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Pagan Influence on Christianity
M. F. Blume
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Oneness of God
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NEW AGE
OLD LIE--NEW NAME There is a Biblical doctrine which seems to have been lost in this day and
age. Okay, there are many which have been lost, but one above all others. Which
doctrine is that? The doctrine of Truth. As previously noted in my web page,
there is a lack of truth in many churches today, but notwithstanding that–
completely disregarding my assertions about salvation– let us turn our eyes to
something more pertinent to everyone who claims to be a Christian. Whether you
are Baptist, Methodist, or Hoozhy-boo (in other words, regardless of what faith
you claim to uphold), it is important to realize that Satan, that foul serpent,
has gained a foothold in many churches and in the hearts of men who claim to
love God. How has this happened? It wasn't the most simple of devilish tasks, that's
for certain. But my thoughts are it began a few days after Christ was
resurrected. As Christ ascended back to his throne of glory in heaven, Lucifer
was drawing up the blueprints in anticipation of the final conflict. We know from the Bible that Lucifer was once an angel, and that he was
banished from the presence of God because of a rebellion he headed. Trying to
overthrow the kingdom of God, he took with him a third of the angels. God
promised to have a final showdown with him at the end of time, but also gave him
time to roam the earth and work his will. None of this comes as news to anybody
who has read their Bible, or heard the stories told as fact or fiction. But it
is essential in understanding what is going on today. Lucifer– the Bearer of Light– was cast out of heaven. You can bet he wasn't
too pleased with it, so he vowed to take as many of God's beloved humans to hell
with him. Shortly after Christ ascended, Satan was planning how he could manage to
deceive as many people as possible while at the same time convincing them they
were heaven bound. For certain, nobody would willingly choose to go to hell if
they knew exactly what it was like, so his actions had to be subtle; refined to
absolute perfection. A couple of centuries later, he made his move. With the Catholic Church in place, Lucifer began growing weeds of paganism
within the garden of Christianity. In short, he allowed pagan practices to creep
into Catholicism .
He placed wicked men in power and allowed them– urged them– to commit atrocities
in the name of the LORD. Witch trials, the Crusades, etc. were all a part
of his master plan. Through the course of history, he would oppress, torment,
and kill men under the guise of Christianity. He would do this to set the stage
for his final emergence. We skip now to the recent past. The hippies and Communists of the Sixties
changed the face of God. Prior to this time, mankind believed in a God who was
not only loving, but also full of Justice. They believed in the God who
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness. But the children of the
Sixties rebuked that image of God. They hated the idea that there might be some
retribution for all of their actions, so they began teaching love, love, love;
and they left out the part of the Bible which said God often became angered with
his people, and humanity in general. Unfortunately, in the hopes of gaining
greater numbers in their churches, many pastors, priests, etc. began teaching
the same philosophies. They spoke the love of God 100% of the time and neglected
to mention the necessity of having "fear of the Lord." One minister said, "if we
tell people God gets angry and doesn't like what they are doing, they won't
listen. So we teach God's love and hope they'll get the rest later. After
they're in." The only problem with this ideology is the fact that once the
people are in, the pastors want to keep them in, so they neglect to
preach that a little sin can keep you out of heaven. But even this isn't the
point of this essay. Now to the present. With all the love and none of the fear of God going
around, people believe that God will forgive them, regardless what they do. Many
believe God is so loving that they don't even need to ask forgiveness, God will
automatically grant it to them. We have all heard the modern maxim "Live a good
life and you'll get in." But this is in stark contrast to what the Bible says on
the subject. As love abounds, many people make comments such as "it has been 2,000 years
since the Bible was written. Times have changed. God understands." And that is
where the problem lies. Suddenly, things such as pre-marital sex, lying to a
cop, and stealing to feed your family are no longer sins. They are regrettable,
but justifiable, facts of life. Enter Lucifer! The only sin a man can commit today is murder. Everything else, whether it is
fornication, drunkenness, or taking God's name in vain is acceptable. And if all
of these things are acceptable, and if science has proven evolution, then
we must be creatures with the capacity to attain a higher level than we
currently have. Does this argument sound at all familiar? "If you eat of the
tree, surely you will not die, but be like a god with the knowledge of good and
evil." With the likeness of an angel of light, Satan has blinded the spiritual eyes
of millions and millions of Americans. He has taken away the truths of the Bible
and replaced them with powerful lies. Lies which are capable of guaranteeing the
damnation of a soul. And he has done it while wearing sheep's clothing. He has
donned the gown of Christianity while at the same time spreading the word of
death in the precepts of the New Age movement. What are some of these precepts? And how do they relate to anything I have
said? To answer the latter question, I need only say "think of all you have read
so far." Lucifer laid the groundwork by filling humanity with contempt for
Christianity based upon the actions of a few in history. How many people do you
know who say " I don't like organized religion?" Just what do you think
they are talking about? Christianity! These same people who don't like organized
religion like the ideas of Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc., but they don't like
the religion which says there is a hell to pay for sinning. And that is how the
history aspect ties in with the remainder of this page. Now, as to some beliefs of the New Age movement. Although the leaders claim they are not a religion, and they shy away from the term "religious," they believe that they are "spiritual" people, filled with the Spirit of God. They believe they have been enlightened or are on a path to enlightenment which will make them more like God. New Agers:
These are just a few common threads which run rampant in most New Age belief
systems. Although the leaders claim they are not a religion, this has all the
earmarkings of a bona fide religious system.
