New Age, New Religion:
The Danger of New Age Religion Pervades Modern Society

by Rev. Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI

* Originally published in The Reign of Mary, Issue No. 147, Summer 2013

Likely, you have often heard the term “New Age.” This term is variously used in reference to everything from music to medicine, from diet to environmentalism. But our concern as Catholics is its application to religious thought.

In general, we could say that the New Age religion indicates a type of faith, in which doctrine does not matter, and in which the ideal of brotherly love is emphasized. New Age borrows heavily from Eastern religions, using yoga and meditation as a way to achieve a union with the divine. Wikipedia gives its aims: “to create a spirituality without borders or confining dogmas that is inclusive and pluralistic.”

The New Age is not an organized religion, nor are there necessarily any recognized leaders of the movement. It thrives among varied types of persons throughout the world, especially in the Western countries. Its adherents do not all agree on all of its practices, but they do agree that the New Age has the answers to the problems of life in this world. You have no doubt heard the term before and have probably wondered what it is all about.

So let’s take a look at some of their concepts and clarify what our attitude as Catholics should be.

The Age of Aquarius

Astrologers divide time into ages, based on the 12 constellations of the zodiac. According to this theory, the history of the world is divided into ages, each lasting approximately 2,150 years and corresponding to the time it takes for the vernal equinox to move from one constellation of the zodiac into the next. Although they disagree on exactly when the age of Pisces ended (or will end), and consequently the Age of Aquarius will begin, they are in agreement that we are either in this Age of Aquarius or close to it.

You are probably aware that a 1960’s rock-and-roll musical proclaimed the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. Why is this significant? Because according to this Utopian view, the Age of Aquarius is to be a time when there will be brotherhood among peoples around the world. The various religions will unite and there will be a unity among men. This thinking is very much a part of the New Age, whose proponents reject established religion and look for answers that will bring about a new era of peace in the world.

Doctrinal Irrelevance

A big contributor to New Age thinking over the past century has certainly been the rise of Freudian psychology. In fact, the prominent psychologist Carl Jung was a promoter of the New Age. According to the Freudian system, doctrine doesn’t matter; rather, it is feelings that are of ultimate importance.

The change that has come over Western society, resulting from these concepts, cannot be overstated. At one time in the West, doctrines were considered so important that schisms resulted and wars were even fought over doctrinal definitions. Now that is all considered irrelevant. You will even hear of people referring to “your truth” and “my truth,” as though there can be different truths, contradicting one another but somehow all still true.

Again, feelings are paramount. You might disagree with a person’s ideas, but don’t dare hurt his feelings, or you may even be exposing yourself to a lawsuit! But what does the Catholic Church teach? The Church faithfully echoes what her divine Founder Jesus Christ taught. Jesus did not mince words. For a couple of examples, reflect on these words of Christ: “He who does not believe shall be condemned”; “Either you are with Me or you are against Me.” It is obvious that doctrine matters a lot in the eyes of God. Our gentle Savior even told Peter “Get behind Me satan,” when the latter contradicted his Master’s teaching.

If we look to doctrinal definitions of the Church, we will see the same strong insistence on the truth. Often in documents of the Councils of the Church you read words to the effect: “If anyone does not accept this teaching, let him be anathema.”
But why is doctrine so important? Because a denial of the truth is a challenge to God by His creature. All truth comes from God, Who is truth, so a rejection of theological truth is a defiance and rebellion against God Himself. Heresy is the ultimate sin of pride, with the creature rejecting his Creator’s right to reveal truth. Consequently, theologians rank heresy after only hatred of God in gravity. Any teaching that minimizes the importance of doctrinal correctness cannot be pleasing to God.

The Eastern Connection

New Age thinking is greatly inspired by the teachings of the Eastern religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, etc. In the wake of Vatican II, many priests and religious became fascinated with the Eastern religions (as though Catholicism was somehow incomplete) and traveled to India to study under the Gurus. There also were famous Gurus who came to this country in the 1960s and 1970s to promote their ideas. Although one does not hear so much any more of this fascination, it has remained a big part of New Age thinking, including the belief in reincarnation and the use of yoga and meditation.

You might be wondering, “Is meditation, then, bad?” On the contrary, meditation and mental prayer are strongly recommended by spiritual writers and have long been practiced, particularly by religious, as a way of achieving union with God. But to achieve the higher states of prayer requires self-denial and active efforts to rid oneself of distraction and remain focused on spiritual things. Sometimes many years of continual application are necessary before one attains a higher state of prayer.

New Agers, on the other hand, emphasize the passive state of prayer. They fall into the notions of false mysticism and quietism which have been condemned by the Church. A proponent of this type of meditation will often sit in a yoga position, light candles and incense, and wait for “God” to speak to him. Some engage in channeling, in which they believe they are receiving messages from God. Sadly, this practice opens the door for demonic influence.

