By Gary L. Clendenon, (c) 2024
“I am concerned that just as Eve was deceived by the lies of Satan, so your minds may be tricked into turning away from the pure love and devotion to Christ.”
~ The Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 11:3 (1)
I recently finished a powerful book written on the topic of the “New Age Movement”. (2) This best-selling book by Constance Cumby was extremely well-researched and detailed, and frankly, it was, and is, easy to get lost in all those details. So I have decided to try and present a somewhat simplified understanding of this movement. Here is my best effort towards that goal!
For those of you who like me to get to the point, I’m going to do that, then explain more of the details of how I came to this understanding, and what it means to our current lives. I found an excellent summary of what I will be attempting to say in the words of an Amazon reviewer of the above-mentioned book who identifies as “a former devotee of the New Age”. They said: “This book is a good expose of the heart of the New Age movement which is indeed Satanic, and the goals that it has in store for humanity which is enslavement through a one world government and a heretical, Satanic one world religion.” (3, emphasis mine)
So, there you have it. My premise is that the heart of the New Age movement is rooted in the workings and plannings of Satan. If that troubles you, I hope you’ll keep reading as I attempt to shed light on this idea. If you don’t believe in the Devil, then this whole essay will likely be a big stretch for you, but I hope you will be willing to hear me out.
First, let’s review the background of Satan’s story:
1. Satan—an angel in Heaven originally known as “Lucifer”, which in Hebrew means “shining one” or “light-bearer” and in the Greek “morning star”—was a very high-ranking member of GOD’s Kingdom in Heaven. (4)
2. Due to Lucifer’s pride, he slowly came to rebel against GOD and GOD’s Kingdom, and through subtle accusations against GOD, convinced many other angels to join him. And then, after a lengthy struggle, he and his followers—one-third of all the angels in Heaven, were removed from Heaven and came to Earth. (4)
The fact that Lucifer was able to convince other angels to join his rebellion against the Kingdom of GOD shows how powerful, shrewd, cunning, and intelligent he was—and to this day, still is! Jesus the Messiah, speaking to his most vocal opponents, described Lucifer’s primary tactic in this way: “You belong to your father, Satan, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. From the start he was a murderer, and he has never stood by the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is speaking in character; because he is a liar — indeed, the inventor of the lie!” (5)
Lies, doubts, deceptions, confusion, half-truths, and manipulation of facts were the tactics that Lucifer used to convince one-third of the angels that GOD could not be trusted and that he, Lucifer, had a new, better plan than GOD. As advertisers have since learned, slapping the word “New” on anything greatly increases the chances that it will be bought. The allure for something “New”, “Improved”, or “Better” runs very deep in humans. Turns out the old expression “Out with the old, in with the new” in principle, goes all the way back to Lucifer. This was his first lie. Given that, we undoubtedly ought to be very suspicious of a belief system called “The ‘New’ Age”. As Ecclesiastes 1:9 wisely warns us, “Everything that happens has happened before; nothing is new, nothing under the sun.” (CEV, emphasis mine)
After Lucifer was escorted out of Heaven, he and his angels came to the Earth—intent on spreading their rebellion against GOD to our newly created world. (6) We next see Lucifer—now named Satan (in Hebrew “the accuser” or “adversary”)—appearing to Eve in the Garden of Eden disguised as a serpent. An extra-biblical writer describes this in a fascinating way: “Satan assumes the form of a serpent, and enters Eden. The serpent was a beautiful creature (one of the most beautiful on the earth) (7), with wings; and while flying through the air, his appearance was bright, resembling burnished gold. He did not go upon the ground, but went from place to place through the air, and ate fruit like a man.” (8)
As we know from the story of humanity’s downfall in Genesis 3:1-7, the dazzlingly-beautiful serpent deceives Eve with several lies and she takes the fruit from the serpent—Eve deceived, yet, in truth, joining Satan’s rebellion against GOD. Unfortunately, Eve acted on Satan’s deceptions without first fact-checking these “new” ideas. What is really important for us in this story is that we can study the deceptions Satan used and learn his primary lies. Because there is “nothing new under the sun”, Satan is still using these same lies against us humans to this day! And, note this very important connection: These very old lies form the foundational teachings of the New Age Movement today!
In short, as found in the story from Genesis 3:1-7, the 3 main lies I see being told to Eve were:
Lie #1: There was something better that GOD was holding out from Adam and Eve. Eating the fruit would get them that “something better” that GOD was keeping from them.
Lie #2: “You will not die.” GOD had told Adam and Eve the consequence of the free-will choice to eat the fruit would be death. Satan, speaking through the serpent, said this was not true!
Lie #3: “You will be like GOD.” This goes back to Lie #1. This is what GOD was supposedly holding back from Adam and Eve—“being like GOD”.