Merriam Webster Dictionary defines religion as:
1. The service and worship of God or the supernatural; 2. Devotion to a religious faith; 3. An organized system of faith and worship; 4. A cause, principle, or belief held to with faith or ardor. Let's see...New Agers worship a god (name varies based upon person). They
have an organized system of faith, even if they don't go to church, synagogue,
or mosque. And number 4 sums it up– they have a definite cause; a series of
principles, and beliefs which they cling to. So, don't be mislead, New Age
One of the largest problems with the New Age movement facing humanity today
is its pervasiveness. A person cannot open a book, listen to a radio station, or
turn on the television without being confronted with some form of New Age
propaganda. One New Age writer boasted that millions watch the Queen of New Age
every day on their television sets. Who is that queen? He claims it is Oprah
Winfrey. This is, of course, only hearsay, but I wouldn't doubt it. Perhaps you
are asking "in what forms does the propaganda come? How can I recognize it?"
That's a good question. If we were looking for Nazi propaganda, it would be easy to spot. We would
look for the swastikas and the anti-Semitic slogans. We see the KKK marching and
we pretty much know what they are about and what they espouse. But when it comes
to the New Age movement, the doctrines are more difficult to discern. Mainly
because they tickle our ears with words we want to hear. They are an anesthesia
to the soul for all practical purposes. Imagine you have been shot by a shotgun
in the stomach. The New Age movement would be like a drug that made you numb. So
you're sitting there with your insides coming out, but you can't feel it. What
good is that? Granted, I wouldn't want to feel it either, but the fact remains
that just because you can't feel it, doesn't mean you aren't dying. And if
that's all a doctor did– if he just gave you something to take away the pain–
you would die right there. If you were shot, you wouldn't ask for someone to
take away the pain alone. You want someone who can take away the pain and the
cause! Apply that to your spiritual life. The worst thing that can happen
to your soul is to have a man come by and assure you of your salvation when you
are actually on the road to hell. You think you're safe; then one day, you wake
up and find the flames all around you. The demons hiss at you and taunt you
while your entire being is engulfed in a fire hotter than the sun. And above all
the screams, above your own cries for mercy you hear Satan laughing at your
misery.
Not everything which sounds good is a lie, though. So let's look at some of
the New Age philosophies and deceits which have invaded mainstream American
thought. Probably the most influential of New Age beliefs is the idea that all
religions are basically the same. That regardless of what you are– Hindu,
Buddhist, Catholic, or Baptist– if you follow your faith and do it well, you
will make it to heaven. In general, they like to say "all roads are one" or "all
roads lead to the same place." With the latter, I agree for the most part. But I
think it should say "most roads lead to hell." Regardless of my personal
beliefs, though, it is important to recognize this lie. It gives mankind a false
sense of security. It tells the listeners that as long as they are good people,
they are going to heaven. This is in direct conflict with the word of God which
says " but we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags." (IS 64:6) Whether we are good people
or bad people, does not determine where we go after death. Another convincing lie of the New Agers is the near-death experiences
and angel encounters. The Bible says "it is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this the judgement" (Heb 9:27). How strange it is
when all these people "die" they are met by an "angel of light" (Lucifer?) Who
has a special message for them to bring back to the inhabitants of earth. This
message is usually something along the lines of "Love everybody and you will get
to heaven." On occasion the message is more specific or more personal. There
have been people who claim the angel told them "all religions are equally good."
And others who say the message was just to them. "Learn to love." Some people
even claim to have been endowed with certain powers and understandings of the
universe. I can think of one popular woman offhand who makes similar claims. She
stood out on a beach and claimed she was God, then made her affirmations (see
below). Others have claimed that angels of light have visited them during the night
or at various times and have given them similar messages. People everywhere are
claiming to see angels and it has become a part of mainstream conversation
topics. These angels never appear as Biblical angels, but instead as
light-beings or humans. They usually give the witness a sense of peace and lure
him or her into believing they are from God. My skepticism should not be
misconstrued as a lack of faith in angels. I believe in angels– the Bible says
they exist– but I don't believe any angel from God would come with a
contradictory message. Remember what Paul said "though we, or
an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Gal 1:8). Paul also likewise
admonished " For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Tim. 4:3-4) And once more in 1
Tim. 4:1, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits,
and doctrines of devils." The greatest doctrine the devils are spreading and convincing people with is
the belief that we are all gods. Each and every one of us is the god of our own
personal universe. They say we have the power to call the elements of the
universe together; that we can create at will and that we can make anything
happen if we just believe in our own power. Again, I ask, doesn't this argument
sound familiar? Wasn't our first mother tempted with these very words? And yet,
people are falling for the lie. As mentioned only a few lines ago, a popular New
Age woman stood on a beach and screamed "I am God!" Although God was probably
crying, it's difficult to imagine him not laughing at the same time as he looked
down on this woman who isn't even the size of a speck of dust in comparison to
the earth. And there she was– a speck on a speck of dust screaming "I am God!"
