NEW AGE IN OUR AGE - RELIGION (Part 2 of 2)

There is some contention among Biblical scholars as to whether Christians actually can be deceived, so let's look again at Matthew 24:24: "24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."

It seems that the doubt about the Christian being susceptible to deceit comes into play with the phrase "if it were possible". More specifically, two words seem to imply this doubt. They are the words "it were". Without them, it would read "if possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Now we should note that the two words which seem to change the meaning entirely "it were" were added to the text when the King James was written. They are not found in the original Greek, nor are they implied. Not only does the removal of those two words change the implication of the message, the word shall in "they SHALL deceive" is strong implication that in some cases, deceit among the very elect may indeed occur.

The next verse we looked at was Luke 21:8:

If we were warned not to be deceived, the implication here is certainly that we could be! Let's look now at II Thessalonians 2:3:

We are told here that the Day of Christ when we will be gathered unto Him will not occur until There has been a "falling away". This would seem to indicate that some who call themselves Christians will depart from the true faith, almost certainly due to deceit. In the mission statement for this ministry, we note that in II Corinthians 2:11 we are told not to be ignorant of Satan's devices lest he should get an advantage of us. A chief goal of this ministry is to expose his ploys, and prevent the "elect" from "falling away" through his deceitful tactics. We must beware! Satan's specialty is subtlety! He may be vile, but we must NEVER underestimate his ingenuity!

We referred earlier to a program on PBS called Speaking with your Angels. In this program the leaders emphasized that the religious belief systems of the participants of the group was not an issue. Now even if the purpose of this interfaith fellowship was Biblically wholesome (which it was definitely not), the spiritual communion of the group itself seems to be in direct opposition to the Biblical teachings of Paul. Let's look for a moment at II Timothy 3:5 and II Corinthians 6:14.

II Timothy 3:5 states:

II Corinthians 6:14 says:

So how about other inter faith projects, organizations, and groups? They are numerous today, and evangelization to those who are present and are "in the dark" regarding Yeshua is strictly prohibited because it MIGHT "offend" someone. So, if we cannot evangelize those who are there and are in the dark, why are we spiritually communing and fellow shipping with them? We need to differentiate here between the fellowship with Christians of other denominations (which Yeshua seemed to encourage), vs. being yoked through affiliation with and communing or fellow shipping with those of other faiths or religions, (which Yeshua seemed to teach against here), regardless of the uprightness of the PURPOSE behind these projects, organizations, and groups. The implication in God's Word here seems to be that ANY moral agenda of Biblical integrity can and should be met through exclusively Christian organizations and fellowships.

The ecumenical movement immediately comes to mind here. It is NOT an attempt to unite various Christian denominations, it is an attempt to unite various religions (a unity between dark and light) under the guise and banner of a wholesome universal morality for everyone (diverse though they may be) in our global community. Isn't that exactly what God's Word seems to be addressing in the Scriptures we just read? You see, this ecumenical movement is the yellow brick road to the one world religion. The eagerness of churches today to embrace it has allowed a large portion of Christians to fall into line behind the Pied Piper, en route to the one world religion condemned by Yeshua. It appears that He wants us to "turn away" from any such allegiance of light with dark immediately! We as Christians may be held accountable for our affiliations very soon!

Speaking of affiliations, let's consider an overview of an article in the Flash Point newsletter by Texe Marrs. A joint ecumenical worship service and homosexuality symposium at the Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington D.C. included a Catholic priest who announced that he had recently "come out publicly." The clergy processional was led by flags showing the rainbow, which has been adopted as the homosexual emblem. A banner behind the altar carried the rainbow, surrounded by skulls, which were said to symbolize "truth, justice, reconciliation and peace." Male couples held each other and kissed in the pews. One worship leader proudly identified herself as a "lesbian Unitarian". A priest asked for God's help to be true to themselves. Prayers were offered to "ancestors, lights, angels, saints and the spirits of Buddha, Mohammed, and Yeshua. A United Methodist minister complained that in not fully endorsing the gay rights movement, the United Methodist Church has been supporting the persecution of human beings. He then declared: "Jesus is speaking as a gay man to the church today." The symposium featured ridicule of the Christmas Nativity story, speculation about Yeshua as a "drag queen", praise for homosexual marriage, and a declaration that the Ten Commandments are "immoral". Foundry's regular Sunday worshipers include President and Mrs. Clinton.

