lucifer.8
He lays out the entire program behind the New Age movement
in the following explanation:
He [Lucifer] comes to make us aware of our power within, to
draw to ourselves experience. He comes to make us
aware of the power of creative manifestation which
When you are working with the laws of manifestation
you are in essence manifesting a Luciferic principle.9
Even if Spangler had not written these words, the link between
Lucifer and the New Age movement would still be evident
to Christians from reading II Corinthians 11:13-15:
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel;
for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of
light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers
also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness;
whose end shall be according to their works.
For this deception to be effective, he would have to come as
an "angel of light." To judge a belief system
as being satanic, one should compare how close it
comes to Satan's own statements about himself. God
is asking him, "How art thou fallen from heaven,
0 Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down
to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!"
(Isaiah. 14:12). Then He reminds Satan of his own
words when he challenged God:
For thou [Satan] hast said in thine heart, "I will ascend
into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars
of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation,
in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the
heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."
Then later, when Satan deceived Eve in the Garden, he said:
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your
eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing
good and evil. (Genesis 3:5)
Without a doubt, the New Age movement fits that bill.
MN: The Stephen Greene Press, 1988), p. 8.
6. Donald Yott, Man and Metaphysics (New York,
NY: Sam Weiser, Inc., 1980), p. 103.
7. Shakti Gawain, Creative Visualization, op. cit.,
8. David Spangler, Reflections on the Christ (Findhorn
Foundation, second edition, 1978), p. 36.
9. Ibid., p. 41.