New Age Cults and Religions

by Texe Marrs

  Chapter 90: THEOSOPHY

  Theosophy is truly the cardinal religious organization of the New Age. Founded by Helena P. Blavatsky (1831-1891), a Russian woman mystic, Theosophy is the original fount from which hundreds of other New Age cults, religions, and organizations have sprung. Blavatsky was a powerfully persuasive advocate of a conglomeration of religious teachings, which included Hinduism, Buddhism, Egyptian and Greek mythologies, Satanism, spiritualism, and Freemasonry. All these she intricately combined into a series of books which together became known as The Secret Doctrine.

  Blavatsky and Her Spiritual Superiors

  Blavatsky claimed that her first book, Isis Unveiled, was written while she was in Tibet where she made contacts with disembodied higher spiritual beings whom she called “Mahatmas,” or “Great Spirits.” So taken was Helena Blavatsky with these spirit entities that she actually set up an altar to them in her home.

  Helena Blavatsky was said to be a worker of supernatural miracles. On one occasion she reportedly commanded red roses to rain down from the ceiling of the room after a skeptical guest made light of her highly touted miraculous abilities.

  For a number of years, Blavatsky resided in India. While there, she became advisor to a number of Indian personages, one of whom was to later become the most famous Hindu leader on planet earth. That man was Mahatma Gandhi. In his own autobiography, Gandhi stated that as a young man, uncertain about his Hindu religious heritage, he decided to study Christianity to decide if he might convert to Jesus Christ. Hearing of the renowned Blavatsky, and mistaking her for a Christian, he went to see her and inquired about Christianity. Blavatsky bluntly told the young seeker that Hinduism is superior to Christianity and that he should therefore remain a Hindu. Impressed by her charisma and authoritative nature, Gandhi promptly abandoned his study of Christianity and Jesus.

  Elvis and Theosophy

  A number of renowned people have fallen victim to the evil powers inherent in studying Helena Blavatsky’s Secret Doctrine. General Abner Doubleday, inventor of the modern American pastime and sport of baseball, was once the president of the Theosophical Society of America. Famed inventor Thomas Edison, father of the electric light, was also a theosophist. And amazingly, singer Elvis Presley, world acclaimed “King” of rock ‘n’ roll, evidently became a Blavatsky fan. On one occasion during a live concert, Elvis, who biographers say possessed a personal library amply stocked with occultic books, actually read on-stage from Blavatsky’s books.

  A number of other famous historical figures were Theosophists, including Nikola Tesla, who devised our present-day electrical generating systems, acclaimed writers George Bernard Shaw and William Butler Yeats, and India’s late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Like their mentor Blavatsky, all these initiates fervently believed that they were part of a universal brotherhood of illumined souls who are in close communication with leagues of “gods,” lesser deities, and angels (devas).

  Theosophy in 60 Countries

  In a recent interview by the Chicago Tribune, Dorothy Abbenhouse, the current president of the Theosophical Society of America, stated:

  There are nearly 30,000 theosophists in 60 countries; 5,500 of them in the United States... The largest concentration is in India, where adherents number 10,000.

  According to Abbenhouse, Theosophy “is not a religion. It is religion.” She further stated: “Its (Theosophy’s) concepts and philosophies form the basis for every religion in the world,” and she noted that Theosophy promotes various beliefs and philosophies ranging from Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism to Shamanism (sorcery) and holistic health.

  Theosophy has its international headquarters in Madras, India. Since 1926, its U.S. headquarters has been in Wheaton, Illinois on 44 acres of wooded land. There a visitor will find the 15,000-volume Olcott Library and Research Center, with one of the most complete collections available anywhere of occultic, mystical, and Eastern religious literature.

  Theosophy carries on an extensive publishing operation (including audiotapes, books, and videos) through the Theosophical Publishing House and the Quest Books imprint. Much of this material focuses on metaphysics and esoteric doctrines. Shirley Nicholson, editor of Quest Books, has boasted, “The Secret Doctrine (of Theosophy founder Helena Blavatsky) is the basis of the New Age.”