Though this article was printed prior to the "96 elections, the following is a direct quotation which continues to amaze me: "For years, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole was also an active member of this apostate church. But this year, to win over the religious right, the political minded Senator announced that he had left the church. However, Flash Point has learned that Elizabeth, Bob Dole's wife, continues to attend Foundry Church. Moreover, Senator Dole has recently contributed tens of thousands of dollars from speaking fees to the church and fully intends to resume his attendance after the "96 elections."

Is the spiritual corruption our key governmental officials are involved in beginning to soak in? We need to keep this spiritual corruption in mind when we deal with some of the heavier material ahead in the New Age Government study.

First though, let's look at the fellowship God's Word CONDONES (whereby we are to accomplish His work). We find it in Romans 8:14-16; Ephesians 3:14-16; and Hebrews 10:25.

Romans 8:14-16 states:

Ephesians 3:14-16 reads:

Hebrews 10:25 says:

As Christians in this day of deception, we ESPECIALLY NEED TO HEED God's Word, and look Exclusively to the "family of God" (those who are "led by the Spirit of God") for our fellowship and associations, meeting often together and warning one another as we see the day approaching. Deception can easily emerge from affiliation with groups or organizations who attempt to establish a universal "common good" which is based partially upon the various writings of false religions opposed by our God, or even from the consistent compromise of the fundamental truths of OUR OWN faith, (NOT being "led by the Holy Spirit"!)! But when we seek fellowship and communion with those who are FIRMLY grounded in the ABSOLUTES of GOD'S WORD to us, we will more likely evade the deception that Yeshua so urgently cautioned us to avoid at all cost in these days!

Let's observe some of the under trappings of the New Age Movement. Seekers are told by their spirit guides to develop their minds. They are told that all knowledge is within us. When we learn something, we are just remembering and applying what we already know. It is said that we only use about 10% of the human brain. Seekers are told they must develop the other 90% of the brain, and their guides draw them into parapsychology. You see (the reasoning goes) if Christ Consciousness and all knowledge are within you, it follows that it is locked up in this 90% of the brain, and all we need to do is to "tap into its power"! The name coined for this process is "human potential". This movement includes the area of Holistic Health and the pursuit of the "Mind Sciences" (sometimes called the "soft sciences"). Now here is where things begin to get sticky, because some of the New Age approaches we will discuss are seen by many as being acceptable today. If I should step on any toes during these discussions, please know that my intent is to tread lightly! Please understand that it is essential that we become aware of these potential areas of concern in order to withdraw from any practice which might be detrimental to our Christian ‚ growth.

Taoism as described by Eerdman's Handbook to the World's Religions is: "Chinese philosophy outlined in the Tao Te Ching. Its aim is to achieve harmony with all that is by pursuing inaction and effortlessness. Taoism gradually evolved an elaborate mythological system and incorporated notions of spirit possession, alchemy and divination."

This "harmony with all that is" is a harmony of the "God forces" or pranic energy. One example of a "God force" is the Kundalini force which activates Shakti, a force that is said to be coiled like a serpent at the base of the spine. When awakened, it leaps up the spine to the brain giving an experience of union and liberation. This is considered to be a re-enactment of the sexual union of Shiva (said to be present in the mind) and Shakti. Shiva is said to preside over creation and destruction good and evil. Shakti is a female counterpart to Shiva that exists in latent form in :man and is awakened by Kundalini. Yoga utilizes this god force. Various Yoga stances and chants summon Kundalini to begin the chain effect that creates this "liberating" experience.

