Religion, Gnosticism, the New Age and all that….

There is more than one path to God.

Ever heard that before?

What about this?

All religions contain truth.

I’d like to relate a conversation I had with an atheist I once knew. The person in question is highly intelligent; a University graduate and a lecturer in food science. This occurred during my New Age days when I practised meditation and yoga. The atheist in question was a Malaysian Buddhist who practised Vipassana meditation and regularly attended retreats in Burma. At that time, I considered him to be advanced on the path. One day as we were talking about meditation experiences and techniques, the subject came around on the existence of a God. He made the following blunt and confident statements that somewhat startled me at the time:

“When you go deeply enough into meditation you eventually reach a point when you can actually see that there is no God. All our masters and teachers know this. You will soon see for yourself.”

Oh really?

I can’t recall how I answered. I remember thinking of a number of rebuttals off the top on my head, but we were in a gym and in between sets and I really liked the guy. And from previous conversations I considered him to be a tad smarter than the average Neanderthal I trained with. I remember thinking if my friend was right then these “masters and teachers” could tell us what was on the other side of the universe without having to send out space probes…right? They could tell us which planets were inhabited or not – all from sitting down and monitoring their breaths.

Do I sound cynical?

I hope so!

This intelligent man was telling me that by using the faculty of his own mind in meditation (but without rational thought), he could ponder the existence of God. Think about that for a while. This is a common presumption of New Age devotees…but there is one problem.

Some months later we were talking about a TV special where the Illusionist, David Copperfield, performed the stunt where he apparently walks through the Great Wall of China. My intelligent friend made another startling statement. He casually informed me that his teachers told him Copperfield had gone over to the dark side in misusing his powers.

Say that again!

It seemed that in this simple statement, the “Enlightened” house of cards was suddenly blown down by the wind of gullibility. It was then that I really probed him about his beliefs. No, he didn’t believe in a God but he did believe in “deities”…of course there are deities…and we are like “gods” learning through progressive incarnations. Proof? All we have to do is meditate and realize this for ourselves. My intelligent friend was deluded. He left logic and objectivity behind. Basically he was an accomplished food scientist and that’s all.

Over the years, I’ve researched more books and articles about the New Age, meditation and yoga than I care to admit. I read about Edgar Cayce’s jaunts through the Akashic records. I was even a member of the ARE. I also practised Kriya yoga through Pramahansa Yogananda’s “Self Realization Fellowship”. I read Annie Besant, Neale Donald Walsch, Richard Bach, Helen Schucman’s A Course In Miracles and many, many others. There are two main threads that run through all the claims made by most of these people and systems.

1) They claim some special knowledge of TRUTH that is derived by their own efforts or transmitted by certain masters (received in meditation).

2) They all - without exception - deny that Jesus Christ died to save us!

Now, someone might say, “If they all deny Jesus Christ died for our sins then, hey, maybe they’re right!”

This is where we get to the problem that I referred to earlier.

Here’s the thing: In all the research I’ve done; what with all the Akashic record readings and teachings by supposed ascended masters ad nauseam, none of these charlatans (yes, they are all charlatans) agree with each other except on that one thing:

That Christ did not come to die for us.

For example, Yogananda will tell you about Christ’s previous incarnations and so will Besant, Cayce and a host of others…but they’ll all contradict each other.

Now Neale Donald Walsch takes contradictions to new levels – he actually regularly contradicts his own statements in the “Conversations With God” books.

Walsch’s contradictions

Conversations With God

All paths and religions lead to God?

This is a logical fallacy based on careless assumptions. This can only be true if they all agree with each other about how this is achieved and if they all agree with each other, then there is only One Way.

The Buddhists are predominantly atheists. The Hindus believe in multiple gods. Islam contradicts Christianity regarding salvation. Islam teaches salvation by works (as does the New Age when you really dig into it).

The New Age. What is it?

World Views in Contrast

Assorted articles

Salvation According to the Old Testament: By Faith in Christ or by Faith and Works Apart from Christ?

The Teaching Of Islam


Christianity (true Christianity) is unique in that it teaches that it was Christ’s work on the cross that facilitated our salvation by Faith through Grace, not by works.

Salvation

I believe the presumption that there are many paths to God or “whatever” has one basic motivation driving it - it frees the believer to do whatever he or she chooses without compunction. The alternative is an obligation to follow a certain path which may be choice restrictive. I think this is what motivates people like Oprah Winfrey and the gurus she surrounds herself with.

To this I say – CAVEAT EMPTOR

What do these people really know that you don’t and why would you trust them?

Would you buy a car or a house without checking it out first?

Would you marry a person without knowing something about them?

If there is a God who offers multiple viable alternatives to salvation, then is it logical that these paths contradict each other?

Think about it. Your decision may affect where you spend eternity

Choose well.

A presentation, explanation, and mini-argument for the faith