Vol. 6, No. 9, 1989

Articles on the New Age

Colleen Ralson

Pick up almost any magazine or tabloid on the newsstand and there will most likely be a catchy, well-done ad inviting one to write in for a free booklet, Mastery of Life, which outlines why one should become a member of the Rosicrucians, a Fraternal organization that possess secret wisdom that has been passed down orally from past masters. This organization spends over a half million dollars a year advertising for members, both men and women.

According to William Poundstone, "The Rosicrucians, (AMORC), have about a hundred lodges in the United States, there are 26 lodges in France, 21 in Brazil, 18 in Nigeria, 13 in Canada and Mexico, 12 in England and 11 in Venezuela, and 8 in Australia," (�Bigger Secretso, p. 33).

They claim not to be a religion, but promises if one becomes a member and learns their philosophy of life and the mysteries of the universe, they can awaken ones natural talents and enable them to lead a fuller and happier life.

In Mastery of Life, it states, "The Order had it's birth as one of the mystery schools of secret wisdom in Ancient Egypt during the 18th Dynasty... about 1350 B.C." (p. 16). This same booklet says "The Rosicrucians first came to America and to the Western world in 1694," (p. 17).

The AMORC also claims that "Jesus, Benjamin Franklin, Isaac Newton, Ren<130> Descartes, Leibnitz, Plato, Balzac, Francis Bacon, St. Thomas Aquainas, and Aristotle were all members," (Bigger Secrets, p. 31). This is difficult to prove since these men are not around to confirm or deny their membership, but Sirhan Sirhan, the man who assassinated Robert Kennedy, was a practicing member.

All are invited to join by sending in $20.00 in an envelope they send that is marked "Supreme Secretary" in the lower left hand corner. Next one will be expected to pay the $9.50 monthly dues. This entitles the member to a free subscription to the Rosicrucian Digest, and a plastic membership card showing that the dues are indeed up-to-date.

In time, one will need secret passwords to get into the lodges. These secret passwords are "Reflection", "Maat", and "Moard-Maarc" (Ibid, p. 40). The new member will be sent lessons, or monographs, through the mail and are cautioned to keep them in a safe box, under lock and key, preferably. And, upon death of the member, all the material must be returned to the headquarters in San Jose, California.

"You can be a full-fledged Rosicrucian without ever setting foot in a lodge" (Ibid, p. 39). One may choose a night for their very own "lodge night" to study the privacy of their own home. All that is needed is two candles, a mirror, a table or dresser, and a dark room, which becomes the sacred sanctum.

There are three degrees of "secret, do-it-yourself rituals to initiate members into this mail-order order. Sealed letters tell you what to do; you're pretty much on the honor system," (Ibid, p. 36). After about six weeks of study the student is ready for the first degree, and after about three months each, for the second and third degrees. These rituals include staring into a mirror, reading prayers that are sent, or burning incense, making signs or peculiar sounds. One pretends, or visualizes, that others are present, but their lines must be uttered aloud, because they really are not in attendance. In describing these ceremonies Poundstone comments that, "There is a pervasive something that is not quite adult about the Rosicrucians," (p. 34).

Rosicrucians say they are not a religious sect, but they have teachings about the Bible, God, Christ, prayer, sin and salvation.

In one of the lessons the member is taught, and encouraged to use ESP in his daily life. Reincarnation is necessary to progress. "Actually, Rosicrucianism is a combination of alchemy, ancient mysticism, Gnosticism and a variety of occult beliefs," (The History of Rosicrucianism, p. 7).

"The Rosicrucian does not accept the Bible as the final authority for faith and practice," (Ibid, p. 13). It is used in addition to other books, including occult books. Jesus is regarded as merely one of earth's greatest thinkers along with Plato, Muhammad, Brahma, Buddha, Lao-Tse, and others.

Sin, to the Rosicrucian is, "whatever is harmful either to body or mind, and is to be avoided" (�The Secret Schoolso, p. 21). Christ's atonement is denied because man must through his own efforts attain enlightenment and immortality. "The cross intertwined with roses symbolizes for the Rosicrucians man's ability to evolve into God," (Streett Meetings, Inc. Catalog of the Cults).

Since Rosicrucianism does not accept the Bible and has a faulty Christology, it becomes like so many other false cults of the New Age Movement -- difficult to witness to and win to the Lord.