by Texe Marrs
Chapter 83: SRI AUROBINDO
Hindu guru Sri Aurobindo, now deceased, developed a large following of devotees from the United States, Canada, Europe, and his native India. In the section on Auroville, I discussed the founding of that Hindu ashram community by Aurobindo and his female companion and co-teacher, The Mother.
In the United States, several groups continue to promote the teachings of Aurobindo. One such group is the Sri Aurobindo Association, in High Falls, New York. This group publishes a periodic newsletter/magazine called Collaboration. In addition, the group holds an annual meeting at which a number of authors and teachers of Aurobindo are brought in to conduct seminars. For example, last year, seminars and workshops were conducted on such topics as Tai Chi; Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga; Health and Healing in the Yoga; Parenting in the Yoga; Dreams and Visions; African Dance; and Astrology as a Tool of Awareness. It is plain to see that the interests of the modern-day followers of Aurobindo is quite varied. Indeed, there were also workshops on square dancing, chanting, and meditation.
Like all Hindu yoga groups, Sri Aurobindo followers believe strongly in the laws of karma and rebirth as taught in the Hindu scriptures. They are also believers in the mother goddess and in the universal force which all New Agers contend is “God.” They also feel strongly about the sacred word “aum.” All are deeply connected to the memory of Sri Aurobindo and perceive themselves as disciples of The Mother as well.
In addition to the Sri Aurobindo Association, there are a number of other related groups. There is for example, Sabitri House in Crestone, Colorado, which inspires to become a community on the order of Auroville. One of the supporters of Sri Aurobindo is Maurice Strong and his wife Hanne. They are, in fact, the chief officers of the Sri Aurobindo learning center in Baca Bluffs, Crestone, Colorado. Strong is an extremely rich man who has definite connections with what some would call the Illuminati; for example, David Rockefeller, the Rothschilds, and others of the money elite. (For more information about this group, whom I call the “Lords of Money,” see my book MILLENNIUM: Peace, Promises, And They Day They Take Our Money Away.)
Other Sri Aurobindo centers are located in San Francisco, California; Culver City, California; Sacramento, California; and New Delhi, India. In addition, a number of Sri Aurobindo disciples make a pilgrimage each year to Auroville in south India for the international meeting of the group.
Chapter 84: SRI CHINMOY
Olympic champion sprinter Carl Lewis gives Sri Chinmoy credit for inspiring him to break world records as an athlete. Well-known guitarist John McLaughlin adoringly calls Sri Chinmoy “a divine being.” Such laudatory compliments are not unusual for the Hindu guru Sri Chinmoy. This is a man who has talked with the Pope and is well-known at the United Nations, where he regularly conducts meditation for U.N. officials. In 1990 Sri Chinmoy was invited to the Soviet Union where he met privately with President Mikhail Gorbachev and gave the Russian leader a book of “love poems” written by Chinmoy.
Sri Chinmoy came to the United States in 1964. He now operates centers in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. He teaches the Hindu spiritual doctrine of yoga, advocating that his followers can become united with “the Supreme,” his name for God, by practicing Hatha Yoga, meditation, and vegetarianism, and by total devotion and surrender to their guru. Naturally, for those who are his own students, Chinmoy is the guru who demands unswerving devotion.
Chapter 85: THE STELLE GROUP
The Stelle Group became famed throughout the New Age Movement in the 19608 after its leader, Richard Kieninger (a.k.a. Eklal Kueshana) wrote the bestselling book, The Ultimate Frontier. Kieninger claimed in the book that he had been initiated by the Ascended Masters in a ritualistic ceremony in which a cutting was made on his body, leaving a mysterious “mark.” Kieninger is no longer with the group; he left after a dispute over finances and amidst allegations of misconduct.