These and various other "forces" are focused upon in the Holistic Health methods employed by many doctors today. They attempt to harmonize or restore balances of these "forces" in order to alleviate symptoms and to diagnose and cure diseases. Discontent over traditional medical care and abuse of medications to the point of their ineffectiveness, many are demanding more NATURAL treatments. This desperation prompts a lack of discernment towards the methods or treatment being applied under the broad title of Holistic Health. Tens of millions of people (including many Christians) have participated in these treatment techniques, not realizing their link to the occult or the dangers they pose.

Let's look first at the Chiropractic industry. Now don't panic, most chiropractors will NOT involve you in the occult, and a good Christian chiropractor is worth his weight in gold! However, because not everyone is fortunate enough to have a good Christian chiropractor, and because the potential for occult practice IS real in this field, let's look closely at it. Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) is used by most chiropractors, and is a safe, effective, and useful treatment for various musculoskeletal problems. Some chiropractors have, however, questionable or profoundly occult practices in addition to the use of SMT. Reflexology, iridology, homopathy, polarity therapy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, chrystalogy and biofeedback are some examples. We'll examine these one by one.

Reflexology is a novel form of acupressure (a cousin to acupuncture) employing foot or hand massage, which supposedly manipulates life energies by breaking up crystalline deposits that obstruct the pranic energy flow. As the flow is restored, health is to be restored in all bodily organs and systems. Am I saying there is a problem with foot and hand massage? No, not generally, but if the technique employed is designed to restore the pranic energy flow, and the massage is given with that intent, it could result in energy channeling, a very dangerous door to the occult, and medically, it is considered to be useless.

Iridology is the study of the iris of the human eye to allegedly diagnose any current and a future illness or disease. The eye is said to mirror the health condition of the body as the nervous system sends detailed information from the rest of the body to the iris. Each iris is supposed to reveal what is happening on ITS OWN SIDE of the body, but this would be inconceivable because incoming nerve impulses from one side of the body almost always cross to the opposite side on their way to the brain! Not only can this process delay treatment for serious illness due to misdiagnosis, but spiritual problems from occultic influences can occur.

Homeopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment based on the theory that the same substance that caused symptoms in a healthy person will cure those symptoms in a sick person. It is  supposed to correct imbalances or problems in the body's "vital force" or life energy that is currently (or will later be) manifested as disease. By an almost ritual process of diluting and shaking, homeopathic substances supposedly become powerful energy medicines which correct the imbalance or cure the illness. Thousands of plant, mineral, and animal homeopathic substances are being widely tested, marketed, and consumed; (everything from deadly nightshade, snake venom, arsenic, gunpowder, sand, lobster, and cockroach). Some homeopathic treatments may include psychic diagnosis and healing, spiritism, astrology, and other occult philosophies as well as the use of pendulums or other occult devices.

Polarity therapy is the practice of channeling energy from the healer into the client to allegedly restore or balance the body's supply of mystical energy which is believed to flow between positive and negative poles in the body. By channeling psychic energy through the therapist's hands or the use of magnets, the flow of energy is restored to corresponding body organs. Magnetism is very dangerous, however, as it seems to create a door to the spirit world which greatly increase the receptivity to deceptive ideology. Prior to speaking engagements, some New Agers even magnetize the sources of water for the surrounding area to improve the reception of the crowd. The use of magnets in conjunction with the human body can magnetize the blood (which is primarily water), and achieve the same result. Most people have wrongly concluded that this is not an occultic method because of its innocent appearance. Yet polarity therapy is a form of psychic healing involving energy channeling and potentially spiritism.

As previously mentioned acupuncture is a cousin to acupressure as used in reflexology. This procedure is based on the occultic religion of Taoism, and is supposed to stimulate the flow of cosmic life energy through invisible channels or meridians in the body, thus restoring health. In addition to it Taoism ties, other psychic healing techniques may be used without the knowledge of the patient. Complication from infection, nerve damage, punctured lungs, and convulsion have been reported as well as obvious spiritual repercussions.

