Posted on 05/25/2010 10:19:08 PM PDT by Outlaw Woman
CRI Statement
A leading East Coast New Age magazine, New Frontier, recently ran a “dirt for sale” advertisement in its November issue. But this one had a twist — the dirt had allegedly been supercharged by extraterrestrials (ETs). It stated: UFO LANDING site radiates cosmic energy alters psychic awareness. Soil samples $5 + p&h.
Not surprisingly, the Boulder, Colorado firm that ran the ad did not respond to a letter asking for proof that there was something unusual about the dirt.
While it is not immediately known how many people actually sent in their $5, the appearance of such an ad is not unusual. Alongside all the ads bought by New Agers — peddling crystals, “power within” seminars, and channeling sessions — are news bits about recent UFO landings, announcements of upcoming UFO conferences, and advertisements from some of the nation’s leading names in the field of UFOs and the New Age. Some of the ads are placed by alleged “walk-ins,” people who claim that ETs have literally invaded their bodies and can be summoned up (sometimes for a fee) to share wisdom and Ann Landers type advice.
In short, more and more people today are saying UFOs have landed. And while proof that they have seems consistently elusive, it is clear that the phenomenon of UFOlogy — a fascination with UFOs and alleged space creatures — has landed squarely in the middle of the New Age movement.
What is behind the recent resurgence of interest in UFOs, particularly in New Age circles?
(Excerpt) Read more at equip.org ...
Any thoughts?
This is being posted on the behalf of a fellow FReeper who has a family member deeply involved in this. If anyone has any personal experience with these cults and has any insight on how to deal with them, it would be appreciated if you could share your knowledge.
Ummmm..., a call for a bit of clarification here ... :-)
First, "deeply involved in this" ... exactly what is "this" ... (maybe it's obvious to some, but not exactly obvious to me... so I'm asking).
And then, secondly, you ask if anyone has had any "personal experience with these cults" -- again exactly what cult are we talking about here?
For example, if you're talking about the "New Agers" -- that would be typically a "worldview" and not so much a "cult". There may be a cult that has the "worldview" of "New Agers" but "New Agers", strictly speaking, are not necessarily a cult.
But, if someone is directly involved in Raelian Movement, then they would be directly involved in a cult. BUT, if someone simply "thought like the Raelians" but were not directly involved with them -- then they are typically exhibiting a "worldview" that matches the Raelians, but they are not "in a cult".
So, what you're asking needs to be "pinned down" more, with more of an explanation here...
It’s not new... the AZ Center for Kooks (aka Sedona) has had a glossy magazine covering this for ages...
I think most of these people harmless. But some need to be inststuinalized.
Sorry for the confusion but the cult is listed in the title of the article “UFO Cults are Flourishing...”. And being deeply involved in, also meant to be being heavily persuaded/influenced. I’ve never been involved in a cult but have read ‘some’ and could use a ‘Jim Jones’ as an example or even ‘The Heaven’s gate’ situation to show the damage they can do to a belief system. Hope that clarifies the intent. Thanks.
My thought is this: That the answer is family, and the uncontingent love that binds it. In a case like this, I might speculate that when someone “misses love”, as Nietzsche alluded, they will seek it in doctrine. Of course, this will be a doctrine other than the one which seemed to them to be displacing the love that they missed in the first place. To cast the issue in terms of a “battle” between doctrines is hopelessly misguided.
That is my thought.
Thank you dr
The best way to “deal with them” is through a visit with a licensed doctor and committed use of the pharmaceuticals prescribed.
Some like to believe, because practicing todays new age means you can pick from a pot of many eastern beliefs to fit your own idea, that it's somehow acceptable or not New Age, However their basic principles and practices remain the same...and they do lead people away from Christ in time.
The title mentions “Ufo New Age” which these are definately cult. Similar to the Heaven's Gate group. Believing humans have taken the form of aliens etc. The Ralien movement is one of many from Pledians to Starseeds...etc.etc. The galactic federation etc. They also wrap themselves in many of the government conspiracy issues.
The dangers are the transcendental meditations and the strong arm of internet “teachers” who spoonfed this junk...
Sorry for the confusion but the cult is listed in the title of the article “UFO Cults are Flourishing...”.
Okay, that's a "generalized description" -- not a cult group. For example, "the Raelians" are a cult group, but a "UFO cult" is not a cult group -- but a "generalized description".
I should also clarify my statements, too -- a little bit further. There are a lot of people who will hold to "opinions" that may match the Raelians, in certain areas and in certain ways -- but the fact that they hold to those opinions that may "match" the Raelians does not mean that those people are "in a UFO cult group". Not at all.
All that is happeing there (with those particular people I just described) is that they "hold a worldview" that matches the worldview of the Raelians.
There happen to be FReepers here who will maintain and argue for -- some of the same things that the Raelians may believe and what they maintain (not everything, but a lot of it, at least the generalized "idea" anyway). But, that doesn't make those FReepers members of a cult group and they can't be said to be in a "UFO Cult" ... not at all.
These FReepers do not have a "Biblical worldview" but that doesn't make their own worldview (which I believe is wrong, according to the Bible) -- a "cult".
The actual cult groups that are mentioned here -- are Streiber's Communion support groups, the Raelians and the Jesusonian Foundation.
Now, are you saying that it's one of those that are mentioned... one of those three? If not one of those three, then which one, in particular, is this person a member of?
And again, just believing in UFOs is not a matter of being in a cult group. It's a "worldview" outlook, but not a "cult" ...
