Preface. In recent decades in Western countries, we have been able to observe a strong trend away from the Christian faith. Churches have lost members, and it is no longer so popular to believe in the Christian God or adhere to Christian morals. It has been replaced by a worldview based on atheism, in which Darwin's theory has played a decisive role. It is thought that if God did not create the universe and life, why should believe in the existence of God and the teachings of Christianity? This is how people think in this worldview based on atheism.

   However, atheism has not satisfied all people as a worldview. Their interest and search has begun to reorient towards religion and the supernatural. However, they have not necessarily sought guidance from the Bible and the teachings of Jesus, but their interest has been directed towards Eastern religions and various occult activities. This movement has been named neo-spirituality and also New Age Movement. It is a fragmented, leaderless movement without any umbrella organization, but which includes the most diverse philosophies and activities: the basic doctrines of Eastern religions, reincarnation and the law of karma, the teaching of the divinity of everything and man, the idea of many roads leading to the destination, meditation, yoga, visualization , relaxation therapies, holistic medicine and health, hypnosis, spiritualism or channeling which means conveying messages from the dead and spirit beings, astrology, tarot cards and other forms of divination, UFOs, spirit guides, witchcraft and spells, higher self, angels, energy and spirit healing, enlightenment and New Consciousness, Theosophy, Anthroposophy…

    But what to think about the new spirituality? Representatives of the neo-spirituality may themselves think that they are on the threshold of a new consciousness and that we are entering the Age of Aquarius. Instead, in their opinion, the Christian faith represents an outdated view, the so-called the age of fish. In general, the representatives of the neo-spirituality have an arrogant attitude towards those who stick to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. They consider the representatives of Christianity narrow-minded and behind their time.

    But but. Are the representatives of neo-spirituality right or are they victims of deception and lies? In this article, we try to familiarize ourselves with this topic. There are many reasons to suspect supernatural deception in this area. That's what we're going to find out next. 

1. Are the representatives of neo-spirituality Hindus?

 If you look at the literature of neo-spirituality and the New Age Movement, you will soon notice that there is something familiar and common to one world religion. "This is Hinduism," can be said by a person who has studied the contents and backgrounds of religions. Neo-spirituality has a lot in common with this world religion, but it is another matter whether the representatives of neo-spirituality consider themselves Hindus. Probably not, but in practice many of them are. Hinduism includes e.g. the following teachings, which also appear repeatedly in the books of the New Age Movement. We are going to examine these teachings and their accuracy.

• Creator and creation are one. There is no Creator God who made the universe and is separate from it

• The divinity of everything and man

• All roads are equal

• Good and evil are one

• Yoga and meditation

• Reincarnation and the law of karma

Rabindranath R. Maharaj, a former Hindu guru who turned to Jesus Christ and allowed himself to be saved, makes the same point in his book Death of a Guru . He noticed in the late 1960s, while traveling to the West, how Hindu philosophy and lifestyle began to fascinate people. The foundation and roots of the current neo-spirituality and the New Age Movement are in Hinduism:

What amazed me the most was the discovery that the philosophy of the entire protest culture of drugs, rebellion, and rock music was fundamentally Hindu: the same lies about the unity of all life, vegetarianism, upward evolution toward oneness with the universe, and that everyone could choose any path. I noticed that thousands of young people weren't just falling off and turning to drugs: they were practicing Transcendental Meditation and various other forms of yoga. Their whole world of thought was obscured by the mysticism of the East. Almost everyone began to accept the incarnation, which killed all belief in the resurrection of Christ. These two are absolute opposites of each other. Slowly and more and more convinced of the danger, I became convinced that Satan had come up with a very clever plot: he was infiltrating the West with the mysticism of the East. I could see that few Christians understood his plan and were prepared to oppose it. Was God preparing me, a former Hindu, to sound the alarm to the millions in the West who were falling for an Eastern philosophy that I knew to be wrong? I began to pray seriously to find out. (1)

2. Are the Creator and creation the same? 

There is one clear fundamental difference between Hinduism and Christianity: in Hinduism, the Creator and creation are the same, but the Bible teaches that the Creator made the universe and life. These two opposite views are mutually exclusive. They cannot be true at the same time. The representatives of neo-spirituality usually reject the following verses of the Bible, which tell about God's work of creation and how he is separate from the creation He created:

- (Acts 17:24,25) God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands;

25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he gives to all life, and breath, and all things;

- (Rom 1:20-22) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

- (Rev 4:11) You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for you have created all things, and for your pleasure they are and were created.

- (Rev 10:5,6) And the angel which I saw stand on the sea and on the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

6 And swore by him that lives for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

How should this matter be approached? The best starting point is to state that the universe and life have a beginning. They are not eternal, and even atheist scientists admit that. The sun and stars have not shone forever - otherwise their energy reserves would have been exhausted - and life is not eternal, because life on Earth is tied to the existence of the sun. Since the sun is not eternal, life could not always have existed either.

    This is where atheism and the pantheistic worldview run into problems. Neither can properly explain the beginning of the universe and life. In atheism, the existence of a Creator God is not acknowledged, and in pantheism, god is the same as creation, which means that creation should have created itself. It is a logically unsustainable idea.

    In Western countries, belief in creation has been abandoned, but God's creation is the only reasonable explanation for the existence of the universe and life. There are stories in school books and TV programs about how galaxies, stars, the solar system and life on Earth have arisen by themselves, but they have nothing to do with science. They are atheistic stories based on imagination, nothing more. It is a question of believing in things that cannot be proven, and against which the evidence clearly stands. E.g. the following quotes explain how the Big Bang theory contradicts the evidence:

The universe, born from the cosmic explosion 13.8 billion years ago, expanded rapidly and then cooled. It is expanding at an ever-increasing rate and is mostly composed of unknown dark matter and dark energy...or what?

    This well-known story is generally accepted as self-evident scientific fact, even though there is almost no empirical evidence—and even though the number of contradictions keeps growing as observations of the distant universe are made. (Ekeberg, B., Cosmology has some big problems, blogs.scientificamerican.com, 30.4.2019.)

New data differs enough from the theory’s prediction to destroy the Big Bang-cosmology (Fred Hoyle, The Big Bang in Astronomy, 92 New Scientist 521, 522-23 / 1981)

As an old cosmologist, I see the current observational data repealing theories about the beginning of the universe, and also the many theories about the beginning of the Solar System. (H. Bondi, Letter, 87 New Scientist 611 / 1980)

There has been remarkably little discussion of whether or not the big bang hypothesis is correct... many of the observations that conflict it are explained through numerous unfounded assumptions or they are simply ignored. (nobelist H. Alfven, Cosmic Plasma 125 / 1981)

David Berlinski: ”It is pointless to argue that something comes into existence out of nothing, when any given mathematician understands this to be complete nonsense” (Ron Rosenbaum: ”Is the Big Bang Just a Big Hoax? David Berlinski Challenges Everyone.” New York Observer 7.7.1998)

So there were quotes related to the big bang theory. It clearly contradicts the evidence. However, the same problem occurs in other atheistic theories. No atheist scientist, for example, knows how life could have arisen by itself. Furthermore, Darwin's theory clearly contradicts the evidence. If gradual evolution from a primitive cell were true, it should be visible in the fossil record, but it is not. For this, we take quotes from representatives of natural history museums. These museums should have the best evidence of evolution if Darwin's theory were true, but there is no evidence of gradual evolution. This clearly refers to God's work of creation:

Stephen Jay Gould (American Museum): I do not want in any way to belittle the potential competence of the gradual evolution view. I want only to remark that it has never 'been observed' in rocks.” (The Panda's Thumb, 1988, pp. 182,183).

