Critiquing New Age Occultism and Satanism

Interview With a Specialist in New Religious Phenomena

MADRID, Spain, NOV. 18, 2004 - Christianity must be centered on Jesus Christ and have no truck with astrology or superstitions, warns a scholar of religions.

José Luis Vázquez Borau, author of "The New Religious Phenomena: New Age, Occultism and Satanism," holds a doctorate in philosophy and a licentiate in moral theology. He has spent much of the last 20 years dedicated to the study and teaching of the religious phenomenon.

Q: There is a somewhat chaotic resurgence of religion: spiritualisms, esotericisms. Is this phenomenon leading to something more?

Vázquez: It is difficult to predict if this phenomenon is leading to something more. What can be affirmed is that to the degree that the human being wishes to deny, cover or dissimulate, as if it did not exist, the "religious sentiment which is innate," the latter will seek a thousand ways to make itself present and to manifest itself.

We have a recent example in civil baptisms. The human being has imprinted in him a divine presence which we can go so far as to say that it does not exist. But not because of this will it cease to exist and to manifest itself.

Therefore, three things are necessary: Christian communities that give joyful testimony of the faith and at the same time are involved in the problems of people's lives, especially the poorest; witness of the Absolute; and an adequate religious formation, without which any charismatic sectarian leader, in the pejorative sense of the word, can take over people's uninformed consciences.

Q: If Christianity were better known, would there be fewer religious phenomena?

Vázquez: In this book "The New Religious Phenomena: New Age, Occultism and Satanism," I have tried to widen our view to make us realize that all religions, in the course of time, have had followers who have deformed the religions that they postulated in their own benefit, as at the bottom of all religious manipulation there is a quest for money and power.

Thus, after analyzing New Age as an answer to the generalized crisis of institutional religion and the obsession for everything Eastern as paths of wisdom, some of the diverse groups are indicated that arise from different matrixes, such as the Afro-animist, Hindu, Buddhist, Confucianist, Judaic, Christian, Islamic, scientistic, occultist and Satanist.

Undoubtedly, if Jesus was known -- the Way, Truth and Life -- we would be talking about something else.

Q: The new religious phenomena arise within the religious traditions. In what way does this fact address religions?

Vázquez: The new religious phenomena are linked to postmodernity which gives much value to sensibility, which might contribute to us also placing more value on the way of experience and feeling in our access to God.

There is no faith without an initial experience that we call conversion and without the daily experience that we call prayer. It is very important to reassess religious experience. … The danger lies in giving up criticism and allowing oneself to be led by feeling.

Q: According to you, horoscopes, reincarnation and pan-sexuality are "clearly anti-Christian" practices. Yet, they have their followers. How must this subject be addressed so that Christians will understand it?

Vázquez: By being more centered on God and living as children who trust in their Father, knowing that nothing evil can come from him, and if it is for us to experience dark moments, to know that it is all for our good even if we cannot understand it today, but we will one day.

If we appeal to astrology to know about our future, where is our faith? We must not be worried about the future.

We must live in God's present with the soul of a child. Our future is decided here and now by loving and giving our life for others. Reincarnation dilutes human responsibility and sex is not an absolute.

It is an interesting conundrum that the Roman Jurisdiction of the Catholic Church has found itself. With all the problems concerning the sex scandals through out the world, many Roman Catholics are leaving in large numbers. Yet, where they are turning to leave much to be desired. Some go to the Orthodox Catholic Churches (Russian, Greek, etc.) which are either very ethnic oriented or have become more open to the particular aspects of American culture that is void, in many instances, of European or ethnic culturation. But many more are turning to various Protestant churches whose roots of faith are not grounded in the historical ancient Christian understandings and practices. This last group of Roman faithful who have opted to leave that Church, were not catechized by the Church or Parish priests in the fashion that would take root in the very soul of the individual who has opted for the "correctness" disease and that of being "politically" correct.

These problems, intermixed with the breaking news of the other issues surrounding Rome's questionable involvement in various un-christian activities suggests a larger problem and enlarges the picture for why the Roman Jurisdiction has taken more aggressive actions to reach out toward the Russian Orthodox (Catholic) Church and many others such as the Greek Orthodox (Catholic) and even the Ukrainian Orthodox (Catholic) Churches.

As imperial Rome walls fell as Christianity grew, so too the Roman Jurisdiction of the Catholic Church which has staunchly claimed its errant empirical right to the exclusive use of the term and phrase "Catholic" that it really never held except in the minds of those of the Vatican, now finds its own "walls" falling fast... But, politically, it grows as it pushes itself against all obstacles, to hold itself as supreme over all... even to the degree of being involved in and with various groups that subscribe to the heretical group known as the World Council of Churches, even the World Council of Bishops and such other groups, even here in the United States. These acts and actions are nothing more than to create a false ecumenism that is actually heretical (against the ancient epitome of the early Church canons East and West). Synchrestic Ecumenism which leads to the ONE WORLD CHURCH ideas as even the head of the U.N. has expressed in various ways... is coming about.

The Roman Jurisdiction of the Catholic Church would be better off to return to that which existed in its liturgical form, its prayer life, its clergy requirements and practices before Vatican II... while taking into consideration many other errors it has falsely held close to itself which contradicts the ancient epitome of the canons of the early Church.

Articles relating to the Roman Catholic Church's direct or indirect involvement in the very things discussed in the above article:

Keep Up-To-Date by clicking on:

Quotes from Metropolitan Archbishop +Joseph Thaddeus, OSB, SSJt., Ph.D. - Continuously updated

If You have a question that you wish to ask, please feel free to submit it. However, may it be suggested that you review all previous questions for the Month and also the Archive of questions previously asked for your question may have already been answered.

Click Here For Archive Quotes

St. Augustine's Anglican Church, Deming, New Mexico

A Caring Community of Orthodox Christians who know the Love is the first and Great Commandment.

St. Augustine's Anglican Church of Deming, New Mexico has kindly granted the American Orthodox Church (North American Orthodox Church) use of the Church to offer Divine Liturgy each week.

A Schedule of Services