  The Teachings of Theosophy

  The word theosophy comes from the Greek word “theosophia,” meaning “the wisdom of God,” or “divine wisdom.” Theosophists claim that their doctrine is the real Christianity, but in fact, they vehemently renounce almost every tenet of traditional Biblical Christianity. The “Christianity” of Theosophy is closely akin to gnosticism, a body of esoteric beliefs which the Apostle Paul and other New Testament writers uniformly exposed as unholy and erroneous.

  Though today’s Theosophy teachers rarely bring up the subject, the idea of a New Age “Christ” or “Messiah” was originally the brainchild of Annie Besant, an Englishwoman who became the leader of this group after the death of founder Helena Blavatsky. While living in India, Mrs. Besant, who had abandoned her husband to immerse herself in Theosophy, became entranced by a young Indian boy named Jiddu Krishnamurti. First, she adopted him as her son. Later, in 1925, Besant announced that Krishnamurti was the reincarnated “Christ” for the New Age.

  Besant’s claim startled the worldwide followers of Theosophy, but most were willing to go along. However, the shy and unassuming young Krishnamurti flopped badly during what was supposed to be a triumphal tour of the United States. Embarrassed over his incompetence, his followers began to cast doubt on Besant’s claims that he was indeed the avatar or “Christ” on whom they were waiting.

  Finally, in 1931, a dejected Krishnamurti himself abruptly renounced his title of “Christ” and subsequently became an independent guru and “philosopher,” a real comedown from his former highly touted and exalted status as “chosen Christ of the world.”

  The Secret Doctrine

  Those who read and study Helena Blavatsky’s two volumes of The Secret Doctrine and her huge volume Isis Unveiled are led into a system of beliefs some call the “Perennial Philosophy” or the “Ancient Wisdom.” This system teaches that there are seven levels in the universe. We live on the physical level, or plane. There is also the astral plane, the mental plane, and, highest, the divine plane. Each person, through evolution, is said to be progressing or evolving through successive planes toward godhood, which is taught to be union with the absolute, the hazy all-is-all “god.” God to Theosophy is the entire galaxy and universe.

  Through Blavatsky’s works, Theosophy also teaches a spiritual and physical race theory. The theory holds that humanity is composed of “root races,” some inferior, others superior. One such race was that of the Atlanteans who supposedly lived on the mythological continent of Atlantis. Some 15,000 years ago, Atlantis was destroyed, Blavatsky’s spirit guides told her. In the wake of this destruction, the Aryan race became the premier super-race. Through a process of reincarnation, karma, gnosis, and enlightenment, men and women can successfully evolve and effect blissful union with divinity.

  If you’ll recall Hitler’s strange beliefs from studying history, you’ll remember that the German dictator held these very same concepts regarding a race of Aryan supermen. In fact, Hitler was a devotee of Blavatsky’s Secret Doctrine, which he learned as a result of his early membership in an occultic society named the Thule Society.

  The various spirit beings, Theosophy propounds, are led by a superior deity identified as the “Lord of the World.” The “Master Jesus” works for this shadowy deity in the spirit world. According to Blavatsky, the Great Seal, or symbol of the Lord of the World includes a combination of symbols, such as the Egyptian ankh, a swastika, the Hindu word Om, and two interlocking triangles (the Jewish Star of David). These are said to signify the universalist nature of Theosophy and its appeal to a multitude of persons with a pantheistic variety of deities, doctrines and beliefs.

  In Theosophy, any and all gods are
accepted except the personal God and the true Jesus of the Old and New Testaments.

  Theosophy and its Imitators

  Theosophy has spun off or inspired a number of other New Age cults, groups, and religions, including the Lucis Trust, the Church Universal and Triumphant, the Liberal Catholic Church, and the I AM movement. From her grave, the influence of the determined and diabolical Helena P. Blavatsky is still being felt. I have personally had letters from her modern-day fans and admirers who insist that Blavatsky’s spirit will someday reincarnate into the body of a man. That man, they say, shall become the one whom the Christians will call the “Antichrist.” My response, of course, is that this is quite impossible. Heb. 9:27 clearly explains where the souls of men and women go after death of the physical body. There will be an antichrist (see Rev. 13), but he will not be Blavatsky reincarnated.

