Sterling & New Age

2000-2-18 11:19:00

One thing to consider about anti New Age writers, for those who believe the Mormon scriptures, is that most of these type of writers will lump Joseph Smith and Mormonism right in there with the new age beliefs and see them both as controlled by the good old devil.

Most anti New Age Christians will see Joseph's teachings about man becoming God as being at least as insidious as anything taught in the new age.

One thing Christians should understand about all the groups labeled by anti new agers, as new agers, is this: Just as there is one Christ, but there are many believers in Christ, who we would not want to associate with - snake charmers, castration cults etc. Even so is there only one real coming new age, but many beliefs branching off from this central theme. Some of them are quite strange, full of lots of illusion and then some have quite a bit of truth.

I myself am a Christian New Ager. I believe in Christ and the inspiration of the scriptures (but not their infallibility) and also believe we are entering into a new and better age than the authoritarian age of Pisces.

In Matthew 24 it was prophesies that Christ would come at the end of the "age" (mistranslated "world"). What comes after the end of an "age?" Duh - a new age right??? All believers in the prophesy of Christ here should be new agers if they accept the scriptures.

Just as you can be a Christian and reject many strange ideas of the Jehovah's Witnesses, even so can you be a New Ager and disagree with many ideas of new age groups.

Now concerning Randall N. Baer. His brand of New Ageism (from his past) is far removed from most of the things I believe in, but I'll tell you what. I know you have ordered his book, probably with the idea of gaining ammunition to bring us to the error of our ways. But here is what we would like you to do and not do.

We request that you do not point out evils talked about by Baer that have nothing to do with the beliefs and teachings presented here. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be called evil as a Christian for not believing in blood transfusions, as the Jehovah's Witnesses adhere to, when you do not identify with their beliefs.

You are welcome to present "enlightenment" to us from Baer that pertains to actual beliefs and teachings presented here.