Institute for Creation (Credulous) Research (Retards), PO Box 2667, El Cajon, CA 92021 Voi
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Institute for Creation Research, PO Box 2667, El Cajon, CA 92021
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No. 232 "Vital Articles on Science/Creation" October 1992
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THE NEW AGE AND GLOBAL EDUCATION
by Steve Deckard*
Copyright (c) 1992 by I.C.R.
All Rights Reserved
* Dr. Deckard is Assistant Professor of Education at King's College
(Briarcliff Manor, New York) and Adjunct Assistant Professor of
Science Education in the ICR Graduate School.
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Ideas are important. They affect our behavior, our philosophy of life,
and, ultimately, our world view. One such set of ideas being promoted in
educational circles is so-called Global Education. The objective of this
paper is to expose the hidden agenda of Global Education and show
conclusively the links between Global Education, the New Age religion,
and evolutionism.
Proponents of Global Education often disguise it by using a variety of
other names: multicultural education, international curriculum
development, international studies, cultural awareness, futurism,
Project 2000, Welcome to Planet Earth, and World Core Curriculum.[1]
Dick Sutphen, a leading New Age thinker, summarizes the New Age
doctrines as: (1) the external world and consciousness are one and the
same; (2) we are all part of God, so we are God; (3) life is for
evolutionary purposes; (4) awareness of one's true self within leads to
mastery of one's own reality.[2]
Sutphen also emphasizes that once the occult and New Age terminologies
are removed, these ideas become acceptable to the general public. These
ideas also include Eastern Mysticism and contact with spirit and psychic
guides.[3]
In Jeremy Rifkin's book, Algeny, we read:
Evolution is no longer viewed as a mindless affair, quite the opposite
. . . one eventually winds up with the idea of the universe as a mind
that oversees, orchestrates, and gives order and structure to all
things. We no longer feel ourselves to be guests in someone else's home
and therefore obliged to make our behavior conform with a set of
preexisting cosmic rules. It is our creation now. We make the rules. We
establish the parameters of reality. We create the world. And because we
do, we no longer feel beholden to outside forces. We no longer have to
justify our behavior, for we are the architects of the universe. We are
responsible for nothing outside ourselves, for we are the kingdom, the
power, and the glory forever.[4]
Rifkin quite lucidly ties New Age doctrines to the concept of Global
Education. Since it is man's creation, we should use global political
and economic education to help others attain this idea of spiritual
global consciousness.
In order to accomplish this implementation of Global Education into our
public-school system, proponents advocate the following basic
principles: (1) everyone should become involved with people of other
cultures; (2) from earliest childhood, global studies should be involved
in all areas of study; (3) economic interdependence among all peoples
and nations should be stressed; and (4) the changing role of individual
"nations" (including the U.S.) should be emphasized, highlighting the
increasing importance of international organizations.
On the surface, some of these may appear acceptable, but beneath lies a
program of "cultural evolution" designed to swallow up national and
personal distinctives while substituting imprecise definitions of
ethics. This is the type of thinking which could produce a climate ripe
for a charismatic one-world leader, whom the Bible calls the
Anti-Christ.
By undermining cultural, religious, national, and economic distinctives,
the stage is being set for the alternative of a synthetic, unified
system. For example, Global Education proponents are calling for a world
religion under the authority of a one-world government. This new world
religion is envisioned as a synthesis of Christian ethics and Eastern
Mysticism, in which the task of re-ordering our traditional values and
institutions is given over to our public schools.[5]
Some educators and leading scientists call for a paradigm shift in which
events are viewed holistically and in which scientific laws, constructs,
and views of how the human mind thinks and functions are redefined.
Two scientists who are calling for such a paradigm shift are marine
biologist James Lovelock and microbiologist Lynn Margulis. Both strongly
advocate the so-called Gaia Hypothesis (Gaia was the Greek goddess of
the earth--"Mother Earth," so to speak). This mystical Gaia Hypothesis
assumes that the earth is actually a living entity and humanity is a
vital part of its life system. It has spawned, in Lovelock's mind, a new
science which he calls geophysiology. This system has caught on in some
geological circles and has significantly impacted the entire scientific
community. For example, the American Geophysical Union devoted its 1988
biennial Chapman Conference to a debate and discussion of Lovelock's
Gaian theory.[6]
There are many world leaders who appear to have jumped aboard the Gaian
express. They are said to include Mikhail Gorbachev, Pope John Paul II,
Ronald Reagan, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and United Nations Secretary
General Perez de Cuellar.[7]
In addition, there are several influential groups which support the
ideas of Global Education: the National Association of State Boards of
Education, the National Education Association, the National School
Boards Association, the National Association of Elementary School Board
Principals, the American Association of School Administrators, and the
national Parent-Teacher Association.[8]
The theme of the Gaia Hypothesis, as expressed by one of its concerned
opponents, involves the following vision of the New Age, which its
advocates believe can be achieved through Global Education:
It is possible for the earth and humanity to leave behind their ills and
move into the utopian situation. That utopia will supersede the present
world of environmental and wartime crises and will usher in an era of
life in oneness with nature and a community at peace with its neighbors.