Dr. Etheridge, world-famous curator of the British Museum: In this whole museum, there is not even the smallest thing that would prove the origin of species from intermediate forms. The theory of evolution is not based on observations and facts. As comes to speaking about the age of the human race, the situation is the same. This museum is full of evidence showing how mindless these theories are. (2)

None of the officials in five large paleontological museums can present even one simple example of an organism that could be regarded as a piece of evidence of gradual evolution from one species to another. (Dr. Luther Sunderland’s summary in his book Darwin's enigma. He interviewed many representatives of natural history museums for this book and wrote to them aiming at finding out what sort of evidence they had to prove evolution. (3)

3. The divinity of everything and man 

Within the New Age Movement, the Hindu doctrine that the cosmos is god and man is part of the same god is repeatedly taught. In principle, there has only been a name change: the universe, or cosmos, including man, has been named god, Brahman. However, this Hindu name is not usually used in the western New Age Movement. Usually it is talked only about the divinity of man.

    What is the issue here in the light of the Bible? It's a matter of the creature exalting itself as equal to the Creator, even though it is not. Man worships the creature more than the Creator, as it is written:

- (Eze 28:2) Son of man, say to the prince of Tyrus, Thus said the Lord GOD; Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the middle of the seas; yet you are a man, and not God, though you set your heart as the heart of God

- (Rom 1:22-23,25) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

- (Acts 12:21-24) And on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne, and made an oration to them.

22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

The question is, if creation is god and man is also god, why is this not known immediately? In Hinduism, they talk about maya, or an illusion, which prevents us from seeing this, but if this is the case, then it is a question of a rather ignorant and weak god. How can a god be so ignorant that he doesn't even know and feel his own divinity? Of course, everyone can believe what they want, but it is easy to conclude that it is an obvious lie. It would be easy for everyone to prove their divinity simply by creating, for example, a moon-sized object in the sky. It shouldn't be a problem if this worldview is true.

    On the other hand, it is worth remembering the first commandment, which was already given thousands of years ago. It urged not to serve idols alongside the one true God. In Hinduism and its western form, i.e. the New Age Movement, this has not been followed. It is estimated that there are even more than 300 million gods in Hinduism in addition to Brahman:

- (Exodus 20:1-4) And God spoke all these words, saying,

2 I am the LORD your God, which have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 You shall have no other gods before me.

4 You shall not make to you any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

The following discussion points to the same thing. In it, Rabi Maharaj tells how, as a Hindu, it was difficult for him to defend the pantheistic notion that everything was part of God. The boys' awkward questions embarrassed him and he got defensive. In his book, he describes a problematic situation that clearly demonstrates the falsity of pantheism:

"Is it true that Hindus believe that everything is God?"

   I nodded. I looked uneasily at the boys who represented different races and religions, who had gathered to talk me into the bag.  It started to become a regular habit and the other Hindu boys carefully avoided giving me any kind of support. They seemed downright scared or ashamed.

   "Do you mean that a fly is God, or an ant, or or a dung beetle?" The small crowd standing around me burst out laughing.

   You laugh because you do not understand," I said proudly. "You see only an illusion, but you do not see the One Real - Brahman."

   "Are you God?" asked the Portuguese boy in disbelief.

   I didn't dare to hesitate or pull back - then I would have looked even more ridiculous. "I am," I replied firmly, "and so are all Hindus. They just need to realize it."

   "How can you be aware of things that are not true?" he snorted contemptuously. " You didn't create the world!" (4)

4. Do all roads lead to the same goal? 

One popular view in neo-spirituality and the New Age Movement is the idea that all religions are the same and basically teach the same thing. It is thought that people can take different paths that eventually lead to the same mountain top, to the same God. However, representatives of neo-spirituality are generally critical of the view that there is only one way, Jesus Christ, as taught in the Christian faith. They consider this view too narrow-minded and limiting.

    What is the problem with this view? It ignores the differences between religions and claims that they do not matter. However, it is logically impossible for all religions to be true at the same time. Salvation cannot be simultaneously from grace (Jesus' work for us) and works (the most common concept in religions), reincarnation (Hinduism, Buddhism) and non-reincarnation (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) cannot be true at the same time. Similarly, the number of gods varies in religions, so they basically do not teach the same thing.

    This view, which appears in neo-spirituality and the New Age Movement, is characteristic of one world religion, however: Hinduism. It teaches that all roads lead to the destination and are equal. The representatives of neo-spirituality thus show again that they believe the same as Hindus believe. In the Hindu holy book Bhagavad-Gita it is written:

Oh Paartha, no matter how the people approach me, I will receive them; whatever way they use, it is also my way.

What about the criticism in neo-spirituality to the teaching of Christianity that there is only one way, Jesus Christ? These people should take into account that this view is not an invention of modern people, but Jesus Himself taught it. If we do not believe His claim, we claim that He actually lied, which is a heavy accusation:

- (John 14:6) Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

- (John 10:9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Jesus also taught about the broad way that does not lead to God but to destruction. Is this the very view that exists in neo-spirituality? These people believe that many roads will lead to the destination, but what if they lead to destruction, as Jesus warned:

- (Matt 7:13,14) Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it. 

5. Is there a difference between good and bad? 

One of the teachings of Hinduism and the New Age Movement is that everything is one, that is, everything is god. It actually means that evil must also be God. The unity of everything thus means the elimination of the difference between good and evil, and that is one of the weak points of pantheism. For example, Shirley MacLaine , a well-known actress and leading figure in the New Age Movement, has argued in her books that the difference between good and evil has disappeared. Similarly, MacLaine's Higher Self had taught her:

God energy is not a judge of people. In fact, there is no judgment in life. There is only the experience of incarnating into another until the soul realizes its perfection, and that is total love... Until humanity realizes that there is in fact no good and no evil, there will be no peace on earth. (5)

What can be answered to the previous one? Yes, there is still a difference between right and wrong, even if people and spirit beings claim otherwise. Even in Hinduism and neo-spirituality, there is a general belief in the law of karma, where people's good or bad deeds affect the next life. This contradicts the previous doctrine. Similarly, many representatives of neo-spirituality can talk about love and peace as things to strive for, or rightfully criticize, for example, the injustices that have happened in the Catholic Church, so they are not always very consistent themselves (the same inconsistency also appears in the previous quote). Yes, the difference between right and wrong is known to every person, and it is good that this is so. Among other things, the following verses of the Bible refer to it, and how this matter shows that the Almighty God will one day judge every person:

- (Romans 2:14-16) For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law to themselves:

15 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

- (Mark 10:19) You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor your father and mother.

6. TM and Yoga 

There are many kinds of functions and activities in neo-spirituality. Not everyone participates in every activity or subscribes to all its ideologies. Two such areas in the West are TM, transcendental meditation, and yoga. They are practiced by hundreds of thousands of people who may not be interested in other areas of neo-spirituality.

    These methods have often been promoted in Western countries in the name of science. For example, it has been said about TM that it is not a religion, but a relaxation method. In it, people chant some mantra for long periods of time and try to reach a state of peace. (Jesus warned against this kind of vain babbling, Matt 6:7: But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.)

    However, TM, or passive meditation, is strongly connected to Hinduism. It is one of the most important areas of Hinduism. In his book "Meditations of Maharishi Mahes Yogi" on page 168", the Maharishi, who brought this method to the West, has directly admitted that TM is related to the attainment of god consciousness, but it should not be marketed in this way but for health reasons: "You cannot ask a person today to meditate , so that he would gain god-consciousness, but we can ask him to meditate, saying that through it he can better enjoy the world, sleep better and be properly awake during the day".

    Another quote from Maharishi's book brings out even more clearly the religious and Hindu character of TM. The Maharishi wrote that the purpose of reciting the mantra is to connect with living gods and higher beings. Can you say this more clearly?

We do something here according to Vedic rituals, we repeat certain words and they affect the other worlds, they draw the attention of the gods or higher beings living there to us. The whole purpose of knowing the mantra or Vedic chants is to create a connection between these higher beings who live in the different levels of creation and man. (Meditations of Maharishi, pages 17 and 18)

What about yoga and its practice? It has also been successful in Western countries based on the fact that it has been presented as an exercise and relaxation method that has a positive effect on physical and mental health. 