Herbal medicine is sometimes appropriate and healthy. Separating the wheat from the chaff is Tricky, however. Some herbal medicine may incorporate practices such as developing altered states of consciousness and spirit contact through use of hallucinogenic plants (as in many forms of shamanism) or practicing psychic healing through regulating a supposed occult power that is latent within plants and herbs. Some supposed remedies contain carcinogenics, while others are mislabeled or contaminated with insect parts. Caution is needed before choosing any herbal medication! As a Christian, I am very very cautions regarding the use of herbs at all today.

Crystalogy is extremely popular in our age. Crystals supposedly contain the ability to focus and direct psychic energies for healing and other occult pursuits. Crystalogy is a form of animism in which inanimate objects are held to possess spiritual powers that may be contacted, utilized, or directed. But in animism any supernatural power contacted originates from the spirit world. Thus, crystals "per se" have no magical powers and only become an implement behind which spirits may work. When pressed, most crystal healers concede that the power behind crystals is spiritistic. John Ankerberg John Weldon's The Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs states: "Ulma Silbey's The Complete Crystal Guidebook reveals that through crystal work, "You can meet (spirit) guides and beings from different dimensions and uncover ESP abilities. ... A curious thing starts to happen as you work with crystals. You start becoming aware of an energy or force or a 'potential' higher than yourself. You start becoming aware of and can begin to interact with something very powerful and wonderful. She observes that those who work with crystals become 'channels' for this energy, and she specifically links this with the dangerous occult kundalini energy whose manifestations usually signify spiritistic influence or possession. Ulma Silbey's The Complete Crystal Guidebook reveals that through crystal work, 'You can meet (spirit) guides and beings from different dimensions and uncover ESP abilities. ... A curious thing starts to happen as you work with crystals. You start becoming aware of an energy or force or a 'potential' higher than yourself. You start becoming aware of and can begin to interact with something very powerful and wonderful. She observes that those who work with crystals become 'channels' for this energy, and she specifically links this with the dangerous occult kundalini energy whose manifestations usually signify spiritistic influence or possession.'"

This valuable source also intimates that one must be in a total state of surrender to become a channel through which the creative force or spirit can work, and that by doing so you may experience astral separation of physical and psychic selves (astral travel), clairvoyance (seeing via the third eye into the past or future), or claraudience (hearing spiritual sounds and/or voices). They also indicated that those who open doors to the occult through the use of crystals usually find that they soon no longer need them in order to produce the same results and experiences.

Biofeedback is the use of special electronic equipment and mental exercises to influence physiological responses. The goal is to gain some degree of control over particular physical functions that people do not normally, consciously regulate, such as skin temperature, muscle tension, brain waves, pulse rate, etc., which can in turn control tension headaches, high blood pressure, etc. This type of mental control is sometimes associated with yoga, and CAN be dangerous.

John Ankerberg and John Weldon write a series of small, easy to read booklets that deal with a variety of subjects. It is called the Facts On series. One of the series is on Holistic Health, and is a very valuable resource. The series in its entirety is a very worthwhile investment, and highly commended.

When pursuing any "NATURAL healthcare treatment or remedy, the key word is CAUTION. Danger lurks throughout this field of medical practice!!!

Yoga, (thus Hinduism with all of its energy fields, etc.) is the real basis of most of the areas of Holistic Health that we have covered. Remember that these various Holistic Health techniques are supposedly "scientific:, but such procedures can (and often do) affect the mind of the patient, steering that person toward increased involvement in the New Age movement.

In Meditation: Pathway to Deception a video in the Pagan Invasion series, Dave Hunt speaks of yoga. He suggests that if hard drugs is kindergarten, then yoga is graduate school.

