New Age Cults and Religions

by Texe Marrs

  The Himalayan Institute certainly possesses an impressive faculty, including a number of professors and instructors with doctorates in psychology, literature, Eastern studies, and medicine. In addition to the Himalayan Institute’s headquarters in Pennsylvania, there are also regional institutes in Glenview, Chicago, and Schaumberg, Illinois; and in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Dallas/Ft. Worth, New York City, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo. There are also institutes in Germany and India.

  Swami Rama says his institute’s mission is to teach people the ancient teachings and thereby “unfold human potential.” In a congress held at the Himalayan Institute on June 14-17, 1990, he brought a number of people together “to explore many of the perspectives and practices of the world’s great traditions of self-transformation, health, and personal evolution. These traditions include Yoga, Zen, Ayurvedic Medicine, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, and Sufism.” According to Swami Rama, all of these teachings are the same in that they have one unified purpose: to teach man a knowledge of his own true nature. We see then again the man-centered, yet eclectic nature of the New Age in the teachings of the Himalayan Institute and its founder, Swami Rama.

  Yoga, Diet, Meditation, and Godhood

  Specifically, the Himalayan Institute concentrates on hatha yoga instruction, diet (which, of course, means vegetarian and a rejection of meat), intensive meditation, and visualization. These are all claimed to be techniques for unfolding the creative intelligence in each person. Another area that is studied by those who come to the Himalayan Institute or its centers is what is called the “science of breath,” which is simply a claim that we can breath energy in and out and thus transform ourselves into divine beings.

  Swami Rama himself is simply another one of the many so-called Hindu sages who have come to America during the past few decades seeking fame and fortune while desiring to spread the message of Eastern Mysticism. The main goal of Swami Rama as well as these other gurus is to synthesize the ancient teachings of the East with the modern philosophies of the West. And like his Hindu counterparts, Swami Rama seeks to swallow up Christianity by reinterpreting its message and distorting its truths, submerging true Christianity within the overall context of Hindu one worldism.

  Chapter 37: HINDUISM AND THE GURUS

  An avalanche of Hindu gurus and swamis invaded the United States in the 1960s and 70s and our nation has never been the same since. They brought with them strange names and even stranger doctrines. First, at the turn of the century, came Swami Vivekananda. In 1893 he addressed the Parliament of Religions in Chicago and galvanized the crowd with his call for a unified world religion based on the principles of Hinduism. Then, the Beatles, with their combination of rock and mystical music, long hair, and worship of Hinduism and its gurus, ushered in this new religion for an entire generation of youth. Doctrinal, missionary Hinduism became the rage among the hippies and its influence has swept throughout the New Age community. In fact, Hinduism is the core teaching of the New Age.

  Among the most popular Hindu gurus is the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whose teachings on Transcendental Meditation (TM) are described elsewhere in this book. Another popular Hindu teacher was Swami Muktananda, brought to this country by Werner Erhard (see The Forum/est). Muktananda emphasized the teachings of Siddha Yoga, the belief that men could become gods with supernatural powers. Yet another popular guru was the late Bhagwan Rajneesh, a vicious hater of Jesus and biblical Christianity, who was driven out of America for drug violations and a score of other criminal activities which were perpetrated at his ashram community in the state of Oregon.

  Today gurus still have a significant foothold within the New Age movement. Among the most popular teachers are Sri Swami Satchidananda, Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, Swami Rama, Babaji, and Yogi Bhajan. In addition, a number of westerners have taken on the title of “Swami” or “guru,” most notably Ram Dass and Da Free John. It is quite amazing that bizarre gurus from such an impoverished and spiritually ravaged nation as India could be able to convince millions of educated, affluent Americans to worship the millions of Hindu gods and practice the outrageous and absurd teachings of Hinduism. India itself is a nation where many hungry peoples roam alleyways in tattered rags and suffer great poverty. It is a country where the caste system is still honored, where beggars extend their hands and sad eyes plead for alms along the streets of every town and city.

