Hola readers!


I first heard about New Age when I learned that Roma Downey (Touched by an Angel, anyone?) professes to be New Age. I then learned about different cults and religions in High School and New Age was one of them. THEN it was a big topic in my college worldview class and THEN I saw Star Wars and couldn't help but wonder...isn't it New Age?

*Cracks knuckles* Let's begin, shall we?

First here's a little summary...New Age apparently began in the 1970s and stems from Hindu, Buddhist and Native American beliefs. It has no one book to follow but follows pieces of the teachings of the religions it stems from. Jesus is not the one true God, we can tap into supernatural power through meditation,self-awareness, and 'spiritual-guides.' We have an inner power and need to discover it, reality is spiritual and there's no distinction between enemies. New Agers strive for peace and unity and...oneness with The Force.



*Cue Star Wars music*

OK, the point of this post (if you're getting ready to ask), isn't to blast Star Wars or Marvel fanchise...because if you're a Marvel fan then you know who Doctor Strange is, and you know that New Age was a strong theme in the comic books and movies. My whole point here is to make people aware of the New Age beliefs and do it in a way that's a little less boring then reading a history book. Plus I want people aware of the fact that New Age is very much a part of Star Wars and other movies and it can make New Age look appealing or more acceptable.

Because the idea if New Age is growing...nurses (and this is a true fact) are being taught to touch the sick person they're tending and transfer good energy so as to 'balance' the bad energy in the patient. Plus, New Age is becoming so popular in America because it prides itself on what you yourself can do and that inside you, you alone have the answers.

Remember in the third Star Wars movie Revenge of the Sith as Anakin and Obi Wan begin to battle it out on the planet that's turning to nothing but ash? Remember when Anakin says...

"If you’re not with me, you’re my enemy"

And Obi Wan replies, "only a Sith thinks in absolutes."

This. THIS. This is New Age, as well as possibly pointing a finger at Christians and calling us wrong for saying otherwise.
This scene is evidence of what the world over the years has begun to accept: that there is no absolutes, no absolute truth. It's why we have fluid gender, why Lady Gaga sings "Born This Way" and why people say, "what's wrong with committing adultery?"
As a Christian we know there is: that there is right and wrong, a dark side (the devil) and a light side (Jesus Christ). There is no in between and there never can be. You can't say gay marriage is right yet believe in the Bible because God clearly states is wrong (Numbers 23:19). We can have no in between.

Yet so many many people are unaware of worldviews and how to use the Christian worldview to proclaim the gospel. 

Let's take a moment to watch Sherlock under cover...

Doctor Strange was big on meditation, the spiritual world our only reality, the force being inside of us, etc, etc. There was a lot of other religious beliefs such as a mix of Buddhist and Hindu thrown in. When my friend Kara watched the trailer and I asked her if she was planning on seeing it, she immediately told me she didn't like the apparent New Age themes. I think out of all the Marvel movies this one was probably the most religious.


OK, so by this time I think you have a slight understanding of what New Age is. Most of the religion seems to center in Hollywood so here where I live on the other side of the US, you don't hear about New Agers very much.
But what does this mean for Christians watching the franchise?
I'm going to write a more detailed post in a few months (after I've discussed Wicca and Harry Potter.) about secular media and how we as Christians should respond, but let me just say this: God says we are not of this world. We need to learn worldviews so we can better spread the gospel and understand how to stand up for what we believe in. I think we need to be conscious of Star Wars spiritual and religious themes as well as the themes that are a part of other spiritual, fantasy, and science fiction movies, not blindly accept them or wave them off as nothing more then fiction.


Satan is a liar and  he can (if God allows) use New Age inspired movies to take people to the 'dark side.' It's Satan's plan for the world to fall, for the world to go to something or someone other then God. With the rise of Oprah's church (which resembles aspects of New Age) to (as the critiques said) a re enlightening of New Age due to Star Wars, Satan can use anything for our downfall... if not Star Wars, something else.

I think we just need to be aware that Satan is a liar and he can and will use ANYTHING. Allow me to repeat: ANYTHING.

But as Christians we are called to be of the Light (Jesus Christ) and spread His word...because one day the dark side will fall and Love will conquer.
 I think that we can use Star Wars as a witness opportunity - especially how Anakin turned in the end, how Luke never lost hope that his father could change...and that there is always hope. Light always conquers and seeing Anakin stand up with Yoda and Obi Wan in the end was one of the most inspiring endings to a trilogy I've seen.

I think Doctor Strange  had some good points too, for instance the theme felt strong about not needing to be outwardly strong to defeat evil, how we need to be conscious of how short our life is and living it well, as well as the truth not always making sense.
Plus - in a sense - New Age has it slightly right: the spiritual world is (in a way) our only reality. Earth is our temporary home and heaven as well as Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are all spiritual and what truly matters.

But one downfall of New Age: evil is evil. War is evil as is merciless killing, we - the majority of people in the world - realize it. That is one absolute truth we can all agree with. And to tell me that the truth is inside us and to not believe anyone else...isn't that contradictory? Aren't I believing you that I need to believe only in myself? What if I suddenly said there was no evil and that I thought murder was OK...as when Anakin went and killed all the children Jedi? You would tell me I'm wrong (unless you're some sicko, and yes, merciless killings do exist in real life)...so the truth cannot be in myself. Which is one we have the law in America that you cannot murder - we agree it's wrong and that you must be punished if you disobey. It being wrong to murder is an absolute truth.

We are human and we're bound to make mistakes because we live in a fallen world, and there is absolute truth unlike what Star Wars and George Lucas proclaims. How else can you explain but a Higher power, God, who rules overall and gave us a conscious and these rules (such as 'do not commit murder') that we as a world adhere to overall even if we proclaim to be atheist?  To say there is no absolute truth is contradictory.

 Back to the moment on the planet with Anakin and Obi Wan: Anakin was echoing God from the book of Matthew,  "Whoever is not with me is against me." Absolute truth exists...unlike the Jedi, let's not agree otherwise.