A guru by the name of Bog Wan Shree Rajneesh says: "I can help you only if I destroy you. If I destroy your past, your knowledge, your ideas, your conditioning, your personality .... Only by destroying you can give you new birth."

Again, Satan has taken a Christian concept (that of the Christian's rebirth), and has twisted it, evolving it into a perverted pathway of deception. Rajneesh has no concept whatsoever of the CHRISTIAN rebirth. His ADMITTED goal is to "create a new man one who is happily mindless". A look at another video in the Pagan Invasion series called Secrets of Mind Control shows an example of the happily mindless product he wishes to achieve. His "disciples" are described as existing "in a state of euphoria a mental land of OZ, presided over by a beneficent wizard". (These two videos are extremely helpful to the understanding of the result of dabbling in Hinduism and Eastern Mysticism. The entire series is excellent and highly recommended.)

We are cautioned in God's word to let the mind be in us that is in Yeshua. Oh that those who have laid their beings at the altar of Rajneesh could only have TRULY known Christ. Once Rajneesh has laid hold of their mind, they are almost beyond reach. They have subjected themselves to the ultimate deception, and their minds have been "trashed" (so to speak). Would it surprise you to know that an enormous amount of these and other cult followers have backgrounds in Evangelical churches? That is why I said if they could have "TRULY known Christ". They knew OF him, but they could not have TRULY KNOWN Him, and have taken the route they chose. How does a "Christian" become susceptible to this profound delusion? Again we stress the delicately woven web of deception Satan uses with Christians.

In a progressive and most subtle penetration of society at large AND the church, the New Age FIRST presented the power of positive thinking, that is: "If you think you will get what you want, you'll get it! In order to persuade Christians that this pattern of thought was all right a few verses are quoted out of context, and the "church" is told that God has PROMISED to give us ANYTHING we want if we will just believe that we will get it. This concept was most craftily introduced to the church as an aspect of FAITH You see, the New Age "power of positive thinking" DOES INDEED involve faith, but the FAITH is focused upon the MIND of the INDIVIDUAL to alter reality, bringing about whatever is desired; whereas, the Christian's faith is SUPPOSED to be upon the divine power of GOD to give us what we request of Him, IF INDEED it even happens to be within HIS WILL for us to have it! Biblically, we ARE told in Philippians 4:8 to look upon the good things, things of high report, and dwell upon these things. Let's look at this verse now: "8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever this are just, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Some people would quote this verse as the authority for the power of positive thinking. Though we are encouraged toward "good thinking" here, we are NOT told that we will receive any little thing our heart desires if we just think positively! They would also say that we are told in James 1:5-6 not to doubt when we ask, but we should note what we are to be asking for here: "5) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and braideth not; and it shall be given him. 6) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

Here we see the specific thing he promises if we ask with steadfastness. It is wisdom. He is glad to grant it, and to do so liberally without upbraiding (i.e. reprimanding or scolding us) for (requesting it. He WANTS the Christian to desire it, to seek it with his whole heart, and to obtain it from Him! This verse again, however, does not promise any little whim we desire!

There are a number of other verses that seem to imply PROMISES of God for provision (even miracles upon occasion) in response to a prayer of faith; BUT we need to recall WHO He was talking to at these times. It was his DISCIPLES (those who were committed to serving Him, who would be asking with the proper motivation). He does not appear here to be speaking to the nominal Christian, saying that they can ask for anything for any reason and expect Him to perform for them. Many churches, however, (in their greed for prosperity) have eagerly embraced the concept that God is OBLIGATED to give us ANYTHING we ask for because of these supposedly unrestricted and unconditional PROMISES in His Word. Now we are told to practice "positive confession", or the act of stating our desires aloud (even publicly), and holding God ACCOUNTABLE to provide them. Again (in so doing) we are telling God what He HAS to do for us, because we demand it in the name of "faith". This has evolved in Christian circles into what has become known as the "name it and claim it" theology that is so prevalent in many churches today. Dave Hunt states it well when he says: "Even for many of us who call ourselves Christians a prayer is a religious technique to get our own way. We set our sites upon what we want, and we spend the sweet hour of prayer trying to talk God into working it out for us, and if somebody comes along who offers a technique in how to get God to do it to get what we want, that's rebellion. ... All religion (unless it is submission to Yeshua as Lord) is really rebellion against God. It's trying to find a god that I can mold into my image, and a god who will bless my plans, and a god who will do what I want him to do."