   However, in Eastern religions, yoga is not only gymnastics, relaxation or breathing exercises, but the purpose of yoga is to bring a person through physical exercises into contact with the Hindu god Brahman - the word yoga means to connect and connect. There are no neutral techniques in yoga, but yoga practices are designed to cause a trance state in which the mind is emptied and thus a connection is made with everything, Brahman.

"All yogic paths ultimately lead to the same destination - union with Brahman, or God - and the teachings of all must be assimilated to achieve true wisdom." (The Sivanda Companion to YOGA, by Lucy Lindell, Fireside Books, 1983, p. 18)

Rabi Maharaj, who as a Hindu guru practiced passive meditation and yoga for years, has warned against these methods. They are not neutral methods, but in them a person actually opens his mind to misleading spirits, i.e. to the entry of demons. As a result of them, a person can have all kinds of false experiences from the spirit world.

TM is disguised Hinduism portrayed in misleadingly scientific terms. Its religious nature is denied, and thus Western people are misled.

   Feeling compelled to expose such deliberate and cunning lies, I began speaking out more boldly in public to warn those drawn to yoga, meditation, and other forms of Eastern mysticism of the satanic trap they were stepping into. I started getting invitations to universities to speak about different religions or to find out the differences between Hinduism and Christianity. After all, I knew Hinduism through and through. Soon I also received invitations to several different countries. My activities were no longer limited to Europe alone. (6)

7. Reincarnation and Karma 

Reincarnation and Karma are familiar to most Westerners through school education. They know these doctrines are related to Eastern religions because they have been taught them. The same things also belong to the New Age Movement and neo-spirituality. It is a different matter whether these perceptions are true. At least they are contrary to Christian teaching, because Jesus and the apostles taught that there is only one life and after that comes judgment. For example, it is written in the book of Hebrews (Hebr 9:27): "And as it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment."

    Next, let's go through some of the problems associated with these doctrines and their validity:

• If reincarnation were true, everyone should remember it. However, why do 99.99% of people not remember their past lives? Doesn't this clearly prove that past lives never existed? Even H.B. Blavatsky, the founder of the Theosophical Society, and the person who perhaps most popularized the doctrine of reincarnation in the West in the 19th century, has said of our forgetfulness in this area:

Maybe we can say that in the life of a mortal person, there is no such suffering of the soul and body that would not be the fruit and consequence of some sin that has been committed in a previous form of existence. But on the other hand, his current life does not include even one memory of those. (7)

It is true that some people claim to have remembered their past lives, but these memories cannot be trusted. For example, a considerable number of people have registered in America who claim that at some point they lived as Cleopatra or Napoleon! Similarly, there are over a hundred incarnations of H.B. Blavatsky, founder of the Theosophical Society (previous quote), known around the world! It is clear that people's memories are based on a lie. Admittedly, it is true that sometimes accurate information may be involved, but that does not prove reincarnation itself. Deceitful spirits can give people accurate information to deceive them.

    Daniel Home, one of the most famous mediums of his time, has taken a stand on the matter. His words show how people can deceive themselves in this area. He had met e.g. 20 Alexander the Great and other famous people, so such flashbacks cannot possibly be true: 

I have had the pleasure of meeting at least twelve Marie Antoinettes, six or seven Mary, Queen of Scots, a whole group of Louis the Greats and many other kings, and about twenty Alexander the Greats, but never an ordinary person like John Smith. I really would want to meet such an unusual case.

• How was it in the beginning when there was no karma from previous lives? Because, as stated at the beginning of the article, the universe and life have a beginning. Even atheist scientists admit it. The former practically means that everything should have been perfect at the beginning, and the cycle of reincarnation would not have even started. It is difficult to explain the problem of the beginning through pantheism. Where has bad Karma come to earth if it was not there in the beginning?

• Concepts about the form in which a person can be reborn on earth vary. In Eastern concepts, a person can be born as an animal or even a plant, but generally in Western countries people are taught to always remain human. For example, spiritualist and writer Allan Kardec, who was born in the 19th century, taught like this: "The embodiment of spirits always happens in the human species; it would be a mistake to believe that a soul or spirit could be embodied in the body of an animal.” (Allan Kardec: Henkien kirja, 2010. Published by the International Spiritist Council).

    However, in anthroposophy originating from Rudolf Steiner, for example, it has been taught that the incarnated soul could have lived as an animal, a plant and even a stone. In a book published by the Finnish Anthroposophical Association, Werner J. Meinhold has written as follows: "First there was a series of human incarnations, and behind them a phase of animal incarnation and further back, a phase that consisted of plant incarnation. After that we went even further back into the mineral world.” (8)

    The question is, why do perceptions vary so much in the West or between East and West? In the East, this doctrine has been taught for centuries, but there they believe the complete opposite of what e.g. Allan Kardec taught.

    It gets even weirder if you compare the ways to get rid of reincarnation. In Hinduism, liberation is believed to occur when one realizes one's divinity and one's connection to Brahman. The Buddha, on the other hand, did not believe in gods, but taught liberation from the cycle through the practice of altruistic mood and a moderate lifestyle. This shows how contradictory the teaching of the doctrine of reincarnation and karma exists.

• The doctrine of reincarnation includes the law of karma. The question is how it works, because no impersonal law can remember the lives of billions of people, their good and bad deeds. An impersonal law cannot plan people's living conditions in advance either; it always takes a person. Or what power distributes bodies to people and by what criteria? And what should everyone do so that he is not born as a fly in his next life, but that he could be born, for example, into a royal position or rich? Those who believe in reincarnation rarely ask themselves such questions.

• If reincarnation were true, the world should become a better place all the time as people learn from their past experiences. Each generation should be better than the last. However, this doesn't seem to be happening, people are still doing wrong, and there doesn't seem to be a turn for the better. This contradicts the doctrine of reincarnation.

    If reincarnation were true, the population should also decrease all the time, because some meritorious souls leave the cycle. Why is the population not decreasing, but the population right now is several billions larger than, for example, a hundred years ago and compared to what it was a couple of thousand years ago? Population growth is incompatible with the doctrine of reincarnation.

8. In connection with what? 

When a person joins the New Age Movement and the paths of neo-spirituality, it is inevitable that at some point he will come into contact with different spirits and beings. It can happen in a person's private devotional practice, e.g. due to long-term meditation or by participating in channeling sessions, which is the same as spiritualism. In practice, in channeling sessions, the channeler or medium usually goes into a passive trance state and lets the spirits speak through them. It is most commonly believed to be in contact with the spirits of the dead. They may appear as good spirits who now reside in the spirit world and guide and help others on their spiritual path. However, contact can also be made with the following beings and elements:

• goddess and god

• four air directions

• powers behind the elements of earth, air, water, fire and spirit

• gods and goddesses from different mythologies such as Isis, Set, Venus, Aphrodite, Thor, Odin, Artemis (cf. Apt 19)

• angels

• in Hinduism, Krishna, the mother goddess Kali and thousands of other deities

• saints

• UFOs and aliens

• members of the Great White Brotherhood

• gnomes, fairies, spirit beings

• higher self, spirit guides

• internal advisor

• animal spirits in shamanism

• energy

• Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Some representatives of neospirituality believe that they get their messages from Jesus and the Holy Spirit

Usually, when representatives of neo-spirituality are in contact with spirit beings, they believe that they are only in contact with good spirits and try to ward off evil spirits. They don't think about the possibility that the spirits who pretend to be good spirits could also be deceivers. (The same concept appears in the Harry Potter books, because one of the teaching subjects of the wizarding school is protection from evil forces.). This perception was manifested e.g. In the life of Nicky Cruz's parents when they practiced witchcraft and spiritism. At first they did not consider the possibility of a lie, but the truth dawned on them towards the end of their lives:

“My father’s death is another strange story that I'll tell in another chapter, but I want you to understand that even though he practiced spiritism and claimed that he was friend with ‘good spirits’, he knew that they were evil spirits who were actually not his allies.