  Drinking Cow Urine and other Atrocities

  Caryl Matrisciana, author of the outstanding expose of Hinduism, Gods of the New Age, shows clearly the horrors of this religion. Caryl has revealed that some American disciples of the gurus drink their guru’s urine believing that it creates divine energies within. Others willingly consume cow’s urine, in the belief that the cow goddess will favor their undertakings. As Matrisciana notes, the most revered Hindu guru of all, Mahatma Gandhi, administered enemas to female devotees. He slept with nude teenage girls to confirm his celibacy, and prescribed cow dung pills for good health. Gandhi also criticized the English colonialists but praised Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.

  In yet another excellent guide to the Hindu gurus, Riders of the Cosmic Circuit, Christian author and cult expert Tal Brooke, writes that the Enlightened Masters who claim to be nothing less than gods using a physical body as a medium are in reality perfectly possessed by demonic spirits. He says that, in essence, the original human inhabitants of the gurus’s bodies no longer even exist. Instead, the gurus are possessed by “a massive, baleful intelligence that is ageless,” and, “is extremely powerful and extremely evil.” Tal says that the rituals of Hinduism result in “the total desecration, degradation, defamation of a soul during the ritual.” He shows clearly that the mega-gurus of the Hindu religion have surrendered themselves to a horrendously evil force.

  As Tal states, they “surrender by degradation—eating feces, coitus of dead bodies, cannibalism, human sacrifice... blowing the lid off of conventional morality.” I cannot recommend strong enough that every New Ager in America today should read the revealing books Riders of the Cosmic Circuit, by Tal Brooke, and Gods of the New Age, by Caryl Matrisciana, if they are to discover the awful truth about Hinduism.

  The Teachings of the Hindus

  Hinduism teaches transmigration of the soul (samsara). It says that man will proceed through endless cycles of samsara, balancing out his karma on the wheel of life until finally the atman (soul) of the individual is absorbed by the Universal Soul (brahman). Hinduism emphasizes pantheism, the theory that God is all, that all created matter is God. It also preaches the concept of maya, that all of reality is simply an illusion. It is because of this belief in maya that the incredible, hideous poverty of the Indian caste system has been allowed to continue. Hindus have little sympathy for their fellow human beings because, according to the Hindu scriptures (which include the Rig Veda, the Upanishads, etc.) all of the universe is simply a great cosmic game known as Lila. It is matter of dancing atoms endlessly active which resemble the dance of the god Shiva.

  Hindus believe in millions of gods, but primarily in a trinity of gods composed of Vishnu, the preserver, Shiva, the destroyer, and Brahma, the creator. Vishnu is said to come in many incarnations. He is the vedic sun god who reincarnates again and again as a Christ figure throughout the history of mankind. There is also a strong belief in the goddess, the female consort of the gods. Hindus have encouraged orgies and temple prostitution as well as sacrifices of human beings and animals. The goddess Kali is presented as a bloodthirsty deity of the most sinister nature. But all of this, says the Hindu, is necessary to fulfill the karma of mankind.

  Unable to be Forgiven

  The tragedy of Hinduism is that the Hindu can never become a new creation totally forgiven by God in this lifetime. The Christian is assured of eternal salvation through such passages as 2 Cor. 5:17 and John 9:1-3, both of which totally refute the Hindu ideas of karma and reincarnation. For example, in refuting the doctrine of reincarnation, Jesus clearly taught His disciples that a certain blind ma
n’s condition was not the result of sins committed in a previous existence (see John 9:1-3). And Hebrews 9:27 tells us that man lives but one life on planet earth, then there is judgment.

  The Christian believes in grace, the Hindus fervently believe in and practice works. This is the cardinal difference between the two faiths, but there are, of course, many more. Because of their failure to acknowledge Jesus as Lord of all, the Hindu has no way out of this life and therefore becomes a victim of superstition and terror.

  Praise God there are many Hindus today discovering the Truth of the Lord Jesus Christ. One such Hindu yogi is Rabi Maharaj. In his Christian book, Escape to Light, Rabi tells us of the joy he has known since accepting Jesus as Lord. In an interview, Rabi stated:

  I had never heard in Hinduism that God is a God of love or that God loves me. God is impersonal in Hinduism. He cannot be a God of love because the Hindu god is without essence or quality. The fact that God is a God of love really shook me up, and also that God wants to come into my life. That really kind of knocked me over, especially the fact that Jesus died to forgive me all my sins. In Hinduism, you do the dying for the gods, the gods don’t die for you.

