BOOK REVIEWS
Will Baron, DECEIVED BY THE
NEW AGE. Boise, Idaho: Pacific
Press Publishing Assn., 1990.
Paper, 220 pages, $13.95.
elieve it or not, it can happen
to you! Deceived by the New
Age shows how easily one
can be misled by false mes-
sages. The facts and examples
in the book are so similar to events in most
people's daily lives that it's easy for the
reader to identify with them.
Jesus warned in Matthew 7: “Beware of
false prophets, who come to you in sheep's
clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
He added, “You will know them by their
fruits.
Those who have not carefully studied the
Bible will be easily deceived by the New
Age message just as was Will Baron, the
author of this book. Writing from firsthand
experience, Baron tells how and why the
New Age Movement has been so success-
ful. He explains how Satan has combined
and adapted Eastern philosophies (Hindu-
ism, Buddhism, astrology, numerology, etc.)
to fit into Western culture. Many of the New
Age organizations (Church of Christ, Scien-
list; and Scientology, ie, Ron Hubbard's
Dianetics) present their philosophies in
such a way that makes it difficult to recog-
nize their true nature.
New Age Centers train priests to infil-
trate conventional Christian churches.
They seek to lead Christians into false doc-
trines and dangerous meditation practices
by confusing introspective (New Age) med-
tation and Christian meditation.
What is the difference? Introspective
meditation empties the mind of all thought.
It's the hotline leading directly to the mind of
Satan. Eventually the mind of the meditator
will be completely controlled by him. Chris-
tian meditation refers to inteliectual con-
templation of Scripture and the way it
reveals the character of Christ. Never has
the Bible hinted that meditation was fisten-
ing to the voice of God in the silence of
self-hypnosis.
Deceived by the New Age points out that
Satan's influence is evident in atheism,
occult groups, drugs, crime, and the
Church of Satan. However, it is hard for
Christians to believe that Satan expresses
himself through Christian organizations and
people who call themselves followers of
God. This is a tremendous advantage for
Satan.
Baron shows that the New Age apostasy
was prophesied in the Bible as an instru-
ment that will prepare the way for the
Antichrist. John wrote: “Children, it is the
last hour, and as you have heard that
antichrist is coming, so now many antich-
rists have come; therefore we know that it
is the last hour” (1 John 2:18). John differ-
entiates this special Antichrist from others
who had already come by saying that he
“denies the Father and the Son.”
In working through the New Age, Satan
presents himself as the master spirit guide,
quoting Genesis 3:4: "Your eyes will be
opened [you will have enlightenment], and
you will be like God [have cosmic con-
sciousness].” He also usurps God's rightful
position by presenting Hindu gurus as God
incarnate.
Deceived by the New Age shows how
Satan makes the New Age philosophy
more acceptable to Christians. He gives
New Age Centers a Christian flavor—
teaching from the Bible and appearing to
uphold Christ until attendees are deceived
into thinking they are following in the steps
ot Christ. Those trained as New Age priests
then infiltrate conventional religious organi-
zations, thus encouraging the birth of coun-
terfeit Christian churches.
Deceived by the New Age is well written,
and motivates the reader to study for him-
self or herself. Baron makes it easy to iden-
tify with his life and what he has gone
through. This book would be excellent out-
side reading or discussion material for
academy and college Bible classes. —
Yvonne Vanderhorst.
"Bible quotes are fram the Revised Standard
Version Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the
Division of Christian Education of the National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, and
are used by permission.
Dr. Yvonne Vanderhorst is Coordinator for
Prepare Our Youth, inc. and for Columbia Union
College's Teach-A-Kid Program. She works full
time in the Office of Human Relations at the
General Conference of SDA, Silver Spring,
Maryland
Carolyn Kohlenberger and Noel
Wescombe, RAISING WISE CHIL-
DREN (How to Teach Your Child
to Think). Portland, Oregon:
Multnomah, 1990. Paper, 265
pages, $9.95.
hristian educators have long
guoted Ellen White's counsel
that their teaching was incom-
plete it children and youth did
not learn to think so they could
become more than mere reflectors of
another's thought. Unfortunately, we sel-
dom see or hear much about this happen-
ing. Raising Wise Children was written to fill
that void.
ADVENTIST EDUCATICN » OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1990 43