   He was their terrified slave instead.

   (...) He was highly respected!

   And he convinced himself that he was doing a great deal of good with this power. Sick people were healed (...) even though dad noticed that he was dealing with demons and making pacts with the forces of darkness. Sad people rejoiced when they were able to talk with “their long-gone spouse”... even though my mother had to sometimes give herself over to wild, bad spirits.

   (...) When my mother and father started to practice witchcraft, they couldn't imagine that the evil spirits would take advantage of them. They sincerely thought that they were helping people with the assistance of good spirits.

   They quickly learned the terrible truth.

   My father was so deeply under the power of spirits that he spent almost eighty years without Christ. The truth dawned on him the moment when he took a step towards the Savior.” (…) (9)

The possibility of a lie should therefore be taken into account. Although spirits may appear helpful, wise, friendly, and some may even experience physical healing, the possibility of deception should not be ruled out. One indication of a lie is that spirits repeatedly oppose the teachings of Jesus Christ, even though people worldwide regard him as good and his teachings as important. The spirits reject Jesus as he is presented in the Gospels, which are the best historical sources of Jesus' life. They repel e.g. Jesus' teaching about hell and that he came to save people (John 3:16,17). Likewise, they can present Jesus as some kind of Eastern guru who achieved enlightenment and "Christ-consciousness", even though the Bible teaches that he was and is the Creator of the universe who became a man (John 1:1-3,14). If the spirits were really good, shouldn't they agree in everything with the teaching that Jesus himself taught? However, this does not happen.

   It is therefore good to note that we can be deceived. The Bible speaks in many places about the ruler of the air power and the evil spirit world, whose sole purpose is to mislead people and ultimately lead them to hell. It is foolishness to pass over the following verses lightly and not consider them. These things were certainly known in the society of that time, and that is why these teachings have not been included in the Bible for nothing. They are for our benefit so that we don't get lost. We can be deceived already if we do not consider the possibility of a lie:

- (2 Cor 11:14) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

- (2 Cor 4:3,4) But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4  In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them.

- (Eph 2:2) Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:

- (Eph 6:12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

- (John 8:44) You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and stayed not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

- (1 Peter 5:8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:

The second point we must take into account is that Jesus and the Apostles often had to deal with false and evil spirits, when they delivered people from them. They recognised the existence of the supernatural world and helped people to freedom. Oriental societies and many natural nations have always understood the reality of the spirit world, and many have lived in fear of spirits. However, the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is powerful to free from all chains, brings hope to this. It has the power to free people from all chains including evil spirits and all deceitful activity.

- (Matt 12:43-45) When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.

44 Then he said, I will return into my house from where I came out; and when he is come, he finds it empty, swept, and garnished.

45 Then goes he, and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also to this wicked generation.

- (Acts 5:16) There came also a multitude out of the cities round about to Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

- (Acts 8:6-8) And the people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

8 And there was great joy in that city.

- (Acts 16:16-18) And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show to us the way of salvation.

18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.  And he came out the same hour.

- (Mark 1:32-34) And at even, when the sun did set, they brought to him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.

34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

What happens in channelling sessions? Raphael Gasson, a former active psychic who initially believed he was dealing with spirits of the dead, has weighed in on the subject. He stated that during the first sessions, the medium learns to “relax his body and concentrate his thoughts on one single thing until he has reached a passive state, which can be considered self-hypnosis, and the result of which is that he can not control of his thoughts. The person becomes an automaton through which evil spirits operate, taking advantage of his passive state." (10)

   In medium sessions and channeling, it is therefore a matter of people giving way to deceitful spirits whose sole purpose is to take people away from God and into hell. At the point when a person tries to get rid of these spirits and channelings, the spirits' resistance usually begins. They don't want people to turn to Jesus Christ. Among other things, the following verses warn against turning to the dead. It is much more reasonable to turn to the living God:

- (Lev 19:31) Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

- (Lev 20:6) And the soul that turns after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

- (Deut 18:10-12) There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.

11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

12 For all that do these things are an abomination to the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD your God does drive them out from before you.

- (Lev 20:27) A man also or woman that has a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be on them.

- (2 King 21:6) And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he worked much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 

- (1 Chron 10:13) So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it;

- (Isa 8:19) And when they shall say to you, Seek to them that have familiar spirits, and to wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek to their God? for the living to the dead?

When the Bible forbids turning to the dead, it is because people then actually have to deal with deceiving demonic spirits. They can impersonate the spirits of the dead and deceive people. Evil spirits are able to do this because they have observed people's lives and because they are very intelligent even though they are evil.

    Examples of how evil spirits can pretend to be people's close relatives or acquaintances can be found in the books of neospiritualists themselves. For example, Allan Kardec mentioned a few such cases in one of his books (Meedioiden kirja / Les Livre des Mediums). One lady was visited by her brother and on another occasion by a nearby fruit seller, even though these persons had not died and were physically several miles away at the time of the appearance. The persons themselves knew nothing about the appearance, so the deceiving spirits had actually appeared to this lady or she saw a vision that came from them.

   We will look at a few more examples that show how evil spirits can impersonate the spirits of the dead and deceive people. This happens repeatedly in spiritualist sessions:

During the Second World War a Scottish woman had been informed that her husband "had been lost in a battle". She waited and prayed for her husband to return but it seemed to be that the man had died. Believers who meant well urged her to go to a spiritualistic session and try to get connected with her husband.

   The woman went and to her surprise, a creature who greatly resembled her husband appeared. They spoke together and the voice of the creature was as happy as her husband's voice had always been. It made her shiver when they spoke about many personal issues. Imagine her surprise and shock when a few months later her husband, without any warning, arrived home as healthy and vigorous as he had ever been. He had not even been wounded. (11)

As I have already said, all my life I have known the reality of the diabolical interest in me. Once, as a young man, I was away from home for several days. One night I had a terrible dream. I could clearly see the door of the room where I was sleeping and felt a horrible certainty that an inexplicable, horrible being would come from that door. Surrounded by terror, yet still asleep, I saw the door slowly open and my mother's ghost standing in the doorway. I can still see her in my mind as I saw her then, perfectly like my mother in every detail of her features. He was wearing the same brown suit I had seen him wearing when I left the house a few days earlier.

    The shocking thing was that I knew it wasn't my mother. I was fully aware that he was NOT present as he was at home, about 15 miles away. In my dream he walked across the floor to my bed, bent over me and woke me up with a kiss. I woke up to the demon's unpleasant presence. It had disguised itself as my mother and had now completely abandoned the resemblance. I was a Christian then and in the name of Jesus Christ I told the creature to leave and it didn't last long!

    Since then, I have been especially aware of how easily evil spirits can impersonate our loved ones. They can; and they will even go farther than that because they pretend to be others as well as those who are close to us. (12)

9. Expanding consciousness 

As stated, one of the basic teachings of Hinduism is the experience of enlightenment. It means that man realizes his divinity and that he is one with the universe, Brahman. To experience this, Hindus can practice meditation and yoga for years.

   The same idea of enlightenment and expansion of consciousness has entered neo-spirituality, which talks about "higher consciousness", "self-realization", "creating one's own reality" and spiritual growth. In order to reach this goal, the most diverse methods can be used: drugs, passive meditation (e.g. the background of most mediums is long-term passive meditation. However, the alphabet board is also the background of many beginner mediums), hypnosis, creating mental images, i.e. visualization (silva method and other methods. Likewise in role-playing games one can visualize deities, monsters, dragons and spirits. As these beings begin to be summoned and imagined, they may gradually become real and appear.), yoga, a certain kind of peaceful New Age music, mindfulness, ritual dance or direct contact with the spirit world. In many of these methods, the essential thing is to make the mind passive. In ordinary meditation and study the mind is active, but in neo-spirituality the passivity of the mind is the goal, as it is considered necessary for the expansion of consciousness.

