Hidden Dangers of the New Age #52 REAIR

The New Age movement gained tremendous momentum around the world in the early 1980’s and it has grown in its scope and influence ever since.  The belief is that our world is about to enter a New Age that will be filled with peace, prosperity and unity.

New Age practices and beliefs combine eastern mysticism with psychology and physics.  It’s goal is for individuals to get in touch with their “higher self” and help to raise “world consciousness” to save the planet.  The ultimate goal of this movement is a one world currency, a one world government and a one world religion. 

The “higher self” concept teaches that we can all be our own god if we get the proper knowledge.  In other words, it is the same lie that satan used in the garden of Eden when he told Adam and Eve that surely would not die if they ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge.  For then they would be like God.

 Brian, Dan and Terry explore this dangerous movement in this week’s episode or Finish Strong.  They will help you stay alert as many are being deceived even inside the church. 

Transcript

Brian Roland: 0:01

Wow, it's kind of crazy in defense of Venus. I love that when Dan knows because this, this cute little girl comes running over she says hi. I said, Hi She goes, Don't you remember me? And I says no. And she goes from a past life and I go where what past like what booth you are in remember?

John Matarazzo: 0:21

Live your life with purpose, change someone's life for the better and leave a lasting impact on those around you. Welcome to finish strong the podcast designed to help you discover your unique purpose and develop a plan to leave a powerful legacy. Dan, Brian and Terry are ready. So let's get start.

Dan Wheeler: 0:39

Back around 1982, I began to notice a strange term. I first saw it in People Magazine. And then I saw it in other magazines and newspapers. And it was a reference to the new age. And I thought what is the new age I was so fascinated with it that in 1983, I produced a three hour documentary three one hour parts, called the New Age pathway to paradise. after it aired, I felt like I was really under attack under some spiritual attack. And I kind of put it on the back shelf and kind of walked away from it didn't think much about it. But lately, I see the new age is stronger than ever New Age philosophy. It's something that spread throughout the occult, the metaphysical communities that people want to usher in a new age of love and light. And you remember the song the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, there was all these references to astrology and Buddhism and Hinduism and all this stuff was coming in that we must transmit spiritual energy to the world. And it's stronger than ever, guys. I'm Dan Wheeler, your host of finish strong and my co hosts are Terry Steen and Bryan Rowland, guys, the New Age movement, a lot of what they're talking about peace and prosperity sounds good. But there are many hidden dangers that we're going to talk about in this episode of finish strong.

Terry Steen: 2:07

You know, I don't I gotta be honest, I don't know tons about New Age. Because I've always been happy with my age. I've never felt the need to go check

Dan Wheeler: 2:17

out. Every year, every birthday is a new age for you.

Terry Steen: 2:20

But now that I've hit retirement, guys, this is my first official week of retirement, I may need to check into this New Age stuff and see if I can back it down a little.

Dan Wheeler: 2:32

Well, you know, who helped me on that documentary was Mr. Brian Rowland, who happens to be part of our fearless faith team. Brian, that was a long time ago, you told me you recently watched that documentary again.

Brian Roland: 2:45

I did. It wasn't long time ago. And we both had hair. I mean,

Terry Steen: 2:50

it was a lot thinner to way back then

Brian Roland: 2:53

I didn't run my wife and say check this out. She goes is that Dan?

Dan Wheeler: 2:59

Full mustache and skinny.

Brian Roland: 3:02

It was It was eye opening to watch it again. Because I forgot a lot about it. And I started hearing the interviews that we were all part of and listening to him. And I thought, Man, this is real now more than ever, even then when you're talking about back then back then it seemed more like this is where we want to go. This is where we think it's going. This is where the spirits coming from and the power is coming from. But now it's that people accept this. They think it's here. And it's moving people in a direction away from God, who is actually the creator and the one that provides all the power.