You see, for many "Christians", God has been conformed into little more than a genie at their beck and call. Doesn't this seem a little bit backwards? Shouldn't we be at the beck and call of the One we were created to serve? The "name it and claim it" theology is, however, chief among the New Age false teachings in our churches today. Again let's look at it from a Biblical perspective, considering Matthew 6:33 and James 4:3.

Matthew 6:33 states:

James 4:3 says:

When we consider the ENTIRETY of God's Word, we find that what appears to be promises in one area may not be as "unconditional" as we would want to believe. Here we see that we are to consider His Kingdom in our requests, and that our requests cannot be of a selfish nature. That kind of narrows it down a bit doesn't it? Our motivation must be righteous, and, we must be willing to bow before the CREATOR'S decision ahead of our own nearsighted interest, for HE knows what is best for us! We have a beautiful example set by Yeshua Himself, when He was in urgent prayer before the Father, saying in Matthew 26:39:

He had lived a perfect life, and knew it was about to end in a most excruciating manner. His righteousness gave Him the RIGHT to ask, and He certainly had the FAITH to receive a miracle, yet He ended by falling in submission to the Father's decision regarding His request. What an example of perfect prayer. One must wonder what the One who prayed it must think of our "name it and claim it" theology today!!!

Under this theology, when God does not answer a prayer with the expected response, the Believer is told his faith is just not strong enough. Thus, this false teaching has often destroyed a devout Believer's relationship with the God. The Believer is ultimately taught that it is the faith translated: the power of the mind) which achieves the result, thus if the result is not what was anticipated, the faith (mind power) was lacking. This in turn drives the Believer (now in a frenzied state of mind) to seek further enlightenment to developing the perfection of mind power or he totally gives up on his relationship with God, (sometimes rejecting God in the process) because he Can't "believe" any harder! Again, we caution that many a Christian has been devastated by this belief system. It is a very short step (which Satan wisely manipulates) from the belief that God MUST do as you tell Him to do, to the belief that BECAUSE you think it (or say it), it becomes so. If you control the very actions, choices, and power of God by your mind and voice, then what's the difference in saying that you CONTAIN the very essence and power of God within you? Thus New Agers would ultimately tell you, "You see, you HAVE the god force, it must just be developed. You CAN achieve Christ Consciousness!". New Age has become a Trojan Horse within our churches. Taking one subtle step after another, and the New Age belief system will be completed within the very "Church" we hold so dear in these end times. The "mind sciences" center around the belief that the mind of man is innately divine because man, in his true nature, is one essence with God. Those who become involved in the "mind sciences" are taught that the true mind of man is literally the mind of God expressed on an individual level, already divine and perfect. Further, since only divine perfection exists, and contrary perception (such as evil, suffering, war, crime, disease, etc.) must be the result of mental error, and must be corrected; that people must be taught to see and live the divine perfection that is their spiritual birthright! (We might want to pause here to be reminded of the Biblical teaching that Adam SOLD our spiritual birthright. Since that day, we now inherit a SIN NATURE, and only through acceptance of GOD'S TRUTH can that be changed!) By meditation, visualization, positive confession, etc., they believe one can regulate proper perception of creation. You see, New Agers believe man's true problem is MENTAL NOT MORAL!

This ministry is named Master Mind Ministries in order to attract the person who seeks the wrong type of spiritual encounter, and help that one to see that the only way to true spiritual contentment is through allowing Yeshua to transform the mind (Romans 12:2), bringing all thoughts into obedience to Him (II Corinthians 10:5), thus allowing him to BE the MASTER of the MIND, a far cry from the New Age concepts being presented to the "Church" of today.!