  Chapter 38: I AM

  Guy Ballard (1879-1939), leader of the I AM Ascended Master Religious Activity, began his group after claiming to come in contact with the Ascended Master Saint Germain, a spirit being who is said to have been one of the most famous occultists of all time when he was in his physical incarnation in 18th century France. Ballard later wrote that while hiking around the area near Mount Shasta in Northern California, he met Saint Germain and was offered a refreshing drink, a creamy liquid, which the spirit being identified as a substance coming from the Universal Supply. Drinking it down, Ballard had a vivid spiritual transformation experience. Saint Germain then offered to be Ballard’s guide so that he, Ballard, could assume the role of Messenger of the Ascended Masters.

  Ballard’s I AM group was extremely popular during the 1930s and 40s. After his death it was led by his wife, Edna. Under the pen name Godfre Ray King, Ballard published his first book, Unveiled Mysteries, in 1934. The Magic Present followed, as well as a number of other writings.

  Ballard’s I AM philosophy is in many ways the same as that of the Church Universal and Triumphant. It recommends decreeing, affirmations, and communications with spirits known collectively as the Great White Brotherhood.

  After the death of Guy’s wife, Edna, a board of directors took over the supervision of I AM. In 1978 the headquarters of I AM was moved to new facilities in Schaumburg, Illinois. The group publishes its materials under the name Saint Germain Press, including a monthly publication, The Voice of the I AM.

  Reportedly, there are well over 300 I AM centers or sanctuaries in over 20 countries around the world, including centers in Denver, Colorado; Austin, Texas; and Los Angeles, California.

  Chapter 39: INSIGHT (JOHN-ROGER)

  Insight is the brainchild of Roger Hinkins, who changed his name to “John-Roger” after, according to his own account, he became possessed by the spirit of “John the Beloved.” Following his possession by “John,” Roger Hinkins left his job as a Rosemead, California high school English teacher, began to call himself Dr. John-Roger Hinkins, then later simply John-Roger, and went on to found one of the most powerful of New Age churches and empires, the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, or MSIA (pronounced “messiah”). Elsewhere in this book I discuss John-Roger’s MSIA group. In this section, I will briefly focus on the organization known as Insight, formally Insight Transformation Seminars, which is an offshoot of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness.

  Insight seminars ostensibly are for the purpose of developing a person’s “potential” and “self-worth.” They incorporate the mystical teachings of John-Roger, which include his concepts of the Mystical Traveler Consciousness and the metaphysical powers and consciousness which John-Roger believes men can possess and wield. Reportedly, the Insight seminars brought in over $8 million in one recent year, and John-Roger’s organization owns many millions of dollars more in real estate and other holdings, including a $6 million building on Los Angeles’ Wilshire Boulevard.

  Although Insight contends that its teachings are devoid of religious or spiritual intent, cult researchers have found this not to be the case. For example, in an exposé in the Los Angeles Times newspaper of August 14, 1988, it was reported that, “Before each session of each Insight training, for example, facilitators and assistants would purify themselves in the training room by ‘calling in the light,’ reciting ‘Father-Mother God, we ask just now to be placed in the Light of the Holy Spirit, through John-Roger, the Mystical Traveler, Preceptor Consciousness, and we ask that only that which is for the highest good to be brought forth.’”

  Michael Hess, 40, a former follower of John-Roger, echoing the sentiments of others involved in this cult group, was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as stating: “Anyone who got involved quickly learned there was a spiritual side” to the Insight seminars. Insight was into the business of raising cash as well as consciousness. Reportedly, instructors ask for and often get donor checks of $7,000 each from some participants. This is in addition to the standard $450 per person fee.

  The shameful thing is that some of the most reputable firms and corporations in America evidently paid John-Roger’s group, Insight, millions and millions of dollars to train their employees in his method. Among the corporate clients of Insight have been Abbott Labs, Beth-Israel Hospital, Campbell’s Soup, Lockheed, McDonnell-Douglas, NBC-TV, Pillsbury, and Rockwell International. Also, taxpayers have regrettably been suckered into paying for Insight training bought by the Social Security Administration, the United States Navy, and many other governmental agencies. Insight seminars are conducted in cities across America from Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. on the East coast, to St. Louis and Chicago in the Midwest, Dallas and Houston in Texas, and every major city on the West Coast.