Dan Wheeler: 3:36

Well, if you know very little or a lot about the new age, you're going to want to listen to this podcast because we're going to get into what it's based on where it comes from the basic tenets of the New Age. We're going to talk about things like tarot cards, astrology, transcendental meditation, aliens, crystals, and in the goals of the new age. But then we're going to talk to to you about how it's very different from biblical Christianity because Brian, one thing we noticed we were at this big festival in San Francisco in 1981, or 82. I think in it, it was called the Mind Body Spirit festival. And there was everything there everything even though you know, friends from Venus, but there was not biblical Christianity because they consider Christianity too narrow. We say Jesus is the only way and they're like, oh, no, there's 1000s of paths to God. Am I right?

Brian Roland: 4:32

Absolutely. I mean, there was people that were they had a pyramid setup, and there's, there's wires coming out of it. And people were still sitting around holding these wires, as if they're transferring energy from the universe to each one of them. And I'm saying oh my gosh, you're doing this. People were there was that one place? You went to a I forget what was where everybody was in a circle. They had him holding hands too because they were supposed to be sending the energy to everybody around there and and I talked about how little kids in school were starting By the day by what their heart and feeling that this is making it rolling into your hand as if this is love, and they're passing it out to other kids. And wow, it was kind of crazy. And the friends from Venus, I love that when Dan knows because this this cute little girl comes running over. She says hi. I said hi. She goes, Don't you remember me? And I says no. And she goes from a past life. And I go where? What past? Like what booth you had?

Terry Steen: 5:24

Oh, my goodness.

Brian Roland: 5:28

Oh, yeah. And I remember Sure.

Dan Wheeler: 5:30

Well, you know, it sounds funny, because, but they tried to be so intellectual. And yet they believe in these bizarre things. Right? It's like

Terry Steen: 5:40

their own religion. Yeah. What's that? It's like their own religion. Yes, it really created it. It

Dan Wheeler: 5:46

is. And that's my point. You know, it's based on mystical knowledge, like Gnosticism and Rosicrucian. ISM, these things were around in the 1817 1800s theosophy, I was listening to a lady the other day, who's way up in theosophy, and she has all kinds of degrees. And she's talking about the universal mind, and cosmic intelligence, and that we live in a benevolent universe. And the universe is wanting us now to evolve to a new level of consciousness. And, you know, it reminded me of Romans one where it said, you know, they worshipped and served the creation, more than the Creator, creator. And that's a lot of what is going on. They feel like Mother Earth is sacred. And they, they talk about the universe. And how many times have you seen it's really popular that people will go, Oh, Thank you universe, or the universe made that happen. They're calling the universe God.

Brian Roland: 6:46

Yeah. And that's the problem, right there is that they've created other guides, just like they did back in the old days when we're shipping bail in that. It's just, it's meant to be an idol that they can see that you can look at, but they're calling this energy. They're calling it the universe and saying that that is God, whereas the true energy comes from God Himself, got the father,

Terry Steen: 7:07

right. And my understanding is that they feel like there's inanimate objects that literally have spirits, trees have spirits, mountains have spirits, which of course, we know that's not true.

Dan Wheeler: 7:21

And that's some of the tenets of Hinduism. Right? That God is in everything he's in the cows, you know, you go to Indian cows are worshipped almost and walking around, taking over the place because they feel like they're divine. Again, and then it says that prefer in Romans one Professing themselves to be wise they become fools. And so the things that are in their into, you know, we're going to talk about the basic tenants of it. But I was listening to this lady who's a theosophist. And she was saying that she became aware of the worlds that exist between the physical and the spiritual world and their correlation at the age of four, when a light entered her bedroom, and there was a voice she heard and the voice had a name, she called it FOS T wo th, and how this has guided her. To me, that sounds like demons. What's the Theosophical is theosophy is part of a philosophy that New Age, movement is based on, it really kind of brings together a lot of religions. But it all talks about the the evolution of things, the evolution of the universe, and now they feel that we're at a place where evolution needs to be assisted, so that the human race can rise to the next level.