  Chapter 91: TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION (TM)

  Through his “Vedic Science,” Maharishi Mahesh Yogi says, mankind can create a heaven on earth. To prove this, the Maharishi is spending millions of dollars to build 20 “Heavenly Communities” throughout Canada and the United States. The residents of these communities will be followers of Maharishi and practitioners of his form of Hindu meditation, popularly known as Transcendental Meditation, or TM. The Maharishi is quite a colorful character with his robes and his long scraggly beard and hair. His official address is the Maharishi World Capital of the Age of Enlightenment in Maharishi Nadar, India. But in the United States he bought up a failed college in the state of Iowa and renamed it Maharishi International University (MIU). His group also has centers in almost every large city in America and his followers can be quite fanatical about the benefits of Hindu meditation.

  The TM technique is actually no different than any other Hindu occult meditation. The Maharishi has done his best to disguise this fact. He has called it the “Science of Creative Intelligence,” and has been able to get many schools to adopt TM as an official course. However, the United States Court of Appeals, sitting in Philadelphia, affirmed an earlier decision of a Federal District Court that declared TM to be religious in nature. Thus, it must be barred from classrooms. In the case of Malnak v. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, October 19, 1977, the presiding judge ruled that TM was an inseparable part of the Hindu tradition and that because of its religious foundations, TM’s presence in the public schools violated the establishment clause in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Nevertheless, some schools and public learning institutions supported by taxpayer monies continue to offer TM to their students.

  Those who undergo TM training believe that they will gain the benefits of creativity, clear thinking, and—in the minds of many—self-divinity. There is absolutely no proof whatsoever to justify these claims. In fact, the scientific evidence available indicates that the regular practice of TM diminishes creative thinking and undermines sound, rational processes of the human mind. In reality, TM is simply a religious ritual in which the person prostrates himself or herself to a Hindu guru, chanting a mantra, or word, which in most cases is the name of a Hindu deity.

  Chapter 92: UFO CULTS AND SOCIETIES

  “UFOs Here Now on Special Mission!” This was the headline of an ad recently in Sun, a weekly tabloid. The ad offered a book, Extraterrestrials in Biblical Prophecy, which says that space visitors are coming to warn the occupants of the earth that there are terrible events soon to transpire and that the world is headed for a spiritual crisis. Unlike the old days when UFOs and flying saucers were considered mechanical objects flown to planet earth by aliens from outer space, today’s UFO cults and societies are promoting a religion and a theology. Regrettably, in most cases, this religion and theology is classic New Age.

  The evidence that New Age powers have taken over most of the UFO cults and societies is staggering. In UFO Universe magazine (Summer 1989), New Age psychic and spirit channeler Brad Steiger wrote an article entitled “UFO Contactees—Herald of the New Age.” Steiger contends that the UFOs are seeking to bring “God” physically to this planet and they are offering mankind a “space age theology.” He goes on to say: “The UFO contactees may be evolving prototypes of a future evangelism. They may be the heralds of a New Age religion, a blending of technology and traditional religious concepts.”

  According to Steiger, space vehicles may not be from outer space at all. Instead, they could be evidence of a new consciousness, a new awareness, and a higher state—or frequency—of vibrations. Indeed, the UFOs may actually be god-like presences who are channeling messages to men which, Steiger suggests, “May be the scriptures and theological treatises of the New Age.” The same thesis has been suggested in articles in magazines as varied as Omni, ReVision and the Reader’s Digest.

  Even the names of the new UFO cult groups reflect New Age and occultic influences. For example, there is the Ashtar Command, which describes itself as an “extraterrestrial communications network.” Ashtar (or Ishtar) was a name of the goddess who originated in the mystery religion of Babylon (see Revelation 17). The Ashtar Command not only provides its followers information on UFOs and extraterrestrials, but also discusses the benefits of crystals, gemstones, and certain holistic health herbal preparations. One of the latter is called a “New Age Elixir.”