The Stelle Group is a community in Stelle, Illinois which professes belief in “mystic Brotherhoods” from the spirit world. The group owns 200 acres of farmland and offers developed lots to prospective residents. It also offers a Home Study Course, presents guest lectures and seminars, makes a reading room available, and publishes a quarterly journal, The Philosopher’s Stone. The latter publication features articles on such topics as metaphysics, health, prosperity, self-reliance, and personal growth.
Chapter 86: SUFI MOSLEMS
Sufism is a form of Islamic belief which deviates from orthodox Islam and adopts almost all of the primary teachings of the New Age Religion. The word Sufi has a number of meanings but essentially means “purity,” as in pure wool. There are as many as 70 orders of Sufi Moslems around the world. But in the United States the principal Sufi order is the Sufi Islamia Ruhaniat Society in San Francisco, California. This society was established by American Samuel L. Lewis (known among the Sufis by the name of Murshid Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti). Lewis founded the Sufi choir and also began an organization called The Dances of Universal Peace, in which Sufis dance to symbolize their message of the brotherhood of all humanity. Dancing also serves the purpose of bringing the dancers into a state of altered consciousness as they whirl, howl, and whip themselves into a frenzy.
Fundamentalist Moslems have almost nothing in common with the Sufi Moslems. The Sufis do not believe that Allah and Muhammad are the only way. They teach that the only holy book is “the sacred manuscript of nature.” Furthermore, among their tenets is the idea that there is only one religion and that is the religion of the individual soul; the Sufis say there is only one truth, “the true knowledge of our own being.” Moreover, there is only one path, the path to human perfection. The object of the Sufi movement, according to its leaders, is “to realize and spread the knowledge of unity.” They also say that they wish to bring the world’s two opposite poles, East and West, together to establish a universal brotherhood without national or racial boundaries.
Interestingly enough, one of the top Sufi leaders has said that he began his order when Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared to him as a spirit and directed him to do so. This is just one indication of the universalism of the Sufis and their acceptance and tolerance of any and all beliefs. The Sufis also revere Jesus Christ and the Bible, but they do not regard Jesus as the only way to salvation nor the Bible as the only set of sacred scriptures. It is entirely possible that you may come across a Sufi Moslem who insists that his faith is perfectly compatible with Christianity. In such an instance, you must be ready to discuss with the person the Truth: that Jesus Christ is uniquely God, that the authority of the Holy Bible is assured, and that man cannot find peace and grace except through Christ alone.
Chapter 87: SWEDENBORGIANISM
Emmanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) was a brilliant scholar widely recognized in his time for his expertise in geology and mineralogy. He was acclaimed as a university professor, was a member of the Swedish parliament, and was recognized for his research on metallurgy and crystals. However, later in life he became fascinated with esoteric writings and occult literature.
Emmanuel Swedenborg sought and acquired such occultic abilities as astral travel (spirit travel to other worlds to communicate with spirit entities). He practiced automatic handwriting and consulted mediums. He wrote commentaries on the Bible from an occult/esoteric perspective. Bible prophecy especially fascinated Swedenborg. Many say that Swedenborg can rightly be called the “Father of Spiritualism.”
Possibly the best known Swedenborg group is the Church of the New Jerusalem. Generally, Swedenborgians believe that Swedenborg’s writings were divinely inspired. Among their teachings: that there is a state, much like the Catholic’s purgatory, where after death the individual goes to prepare for heaven or hell. Another teaching is that Jesus did not shed His blood for our sins but simply died on the cross after “a life of service.” Moreover, the Holy Spirit is not a personality, say the Swedenborgians, and Jesus Christ is not wholly God, for God is a force that can be called the “Divine Essence.”
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bsp; Like their founder, Emmanuel Swedenborg, modern-day Swedenborgians believe that the Old Testament is of little value. They are also opposed to almost anything written by the Apostle Paul.