Brian Roland: 8:49

And that's what they're trying to do with us. They're trying to say that we are assisting this at this point, by helping the spirits, you know, get out and it's just, it's a, it's amazing, when I hear that they think we're going to transmit spiritual energy to the world, you know, that they feel that, that we can, we can do this and that we can energize the world and, and that we can do the Kumbaya, you know, we can create world peace. We can do all this so that when they look at it, it's the you know, there if I remember, then they say that there is a Messiah coming that they believe not the Messiah, but they say there's a Messiah coming. And even back then Some say he's coming other said, He's already here. We just don't know. We don't recognize him, but he's here or recognize it. But he's here. There was some that said that there's going to be a New World Order. It's all going to be of new age, but then would ask who's going to be in charge? Well, one guy says nobody. Nobody's going to be in charge. Everybody's going to everybody's going to know what's right, what's wrong, and they're just going to they're going to this could be built on love. And whereas was a Buckminster Fuller said, oh, yeah, there's going to be one he said, doesn't mean one, one personal run the whole world. And so

Dan Wheeler: 10:03

they sit at the computer, Buckminster Fuller, we had one of the last interviews with him. And he was the inventor of the geodesic dome. And he was one of these really brilliant guys and a futurist. And he said, that we all have an energy field. And that will can take worldwide vote. And you may feel like you believe one way but the computer won't be wrong, it will detect the way you really feel. And we'll have an instant democracy worldwide. I'm like, sounds like one world religion. So you know the basic tenets, Terry, you asked me about theosophy and I found in my notes that embraces Buddhism and Brahmanic notions such as reincarnation, which is, you know, from Hinduism, and that we need to assist the evolution of the human race to prepare, in cooperation with one of the Ascended Masters of the great brotherhood. This is this woman with all these degrees, who's supposedly very intelligent, she said, it's a new science of love. So the tenants are we need to assist the evolution, the human race, it's a combination of spirituality, astrology, and personal transformation, that we need to get in touch with our higher self. Now think about that. They feel like if you listen to your higher self, you kind of be being guided by God, but who are they calling God's self goes back to the original lie. st news in the Garden of Eden, you know, God knows you shall not surely die, you shall be as gods with a little g. And that's where the New Age is headed.

Brian Roland: 11:36

You know, then it's like they're hearing a voice, right? What voice are they're hearing? I mean, there's, there's Satan's going to talk to you just as much guy gonna talk to you, who you in tune to who you listening to? And who's guiding you? Yeah, you've got that's, that's where you have to have discernment. You have to know deception,

Terry Steen: 11:54

Dan, and you might have trouble with the higher self because at your height.

Dan Wheeler: 12:00

Okay, I'm listening. Is this an attempt at humor in the middle of this very serious discussion? I'm

Terry Steen: 12:06

so sorry. I didn't realize I didn't realize we were on air yet. If you're listening,

Dan Wheeler: 12:11

I'm a couple inches shorter than Terry. And he really rubs it in. And he grew out of college. You know, Brian, and I have both a BA 5758 Terry's this giant at six one he never lets me forget about. But

Brian Roland: 12:26

you can comb his hair, looking at our head comes down on the Hi.

Terry Steen: 12:30

Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.

Dan Wheeler: 12:32

Terry, since you know, you said that you didn't know a lot about new EDS. There's two major ideas that a new age is coming with heightened spiritual consciousness and an international peace. Now remember, our last podcast, we talked about the World Economic Forum, and some of the goals the UN. So peace, prosperity, and that there will arrive an end to racism, poverty, sickness, hunger and war. Do you see how all of this has been set up? And the key is going to be the spiritual awakening of the general population and individuals will need to undergo spiritual transformation. What does that say to you? You wonder whose religion and who's going to transform us? Right? Right. Right. Right.

