Recently, Christians have been trying to remind the secular world of the real significance of the millennium: that it marks two thousand years since the traditional date ascribed to the Birth of Christ. Pleasingly, it now seems that this message is getting some welcome publicity and acceptance. However, there has also been considerable media coverage for another anniversary: the dawn of the Age of Aquarius. This has not just been confined to the Astrology pages of fringe magazines, as there has been special supplements in national newspapers. Another spin-off of this 'alternative consciousness' has been a major television advertising campaign for a part work that promises to reveal the 'ancient wisdom' of methods of divination such as reading horoscopes and tarot cards. It is very easy for Christians (and other mainstream religious groups) to see this interest in the occult as a threat rather than an opportunity and condemn the whole 'New Age' movement.
One of the features of the many changes that have occurred in our Society in
the second half of the twentieth century is that the Church is no longer the
centre of local social activities. This has meant that many people have
completely lost touch with even the traditions associated with the Christian
religion, let alone the Faith itself. What this means is that we can clearly
recognise the need for
It seems to be all too easy to believe that we can get people 'back to church' by improving our presentation with livelier music and gimmicks borrowed from the world of marketing. Alternatively, there is a school of thought that says that we should just do more of what we have done traditionally, with particular emphasis on teaching the Word, until people come to their senses and return. Perhaps both approaches fail to understand the full implication of what we are asking those, who are not yet with us, to accept as truth.
For many people to begin to understand the importance of what we are telling them almost certainly requires a total change of the way they view the world. To really accept that there is a supreme controller and ruler of the Universe, who can also be known personally, is no small thing. Mankind has devoted centuries to trying to work out the rules that govern events on this world. Thus, it is no wonder that many find it hard to believe that all that they think they have discovered is subject to a higher authority and miracles can really happen. Only when they have taken this great leap in their thinking can they then start to make sense of teachings that tell them that physical coercion does not work and that only love can have a lasting impact on the immortal soul that co-exists with the physical body.
It is sad that despite all the many developments in the scientific exploration of human behaviour and the mathematics of probability there are people who are still prepared to accept discredited techniques for understanding ourselves and the future. However we, who are lucky enough to know God, can offer a better way to true higher knowledge and this should be our mission for and to the New Age.
Paul Newman, 1998
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