I should mention that there are Christians who believe that these reports of UFOs have a "Biblical basis" and there is a "Biblical understanding" to them. And many Christians think they are "real" and not imaginary.
I'm sorry it this is starting to sound confusing, but I've been all through it and it's not simply that someone belongs to a "UFO cult" -- because they believe in UFOs and that there are extra-terrestrial, very advanced civilizations coming here and visiting mankind and earth, and are abducting people, and are experimenting on them, and are trying to interact with people. That's not a cult group. That's a "worldview" that many (including many FReepers) have taken on, and is part of their "belief-system" -- not a "cult group".
And, by the way, Heaven's Gate is (was) a cult group.
It is one thing to say that, given the vastness of the Universe (heck, you can look at the vastness of our little galaxy), the probability of species who are both intelligent and able to travel across interstellar distances is > 1.
Include the infinite footprint of the Universe and the probability is also infinity.
But it is another thing to suggest a single set of these aliens has contacted someone and directed them to do something, especially something awful.
Unless and until we have a landing like in “To Serve Man” or “The Day The Earth Stood Still” or, for that matter like “War of The Worlds,” “Independence Day,” “District 9” or “Mars Attacks!” or then the idea that a 3rd kind encounter has occurred is ridiculous.
I disagree that New agers are involved in anything less than a cult..
It's a matter of definition here.
There is such a thing as "New Age thinking" or a "New Age worldview" that many people have -- but are not involved in a "cult group".
By me saying that they are not involved in a "cult group" does not mean that they are Biblical and that they are in line with basic Christianity. That's not what is meant by that.
Everyone who denies Christianity is not -- "in a cult group" -- by that denial of the Bible's message of Christianity and it's doctrines.
Now, if one is a Jehovah's Witness member -- then -- they are "in a cult group". Being in a cult group has a "dynamic" that is very oppressive and coercive. There is a list of "bullet-point-items" that one can "check-off" to see if a "group" meets the definition of "cult group".
But, having a "worldview" that is opposed to the Bible and the doctrines of Christianity -- as an "individual" (but not as a "member" of a paricular group) -- that "worldview" just by itself, doesn't make one a "cult member".
It may sound like I'm splitting hairs here, but there is a definition to "cult groups" and you can identify particular ones -- and each one has its own way of teaching and viewing things, which will be different from another. They all may be wrong (according to the Bible) -- but -- they are all "not the same" with one another and there are "distinctives" that separate one cult from another cult group.
See Walter Martin's book on Kingdom of the Cults -- and you'll have many groups actually "defined" and "identified" and their teaching analyzed -- and you can distinguish the one from the other, with cult groups.
The title mentions “Ufo New Age” which these are definately cult. Similar to the Heaven's Gate group.
You mention "Heaven's Gate" and that is definitely a "cult group"... but there is no such "group" as the "New Age group" that you can identify as a "cult group".
There is a "worldview" that is "New Age" ... but that is not a "cult group" itself. You can generally identify "thinking" that is typical with "New Agers" -- and the thinking is not Biblical and does not accord with Christian doctrine -- but just because that individual has a "New Age worldview" does not put him in a "cult group".
But, if you are talking about "Heaven's Gate" (which will incorporate "New Age thinking" into its group) and the person is a "member" of "Heaven's Gate" -- then -- they are in a "cult group".
It's important to know if a person is involved in a "specific cult group" -- or instead -- if they merely hold to a "worldview" (like "New Agers"), but don't belong to a cult group.
If they are in a specific cult group, you would approach that person in a different way, than if they were merely a "New Ager" in their "thinking" (i.e., "worldview").
You do need to know if you're dealing with a "cult group member" -- or -- if you're dealing with a person who holds a particular "worldview" as an individual. The "dynamic" is different and the way you approach them will be different.
......”because they BELIEVE in UFOs and that there are extra-terrestrial”......
I think it is important that what one believes or wants to believe is important to consider.....one might imagine possible in Extra Terrest. but the reality is there has not been evidence this is so.
Anyone can Believe in anything but it does not mean it is so. Some of the illusion games and such you would swear are moving or turning a certain way ...but they are stationary...our eyes view things a certain way so when you add belief into the equation that hightens the expectation levels substantially.
Add in the idea of raising ones consciousness thru the various levels then one can believe they are visiting planets or as is stated in the New Age experience...astral-projection...and believe they are actually doing so...but the reality is it’s a fantasy.
“...as is stated in the New Age experience...astral-projection...and believe they are actually doing so...but the reality is it’s a fantasy...”
Or, for some, like the Heaven’s Gate leader, forget his name, it was delusional thinking.
But really, what it is for people is they feel a need to fill some void in their lives, insecurity, need for love, something. So, I would say the answer is study what they feel they are missing and work from that point.
The foolishness these groups offer is loss of time accomplishing the real goal.
A mind that can beleive in Global Warming is capable of easily beleiving in little green men whizzing around in Flying Saucers.
Many of those who claim abductions can't seem to bring back any evidence from the ships...not buying the aliens prevent this...and as articles have said and those who investigate these people...many have been previously involved in the occults...as were many of the founders of the new age movement...in early history as well as today.
For others it’s an escape to start... then they get sucked in or hooked....still others simple curosity... and then they are caught at a weak moment and they are in it far more than they believed possible.
The problem starts with the meditation and going thru the dimensions they teach as possible...alot of guilt tripping and reverse psycology is used by the instructers.... and preaching the religious aspect of it...they use scripture twisted to suit their purposes as well.
UFO cults are flourishing in UFO cult circles.
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