  Chapter 40: INSTITUTE OF NOETIC SCIENCES

  The Institute of Noetic Sciences was founded in 1973 by Dr. Edgar D. Mitchell, Apollo 14 astronaut. Its membership is impressive, including Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard University, the man whose teachings have promoted meditation throughout America; Dr. Elmer Green of the Menninger Clinic; Dr. Dan Goleman, senior editor of Psychology Today magazine; and others. In addition, Mitchell has been able to obtain major funding and support for his Institute from such corporations as Mobil Oil and the Atari Computer Corporation.

  Mitchell’s Institute of Noetic Sciences is a promoter of holistic medicine. Among its projects is Tibetan meditation in which monks selected by Tibetan Buddhism’s Dalai Lama were studied. The Institute has also promoted the Soviet-American Exchange Program, and Mitchell has been a favored speaker at John Denver’s Windstar Community in Colorado.

  Mitchell’s contention is that man’s mind is part of a “natural force on earth.” Using New Age terminology, he believes that such ESP abilities as telepathy, clairvoyance, and telekinesis should be explored and developed so that men can expand their consciousness.

  It is a shame that such a prestigious man as Edgar Mitchell has lent his reputation and has wasted much of his life on such unscientific, unfounded, and dangerous drivel. In 1988, the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences released its extensive report on Enhancing Human Performance. After researching for over two years and after studying over 130 years of research, the 14 distinguished scientists on a committee appointed by the National Research Council determined that virtually all claims by New Agers of the effectiveness of such techniques as guided imagery, meditation, biofeedback, neurolinguistic programming, split brain (right brain, left brain) learning, and similar techniques are totally without foundation and devoid of proof. Moreover, the committee found“ no scientific justification for the existence of parapsychological phenomena.” This was the most massive and definitive study ever conducted and the committee spent $500,000 of taxpayers money to conduct this research. Nev
ertheless, such groups as Edgar Mitchell’s Institute of Noetic Sciences continue to promote the dubious advantages of their New Age pseudoscientific techniques.

  Chapter 41: THE INTERNATIONAL NEW THOUGHT ALLIANCE

  The International New Thought Alliance is an association of pastors, teachers, churches, and others who believe in the New Thought philosophy. In essence, New Thought is New Age. Perhaps the best-known groups promoting New Thought are Unity Church, the Church of Religious Science, and Christian Science. Among the advocates and disciples of New Thought today are such famous persons as Houston Mayor Kathy Whitmire, Terry Cole-Whittaker, former popular television evangelist, and Norman Cousins, editor of Saturday Review.

  Many in the New Thought movement have also named the Crystal Cathedral’s Robert Schuller as one of their own while Norman Vincent Peale has also been acclaimed as a New Thought man. Schuller has been a guest speaker at the Unity Church’s international convention. Meanwhile, Peale admits that he was heavily influenced by New Thought. Referring to Ernest Holmes, the founder of the Church of Religious Science, also known as Science of Mind, Norman Vincent Peale has stated: “Only those who knew me as a boy can fully appreciate what Ernest Holmes did for me. Why, he made me a positive thinker.”

  Each year the International New Thought Alliance has an annual congress. One has only to attend one of these events to comprehend that “New Thought” is nothing more than a synonym for “New Age.” Here, in essence, are the teachings of most teachers of New Thought: (1) God is an impersonal force; (2) God is immanent; God is simply Mind; (3) The universe and everything in it is the very body of God; (4) Thoughts are real things. They are creative. To accomplish miracles or make things happen, man has only to exercise his thought process; (5) Death, evil, illness, disease, are all illusions and can be dispelled through mind powers; (6) God is individualized in humanity; thus, man becomes God; (7) Positive affirmations by an individual can result in perfect health, riches, and prosperity. Therefore, such techniques as positive thinking, visualization, guided imagery, and other mental techniques may be used with great profit; (8) Salvation is universal since each person comes into the world with a divine nature.