    What is really going on here? In it, people open their minds to demons, evil spirits. They gain contact with the spirit world, allowing demons to influence their minds and give them all kinds of deceptive visions; show things that are not really there. (However, there can also be accurate information, as some soothsayers have. For example, in the Acts of the Apostles, it is told about a damsel possessed with a spirit of divination and which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying, Acts:16:1.). These visions are a kind of states comparable to sleep. They may appear to be real to the person who sees them, but are not actually true. For example, Rabi Maharaj told in his book Death of a Guru how he was transported by astral projection to distant planets and how he saw Hindu gods. He later told how they were deceptive delusions given to him by demons. He noticed that drug users had similar experiences and warned them based on his own experiences:

“I did not need substances to see visions of other worlds or supernatural beings or to feel unity with the universe or to feel that I am “God”, I told them. “I achieved all that through transcendental meditation. But it was a lie, a trick of evil spirits to gain the upper hand over me when I freed my mind from my own control. You are being  deceived. The only way to the peace and satisfaction that you are looking for is through Christ.” Since I knew what I was talking about and had experienced it myself without drugs, many of these drug users took my words seriously. (13)

Mentally ill people can have similar hallucinations and delusions - things that don't actually exist. Some can see pink elephants, goblins, fairies and all kinds of different things. For example, in the Suomen Lääkärikirja in the 1950s, it was written about how people can have these types of fantasies. Of course, every person has similar imaginings in ordinary night dreams. In them, people can fly and do the most different things. However, the same thing happens to mentally ill people when they are awake. It's the same with drug users. Many drug users have remained on a permanent drug journey, and as a result had to experience similar experiences as shown in the following example:

A symptom of ego disorders is often depersonalization, when the patient's world seems to have become unreal or fairytale-like. Experiences of influence are easily associated with this, z-patient believes that he has mysterious powers with which he controls others or which influence him so that he cannot act himself, but some strange person or spirit acts on him... The patient has strong hallucinations, he sees flames, sees and hears Christ, angels, etc... In a state of ecstasy, the patient believes that he has received a great saving mission, he is the prophet Mikael, etc., or he thinks that he has solved the riddle of the world, for example by means of a 'sine curve'. (14)

As stated, when the New Age movement and neo-spirituality aim to expand consciousness, it's about the devil showing people things that don't necessarily exist. God can also show a person visions and dreams, but there is a clear difference between how God and the devil work. God never wants our minds to be inactive, but for our minds to be sober, clear and in full operation. The devil, on the other hand, works through man's passive mind and that man is like an automaton. The best example of this is mediums (channelers), where evil spirits operate, often appearing as the spirits of the deceased. The medium himself may be completely unaware of the information he is conveying to other people.

    The following example also points to how many visions are not necessarily true in reality. It is about UFOs, which are often mentioned in the literature of the New Age movement and in neo-spirituality. These people believe that UFOs are real spaceships with advanced aliens traveling on them. However, it is interesting that many UFO sightings are characterized by the fact that UFOs can disappear and appear suddenly and change shape, indicating that they are not real spaceships. Some have stated that the UFOs have not been mechanical in any sense, but the eyewitnesses have felt as if they were alive.

    In any case, the following examples show how UFOs are not necessarily real mechanical spaceships from outer space, but that it is a question of the inner visions of the mind. These honest descriptions are from the book "Uri Geller, elämä ja mysteeri" by Andrija Puharich (pp. 190-191, 353):

Uri, Ila, and I sat on the back seat of the command car, the driver and two other soldiers on the front seat. Suddenly, Uri pointed his finger directly at the peak of the mountain under the spacecraft, asking them in Hebrew, "What is that?"

   All three looked directly at the spacecraft, saying, “There is only a mountain and a blue sky. What do you see?" Uri did not want to say what he saw, but urged them to look closely at the point in the sky where the spacecraft was. None of them saw the spacecraft. Finally they asked Uri, "What is so important about that point?"

   Uri said lightly, "I believed there was a UFO." They took his words as a joke and turned their eyes away from the mountain. Uri, Ila, and I – on the other hand – watched as if enchanted. (…)

   Yes, I admit that it is possible that there was no spacecraft. Three soldiers in the command car did not see anything, because there may have been nothing to see in the first place. I admit that the picture of a spacecraft was already there in our minds. However, I believe that some highly intellectual being put that vision there. The flight of the magnificent metallic spacecraft above the desert of Sinai is still a clear picture in my mind today.

Others were driving along the road in the same direction as we, while others were driving in the opposite direction. The three of us noticed quite soon that the other drivers were not looking in the same direction as we. I knew, on the grounds of earlier experiences, that these displays were “for our eyes only”. I could not understand how others did not see what we saw, since the entire area was brightly lit. 

10. Angels in neo-spirituality 

In neo-spirituality, you may often hear talk about good things: light, peace, love, change for the better, happiness, spiritual growth, new awareness, harmony... Such sayings often appear in the literature of this area. In addition, the representatives of neospirituality believe that they are always connected to good forces and spirits. They may admit that there are evil and hypocritical spirits among the spirits, but that they themselves are not connected with them.

    One phenomenon occurring in the new spirituality is strong talk about angels. There are constantly more angel books, angels are talked to and they convey messages to people. It is not taken into account that according to the Bible there is also Satan and his angels and that Satan can act as an angel of light. These beings can speak good things and appear as good angels, although their only purpose is to deceive people and lead them away from God. In addition, many religions such as Islam have originated through an angel. For example, the "angel Gabriel" appeared to Muhammad when Muhammad was meditating. However, the message of the angel who appeared to Muhammad is completely opposite to what Gabriel spoke in the Bible. It shows that it cannot be the same Gabriel. For example, the following verses talk about Satan and his angels:

- (2 Cor 11:13-15) For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

- (John 8:43-45) Why do you not understand my speech? even because you cannot hear my word.

44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and stayed not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

45 And because I tell you the truth, you believe me not.

- (Rev 12:7-9) And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

- (Matt 25:41) Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

In Paul's time, there were similar people as today there are in neo-pirituality and in the New Age movement. In the letter to the Colossians, Paul told about people who were pleased with humility and the service of angels and who boasted about their visions. These words of Paul describe many people working in the New Age movement who have similar experiences. The overemphasis of angels does not only happen in modern times, but it was characteristic of people already a few millennia ago.

- (Col 2:18) Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

So how do you know if it is God's angels or false angels? First, God's angels never appear by man's will, but only by God's permission, usually in some emergency situations. On the other hand, if a person repeatedly gets in touch with an angel, it is certainly not God's angel. We should always turn to God in heaven and not to the angels, otherwise we will be led astray.

   God's angels do not give continuous teaching to people or new divine revelation because we have already been given the Bible, God's word. Most heresies have started precisely because an angel or spirit guide has appeared to people (cf. Gal 1:8: But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.) .

    One distinct feature of God's angels is that they always glorify Jesus and do not rise above him or lower him to the level of other people. They also acknowledge his divinity and that he is the incarnate Christ, the Messiah, the only Son of God. If this following confession, which is mentioned in the letter of 1 John, does not appear in the angelic revelations, they should be rejected immediately:

- (1 John 4:1-3) Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God,

3 but every spirit that refuses to confess Jesus, that spirit is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.

When God's angels always glorify Jesus Christ, the incarnate only Son of God, they also do not accept any worship themselves, but always turn it back to God, a good example of which is the following description in the Book of Revelation. On the other hand, special names of angels or people's overly detailed descriptions of them are usually a sign that they are not God's angels, because God's angels never want attention to themselves. In neo-spiritual literature, there are often such detailed descriptions, which describe the appearance of angels in detail and what they do on a daily basis. Chantel Lysette's book ”Kuiskauksia enkeleiltä” (2013, Helsinki: Delfiinikirjat) can be considered the best . In it, for example, Archangel Michael is said to be the patron saint of sports and the police, the supreme patron of nudists, that he loves football, eats pizza and likes to dance to rock, disco, gospel and other music styles. Such detailed descriptions clearly show that it cannot be an angel of God.

