The New Age Movement (Hinduism for the West): An Overview by Scott Shiffer

Worldview: Polytheistic Monism

Practices:
 

  1. Astrology
  2. Magic
  3. Psychic Healing
  4. Meditation (Mystical Activity)
  5. Out of Body Experiences (Mystical Activity)
  6. Witchcraft
  7. Channeling
  8. UFO's

What are They Looking For:

  1. Global Peace
  2. Spiritual Enlightenment
  3. They Have interests in Ecology, Education, Politics, Business, and Health

Witnessing Tips:1

  1. Begin on common ground such as the care for our planet (ecology).
  2. Show weakness ion idea of relativism (they believe that anything can be true for an individual, but nothing can be true for everyone-there is fault in this way of thinking).
  3. Discuss the personal God of Christianity with the impersonal god of the New Age Movement.
  4. Talk with them about the Unique person of Jesus Christ (Most New Age proponents believe He was only a man).

Books for understanding:

  1. John Newport's: The New Age Movement and the Biblical Worldview
  2. Deepack Chopra (major proponent of the New Age Movement)

Conclusion:

Today many are saying that the New Age Movement is on the brink of destruction.  This is because the post-modern ideals and values taking over in our culture would rather appeal to individual taste than to any unanimous idea.  While this may be partially true, there have never been more practicing witches in the previous history of our country than there are now (around 40,000).  There are also more self-help books, astrology, tarot, and channeling books than there ever has been before.  We are living in dark times indeed, and if the Christians living here do not soon wake-up, we may find demonic activity, oppression, and possession among one of our greatest problems in the future.  This door was opened specifically and widely by the emergence of the New Age though in our culture.


1From Ron Rhodes, New Age Movement, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995).