With all these heresies and despite their strong and fervent belief in communication with the spirit world, the Church of the New Jerusalem has been fully accepted for membership in both the National Council of Churches (NCC) and the World Council of Churches (WCC). Maybe this has a lot to say about the NCC and WCC. In a recent issue of Chrysalis, a journal of the Swedenborg Foundation, a Swedenborg group in New York City, we find articles on reincarnation, the I Ching, and other occultic subjects. Because of their endorsement of the Swedenborgians, what does this tell us about whom the NCC and WCC serve?
Chapter 88: TARA CENTER
The headline from one of the sensationalist weekly tabloids trumpeted: “Mystic Heals Thousands Then Vanishes into Thin Air!” In the article itself, the author announced:
Jesus Christ has returned to earth amidst sweeping reports of miraculous mass healings and strange religious events. Jesus is said to have recently appeared before 6,000 worshippers at the Church of Bethlehem near Nairobi, Kenya. He addressed the crowd in perfect Swahili—the local language—and is said to have healed 20 cripples, then vanished into thin air, according to a report in the Kenya Times.
According to the Tara Center of North Hollywood, California, and London, this is only one of the many reports that have begun to flood the world indicating that the “Christ” is back. The leader of the Tara Center, Benjamin Creme, claims that Christ has returned but that his real name is “Lord Maitreya.” The mystical Maitreya is the one whom worshippers in Kenya believed was Jesus Christ, says Creme. In addition, the Tara Center has maintained that, actually, Maitreya is the reincarnation of Mother Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Evidently, Creme and his Tara Center either have a lot of money to waste or they are sincere in their beliefs, or both, because their announcements that the Christ is back have been published as full-page ads in such major newspapers as The London Times, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and as many as 16 other major newspapers across the world. Similar ads have been placed in the Reader’s Digest.
In an issue of The Emergence (October 1990), a news tabloid published by the Tara Center, the headline blared, “He’s back!” The fine print said that:
He has been expected for generations by all the major religions. Christians know Him as the Christ, and expect His eminent return. The Jews await Him as the Messiah; the Hindus look for the coming of Krishna; Buddhists expect Maitreya Buddha; the Muslims anticipate the Imam Mahdi. The names may be different but they all designate the same One: The World Teacher whose personal name is Maitreya. He returns now, at the beginning of the Age of Aquarius, as the teacher and guide for those of every religion and those of no religion.
It is Creme’s contention that this Christ descended from the mythical land of Shamballa above the mountains of Tibet. Then, assuming the body of a Pakistani, he traveled to London where he has since taken up residence in a poverty-stricken suburb populated by local Pakistanis. Creme’s group has a number of times declared that “within a few months,” Lord Maitreya will reveal himself to the world, appearing magically on television screens across the globe and declaring himself as the Christ of the new Aquarian Age. This is the event that Creme calls the “Day of Declaration.” Creme says that all peoples will understand Maitreya’s voice telepathically in their own language and that this will fulfill the Bible prophecy that the eyes of all in the world will see Him (Christ) simultaneously. Unfortunately, Mr. Creme has not read his Bible very closely. According to I Thessalonians, Jesus Christ will return to earth in the air, not on the air.
Creme’s failed prophesies of the imminent return of Maitreya do not seem to have dented the reputation of either this articulate Englishman or his occultic group, the Tara Center. In recent years the group has escalated its activities.
I had the opportunity to debate Mr. Creme on a radio talk show in the state of Texas. Though Creme spoke persuasively about his Lord Maitreya, each time he made a statement that conflicted with the Bible, I quickly brought it to the attention of the audience. Following one exchange, in which Creme politely called me an idiot for believing that Jesus, instead of Maitreya, was the real Christ, I calmly referred Creme to I John 2:22 which states: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth Father and the Son.” In other words, I let Creme and his followers know right on the air that their master was none other than Satan himself and that anyone who confesses that Jesus is not the Christ is of the antichrist.
After about an hour of these exchanges, Benjamin Creme became so angry and agitated with me that he angrily bellowed out, “You... you... you’re just like all those other Christian fundamentalists. You have no intelligence of your own. All you can do is refer back to the Bible.” To which I immediately responded, “Praise God, why should I attempt to use my own intelligence when the greatest intelligence of the universe, God Almighty, wrote this Book?”