- (Rev 22:8,9) I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw them, I threw myself down to worship at the feet of the angel who was showing them to me.

9 But he said to me, “Do not do this! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets, and with those who obey the words of this book. Worship God!”

11. Where is health sought 

As stated, several areas are included in neo-spirituality. One of them is alternative medicine, or holistic medicine, where the emphasis may be on treating the whole person and not just focusing on the disease, which in itself is a good goal. Similarly, such neutral things as diet and the importance of emotions can be emphasized, which certainly affect everyone's health. In general, it can be said that this area is a collection of several healing methods, and sometimes it is difficult to distinguish from which source each method is. However, good criteria are e.g. the following things:

• Unscientificity. Many methods of alternative medicine are unscientific and their working mechanisms and scientificity cannot be proven in laboratory conditions and by examining the human body. For example, in acupuncture, it is believed that a person has 12 meridians and approx. 700 acupuncture points, but they have not been detected (other similar methods are polar therapy, shiatsu, psychokinesiology...). Blood vessels and nerves can be found in humans, which are easy to observe and prove, but meridians and acupuncture points have not been found, even though autopsies and microscopic examinations have been used to help. The places where the points and meridians should be have not been found to differ in any way from other parts of the tissue.

     In some methods, some parts of the body are believed to represent the whole body. For example, in reflexology, it is assumed that treating the soles of the feet can affect the health of the entire body. Similarly, in auricular therapy and iris diagnostics, it is assumed that the ear or eye represents the whole body in miniature. Scientifically, these concepts have been impossible to prove.

   What about homeopathy? It is based on the concept that similar heals similar. If someone has diarrhea, for example, then in homeopathy it should be treated with castor oil, because it causes diarrhea in a healthy person. However, castor oil and other homeopathic remedies should always be given diluted, so that perhaps one millionth or none of the original active ingredient is left - in fact, the more diluted the remedy is, the more effective it is. In addition, the use also involves shaking between different dilutions, because that is when the invisible "life forces" are released for human use.

   However, when it comes to homeopathic medicines, it is impossible to scientifically prove their effectiveness. How could substances that would normally cause the symptoms of the sick cure the disease? Or if the medicine has been diluted to a part per million or more of the original substance, such quantities of medicine can have no effect; or their effectiveness is based solely on human belief and the placebo effect, as may have been presented by official medicine.

• Energies and energy flows often appear in the field of alternative medicine. However, does neutral energy exist in this region? Just as little as car faults or computer problems can be treated by increasing the energy flow, neutral energy can cure a wide variety of diseases just as little. Vibrations and cosmic energies in healing are always personal and people are connected to them. In general, the background of energy healers is that they are in contact with spirit guides, believe in reincarnation, practice meditation and are connected to the activities of the New Age movement.

• Spirit healing, where the healer is usually in a light trance and in contact with healing spirits beyond the border, is one area of alternative medicine. Healer spirits are believed to be deceased people, usually doctors, who now work across the border healing the sick. Here, the teaching of the Bible, which forbids contact with the dead, is rejected.

- (Deut 18:10-12) There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.

11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

12 For all that do these things are an abomination to the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD your God does drive them out from before you.

• As stated, representatives of neo-spirituality do not take into account the possibility of fraud. This is also true in the area of healing, where they believe they are connected to doctor spirits and other so-called good spirits. This has often been referred to as white magic, as a distinction from black magic, because it aims to connect only with good forces and to bring about good.

   However, the fact is that in both of these areas, black and white magic, there is a connection with treacherous spirits, not good ones. Even Anton LaVey, who served as the high priest of the Church of Satan, has stated that white magic involves exactly the same forces as black magic. He stated that "People who take part in the ceremonies of white magic stand inside a pentagon to protect themselves from the 'bad' powers they call to assist. (...) From the eyes of a worshipper of Satan it feels phony to protect oneself from the same powers that are called to help.” (15)

    Sometimes healings really happen when people go to spirit healers, energy healers and participate in other New Age activities. However, as a person's body heals, their soul becomes bound by demonic forces. It can manifest as psychological symptoms, or the person may be allowed to be completely at peace until his conversion (because Satan considered the person a sure case). Instead, as soon as a person turns to God, he may have to go through hard battles until he is freed from these forces. Sometimes it's a long process. That is, if you yourself have been involved in occult healing, in order to be freed, you must confess your sins in this area, say a prayer of renunciation of the powers of the enemy of the soul, and then command them to leave in the name of Jesus Christ.

12. Why should you suspect fraud? 

As stated, there may be sayings that seem positive in neo-spirituality such as light, peace, love, spiritual growth, new awareness... These sayings often appear in books in this field.

    However, good words do not guarantee that people are right. The possibility of deception should be taken into account because, for example, Jesus spoke of the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41) and that the devil is a liar and its father (John 8:44). In general, in the new spirituality some kind of value is given to the teachings of Jesus, so they should also take these words of Jesus into account.

   However, what is special about neo-spirituality is that this movement rejects most of the teachings of Jesus and the apostles he appointed. Why was this so, if Jesus was perfectly good and sinless, and if he spoke the truth, as he himself claimed (John 8:45,46: And because I tell you the truth, you believe me not. Which of you convinces me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me?)? Thus, neo-spirituality teaches an impersonal God, reincarnation, the divinity of all things, that there are many ways to salvation, that there is no difference between good and evil, that there is no judgment and hell, and in it is rejected Jesus' atonement work for the forgiveness of sins, and that He is the only way to salvation. In neo-spirituality, all these essential things that Jesus and the apostles taught are rejected. Representatives of neo-spirituality can accept Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and moral teachings, but they do not accept other doctrines. They believe more in the Hindu worldview than what Jesus and the apostles taught. They do not consider that the doctrines they believe in could be from demons as Paul wrote. In another passage, Paul also wrote about fables that people will turn to. This has actually happened when atheist scientists believe in e.g. the Big Bang or the self-creation of life. However, also in neo-spirituality there are similar things comparable to fables that can be believed.

- (1 Tim 4:1,2) Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings,

2 influenced by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared.

- (2 Tim 4:3,4) For there will be a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things.

4 And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths.

Another notable feature of the neo-spirituality is that the teachings it contains are often contradictory. For example, something as essential as whether one can be reincarnated as an animal or a plant differs considerably in different circles. If reincarnation were true, this teaching should be consistent always and everywhere. However, that is not the case. Likewise, the way to break free from the cycle of rebirth should be consistent always and everywhere. However, Hinduism, Buddhism and western neo-spirituality have different concepts.

    Aila Ruoho has brought out the contradictions in neo-spirituality in her book "Henkisyyden harhapoluilla". She read many books of this area and found that what was held to be true in one book was disproved in other books and vice versa. This does not provide a reliable basis for the teachings found in neo-spirituality:

One clear feature of neo-spirituality literature, of which there have already been several examples above, is contradiction. A casual reader of books is unlikely to notice or remember the contradictions. However, when you read as much as possible on the subject over the course of several months, the situation is different: when you have read a completely different explanation of something the week before, the next author teaches the complete opposite. Here comes the astonishment. What are the reasons for the differences? And if everything is believed to be in constant change, why publish "information" that is only valid for a short time.

    ... In the strangest situation, contradictions can be found within the same work...

   ... Ritva Fagerström urges to selectively search for information from the "second level". He advises to read the experiences of spiritualists, the studies of scientists as well as works received by automatic writing. Fagerström reminds us: "Do not believe everything at once, for you will find information in different books that you will find to refute each other." ⁽¹⁶⁾ In other words, Fagerström admits that the books of different authors are in glaring contradiction in many respects. (17) 

As stated, neo-spirituality is based mainly on one world religion: Hinduism, which is the main religion of India and has been for over 2000 years. Many Hindus may be warm-hearted people, but Hinduism, where cows are considered gods and rats are protected, is a hindrance to the development of society. Rats destroy a considerable part of the grain, and this has maintained famine in this country.