  Perhaps the best known recent instance of abduction by UFOs is that of Whitley Strieber whose book, Communion, became the number one bestselling non-fiction book in the United States. Strieber said that he was abducted by beings who traveled about in a crystal-like, pyramid-shaped spacecraft. The leader of these UFO beings was a “woman,” whom Strieber described as resembling “Ishtar, the ancient Babylonian goddess.” One can easily recognize the many New Age influences in Strieber’s account—for example, the images of the pyramid, crystal, and mother goddess of Babylon.

  UFOs Say A World Government is Coming

  Many of the individuals who are members of the UFO cults and societies report that they have made contact with the UFO aliens and that these strange beings are bringing a spiritual message to mankind. That message is that mankind must come together as one. There must be a world government. Then all of humanity can join the greater galactic federation of planets. Some of the contactees say that the UFO aliens have threatened that if mankind does not voluntarily come together great havoc and destruction will be rained on planet earth. The UFO aliens also tell contactees that Christianity is not the only way, that Jesus is not really God, that all men are evolving into divine beings, and that all religions must be merged into one. Only then will there be peace, love, and fraternity.

  There is no doubt that the UFO cults and societies are finding more and more adherents. And there is also no doubt that demonic beings are behind most of the UFO reports. It appears that the UFOs being sighted are apparitions—thought forms projected into men’s minds by demonic forces. The people seeing the UFOs and conversing with their occupants are quite often very sincere and intelligent people. It cannot be denied that many did experience something. That “something” usually conveys unbiblical and unholy messages, so we can easily discern the source. However, there is no proof whatsoever that the UFOs and the extraterrestrials are actually composed of physical matter. All the evidence is to the contrary.

  The UFO phenomenon is primarily a spiritual and mental occurrence. I believe that it is very possible that the current rash of reports of UFO sightings and abductions is simply another part of the prophetic puzzle for today. It is a sign that men and women everywhere have forsaken the true God and have opened up their minds to dark influences.

  Chapter 93: UNARIUS

  “Yes, Napoleon is alive and well, now reincarnated in the present 20th century to tell the incredible story of his life and death.” This comes from the colorful catalog of books, tapes, and videos offered by the New Age cult group Unarius. I find Unarius the most fascinating and intriguing—as well as one of the most occultic—of New Age groups. Its founders, Ruth and Ernest Norman, are unbelievable, outrageous and almost comical characters.r />
  Ruth Norman, who dresses up in the most stunning of costumes as a star goddess from another galaxy, makes preposterous claims. For example, she says that she is in reality Uriel, the Solar Logos, who has come to earth to bring man the “Christ Consciousness.” To do this, Uriel has supposedly incarnated into the body of Ruth Norman. Mrs. Norman also says, however, that in a previous life she was Mary of Bethany, 13th disciple to Jesus of Nazareth. She and her husband’s group, Unarius, offer the most fantastic of books to their audience. One is entitled The Confessions of I, Bonaparte. In the book Napoleon Bonaparte, the once Emperor of France whom Unarius claims is now a member of the Universal Brotherhood and a god-like spirit being, says that Ruth Norman—Uriel—is his spiritual mentor.

  Unarius also offers the book entitled The Apology of John the Baptist It gives “an account of the tragedy of John and his inordinate desire to advance Jesus as the Jewish Messiah.” According to this blasphemous book, the late John the Baptist, now a spirit, confesses his sins in worshipping Jesus and admits that he was insane at the time. Unarius also publishes a book called The True Life Of Jesus Of Nazareth, a nonsensical book which Unarius advertises as a book which “slashes through 2000 years of Christian fanaticism.” According to Norman, the book “Exposes for all time the great hypocrisy of the Christian religion as a culmination in a villainous plot, contrived by the archvillian, Saul of Tarsus (Paul), and his cohort, Judas Iscariot.”

  It would be easy to dismiss the dozens of books and products offered by Unarius as absurd examples of fruitcake zaniness, but evidently, judging from the sophisticated catalogs and the vast quantity of publications of the group, Unarius holds a lot of influence among some New Agers. The anti-Christian campaign by Unarius provides graphic and uncontestable proof that the occult world is deadly serious about the destruction of biblical Christianity.