The Age of Aquarius is supposed to be the dawning of the 'New Age'. We need to get away from the idea that the New Age is the hippies and flower people of the 70's and 80's. We do not find many T-shirts with the slogan "I'm a New Ager!" but we do have a belief system that many people in this world accept and run their lives by. We need to understand what the new age is so we can understand the people who hold this worldview.

Even if the term 'New Age' is not used so frequently today it still sums up what so many still believe. We use the term because it describes the practice of so many in 'spiritual' circles today. The 'New Age' is not new at all; its principles go back many years. However, there are reasons for giving it such a title. First, New Age astrologers believe we are in an approximate 26,000-year cycle and about every 2,000 years a new constellation comes into the ascendancy, which at present is the Age of Aquarius.

Naomi Bennett on her web site explains it like this
"This 25,920 cycle is the foundation for the Age of Pisces, which by modern measurement puts each age as 2,160 years long. The procession causes the fixed stars to rise and set against the earth's solar years so that at the first day of spring, which is the spring equinox, the constellation of Aries no longer rises but the constellation of Pisces does now."

Another appropriate reason for the name is shown by the hideous vase you received as a Christmas present, you did not like it and certainly would not put it on display. Next Christmas it will be passed on to someone else. The wrapping-paper however will be new and attractive but the contents will be old and unchanged. This is the New Age Movement.
Satan's temptations in Genesis 3:1-6 show some foundational principles of the New Age movement. For instance moving away from the foundation of God's Word and becoming a god.

Beginning ?
There is some disagreement among New Agers about the start of this grand new age. All believe that it will come and some indeed feel that it has already begun. On 23 January 1997, CNN headlines announced, "Age of Aquarius dawns Thursday."

"An exceedingly rare planetary alignment will take place Thursday, astrologers say. For the first time since the Renaissance, the heavens will briefly line up in a perfect six-pointed star -- a galactic Star of David. While astronomers say the alignment is nothing out of the ordinary, astrologers hail the event as a symbolic representation of the long-heralded dawning of the Age of Aquarius. And across the world, events have been planned to usher in the new era…The new era is triggered by the alignment of a series of planets, which will center on the first degrees of Aquarius and be joined by the sun with the moon opposite them all."

For some however this was already 10 years too late. August 1987 was the date when New Agers were called to sacred sites all over the world. They were to gather from 4-24 August and especially from 1 - 2 p.m. BST on 17 August. The follow-ing week 18-24 August was described as the 'First week of New Millennia'.

There is difference not only in when it will start but also how it will start. Those who gather at Harmonic Con-vergence's are looking to bring in the New Age by 'attuning' to the same power and producing a shift in consciousness; thus revealing things as they really are and not the unreality of the present world. Others believe that there will be an actual 'Messiah' figure that will lead us into the New Age. Despite these differences, all agree that we are in a period of transition. Certain, however, is that the influence of the Age of Pisces is dying and the character-istics of the Age of Aquarius are taking over.

Diversity
The umbrella term, New Age,covers so many different aspects that it is not possible to say that everyone believes a particular doctrine. There are different tributaries and some will be affected by one stream and some another. It is therefore vital when talking to New Agers to ask them what they believe and not just accuse them of something that is not true.

Basic Philosophy
The spirituality of the new age is based on monism, that is the belief that all is one. Everything that exists is interrelated and comes from the same essence. All consists of this 'life-force'. This immediately strikes at the heart of the Christian belief because the Bible shows that there is a clear distinction between the Creator and His creation - all is not of the same essence.
From here, they take a step further into pantheism or panentheism, that is the belief that all is 'god,' or at least that 'god' is in everything. Everything is an expression of 'god', therefore we are all 'gods.' God is in us and therefore we have no need to invite him in. We may not always feel 'god' within but that is because of the unreal world we are living in. When I have my 'shift of consciousness' then I will see things as they are really.