In this New Age there will be one universal religion expressed through
many local religions, and there will be an allegiance to the planet and
the human race that will supersede loyalties to the more limited
groupings of clan, nation, race, or region.[9]
This type of thinking clearly rules out the God of creation who spoke
the world into existence by His own power. Thus New Age teaching and the
new modern science of geophysiology are incompatible with the Bible.
This is because of the evolutionary, humanist, and Eastern Mysticism
roots of the New Age and Global Education Movements. These false
philosophies are nothing more than Satan's "Old Lie" (the idea that man
is equal to God). This lie is incapable of leading a person to a
comprehension of the God of the Bible as the Creator and Sustainer of
life, and is thus a philosophy which is itself devoid of life.
In summary, the key elements of global education, embedded in the New
Age and Global Education philosophies and currently found in our
public-school systems, include the following:
1. A cultural relativism (no moral absolutes);
2. A de-emphasis of western culture in our public school texts and
related curricular materials with a clearly intentional avoidance
of Christian themes related to our Creator and Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ;
3. Curricular materials which support the idea of down-playing
nationalism and pushing "one worldism;"
4. Curricular materials (especially teachers' guides) which promote
guided imagery and visualization;
5. Curricular materials which state their chief goal is to reduce the
spirit of patriotism;
6. An emphasis on teaching children the concept of "entering" and
meditation.[10]
Once we have recognized the New Age philosophy and Global Education as
being grounded in a pantheistic world view which calls upon "the God
within us all," it becomes easier to understand the holistic nature of
the New Age social vision.
The basic assumption underlying the New Age movement is evolutionism,
with its accompanying transformation of individuals and society, now
supposedly ready to move into a New Age of peace, harmony, and
international cooperation. While educators discuss cultural evolution
s acting in concert with natural selection for the improvement of "Homo
sapiens", New Agers reveal the place of cultural evolution within the
holistic framework that sees the entire universe as the ultimate whole
system.
The Biblical position, on the other hand, affirms Jesus Christ as King
of kings and the only one who can usher in a perfect society. The
Biblical world view precludes the acceptance of any teaching, in or out
of school, which embraces concepts of one worldism, occultism, and gods
other than the one true Creator God. Therefore, the Christian community
must be prepared to look beyond the semantic facade and examine the true
agenda of Global Education. We must recognize that Global Education
concepts represent a world view which excludes Biblical Christianity.
At the same time, as we call New Agers, Global Educators, and
geophysiologists to accountability for their world view we must, in all
fairness, observe two positive contributions. First, some of the
elements of Global Education are needed and laudable. These regard to
the relationships and responsibilities of our schools to mankind.
Secondly, we can choose responsibly from the elements of the current
Global Educational programs those ideas which fit a Christian world
view. Nevertheless, we must view Global Education, the New Age, and
related philosophies from a Biblical world view, along with the threat
which these false views present. The possibility of our children
embracing false Gods and ideas is real, and we must combat this in every
reasonable way.
Bibliography and Notes
1. Eakman, B. K. _Educating_for_the_New_World_Order_. Portland:
Halcyon House, 1991.
2. Buehrer, Eric. _The_New_Age_Masquerade:_The Hidden_Agenda_in_Your_
_Child's_Classroom_. Brentwood: Wolgemuth and Hyatt, 1990.
3. "Global Education and World Religion," _New_Age_Education_, Report
#5. Costa Mesa, CA: Citizens for Excellence in Education, 1990.
4. Rifkin, Jeremy. _Algeny_. New York: Viking Press, 1983.
5. Citizens for Excellence in Education, loc. cit.
6. Joseph, Lawrence E. _Gaia:_The_Growth_of_an_Idea_. New York: St.
Martin's Press, 1990.
7. Muller, Robert. _New_Genesis:_Shaping_a_Global_Spirituality_.
Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1982.
8. Ibid.
9. Cunningham, Gregory L. "Globalism in the Schools: Independence
Issue Paper". Golden, CO: Independence Institute, 1986, p. 3.
10. Buehrer, op. cit.
Note: I would like to thank Mr. James Bjornstad for his help in preparing this paper. He is a recognized authority on cults and the occult and is currently a professor of Religious Education at The King's College in Briarcliff Manor, New York. I also with so extend thanks to Jan Barnett and Monte Wyss for helping with the library research. Jan and Monte are graduate students at ICR.
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