As I stated, the subtle first lie of the Devil was that he had a new, better plan than GOD—that GOD’s ways could be improved upon. This lie he used on the Angels of Heaven, Satan now used on Eve, casting doubt on the perfection of what GOD had created by suggesting that GOD was holding back something from Adam and Eve—something that would make their lives even “better”.
Satan’s first step in temptation was then—and is still today—to plant seeds of doubt into the minds of GOD’s creatures regarding GOD and GOD’s ways. (9) Doubt itself may not be a sin, but it is a seed, which when watered enough, can lead to discontent, then to fix that discontent, eventual sin. If something “new” is offered, then that new thing naturally, even though subtly, makes something else “old” and “replaceable”. Thus, to move towards something “new” is necessarily a movement away from something which now becomes “old” or “outdated” or no longer relevant or useful.
All of these ideas I am stating were not spoken specifically by Satan-in-the-serpent to Eve, but they were subtly implied. This is what is meant by what we are told in Genesis 3:1 that “the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field…” Other translations use the words “crafty”, “cunning”, “sneaky”, “clever”, or “shrewd”. Presented to Eve, the absolute worst-possible-outcome in the whole world—a literal “life and death” situation—was all nicely-wrapped in shiny, new, exciting, seemingly-intelligent thoughts, logic, and conversation!
Over the thousands of years of humanity, nothing has changed. This same tactic is constantly used by our enemy to keep us humans on Team Satan. Thus, with this knowledge, we can understand that the name “New Age Movement” is the first clue and evidence that it is indeed a Satanic movement.
With the same subtle arguments that Satan used, in essence, the New Age Movement teaches that it is a newer, more-enlightened evolution of older monotheistic (“One GOD”) movements like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The New Age argues that humanity has evolved spiritually beyond these three old, outdated, simplistic, and restrictive systems. Here is a quotation from a New Ager cleverly hinting at these ideas. Notice the extreme subtly of these words and their disdain for the old ways, as he speaks with a forked tongue:
“...there is an evolutionary advance taking place in the world today as a new and higher form of humanity takes control of the planet...therefore surviving while the older species dies out from a massive dose of irrationalism. Outwardly, these mutant humans resemble the earlier forms. The difference is inward, in their changed mentality, in their consciousness….” (10)
It is the practice of those involved in the New Age Movement to often cloak their words and ideas in fresh, seemingly-acceptable language—hiding their real and evil meanings. Cumby devotes a whole chapter in her book to pointing out an, at first, surprising connection between this movement and Adolph Hitler’s Nazism! She quotes the following from Hitler’s own words:
“Creation is not yet completed. Man must pass through many further stages of metamorphosis. … All creative forces will be focused in a new species. The two types of man, the old and the new, will evolve rapidly in different directions. One will disappear from the face of the earth, the other will flourish. … This is the real motive behind the National Socialist Movement!” (11)
The phrases “older species dies out” and “will disappear from the face of the earth” are code in the same way that the murder of the Jews in Nazism were called “resettlements” and a “cleansing action”. (12) Because of the “stubbornness” of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam to cling to their outdated beliefs, these religions are, in truth, viewed as mortal enemies of the New Age Movement. “Hitler said in “Mein Kampf” that the problem with Christianity lies with its Jewish antecedents. New Age writers say the problem with Christianity is that it presented a teaching of Christ ‘straight out of the old and outworn Jewish Dispensation’.” (13) Spoiler Alert: No worries. The New Age also has a “New, improved Christ”! (Note: "Christ" is Greek for "Anointed" or "Chosen" One.)
The New Age Movement has a big plan. It’s actually even called “The Plan”. (14) And, in their plan, because of this “mortal enemy” problem, is included a solution. This part of their “Plan”, not surprisingly, is very much like Hitler’s “Final Solution”. (15) The New Age Movement's big “Plan” in short is this: With the appearance of the New Age Christ—who is definitely NOT the old, outdated Jesus of Nazareth—they will take over the world and install a New World Order (I’m sure you’ve heard that term bandied about over the years. I’m looking at you, George Bush, Senior).
With this New Order, comes also a New World Religion headed by this New Age “Christ”. In fact, according to Alice Bailey, another major New Age writer, “the sole purpose of establishing the New World Order is to serve as the political structure for the New Age ‘Christ’.” (16) All who do not openly accept this New World Order and Religion will be, like the Jews of Hitler, eliminated for their rejection of the “New”, “Improved”, Order and it’s “Christ”.