Creme has traveled the United States and Europe as well as mainland China, Australia, New Zealand, and other nations, stumping for his Lord Maitreya. His group, the Tara Center, has also established a number of “Transmission Meditation” groups. These consist of smaller local groups who hold meetings at which the followers of Maitreya gather and meditate. Most visualize the return of the Lord Maitreya and recite and chant the Great Invocation of Alice Bailey and the Lucis Trust. The Tara Center also publishes newsletters and books. Creme has authored such books as Maitreya’s Messages and The Reappearance of the Christ.
Benjamin Creme has said that he first came to know of the Lord Maitreya as the Christ when certain “Space Brothers” beamed a light into Creme’s mind and told him that he was to become the messenger, sort of a “John the Baptist” type forerunner, for the New Age Christ, the Lord Maitreya.
Does Creme’s Lord Maitreya really exist or is he simply a figment of the imagination? If he does exist, could Lord Maitreya be the antichrist, the man with the number 666 whose hideous activities are described in Revelation 13? Personally, I doubt very seriously that this Lord Maitreya will turn out to be the antichrist. Jesus Himself in Matthew 24 warned that in the last days many false christs would come. Maitreya is simply one of the many christs who have been introduced by various New Age leaders. The acceptance by so many of these false christs should remind Christians everywhere that those who truly trust in Jesus Christ are a decided minority in the world. Moreover, Maitreya and the other false Christs serve as a constant reminder to us that these may indeed be the last days.
Chapter 89: THE TEMPLE OF SET
When a strange man named Anton LaVey burst on the public scene in the 1960s and announced that the Church of Satan, of which he was the high priest, was founded on May Eve (Walpurgis Night, a holy day for satanists), 1966, most people were shocked. Could it be that there was actually a Church of Satan operating in America? The answer was most decidedly yes. LaVey and his Church of Satan received an inordinate amount of publicity in the first few years of its existence, culminating in the bestseller book by LaVey entitled The Satanic Bible and a popular movie, “Rosemary’s Baby.”
In 1975, Dr. Michael Aquino and his wife Lilith resigned from the Church of Satan and established their own group, The Temple of Set. Set is an ancient Egyptian destroyer-type god, whose name is actually a synonym for Satan. Aquino, a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army, evidently believes his to be a more sophisticated form of satanism. He has incorporated his knowledge in a book, The Coming Forth By Night, and also publishes a newsletter, The Scroll of Set.
The several hundred members of this group are scattered about the United States. The Temple of Set itself was first established in San Francisco, but Aquino was soon reassigned by the Army to St. Louis, Missouri. He has now split with Lilith and his marital status is unknown.
There have been many rumors circulated about Mi
chael Aquino and the Temple of Set. At one time he was under investigation for the molestation of young children in satanic rituals. However, the charges were dropped by police and Aquino vehemently denied the allegations, claiming to be a victim of harassment by officials opposed to his religious beliefs.
Aquino maintains that Satan is more an energy force than a person. As a guest on the “Oprah Winfrey Show” and a number of other television programs, Aquino has insisted that his church group is not involved in any child sacrifices or similar satanic practices. Indeed, he adamantly denied that such incidents are even occurring.
Reportedly, Aquino once traveled to Germany where he obtained the use of an arcane medieval castle which was once used by Hitler’s concentration camp master, the bloody Heinrich Himmler. At this same castle where Himmler’s SS Gestapo troops were initiated in dark occult ceremonies, it is said that Aquino and associates performed a black mass ritual.
An interesting aside of the Aquino saga is that in a recent issue of The Scroll of Set, Aquino presented information about his friendship with the late entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr., including the revelation that Davis had been a member in good standing of the Church of Satan during his lifetime. Aquino’s account is for the most part confirmed by the late entertainer’s own autobiographies.