Editor’s note: Today, we begin a four-part series on the ongoing “paganization” of America. America was once to be set apart as a “city upon a hill” ... a country that should be emulated. America owes a great debt to the Puritans, who played a significant role in first bringing Christianity to our shores. The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who came to America for religious freedom. In doing so, they gave us part of the constitutional framework for the freedoms we enjoy today. Half of the passengers aboard the Mayflower that landed in 1620 were Puritans. They founded the first school in America (Roxbury, 1635) and the first college (Harvard, 1639) so people could read the Bible for themselves. The moral foundations of early America came from their emphasis on godly behavior. Their influence spread throughout New England and the rest of the colonies. In 1603, Puritan leader John Winthrop referenced Matthew 5:14, referring to America as “a city upon a hill” ...a country that should be emulated. As time went on in America, a series of religious revivals took place... great waves of increased religious enthusiasm occurred from the early 18th and the late 20th centuries. Each of these “Great Awakenings” was characterized by widespread Protestant revivals that resulted in a profound sense of conviction and redemption for those affected. The third and last of these was the Great Awakening of 1858–1910, led by preachers like D. L. Moody (1837-1899). Moody revolutionized evangelism in the United States. He launched campaigns in cities across America, employing gospel singers, renting large tents or auditoriums, and canvassing neighborhoods before each crusade. Many others followed his model. From coast to coast, America was well on its way to becoming a Christian nation. But, around the same time Moody’s revivals peaked in popularity, things began to change… New York City has always been considered the main gateway to America. After all, that’s where Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are found. The seeds that would eventually plant paganism in the hearts and minds of many Americans first entered our country through that gateway. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky was the first of those seeds. A second would soon follow... Madam Blavatsky arrived in New York during the summer of 1873, intending to spread “spiritual truths” she had discovered during her travels. She was born into a rich aristocratic family in the Russian Empire in what is now Dnipro, Ukraine. Between 1860 and 1870, Blavatsky claims to have traveled from Russia to Turkey, through India, and to Tibet, where she converted to Buddhism. While there, she encountered a group of spiritualists known as the "Masters of Ancient Wisdom", who trained her to develop a deeper understanding of the synthesis of religion, philosophy, and science. By the time she left Tibet, Blavatsky claimed she had developed “powers” of clairvoyance and telepathy, could control the minds of others, and contact the dead. Once in America, Blavatsky introduced her “ancient wisdom” belief system to New Yorkers through her Theosophical Society. Her writings and speeches paved the way for spreading everything from yoga to reincarnation throughout the country. She based her teachings on Theosophy, the “wisdom of the gods.” Blavatsky claimed she could perform paranormal feats because she had been given access to ancient wisdom known only to a select few. Her fake spiritual encounters and séances appealed to many prominent New Yorkers. Blavatsky’s success was largely due to the support of these popular establishment figures, one of whom was the well-known inventor Thomas Edison. His endorsement gave her claims the appearance of respectability that was not deserved. In 1884, Blavatsky became involved in a major scandal when an embittered Theosophical Society member accused her of faking her paranormal abilities. The incident caused extensive damage to her reputation. Due to poor health, she later resigned from the Theosophical Society she had co-founded. Blavatsky eventually moved to London, where she died in May 1891 at the age of 59. But she had opened America’s gateway to the spirit of Eastern mysticism and occultic practices. If we were to date the beginning of America’s slow drift toward paganism, it would have to begin with Madam Blavatsky herself. In 1907, a second figure came from England to America through the same gateway of New York City. Married to an abusive Episcopalian priest, she fled to California for a time. She later returned to New York to continue her work as a member of Madam Blavatsky’s Theosophical Society. She, too, would have a huge impact in advancing America’s eventual movement toward the occult and paganism. Her name was Alice Ann Bailey... Bailey came to the United States from England, where she spent most of her time as a writer and a teacher. Born to a wealthy middle-class family, she was a dedicated member of the Anglican church. Having received a Christian education, Bailey did evangelical work for the YMCA and the British army. Heavily influenced by the writings of Madam Blavatsky, Bailey’ would give rise to New Age occultic religious practices... in other words, paganism. Pagans serve created things rather than the God who created them. Pagans live for worldly gain, sensual pleasures, and material possessions. Pagans typically worship nature, the earth, the sun, the moon, and the stars. Today, as in ancient times, child sacrifice is a major part of pagan practices. Some pagans will abuse their bodies in deviant sexual practices to revel in their passions. Satan is their chief source of influence and control. Many pagans believe that both humans and animals have a divine nature and, as such, have the potential to become gods and goddesses. Bailey extensively used the term New Age in her books and is considered the movement’s founder. Her writings and teachings are consistent with paganism, witchcraft, and Tibetan mysticism. Some insist that New Age and paganism are not related... but the reality is that New Age practices opened the door to pagan ones in America. Both celebrate the sacredness of creation in festivals, rituals, and faux sacraments. Her books, written between 1919 and 1949, describe how spirituality relates to the solar system, meditation, healing, spiritual psychology, and the destiny of nations. She described most of her work as having been telepathically dictated to her by a Master of Wisdom, initially referred to only as “the Tibetan”. Bailey’s writings had much in common with Madame Blavatsky’s, including a vision of a unified society that included a global religion based on “ageless wisdom”. She considered the New Age of Aquarius the cornerstone of her teachings. She described this Age of Aquarius as one of progressive thinking that encourages each person to be free to choose one’s own reality. Sound familiar? All new age and pagan beliefs can be summed up in one sentence... You are your own God, or you can become like God. Both are lies from Satan himself. America’s ongoing slide into paganism started slowly with Madam Blavatsky, who cracked America’s door open with her mystery-religion teachings. Alice Bailey kicked it wide open with her New Age religion. Both relied on worldly wisdom and the mysticism of Hinduism to influence their writings, excluding anything from the wisdom of God. Coming in Part II: The Decade That Changed Everything... If you are enjoying our posts, help us cover the expense of this blog by buying us a coffee! .
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