Now, if you have any Bible knowledge at all, I’m sure there are sirens going off in your head about this “New” Christ. And, of course, you are right. The Bible strongly warns about this very thing! Starting with Jesus Himself, saying in Matthew 24:
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “...what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. (vs 4-5)
23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time. (vs 23-25)
26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. (vs 26-27)
30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will...see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (vs 30-31) NIV
The Apostle Paul, confirming how Satan operates in disguise, says this: “Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14, NKJV) (17)
So, the New Age Movement’s “Plan” is to fake the second coming of Christ and get everyone to believe in their new, superior “Christ”. This Christ, whose actual name is “Maitreya”, had a spokesperson named Benjamin Creme, who stated that out of all the different “Masters”, “Jesus was only a fourth level initiate, whereas...Buddha was a sixth level initiate. However, Lord Maitreya himself was a seventh level initiate and the only one eligible for such a high level of initiation.” (18)
Cumby reveals the following ideas gleaned from prominent New Age writer Alice Bailey’s writings that will help people transition to accepting this “New Age Christ”:
...other “masters” posing as religious “messiahs” will appear to adherents of all the major world religions to persuade them of the “truths” of the New World Religion and its “new revelations.”
It is claimed that the “Imam Mahdi” will appear to the Moslems to inform them that they are to accept “Maitreya the Christ.” (19)
It is further claimed that the “Buddha” will appear to world Buddhists to convince them their better fate lies with “Maitreya the Christ.” (20)
It is further claimed that “angels” (demons) will appear with this so-called “Christ” to convince people that he should be followed by all….
It is even claimed that the “Master Jesus” will appear to Christians so as to settle the controversy as to whether Jesus and the Christ are one and the same and to attempt to convince Christians that they are not. (Note 1 John 2:22. This is a distinct test of antichrist!) (21)
If you know anything about Revelation 13, you will not be surprised by the following:
The New Age Movement’s leadership is proposing to implement all the systems set forth in Revelation, chapter 13:
1[&2] They have called for the abolishment of a cash monetary system [to be replaced by a computer monetary system].
3. They openly propose to give every world resident a number and require the use of this number in all financial transactions of any sort. (22)
So, that’s their “Plan”, as briefly as I could state it.
FOOTNOTES:
1. The Remedy, New Testament Paraphrase, by Timothy R. Jennings, M.D.
2. The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow: The New Age Movement and Our Coming Age of Barbarism by Constance Cumby, (c) 1983.
3. Amazon Review: “This review is primarily directed at the detractors from this author and this book. I am a former devotee of the New Age. In fact, for almost 10 years I was an 'initiate' of a mystical order which was the very epitome of the New Age. However, I became disillusioned with the New Age, came to realize it's heresy, and subsequently became a Christian. Here is the problem in a nutshell: spiritual things can only be spiritually discerned. That is, it requires an unction from the Holy Spirit before you can discern spiritual truth from error. ... I was once as you are. I felt that fundamental Christianity was narrow, bigoted, and wrong, and that New Age teachings contained the deep truths underlying Christianity and all other religions. This book is a good expose of the heart of the New Age movement which is indeed Satanic, and the goals that it has in store for humanity which is enslavement through a one world government and a heretical, Satanic one world religion.”
4. Isaiah 14:12-14, Luke 10:18, Revelation 12:7-9. For an in-depth reading, see also, Ellen G. White, “Why Was Suffering Permitted”, Chapter 1 in The Great Controversy.
5. John 8:44, Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
6. Revelation 12:9, 12.
7. Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 53.
8. Ellen G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 1, p. 35.
9. For more on this, read Patriarchs and Prophets by Ellen G. White, p. 37b.
10. John White, as quoted by Constance Cumby in The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow: The New Age Movement and Our Coming Age of Barbarism, p. 112, emphasis mine.
11. Cumby, p. 112, quoting The Spear of Destiny by Trevor Ravenscroft, p. 250, emphasis mine.
12. ibid., p. 113.
13. ibid., p. 118.
14. ibid.
15. If you’re unaware, the “Final Solution” was the name of Hitler’s plan to exterminate all the Jews by killing them in death camps.
16. Cumby, paraphrasing Bailey, p. 157.
17. Note that this text is from the same chapter that I used for my head quote at the top of this essay.
18. Cumby, p. 96-97, emphasis mine.
19. According to Google, “In Islamic eschatology, the Imam Mahdi is a messianic figure who is believed to appear at the end of the world to bring about a golden age of justice and peace.”
20. This will be easier for the Buddhists as “Maitreya is supposed to be the fifth reincarnation of Buddha. The world’s Buddhists are already expecting ‘Lord Maitreya’ to return to earth.” Cumby, p. 19
21. Cumby, p. 255. Seventh-day Adventists might also note that Ellen G. White states that in the last days, “The apostles” will be impersonated by demons who “contradict what they wrote”, causing Christians to lose faith in the words written in the Holy Bible, so it is highly plausible that these faked apostles of Jesus may also show up endorsing this “New Age” Christ! (The Great Controversy, p. 557.)
22. Ibid., p. 256.
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