Whichever variety is believed, the result is that 'god' as an impersonal energy force dwells in everything and there-fore there is no such thing as 'idol worship'. Sun, moon, earth or guru can be worshipped and accepted as 'god'. Long time New Age personality Benjamin Crème put an interesting slant on this belief when he said, "in a sense there is no such thing as God, God does not exist. And in another sense, there is nothing else but God - only God exists… All is God. And because all is God, there is no God."
The next basic belief we look at is Gnosticism, that is the belief in a special secret knowledge that you need if you want to find 'god'. The right ceremony or the right formula is vital and the particular group has the necessary knowledge. Today there are many books in New Age circles that are Gnostic. The most common is "The Gospel of Thomas," which is supposed to contain the secret sayings of Jesus.

Syncretism is the belief system that attempts to harmonise diverse and opposite beliefs and practices. Through this doctrine it is possible to claim that all religions and belief systems, even though teaching diametrically opposed views, lead eventually to the same 'god.'
One of the mainstays of New Age belief is relativism. This is not surprising because if you leave the true God out of the picture then you must leave absolute standards out too. Everything then becomes relative and everyone is allowed to do what is right in his or her own eyes. You can pursue your goals in anyway you want providing you do not affect the 'rights' of others. This of course can easily lead to a situation where I want what I want so much I forget to care about others.
This attitude leads to the statement that Shirley Maclaine makes in her book Dancing in the Light. "We are not under the law of God. We are as the law of God. We are God."
If enough individuals change and be for 'the good of the whole' then the planet will change - this is called transformation. Every New Ager is search-ing for the way, method, belief, etc., to change their life. A hopeless quest as so often they have put to one side the only One who can accomplish such a transformation.

In New Age belief Jesus becomes a historical person divorced from the Christ Principle within. This 'Christ Principle' dwelt equally in Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius and other religious leaders. Consequently, all roads lead to God. Some believe that it was this sort of belief in the 'Christ Principle' that John had to warn about in 1 John 2:18- 23.
Shirley Maclaine said of Jesus,

"Christ was the most advanced human ever to walk on this planet."

The yin yang symbol, which consists of a circle divided into two - one half is black with a white dot and the other half is white with a black dot - symbolises the 'force' that moves within people and around the planet. This reminds us of the need for balancing the two opposite forces so that everything can be in harmony.
Many in the New Age Movement practise the Tao belief that all matter contains yin and yang, [negative and positive]. For there to be order, yin and yang must be balanced.
The yin and yang are contained in the Ch'i (pronounced 'key'), the basic flow of energy that sustains all life. This force, popularised by Star Wars, is powerful but being a balance of light and darkness it cannot be God's Holy Spirit. It is the force or 'god' of this world. [See among other scriptures 1 John 1:5.]
Dealing with this balance, Shirley Maclaine says in her book Out on a limb, "Don't let your left brain know what your right brain is doing. As a matter of fact don't think."

The final belief that we will mention common to most New Agers is that the New Age is here or about to start, providing enough people play their part. 'I' must therefore be involved at whatever level is necessary. Depending on my view, I must either be 'attuning' in with others or seeking to make the place ready for the 'Messiah' to come. In the end, both will usher in the new world order where all will be made right by man's efforts.

The outcome of these beliefs
When we take these basic beliefs through to their logical conclusion, we find that the worldview of the New Ager is so different to that of the Christian. They would believe that,
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Jesus Christ is not unique.
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I do not need salvation in a God outside me because I am God or I contain God already.
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I need to release the 'god-force' within me.
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Whatever way seems good to me to achieve this I must follow. I must not criticise the path others take nor do I expect criticism about the way I go. Whatever seems good and expedient to me to reach my experi-ence of 'awareness' is permissible.

Needing spiritual answers New Agers look inside themselves. Many techniques, for example, Yoga and TM are de-signed to enable them to release the force within. New Agers can be the masters of their own destiny. Tragically, we find this teaching even within the church. Some say that you only have to speak out and it will happen. This is unscriptural [See Matthew 12:36 & Revelation 3:17] and is a subtlety of Satan to get us away from the Cross of Christ.

I must be the one to achieve my spirituality and therefore I become selfish in my outlook.

The New Age Movement and Christianity are poles apart. The New Age Movement says you can do it, think positively and you will get it. God says you can never do it by yourself, give up and let Me do it in you. Consider yourself dead and let Me live within you. [See Galatians 2:20].

More details on this issue and all other matters concerning cults, occult and new age spirituality are available at the Reachout Trust website http://www.reachoutturst.org