Imagine if one piece of dust on your dresser started screaming "I am the
dresser!" If you could hear it you would laugh at it, but at the same time you
would feel sorry that it was so deceived or mislead. But this is the trend. Many schools are teaching children that they are
basically gods with power over their destinies and world. Is it any wonder these
children grow up completely self-centered and hostile? They are told for years
the world revolves around them, then one morning they wake up and realize they
are not the center of the universe. Moreover, understanding this, it is not
difficult to understand why children are taking handguns to school and killing
peers and teachers. After all, if they are god of their universe and they want
to wipe someone out, why shouldn't they? And if they die? Who cares? They'll
just send themselves to heaven. Another aspect of the New Age religion is affirmations. This goes hand in
hand with the lie that we are all gods. Basically, New Agers assert that by
simply stating something and believing it, we can make it happen. For example,
if I say "I'm going to get a Cadillac next month," and I believe it, I will get
one. Even if I don't have the money. Now, many people will be saying "it's
faith. There's nothing wrong with faith." True enough. It is faith. But
not faith in God. It is faith in one's own self. Faith in the "god" that resides
in each of us. Jesus told us whatsoever we do or ask, ask it in his name and it
would be granted. He didn't tell us to ask in our own names. Nor did he tell us
to command God or the elements. And herein lies the deception. Satan is more
than willing to oblige these people from time to time so they will give
testimonies of faith to him. Using the same example above, Satan's out a
Cadillac and I have lost my soul. Which one is more valuable? Would you go to
the store, buy a pack of gum and hand the cashier a fifty, telling her to keep
the change? Of course not. But that's exactly what these people are doing. They
are selling their souls for something a little money and hard work can
achieve. Unfortunately, many people claiming to be Christians have fallen into this
snare. They believe and say that New Age concepts help them get closer to God.
But let's be honest, when Lucifer is walking hand and hand with a person, he
never walks them to God. He may walk them parallel to God for a few paces, but
sooner or later, he changes the path and leads them away, away, away! All the
way to hell!
TOOLS OF THE NEW AGENew Age religion is not simply a set of beliefs without a bible. Earlier, I
mentioned numerous principles which most New Age believers share. Although they
will use various texts as primers for their religious ladder– including the Tao
Te Ching, the teachings of Buddha, the Rig Veda, and the Bible, New Agers share
something else in common. Most have a tendency to believe in and practice some
form of witchcraft. New Agers reading this will scream "wait a minute! I
don't..." but stay with me for a minute. Although they may not be witches in the sense of Samantha Stevens from
Bewitched, they are practicing the art. By using such tools as:
New Agers believe they can elevate their souls and minds to a higher level.
Today, there are many people who claim to be Christians, they may even sit
beside you in church, who use one, some, or all of these things. According to
many New Age sources, though, most people in their ranks usually pick one or two
of these disciplines and stick with them. I cannot think of how many times good
people who claim to have the name of Christ have spoken to me about a Tarot
reading they had. Or have sat down and read their horoscopes in front of me.
These things are not things of God. Whether we like it or not, God has condemned
the use of divination tools. As reasonable people we wouldn't pick up a loaded
gun and play with it for the fun of it, so why would a Christian pick up the
loaded pistol of prognostication and play with it? You may laugh, you may do it
for a joke, but the fact remains that there is absolutely 1-900-PSYCHIC is no different. People claim it is harmless fun, but consider
what the Bible has to say about the subject.
Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame. This is not the only time God condemns the people who use a form of
divination, but it is a clear message made for this time. If you play with fire,
you're going to get burned. You may not use Tarot cards, or any of the above
mentioned tools, but chances are, you know somebody who does. It is our
obligation to warn people of the dangers of the occult. That these occult tools have intermingled with Christianity, only makes it
all the more dangerous. God says he is a jealous God who will not share his
glory with another. Think of how it must hurt him when someone uses HIS name to
call on Satan. Satan laughs and God weeps. Runes are an old tool of divination used by the Celtic and Germanic mystics
before Christianity. It is based upon the Futhark which is the runic alphabet.
Futhark is actually the first six letters of the alphabet. F, U, Th, A, R, K.
Each letter has a specific meaning ascribed to it. These runes are spread in
various forms or drawn to give counsel to a person. They are rooted in the
paganism of the European tribes. This page is still under construction and a considerable amount of information will be added in the future. Please bookmark this page and check back often for the updates. Also, if you have any good sites which discuss the New Age philosophies, please pass them along.
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