Religious Science, Christian Science, New Thought, Divine Science, Unity School of Christianity, Silva Mind Control, and the Erhard Seminars Training (EST) are all based upon this concept of the |power of the mind to bring about reality. EST is especially dangerous, as it is so slickly packaged. It is an extensive seminar designed to give people a positive self image, and many companies (especially large, prestigious companies) require that their employees attend this or a similar seminar in order to be better equipped to deal with the public or perform their jobs. These seminars can produce extremely powerful transformations by breaking down people psychologically and emotionally, and they are potentially destructive! Such seminars are said to be Non religious, but one of their purposes is to alter a person's belief system, and instill the pantheistic world view of impersonal divinity in it's place. I guess it all depends on your definition of "NON RELIGIOUS"!!!

Parapsychology includes a number of techniques by which an altered state of consciousness can be achieved (either upon oneself or upon a willing participant). An example would be hypnosis. It can be self-hypnosis, or hypnosis of a willing participant or group. In hypnosis, a particular stimulus (such as the tinkling of a bell) is supposed to prompt the subject into a deeper state of consciousness in which he will respond to a stated or PRESTATED command or goal. One use of hypnosis is supposed to be to help the subject find his inner self, improve his self-esteem, and is resolve problems that stem from past experiences or relationships. If during the process of taking the subject back into previous years of life, the hypnotist takes him back to birth, then prior to birth, one is said to have been regressed into a prior life. This is called regression therapy, and supposedly proves the theory of reincarnation. Transcendental meditation is similar to self-hypnoses, as the individual (through focused meditation) allows his mind to go blank, and transcend into a deeper state of consciousness. The first step in any of these practices is to become totally relaxed and oblivious to the world around you, putting yourself in a highly suggestible state of mind. From this point you can be hypnotized, participate in transcendental meditation, visualization, or guided imagery. Guided imagery is when an instructor suggests what you should visualize, helping you to find your spirit guide, etc. Visualization, is simply the same process, only self-induced. Participants in guided imagery (especially children in the school system) are taught that they can call up these same "guides" on their own at any time, and told how to do so through the techniques of visualization. Once a spirit guide has been contacted, the subject can then write down the thoughts that come to him (called "dictation"). When the state of consciousness is extremely deep, the spirit guide may write directly through the subject, rather than by transfer of thought. This is called "automatic writing".

Then we should look at some of the more active forms of the "mind sciences", being the supposed power of mind over matter. It is a form of parapsychology, which according to Josh McDowell and Don Stewart's Handbook of Today's Religions is: "a new branch of either the occult or psychology, depending on whom you consult. It is a discipline that has aimed to put many of the supernatural phenomena associated with the occult on sound scientific footing ...."

We have all heard of those who walk on hot coals, and/or perform tremendous feats of strength during martial arts displays, etc. The martial arts stress physical discipline through the control of the mind and body. Different forms of martial arts are to achieve different goals. The most common in our country is the goal of self-defense. The concept behind the training maneuvers however, is usually to regulate the flow of mystical prana energy throughout the body, and to enable one to attain a state of mind-body oneness, in progress to enlightenment. Most methods incorporate Eastern teachings and techniques, including meditation, chanting (often repeating the name of a god), and/or bowing in respect to this deity. The student is usually NOT informed that the meditational techniques pose a danger to him spiritually, or that the chanting and/or bowing is to another god. The instructor (often deceived himself) may steadfastly deny any spiritual interaction whatsoever, then proceed to teach the very thing he has denied he is teaching. Christians, be aware of the martial arts. There are some courses of it that claim to be Christian, but we have already discussed how the power of positive thinking is not considered acceptable to some well-meaning Christians too!