This notion that Christians can learn something from Eastern religions (an idea that is actually quite common in the Conciliar Church) begs the question: If they have ideas on how to achieve greater holiness, why did not Christ speak about it? Was He somehow unaware of their great insights? Of course, such claims are inherently blasphemous. Yet, that is the attitude of many modern “Catholic” priests and religious. In fact, the monk Thomas Merton, a brilliant man who had written many books, died by an accidental electrocution while visiting Bangkok, Thailand, for the purpose of attending an interfaith conference between Catholic and con-Christian monks. Throughout his trip, he visited many proponents of the various Eastern religions and was fascinated by their teachings. That is a typical reaction of modernists, who have been heavily influenced by the likes of Teilhard de Chardin. Modernism is a heresy that is thoroughly prevalent in modern clergy of the Conciliar Church, and its notions are very much a part of New Age thinking.

New Age Living

Just because something is promoted by New Agers does not mean that it is automatically evil. Yet caution in this regard cannot be too strongly recommended. Some New Agers promote living in a simple and sustainable manner to reduce man’s impact on the earth and its resources. Thus they shun consumerism. So is there anything bad in all that? Of itself, no. The Christian Gospel, with its promotion of detachment from the things of the world, charity to the poor and suffering, avoidance of avarice and aspirations of heavenly joy in the next life, leads us to form our view of the purpose of the material goods of this life. The problem, however, is that New Agers make a religion out of these practices. In fact, their lifestyle becomes their religion.

New Age thought also emphasizes the use of alternative medicine. Again, does this mean that holistic medicine is evil? Of course not. But a Catholic will be careful to keep everything in perspective and sedulously avoid those medical practitioners who have adopted New Age thought. Often, New Agers are vegetarians, who become preoccupied with their diet. A prudent care of one’s health is only wise and virtuous, but an obsession over what one eats or how one lives is not part of the Christian life, and certainly cannot be found in the lives of the saints.

There is also New Age music, a peaceful type of music of various styles intended to create feelings of relaxation and inspiration. These forms of music are used to reduce stress and to help the subject attain a harmony among one’s body, mind and spirit. Although they may be peaceful and pleasant to listen to, faithful Catholics will be wary of being drawn in to New Age thinking though exposure to such media.

Also, New Agers typically promote tolerance of various life-styles. Thus we will see them advocating “gay rights” and the complete acceptance of another’s sexual orientation, as a way of achieving spiritual development. They also accept complete equality for women in all aspects of life. Thus, New Agers advocate women priests.

New Age thought also emphasizes environmental issues. Some proponents even consider the material earth to be far more important that human beings. They are often drawn into the ideas of population control as a way of saving “mother earth,” which they consider far more important than saving unborn children. Harming the environment becomes for them a real sin; protecting the environment becomes a religion.

There are various other New Age beliefs, which are not necessarily common to all New Agers. Some of these concern UFO’s, crop circles, and what is known as the “2012 phenomenon.” (Those who accept this idea believe that a spiritual transformation of the human population will take place on December 21, 2012, ushering in a new era of peace.) But while there are varying beliefs among them, we can say in general that all New Agers are dissatisfied with traditional religions, whether Roman Catholicism or others. They shun defined doctrine and seek to find for themselves a new way to live in this world, free from the shackles of moral and doctrinal strictures. Sadly, in their very retreat from the Church, they fail to find the answers to the problems of life, let alone true peace of heart. Their life becomes one of continuous searching. There is always another book to read, another writer who — they convince themselves — has the answers they seek.

Advice for Faithful Catholics

So where do we go from here? Quite obviously, by understanding the evils of this movement, we will be on our guard against its deceptions. There is a real danger today, for example, especially among the younger generation, to be taken in by the glut of New Age writings. Many self-help books abound with New Age thought. Other books, which promote a lifestyle of tolerance of others and of achieving a peaceful existence in harmony with the world, abound. Young Catholics, who perhaps have not been sufficiently grounded in the tenets of their Faith and who experience the various problems of life, may be drawn to these writings for inspiration and direction.

We live in the information age. Bookstores are loaded with every imaginable kind of book. Further, with the click of a mouse, one can have access to just about every possible concept explained in detail. In this regard, the Church’s guidelines on reading are critical. Catholics are bound to avoid any writings on religion which would be a danger to their faith. It is also important to be careful in choosing our friends. We daily confront neighbors, co-workers and others who are infected with New Age thought. The faithful Catholic will be wary of these dangers and cautious in choosing with whom to associate in greater friendship.

We must also fortify our own faith by good reading and prayer. To avoid being misled, one must know the Faith well. There are many wonderful Catholic books that form our thinking along the lines of Church teaching. When there is a question or doubt, consult a trusted priest or a lay person who knows the Faith and lives it. And do not fail to pray daily, especially to Our Blessed Mother, the Mediatrix of all graces, for perseverance in the truth of Christ’s Church.

Let us always remember that Jesus alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Only His Church is the faithful guardian of the truths that He revealed to mankind. New Age thought may hold out the promise of peace with answers to the perplexing questions that confront us in this vale of tears, but it cannot deliver. Christ alone has the answers. Let us turn to Him, through Mary, who is our life, our sweetness, and our hope.