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Subject: THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT
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endtimes 20.05.11 - 05:56am
The New Age Movement (NAM) is hard to define as a singular religion. It is just what it is a movement. It is essentially a collection of eastern-influenced metaphysical ideologies, a hodge-podge of theologies and philosophies that are bound together by universal tolerance and moral relativism. The NAM is thenatural progression of humanism. It teaches that humans have evolved biologically, and must now evolve spiritually. Beyond that, it is difficult to define, as there is no hierarchy, doctrine, creed, or membership. You will be hard-pressed to find the FirstNew Age Church on any street corner in your town. *
endtimes 20.05.11 - 05:57am
Man is the central figure in the NAM. He is viewed as divine, and progressing toward a kind of godhood, or Christ-Consciousness. Many NAM divisions are pantheistic they believe God is in everything, and everything together makes up God. Therefore, as a part of nature, man is part of God. Many New Age practices are designed to push man through the spiritual evolution to godhood. Astral projection (training your soul to have out-of-body experiences), contacting spirit guides, and using crystals to purify your body and minds energy systemsare among these practices. Many New Agers believe in reincarnation and in Karma. *
endtimes 20.05.11 - 05:59am
Some NAM terms you may hear are: holistic, synergistic, unity, oneness, harmony, transformation, personal growth, human potential, awakening, networking, energy, cleansing, and consciousness. A disproportionate amount of NAM books and texts contain the word self. That is because, as we said earlier, man is the central figure. One must improve ones self to become one with nature and god. You may also hear New Age followers using Christian terms. This is because they view Jesus as a man who excelled at spiritual evolution and progression, and was tuned into his Christ Consciousness. Do not be fooled, though. The Christian terms you will hear will have a different meaning to a New Ager than they will for you.
Here is a general comparison chart ofsome NAM beliefs versus Christianity:
NAM
CHRISTIANITY
God is an impersonal force.
God is personal. He is our Heavenly Father who loves us.
God is all and all is God. He is part ofcreation, as are all of us.
God is the Almighty Creator of the universe, and all within it. Man is finite, and one of Gods creations.
There is no sin, only misunderstanding of truth.
Rebellion from God is sin. All have sinned, and all must be saved.
Man saves himself.
Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins. Only through faith in Him may man be saved.
Heaven and Hell do not exist. They are states of mind.
There is a literal Heaven, and a literal Hell.
Jesus is a man who exemplified Christ Consciousness, and the divinity that is man.
Jesus is the Son of God, and is part ofthe triune nature of God.
Perhaps one of the biggest draws of the NAM is the release it provides from personal accountability and responsibility. Moral Relativism claims that there is no such thing as right or wrong. Each PERSON, in their effort to achieve oneness, must travel their own path and make theirown decisions. And those decisions are never wrong, provided theyre not wrong in that persons own mind.
As Christians, we recognize the fallacy of that thinking. We know that man is finite and imperfect. In fact, man has a sinful nature. Only through faith in an eternal and omnipotent God may we be saved from our sin. The NAM sees the Christian view of salvation through Christ alone as being divisive and exclusionary. What they dont see, isthat the gift of salvation is free to EVERYONE. The stipulation is that each person must accept that. If you believe in the NAM, please realize that the following are irrefutable truths: *
endtimes 20.05.11 - 06:01am
*.There is such a thing as right and wrong.
*.There is a Heaven, and there is a Hell.
*.There is only one God, who is eternal in nature, and who created the universe and everything in it.
*.Man is finite, imperfect, and sinful.
*.God is not impersonal. He loves you more than you can imagine. He
*.loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take on a mortal body, in order to be the final sacrificefor your sins.
*.God is just. He has provided this path for your salvation, but you MUSTaccept it.
*.God is as loving as He is just. He is not willing that ANY should perish.
*.Eternal life in Paradise can be yours, provided you confess your sins,and accept the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
If you have not yet accepted this gift,and wish to, say the following prayer. This prayer is not a magical incantation, and is just an example. If you wish to say it in your own words, feel free.
God, I know now that I am a sinner. Irecognize my sinful nature, and the fact that I have sinned against You. Iam sorry. I know that you have provided for my salvation, and I want to claim that now. I turn my back on my sinful nature, and I give myself to you. Come into my life, Lord. Cleanse me of my sins. Make me whole. Thank you for this precious gift. Lord, I dedicate my life to you. I pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
The Bible says that if you confess your sins, God is faithful and just to forgive you. If you prayed the prayerabove, you have accepted the gift of salvation. You are a child of God. Wewelcome you to the family. It is important now to learn as much as possible. All the information you willever need is in Gods Word the Bible. We encourage you to go buy one as soon as possible. If you cannot afford a Bible, write to us, and we will make sure that you get one. Its also important to fellowshipwith other believers. If you want to find a good Christian church in your area, but need some help, write to us, and we will do our best to get youin touch with one. Oh, and one other thing. This is something we love! Doyou want to talk with God? You can! Just pray! You dont have to do so in a special place, or have any special words. Just talk to Him. If you pray to God in the name of Jesus, He will hear you. The joy in store for you will knock your socks off!! Oh, were so excited for you! *