Brian Roland: 13:22

Like, like you said, before, we talked about before, even in the lat the last podcast about a great revival coming, as the Bible talks about, there will be a spiritual transformation. But it's not going to be in a way that they're talking about what the New Age Movement, right, that revival has to happen.

Dan Wheeler: 13:37

Well, I mentioned how the new age will encompass almost any religion, any philosophy, except true Biblical Christianity, because they feel it's too narrow. They believe and they preach that Jesus was a human who achieved enlightenment, and that we can all achieve enlightenment, then they don't admit the deity of Christ. So that's one key thing.

Terry Steen: 14:00

Yeah. So So what's that saying to me if what I'm hearing it right is that they're teaching us to rely on our self and not on God. And you bring that down to a current cultural level. And you You don't even have to listen to philosophers. You can listen to Oprah. Oprah's mantra is find your own spirit. Right? And, and the world's telling us find your inner strength, or you can do anything you put your mind to, which drives me crazy. And nowadays, they're saying, Hey, you can choose what sex you want. It's gotten to that point where you can decide anything you want, and it teaches us to rely on ourselves and not God. And so we all know that that can't happen.

Brian Roland: 14:50

Yeah, yeah. Here they call it a cosmic intelligence. And that's what they think they were supposed to be attaining to as a cosmic intelligence, which will give us a universe of me meaning and purpose. And it's just I won't say what I think it is, but I'm not gonna get into that. It's. I saw I saw it firsthand and and now I'm reliving it by watching it again. And it just baffles my mind.

Dan Wheeler: 15:13

Yeah. A lot of really intelligent people are getting sucked into this, you know, and involves religions, occult practices, personal transformation, all coming together. Tarot cards, knowing the future astrology, yoga, transcendental meditation, aliens, channeling crystal psychics, we saw it all. And it's all more popular than ever, and I just looked up and Deuteronomy B does some key there are Christians who go to psychics and they think it's okay. Ronna me 18 verse, verse 10, it says, Thou shall not be found among you, anyone that maketh a son or daughter to pass through the fire or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or consulter, with familiar spirits, or a wizard or a necromancer. For all the do these things are an abomination unto the Lord, because of these abominations, the Lord thy God doth drag them out from the forum, the Bible says, Stay away from this stuff. It's not of God.

Terry Steen: 16:16

Right, which means it was happening way back then or he wouldn't have addressed it back in the Old Testament times. The New Age is

Dan Wheeler: 16:23

an old lie. Right, Brian?

Brian Roland: 16:25

That's exactly right. I was working in Turkey back in the 90s. And a girl there with goes get her her cards, read her tarot cards and have her ever future told. And one of the girls that was visiting that was from the company was what they were, she was having some problems. And so she said, Well, let me go see my card reader. Let's go see her. And she could, she could tell you what the future is. And I looked at this. And I said, Yeah, let's go. I want I want to see it firsthand. And so she's doing this whole thing and tell him what's going on in this this whole future. And she was listening to what the one girl who goes or she was listening to what she said when she came in and reduce her to this other girl. And she was taking that and turning these cards, but she was telling her things. That yeah, this is going to happen. And that's going to happen. And and she's going Oh, good. She felt really good about this when she was getting ready to leave. When she finished. She looked at me and she goes, want me to read do your reading? And I says absolutely not. And she goes, why not? I said, Well, I don't believe in this. And she was What do you mean, you don't believe in it. So I'll tell you, anybody can tell you what just happened. I mean, Satan himself can say, up to this point, this is what happened. But he's not going to be able to tell me what's happening 10 minutes from now. So only God can do that. And you can't tell her that this is really going to happen tomorrow, the next day, because you don't know. And if you're hearing a voice, it's a lie. It's not the right voice. If you're hearing say, say it saying that I can tell this person, this is what's going on. And she just sat back and pause and she's in a hole, I do hear voice as well, you're not hearing the right voice. I can tell you right off the top. And if this happens that it comes through, it's a 5050 chance. And of course it didn't come through as it went down the line. But it just goes to show you though, that people are sucked in by this. They want to know what's going on in the future because they're afraid of what's going on today. Yeah, so they're looking for something where they can find peace where they can find some comfort where they can be relaxed, but don't have to stress out there and get rest again. And they're going to all the wrong ways of doing or putting crystals in their houses and, and wanting to see psychics and cards read and they're trying meditation, but they're not meditating on the Word. They're meditating on a word or a mantra or whatever, that they're not meditating on God. And it's throwing everything out of whack in their lives, because they're not receiving the good news that they should be receiving, and the corporate they should be receiving.

