In today’s episode, the guys talk about New Ageism. It is a deceiving name because there is, in fact, nothing new about the New Age movement. Satan’s lie, the first lie ever known to mankind, is the root of New Ageism. The movement was popularized in the 1970s and really took off in the 80’s. Many people tend to think of New Agers as hippies, but it is also popular among the social elite and affluent cultures. New Ageism is like a supermarket or smorgasbord where you walk in and take your pick of the products you want. The core pillars include separating oneself from western culture, emphasis on first nation beliefs, creation-centeredness and a focus on the person. At the heart of it is the belief that man can really become God.
There are only two world views: the view of the world and the view of God. Most Christians in the U.S. have, unbeknownst to them, adopted some form of New Ageism within their faith. Meditation, for example, has been robbed of its Christian roots and manipulated into the secular world. When we meditate as Christians, we fill our minds with the knowledge of what God has revealed to us through His word. People following New Age clearly have a deep desire to understand themselves spiritually, it is just that they are being led in the wrong direction. To these people, a Christian may find common ground by mentioning the ways Christianity has not always fallen in line with the western culture they denounce. The beauty of Jesus is that He is a pre-Western figure. Everywhere we go, there are false gospels, lies and temptations which may seem harmless but will pull us away from understanding who our Creator is. The best way to protect ourselves is to read God’s Word and get involved with a faithful, local church. In community, we are protected. The bottom line is, if you claim to be a Christian but are not prioritizing Christ before all else, you are entering that realm of idolatry. It is something we as Chrisitnas need to be very careful about.