   Rabi Maharaj, a former Hindu guru refers to the same subject. He believed that Hinduism, with its fatalistic belief in karma, reincarnation and false gods, was the root cause of India's problems. He stated that it is the blindness of Western people to turn to Eastern mysticism for enlightenment. People in the circle of neo-spirituality are often blind to this. They are also blind to the blessings brought by Christianity, such as the birth of written languages, literacy, hospitals, caring for the poor, better status for women, schools...

It is impossible to describe India to people who have not seen it for themselves. The misery, poverty, disease and superstition are shocking. The villages are awful too, but only when the visitor sees the millions and millions of people crowding the cities of India will they feel sheer terror. (...)

   My heart hurt when I looked at the suffering multitudes of India. I wondered why the western people are searching for spiritual information from India. From experience I knew that Hinduism, its fatalistic belief in karma, reincarnation, and wrong gods was the basic reason for the problems in India. It was the blindness of the western people that made them turn to search for enlightenment from eastern mysticism! There was nothing else but darkness, and the anguish of India proved very clearly how deep this darkness was. Such an enormous deceit could only come from the same devilish, intelligent source that drives millions of people to destroy themselves because of the apparent paradise of drugs.  (18)

And what are the consequences when a person embarks on the paths of neo-spirituality? Hardly anyone initially thinks that there could be any negative consequences as a result of studying parapsychology, practicing meditation, participating in spiritualism, or engaging in other neo-spiritual activities. Many may think that there is an exciting and interesting research journey ahead, where new landscapes are opening up, and maybe this is the case at the beginning. If a person has not progressed very far in his studies, he may not have experienced negative consequences yet.

   However, the longer a person is on the path of neo-spirituality, the more likely he will start to face negative consequences. At first they may have short-term experiences of energy and peace that draw them deeper into this world, but gradually they may experience distressing experiences, mental disturbances, experiences of being constantly followed, disturbing visions, meditation psychoses, episodes of unconsciousness, obsessions with self-harm or other and more different consequences. The following words of Jesus fit this very well (John 10:10,11): "The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep."

    The following quote is related to the topic. It's from Ultra magazine, which is one of the most well-known publications in the field related to the neo-spirituality in Finland. It is an article in which the author tells how many people have had mental health disorders after they started practicing border knowledge. These are matters where, based on the Bible, it is a question of false spirits, i.e. evil spirits. Those who deal with boundary knowledge usually do not understand this themselves, because they do not believe in the teaching of the Bible that the evil spirit world exists and deceives people.

Need for Crisis Service in the Area of Occultism

What exactly is happening in the area of occultism? Have we gone too far to something that many can no longer cope with on their own? The much-talked about expansion of consciousness in the Age of Aquarius apparently happens too quickly, the chakras are opened too early. After all, they should be allowed to unfold in peace by themselves as a person is ready to withstand the sharpening of his psychic abilities.

    Many of us are so eager to see, hear, and experience things beyond our limited physical senses that we will do almost anything to speed up the process of opening our astral sight and hearing. Unfortunately, the consequences are not completely clear.

    The opening of astral vision before the protective mechanisms are built is frightening. Apart from figures, some people can see distorted, mischievous faces, even exceptionally moving ones, whose appearance in a dark room is a very unpleasant experience.

    As a result of the opening of the astral hearing, the domestic peace of the human polo has gone. He is guaranteed to never be alone. Sometimes he is controlled by only one zealous harasser who has comments on everything his victim does. This calls for doing all kinds of crazy and dangerous things; to walk to the edge of a cliff or drive a car into a ditch. The victim is intimidated and threatened with all kinds of accidents. Sometimes the harasser announces his name, which may be the same as the dark lord's... (19)

Other comments tell more about the same topic. They are about UFO phenomena, the consequences of which are negative. Some people may experience physical improvement, but in the long run, people's joy in life decreases. The consequences of UFO experiences are similar to what the occult (spiritism, witchcraft...) has been found to be in general. The first comment is from well-known UFO expert John Keel. He mentions in one of his books:

Working with UFOs can be just as dangerous as black magic (…) the consequences range from paranoid schizophrenia and demonic mania to suicide. (20)

John Keel continues his account of the usual consequences in the lives of UFO contactees:

I have watched helplessly as UFO contactees sank into a hopeless state of personality decay and became insane or even committed suicide.

So there are a few examples of how progressing on the paths of neo-spirituality can lead to bad consequences. Many have ended up in unnecessary trouble because they have gone to the wrong areas. Spiritism, meditation or passive contemplation, automatic writing, yoga, visualization, hypnosis, astrology, tarot cards, pendulum, palmistry and other forms of divination or visiting a fortune teller, spirit guides, role-playing games, energy and spirit healing, witchcraft and spells, oriental self-defense systems, parapsychology and the connection with false angels and UFOs that open the gates for treacherous spirits affects a person's life.

    If a person surrenders his life to Jesus Christ, the situation can change and the spirits have to flee. This is what happened in the life of Hindu guru Rabi Maharai and his family when they turned to Jesus Christ. There had been a disturbing spirit in their house in the past, which they had thought was that of Rabi's grandfather, Nana, when in fact it had been demonic spirits all along. However, after their conversion and when they had destroyed by burning all the magic instruments and idols, the haunting ceased:

I felt the same way about Shiva. I feared this god the most and therefore worshiped him the most to appease him. But Nana's spirit was not appeased. It constantly frightened us with wildly running or stomping steps. They were followed by an unpleasant smell that stuck everywhere. Objects were thrown out of cupboards or pushed down from tables. Sometimes this happened right in front of our wondering eyes.

   … Now we all had one common desire – to be freed from all the bonds of the past and the forces of darkness that had blinded and enslaved us for so long. The others joined us, and together we carried the great altar. When the prayer chamber was completely empty, we swept it clean. We carefully inspected the entire house, searching for every magic item, amulet, fetish, religious image, and piece of art. We threw them all in the rubbish heap behind the garden… Rejoicing that we were now freed from the fear that had previously bound us, Krishna and I broke the idols and religious images, including the one depicting Shiva. A few days ago, I wouldn't have dared to think of doing something like that. I had been afraid that the Destroyer would kill me instantly. However, the iron grip of terror that had held me in its grip for so long was broken by the power of Jesus. No one gave us instructions on what to do. The Lord had opened our eyes.

   … Another change, which was not visible from the outside, meant even more to us. Nana's haunting footsteps were no longer heard. They no longer paced furiously back and forth in the hall or pounded on the Bedroom doors. The strangely disgusting smell which had often accompanied these phenomena and which we had never been able to trace had disappeared forever... We finally understood that the cause of these phenomena had not been Nana's spirit, as we had thought, but spirit beings which the Bible called demons... I now understood, that in yogic trance and meditation I had met these beings disguised as Shiva or some other Hindu deity. (21) 

13. Called to freedom 

If a person has gone on the paths of neo-spirituality, he probably has a strong resistance to Jesus Christ or to the teaching that He is the only way to salvation. However, Jesus himself made such claims about himself. According to the Bible, he is God who came from heaven, the Son of God, in whom we should believe so that we do not die in our sins. Through Him we can receive the gift of eternal life:

- (John 8:23,24) Jesus replied, “You people are from below; I am from above. You people are from this world; I am not from this world.

24 Thus I told you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

- (John 5:39,40) You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me,

40 but you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.

Therefore, receive Jesus Christ into your life, and do not reject him! According to the Bible, he stands outside the door of our heart to enter our lives. If a person receives and welcomes Jesus Christ into his life, he becomes a child of God:

- (Rev 3:20 ) Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me.

- (John 1:12) But to all who have received him – those who believe in his name – he has given the right to become God’s children

What about liberation from evil spirits and bonds? If a person has been deep in the neo-spirituality and the New Age movement, he has been betrayed and bound by false spirits to some extent. They want to keep a person's mind confused and bound, so that he does not get free. However, man can be completely freed through Jesus Christ, who has defeated all the forces of darkness on the cross. Jesus appeared so that "he might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).