We might see this same type of mind body oneness in athletes who sometimes appear to be one with their equipment, or a musician who may seem to be one with his instrument. Mind science will indicate that this is not only mind body oneness, but that the mind can actually control inanimate objects as well. Robert Jahn, a professor at the Princeton University has been collecting data for the past 18 years. He explains this process as a "bonding of human consciousness with some physical system or process that brings out a transcendent result". The power of thought of the human mind (when properly focused) is said to be able to bend steel.

The Mind Sciences teach that this mind power is transferable in many ways. Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) is the ability to acquire knowledge outside of the normal limitations of sight, sound, and time. It encompasses both mental telepathy and, clairvoyance. Mental telepathy is the ability to say which card will appear next in a deck of playing cards for instance. Clairvoyance, on the other hand would be the ability to identify an image that is completely unknown to the subject (as in one drawn on a paper by a third party and hidden away). Mental telepathy not only intercepts the supposed "thought waves", however, it can transfer them to other people or objects at will "psychokinesis". This would include levitation (the lifting up into the air of self, another, or an object). Now if anyone remembers the movie Carrie, we can remember the revulsion and horror we felt in connection to the use of telekinetic power, but somehow it seems to be cute and innocent when it's used in a comedy and no one gets hurt! I must admit that that alarms me a bit. The media has learned that if they can present the occult in a harmless and cute manner, we will not reject it. Our children (who do not yet know it to be wrong) may interpret our acceptance of it to mean that it is OK for them to learn to obtain this power should the opportunity arise (and with the explosion of New Age in the schools, it just might!). We must remember that what we don't reject as Christians, we may appear to condone, and that we can easily send the wrong signals to the very ones we most want to protect from the occult! As Christians, aren't we called to a higher level of discernment regarding the signals we send to others and the witness we bear in their presence? We must be willing to sacrifice our indulgence of anything that might send the wrong signals, so we can be the role models God intends for us to be.

Finally, we have astral projection (the transference of the soul to another location while the body " supposedly remains behind). Astro travel is responsible for a majority of the near death experiences we hear about today. These souls may never really leave the bodies, but the demonic transference of imagery allows these people to see and hear from the perspective of the demons. Many times the people are not Christians, and/or are already heavily into the occult. As a result, these people are reassured that they are at peace with God (or in some cases the god force, etc.), and that they will go to this place of warmth and light when they die, which they perceive to be heaven or another astral plane during their experiences. Upon resuming their earthly existences, they are convinced that there is no need to fear the end of this life, and no unpleasant consequences for any of their actions. Now, this is not to say that a Christian COULD NOT be given the same sort of experience by angels to comfort them in the days ahead, or even a negative experience to warn him to get "right" with his Maker. Most of those who experience this phenomena, however are NOT Christians, and the experiences appear to be beautiful, and are apparently demonic, and for the purpose of the false reassurance to their near death victims that they don't need Christ.

We must realize that ALL of these aspects of parapsychology are accomplished by occult techniques! As the mind descends into altered states of consciousness where it is susceptible to demonic interaction (even during intense concentration for the purpose of achieving these acts), the subject may become aware of an extraordinary power, capable of accomplishing tremendous eats. This power is either forbidden latent soul power (as activated by demonic assistance), or can be the actual power of the interacting demon which comes to the assistance of the subject. Either of these options can be extremely perilous to us both physically and spiritually! Oh if mankind could be content to live in submission to God instead of feeling the need to gain power he is not intended to have! In his greed for power, he is breaking through the protective barriers God gave us to prevent demonic invasion. In our efforts to integrate society into a global community, however, many have encountered and embraced the teachings of other religions, and have fallen pray to Satan's lies and become prey to the demonic realms of the spirit world. Yes, we are …quickly being led into the "One World Religion" of the Anti Christ. Let us (as children of God) reach out to those who are seeking before they are caught in the grips of deception, and let us offer the hand of assistance to those who are already with it's grasp. Lord, keep our discernment "high, and our walk sure in these end days!