Dan Wheeler: 18:38

Yeah, Leviticus 26 says I will condemn people who turned to mediums and psychics and safes after them as though they were prostitutes. I will exclude them from the people. So stay away from psychics, Terry, did you have a thought on that?

Terry Steen: 18:52

No, I would just it was interesting the way that Brian responded and that made me think about how Christians should respond to this kind of thing. We have to know what we do believe. Right? You know, we have to understand our tenants have faith and be able to come back against that and then communicate those convictions just like you did. Brian, you just told her you did it in love, but you told her and the we have to practice living that we have to practice walking the walk talking the talk. And that's how we'll, you know, overcome that in our own personal lives.

Dan Wheeler: 19:29

Well, you know what's interesting, Brian, you remember I interviewed a man named Donald keys. Yes, when I've read about him now. He was a huge influencer of the United Nations. He was kind of quote unquote, their unofficial spiritual adviser. And he was, you know, teaching all these world leaders about the new age and the convergence of transpersonal psychology with Eastern mysticism and Western rationalization that we are the CO creators of The universe now we need to picture a world of unity, and a world of peace and of a one world government, the convergence of science and spirituality into one religion and guys, we know you know, Revelation 17 Actually revelation 1714 through 10. I was reading it this afternoon and it talks about kings, and the in times the king shall have one mind and shall give their power to the beast, who's the Antichrist? Wow. And you know, we know that God is a very personable God. It's not all this mysticism and someone named Thoth and light, Brian you know, there's so much focus on light and light energy is what you were talking about. Bob Galleon was talking about using and, and way back then with kindergarteners, the ball of light in the Bible says that the devil appears as an angel of light. So we, we have to be on the lookout of these things. I read a statistic, the other day that 20% of Western adults believe in astrology, that's the planets and that the lining of the planets tells us what to do in 20% Practice some form of meditation. Now, Brian, we interviewed people that were in the transcendental meditation and they were into it seriously so much. They said this Kundalini energy would hit their spine, and they'd be thrown against the wall. And that's when they realized there was a demonic power. You know, it makes me sad. And I remember Dave Hunt, saying, he was a Christian. And he was an expert in cults. And he said, you know, these people, I really love him. And Jesus loves them. So much so that John 316 says, For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever should not perish shall not whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. And maybe you're into some of this stuff. Maybe you've gotten into the occult, or witchcraft, or transcendental meditation or whatever, and you know, it's wrong, you know, that, it still leaves you empty because of it. It does promise all this peace and all this light. But the end of the road, so many people have come out of it said, I was empty. It left me with nothing. And Christ is everything. And he can become your everything. Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life No one comes to the Father except through me and John 14, six, and Terry, your wife, Karen, your lovely wife, who does such a great job on our Instagram posts. And by the way, if you go on our Instagram page, or fearless faith on Facebook, you'll see her work. She had a beautiful scene of the empty tomb, actually, Jesus walking out of the tomb from behind said, over forward, there are over 4200 religions in the world, but only one empty tomb, praise God.