   Therefore, when you want to get free, you should consider the following things:

• Surrendering your life to Jesus Christ is the first step. Let Jesus be Lord of your life, not just Savior. You can pray the salvation prayer, for example, in the following way: "Lord, Jesus, I turn to You. I confess that I have sinned against You and have not lived according to Your will. However, I want to turn away from my sins and follow You with all my heart. I also believe that my sins have been forgiven through Your atonement and I have received eternal life through You. I thank You for the salvation that You have given me. Amen."

• The prayer of renunciation and resignation from the works of darkness and the devil is essential. A person can declare to Satan and evil spirits out loud, for example, in the following way: "I renounce you, Satan, and all evil spirits and works of darkness, and I surrender my life to Jesus Christ, who is now the Lord of my life." If reciting this gives you difficulty and you are about to lose consciousness or feel confused, command the powers of the enemy to leave in the name of Jesus Christ so that you can finish reciting it.

• Ask God to take away all your wrong connections with the spirit world and your talents from the wrong source. If you repeatedly see spirits, an aura, and connect with the spirit world, this prayer is important. You may also command all the powers of the enemy that are giving you the ability to connect with these powers to leave in the name of Jesus Christ. You can pronounce it, for example, in the following way: "All the spirits in me and around me, who do not recognize Jesus Christ as God incarnate, leave in the name of Jesus Christ!"

• Confess all the sins of the areas in which you have been involved; spiritism, visiting a fortune teller, passive meditation... (1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness). By confessing your sins, you close the devil's right to influence your life in these areas. You should be careful in this matter, because the devil has a legal right to influence all those areas where a person has not yet repented and confessed his sins to God.

    After confessing the sins weighing on your mind, you can command the forces of the enemy to leave all these same areas in the name of Jesus Christ. These prayers and commands can be recited, for example, in the following ways:

Oh Lord, Father, forgive me for taking part in spiritualism, spirit healing, etc. Thank You that You forgive me and cleanse me of all unrighteousness through the blood of Your Son Jesus.

Satan and you demons, I have confessed to God that I have taken part in séances, spirit healing, etc. Now you have no more legal right in these areas, because through the blood of Jesus I have been forgiven. Therefore, I command you now in the name of Jesus Christ to leave me and my surroundings, and never to return!

• Forgive other people! If you yourself have accusations and resentment towards others, give up your accusations and forgive those who have wronged you. Many do not break free because they refuse to forgive. However, forgiveness is a decision of the will, not an emotion. Emotions can follow later. Jesus taught on the subject (Matt 6:14,15): “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

• Family inheritance, especially if the family has engaged in witchcraft and occult things or sworn oaths (e.g. Masonic oath), can be an obstacle to the emancipation of some people. They may suffer for the sins of their fathers and be under a spiritistic strain. Therefore, if you know there are such things in your family, confess them to God and ask Him to break the false ties that have come by inheritance. You can also command all enemy forces that have come by inheritance to depart in the name of Jesus Christ. You can pronounce these things e.g. in the following way:

Oh Lord, Father, I confess to You all the sins of my ancestors and parents such as witchcraft, spiritualism, spirit healing, immorality, false oaths, etc. and I dissociate myself from them. Thank You that I can be free from the effect of these sins and from all the evil spirits through the atoning work of Jesus. Thank You that my spiritual inheritance comes from Jesus Christ and not from the sins of my ancestors. Amen.

"Satan and you evil spirits, I have confessed to God the sins of my forefathers and parents, and the false oaths, and renounced them. Now you no longer have any legal right in this area because through the blood of Jesus these things have been forgiven and their influence has been cut off. Therefore, I command you now in the name of Jesus Christ to leave me and my surroundings, and never to return!"

• If a person has been deeply involved in the occult, it is good for such a person to know that he may have to fight the aftermath for weeks, even months. Even if he has experienced liberation, he may not be at peace, but the devil is still trying to harass him from outside. It is part of the weeding process that a person may have to go through because of having previously made their mind inactive and given place to the devil.

   Of great importance in this area is the stable attitude of the will and resisting the enemy. When a person actively resists the devil and his interference and maintains a stable attitude of will, the forces of evil have to give up before long. So don't give up, but keep the attitude of hope! The following verses are very relevant:

- (Rom 8:38,39) For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers,

39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

- (James 4:7,8) So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded.

REFERENCES:

1. Rabindranath R. Maharaj: Gurun kuolema (Death of a Guru), p. 162,163

2. Thoralf Gulbrandsen: Puuttuva rengas, p. 94

3. Cit. from "Taustaa tekijänoikeudesta maailmaan", Kimmo Pälikkö ja Markku Särelä, p. 19.

4. Rabindranath R. Maharaj: Gurun kuolema (Death of a Guru), p. 81

5. Shirley MacLaine: Dancing in the Light

6. Rabindranath R. Maharaj: Gurun kuolema (Death of a Guru), p. 183

7. Cit. from "Jälleensyntyminen vai ruumiin ylösnousemus", Mark Albrecht, p. 123

8. Nothart Rohlfs (toim.) (2004): Entiset elämät ja nykyisyys: toisistaan poikkeavia näkemyksiä jälleensyntymisestä ja kohtalosta. Publisher: Suomen antroposofinen liitto

9. Nicky Cruz: Juokse henkesi edestä, p. 29, 178

10. Raphael Gasson: The Challenging Counterfeit, Plainfield, New Jersey: Logos Books, 1966, p. 83

11. Roy Allan Anderson: Henkimaailman salaisuudet (Secrets of the Spirit World), p. 94

12. Basil Tyson: Ufot, taivaallinen arvoitus", p. 81,82

13. Rabindranath R. Maharaj: Gurun kuolema, p. 161 (Death of a Guru)

14. Martti Kaila: Sielulliset häiriöt, Suuri lääkärikirja, WSOY 1955, p. 864, 866)

15. Feorge Vandeman: "Psykisk Roulette", p. 156. Cit. from "Kauko-ohjattu", Ingerlise Provstgaard, p. 68

16. Ritva Fagerström (1991): Portti elämän jälkeen: viestejä automaattikirjoituksella. Publisher: Oy Aquarian Publications

17. Aila Ruoho: Henkisyyden harhapoluilla, p. 255-257

18. Rabindranath R. Maharaj: Gurun kuolema (Death of a Guru), p. 190

19. Ultra 12/93, Rita Castren

20. John R. Keel: "UFOs: operation Trojan horse", p. 220. Cit. from "Rajan taakse ja takaisin", Maurice Rawlings, p. 203

21. Rabindranath R. Maharaj: Gurun kuolema, (Death of a Guru) p. 70,134,138

More on this topic:

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Buddhist teachings in review. Are they true or not?

What are UFOs? Read why there is no reason to believe that UFOs are spacecraft from alien planets or space, but that they are deceptive spirits

Spiritualism. Mediums, channeling, ghost phenomena, automatic writing. Read why it is not worth believing that the forces behind these phenomena are good, but that it is a case of deception

Wicca and witchcraft. What do the Wicca cult consist of and what power  influences behind it? Wicca members and witches do not consider the possibility of fraud

Alternative medicine. What power is behind the different therapies like spiritual healing, energy healing, Reiki and acupuncture? Are they neutral forces or false spirits?

What is God like? Read why it is not worth believing in the Hindu and pantheistic (divinity of everything) conception of God

Are there many ways to God? Hinduism and the New Age movement, the notion that all roads lead to the same God. Why is there no reason to believe this notion?

Near-death experiences and damnation. Near-death experiences and leaving the body. What is behind the border and is everyone's destiny good after death? Learn why hell needs to be taken seriously

Mother Amma and God. Karma or grace? Why can't Mother Amma forgive sins? Only a true and loving God can do that

Worldviews in comparison: naturalism / atheism, pantheism, polytheism and theism. Read why Christian theism is a sensible worldview