Vol. 7, No. 8, 1990

Articles on the New Age

Craig Branch

The perennial question is whether the media reflects or affects the consensus. In the case of the New Age movement and the media, the answer is probably both.

It is difficult to go through a day without seeing television programs, commercials, news stories, tabloids, magazines, or hearing radio programs without some blatant or subtle reference to the New Age movement.

"The assimilation of New Age assumptions and beliefs is happening at all levels in our culture. Mass entertainment (and media) is both a fair measure and effective means of that assimilation," (Christianity Today, 16 May 1986, p. 21; parenthesis mine).

In television its influence can be seen from youth through adult. Cartoon shows abound in New Age / occultic beliefs and practices. Some are overt like Jim Henson's Dark Crystal, Thunder Cats, She-Ra, He-man, Master of the Universe, and many others.

Children are constantly "treated" to psychic powers, communication with spirits, occult symbols, witchcraft, yoga, eastern religion, etc. in such programs. Even commercials reflect yoga, reincarnation, and in their subtle subliminal attempts Infinity car ads.

Others like Ted Turner's Captain Planet and the Planeteers are more subtle as they promote the New Age version of ecology.

Slasher movies are adolescents' favorite fare. It is as if their consciences have been numbed and dulled by violence. "As the 80's come to a close, evil - that dark ugly face of the occult that hides behind the beautiful enticing masks of the New Age - now shows its ugly countenance everywhere. Children are learning to love its scary, grotesque faces," (Your Child and the New Age, B. Kjos, p. 89).

Other popular movies such as Field of Dreams, E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the Star Wars trilogy, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Temple of Doom, although often beautifully entertaining, are laced with the New Age messages of benevolent space creatures, positive psychic powers and a clever blending of evil and good characters and themes.

Many have questioned the Christian criticism of these programs claiming there have always been these themes in programs such as the Wizard of Oz, Bewitched, and Casper the Friendly Ghost.

But the sheer volume and the escalating intensity of these programs in a culture of diminishing Biblical values and reference points, these penetrating themes tend to cloud our children's minds so that they can no longer discern between the real and unreal or between right and wrong.

Many people are surprised that Steven Speilberg and George Lucas are listed in the New Age camp. But their scripts and interviews betray their allegiance.

For instance in the movie Willow, Lucas threads distorted Biblical allusions with occult wonders and repeats its Buddhist theme - "the force is with you."

The Star Wars trilogy "is a grade-school primer of the ancient religion... involves mastering the Force that animates the cosmos, dwells within, and is tapped intuitively through feelings," (Christianity Today, p. 21).

Included in the entertainment influence is "New Age music."

The producers of New Age music say that it "transmits values and transports souls into a kind of cosmic connectedness... is unstructured and circular in form, with a blurring of tones, often with no ending or resolution to the melody, "(Understanding the New Age, R. Chandler, p. 157).

New Age music often encorporates nature sounds and is designed to facilitate an altered state of consciousness with meditation.

Lately, though, much progressive jazz is now mistakenly being labeled "New Age music" because of the marketing popularity.

One group, Windham Hill had more than 35 million dollars in sales in 1987. (Understanding the New Age, op. cit. p. 158).

The print media is another affective vehicle that communicates the New Age message. There are whole monthly newspapers and advertisers which are devoted to the New Age.

"The cover story of the January 1988 American Bookseller magazine, `Read the Signs of New Age,' described at length promotional and merchandising ideas for the burgeoning New Age book trade," (Ibid, p. 132).

The unprecedented increase in bookstores specializing in New Age books, now 2,500, accounted for more than a billion dollars in sales in 1987 (up 30% from 1986).

Astrologer Linda Goodman's Sun Signs has sold over 7 million copies and Shirley MacLaine's books have sold over eight million (Ibid, pp. 132-133).

Television and the print media constantly advertise subliminal such tape series as Sybervision, Love Tapes, and Gateways Institute to program your mind to do anything you choose.

Public and school libraries as well as bookstores are full of witchcraft books for children and whole sections are devoted to New Age books.

Many celebrities have been personally converted to the New Age and this influences a very impressionable and susceptible public.

There is no greater time than now for Christians to be knowledgeable, vigilant and involved in both the screening of the media and influencing the media. The souls of people are for sale.