Terry Steen: 23:00

I was just thinking about more scriptures that can inspire and encourage us as Christians in Philippians, it says I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. We're not having to search for it ourselves. We're not having to be our own anything, our strength, realizing God and he says in Isaiah, I'll strengthen you. In Second Corinthians, we find our power in weakness in our weakness, we rely on his strength and in Ephesians be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. That's where our power comes from. That's why we can live the life we live. And if someone is caught up in this trying to do it on their own in their own spirit. We just pray that they'll realize how weak that is.

Dan Wheeler: 23:49

Yeah, Brian, it's just a conglomeration of so many things. You see how desperate people are, to find meaning, to find purpose in their life. And they think they found it because there's a lot of like minded people, but when they talk about their higher self, it's so the opposite of what Jesus taught, and the world teaches, you know, it's all about yourself, and the people you hang out with and all the education better yourself. And Jesus says, in Luke 923, he said to them all, if any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me, Brian, we only find our joy and our peace, when we lose ourselves. And we say, Lord, I'm going to surrender to your will have your way because you created me, and you know, the best me and I want you to guide me and lead me so I can be the best Christian, the best person that you want me to be.

Brian Roland: 24:44

You set it all right there then that's the truth. Everybody, today I think is searching more than ever. There's so much that's happening so fast, so rapidly that's hitting us when one side or the other side, and they're searching for peace. They're searching for a light they're searching for For a way, and to know that Jesus is the only way, it's the one way, it's the only way. And once they decide to take that step, to have a relationship, a personal relationship, they find the peace and comfort of God of Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes over there.

Dan Wheeler: 25:17

And as Christians, we've been talking about the hidden dangers of the New Age movement, we need to know the truth. When you are grounded in the Word of God, you're not going to be fooled by all this channeling of spirits and psychic abilities and tarot cards and all that you're going to know. Right? What's true, and what's real. And a lot of Christians are getting influenced by this, my daughter has a friend who she went to school with, and she, she knows the way but she's getting into all of this stuff, you know, crystals and higher self and transforming yourself. So let's just close with a word of prayer. Brian, would you mind praying for everybody as we're at the end of our time here?

Brian Roland: 25:59

Sure. Heavenly Father, Lord, we just thank You that we've had this time together. We thank You, Lord, that people are searching, they're looking, they want to know they want knowledge, and then they want freedom in their lives. And Father, I pray right now that you would just meet them there. You're always there. You're right behind lofted his turn around, and you're standing right there you are with them. And I pray that anyone that's listening to this, that's trying to find the way that they will accept you that they will say, Jesus, show me the way, show me the way, and let me follow You. And Lord, I pray that you bring peace that each and every one that is looking for peace, but that they get the real divine peace of what you have to offer through your salvation to you dying on the cross for our sins. And you came here to the world, that to die for our for our sins, and you did that Lord, and we just need to accept that it's not narrow. It's not just the narrow thing that people must say this what Christianity is, it is wider than universe because that is wider than the universe. It is all encompassing. And once they realize that, father, the piece just comes over the side, pray right now that you will just meet everyone that will ask for you into their lives that you would just accept them father, and that you would just take over and give them peace and comfort. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Dan Wheeler: 27:18

Remember, there is a new age coming, a new age of peace, and that's when Christ returns. And there's a new heaven and a new earth. And I'll close with Revelation 21 Four and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying. Neither shall there be any more pain. for the former things are passed away. Yes, God does make all things new. He can make you new today. accept Him into your heart and say, Lord, I'm sorry for my sins. Please forgive me. Well, that's been a very quick 2526 minutes, a lot to think about. Remember, stay in the Word. Stay close to the Lord. And for John Matarazzo. Our producer Brian Rowland and Terry Steen. I'm Dan Wheeler saying thank you so much for joining us for finish strong God bless.

John Matarazzo: 28:10

Thank you for listening to finish strong. For more information about finished strong and fearless faith. Check out their website F faith.org. Make sure that you rate and review this podcast to help more people accomplish their God given purpose so that together we can finish strong