New Age thoughts

I’ve spent a great deal of time lately researching “New Age” thoughts and beliefs. Six months ago, I had never even heard of New Age anything. Last night I defended my faith in Jesus and the Bible for over an hour to my brother, standing up against strong “recruitment” into these beliefs.

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Often these beliefs are packaged as promises to develop more effective thought processes, build better relationships, create balance, increase financial success, or tap into your unlimited potential. You can be in charge of your life–your thoughts create your life experiences. Sounds pretty harmless…

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I received a Christmas gift–a small plaque which said “the best way to predict your future is to create it”. It sounds harmless–positive thinking is important. However, there is so much more behind this, as I found out. I was told to check out www.psiseminars.com –that I should attend, that it would change my life. Between what I researched and our conversation, here’s what I learned about all of this:

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-there is a Piece of Mind Square–includes emotional, physical, mental/wealth, and spiritual points–the fourfold nature of mankind

-you create your own life–and are accountable for all results–good and bad

-prayer is just meditating and visualizing whatever you want to happen

-when you die, your soul goes to some infinite place where it wanders and then changes, readying for “return”

-we are “one energy, interconnected by light”

-as energy enters our body, our negative thoughts from our past alter it and it must then be purified so we can then bring positive consequences into our lives

-all gods are the same, they are whatever you want to call them, and god is in everything

-all wisdom is already within us, we need to discover it

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I was told over and over that I should sign up for the Basic course as soon as possible. My brother, his wife, and their teenage sons have all taken courses and are heavily involved in this. When I say I was “recruited”, it’s the only way to describe the high pressure techniques that my brother used. When I checked out the website, though, it only reinforced everything else I had researched and all that he had been saying. Many of the speakers listed have websites with topics such as: creative visualization, karma, telepathic communication, yoga, Buddhism, meditation, crystals, and so much more. My brother talked about walking a labyrinth ( www.evehogan.com) and how it helped him to “center himself”.  In much of my research, groups such as these are listed as cults, using mind control and secrecy, with a heavy empasis on recruiting–it was exactly what I was experiencing.

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So why is all this important? This is my brother–typical all-American kind of guy, owns a successful business, father of two incredible teens, happily married, the kind of guy that has everything work out perfectly, the type of son that every parent wants and every kid wants as a parent. He has told me that Jesus was just a guy, the Bible is too complicated and not relevant anyway, and that he is in control of his life and doesn’t need any religion or anything at all. We grew up in the same household,  lived in a small rural town, rode bikes in the neighborhood, went to church on holidays and some weekends, and then went off to college. He has always “had it all”. I am the one who was never part of the family, that went through a lot of abuse, that is now a single mom….yet, I am the one who knows Jesus. I don’t get it…..

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