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Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not
speak‖ (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). This is the classic definition of a false prophet.
Therefore, the WT has, by its own standards disqualified itself as a faith that deserves a
hearing. But in addition to establishing that the WT is a false prophet, Reed et al., show that
the WT is guilty of other spiritual abuses, such as:
 Thought reform (―Avoid independent thinking … questioning the counsel that is provided
by God‘s visible organization.‖(4)
 Strict organizational control (―…we must not only recognize Jehovah God as our Father
but his organization as our Mother.‖(5)
 Shunning former members, even when they are in the same household (―We should not
see how close we can get to relatives who are disfellowshipped from Jehovah‘s
organization, but we should ‗quit mixing company‘ with them.‖(6).
Index indicates that these are reasons to be concerned about family and friends who may
be involved with the WT religion. It simply confirms what is evident to most of us outside
the WT: It is an abusive religious cult.
Index can be used as a tool to assist in the process of educating Witnesses about the cultic
nature of the WT. However, great care must be exercised in its use with the Witnesses,
because they are taught that opposition will come from outsiders, particularly from those
who are close to the Witness herself.
(1) WT 4/1/19, 6414
(2) WT 1/15/59, 40-41
(3) WT 4/1/72, 197
(4) WT 1/15/83, 22
(5) WT 5/1/57, 274
(6) WT 7/15/63, 444
Everett Shropshire, Director
Watchman Fellowship of California
New Age Almanac. J. Gordon Melton. Visible Ink Press, 1999, $16.95.
The New Age Almanac could more aptly be named the New Age Encyclopedia. Gordon
Melton, who has become a chronicler of religious movements of the 20th century, attempts
to do the same for the so-called New Age movement. The book was originally published in
1991 following the Reagan-era, a decade that saw tremendous focus on materialism in our
country. The New Age movement probably reached its peak in the 1980‘s as a backlash to
the ―greed is good‖ theme of that decade. As such the book must be viewed in that context
because there have been tremendous changes in cults, sects, and new age groups in the
last nine years.
The first part of the book contains extensive biographical data on early mediums of the
occult/spiritualism movement of the Victorian era. From the ―spiritual intermediaries‖ of the
late 1800‘s came separate sects with self-proclaimed leaders who asserted that they had
become the ―chosen ones‖ to receive special communications from the ―masters‖ of these
―spirit worlds.‖ All kinds of strife ensued as each proclaimed some special connection to
these ―spiritual gods‖ and their omnipotent messages for the ―cosmic plan of humankind.‖
In the forefront of that movement were such teachers as: Alice Bailey, Guy Warren Ballard,
Annie Besant, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Robert Crosbie and Rudolph Steiner. Each
developed his/her own following in this new spiritualism with varying degrees of success.
The historical and biographical information in Chapter 1 is very interesting, but it might
have been more interesting if Melton had examined how the notions of the ―Great White

Cultic Studies Journal, Volume 17, 2000, Page 142
Brotherhood‖ and the theory of the one great master race might have played a significant
role in the early development of the Third Reich and what eventually became Nazi Germany.
Certainly, some of the roots of Adolph Hitler's philosophy came out of the spiritual
movement of these early teachers/mediums.
Also remiss in Melton‘s book is an analysis of how the spiritualism movement, characterized
by ―mediums‖ who ostensibly helped people communicate with the dead, made a quantum
leap to ―prophets and chosen teachers‖ or emissaries of ―cosmic masters.‖ Such a leap in
turn gave rise to new age groups at high risk of abuse because they required no
accountability from group leaders for personal behavior, ethics, financial payoffs, sexual
demands, psychological abuse, etc. The new age movement, while it has interesting roots
in social and psychological changes in our society, is not always the benign
sociological/philosophical movement that Melton portrays it to be. In this reviewer's opinion,
a number of the groups mentioned in his book could be called cults or could be accused of
coercing followers into conforming to the dictates of the leader(s).
Melton‘s Chapter 2, ―Altered States,‖ journeys into the realm of different states of
consciousness, covering everything from meditation to channeling to past life regression.
He focuses extensively on the notion of people searching for new experiences in
consciousness and ways in which this can be achieved. In Chapter 3, ―Mystery Theater,‖
Melton highlights new age topics ranging from alien abductions, to historical perspective on
Lemuria and Atlantis, to a rundown of the major arcana in the Tarot cards and their
symbolic meanings.
Perhaps the most useful chapters in the entire book are chapters 4 and 5. Chapter 4, ―On
The Road to Samadi,‖ touches on a wide variety of different types of yoga and meditation
techniques. Chapter 5, ―Positive States,‖ is devoted to homeopathic and naturopathic
healing techniques. Among the techniques Melton writes about are: chiropractic, applied
kinesiology, acupuncture, Bach flower remedies, biorhythms, Chinese medicine, Rolfing,
reflexology, cleansing, and herbal treatments. For anyone wishing to understand more
about natural healing techniques and their origins, this section of the book might be useful.
Chapter 6, ―Star Karma,‖ and Chapter 7, ―Temple of Cosmic Wisdom,‖ are devoted to the
new age activities of Hollywood stars and emerging new age groups. Among the new age
groups he includes in Chapter 7 are: the Aquarian Movement, Dianetics (aka Scientology),
the Great White Brotherhood, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, est, Wicca, Baba Ram Dass and Zen
Master Rama. Again, Melton doesn‘t scrutinize questionable activities that have taken place
in some of these groups. Also, because the book was originally published in 1991 new age
groups that emerged later in the 1990‘s such as Heaven‘s Gate are not included in the book,
as well as the demise of ―Zen Master Rama‖ (aka Fred Lenz) who committed suicide in
1998. One problem with documenting the activities of new age groups in a book like this is
that these groups are ever changing and reinventing themselves. Unlike Melton‘s
documentation of different religions of the world which have more stable foundations and
doctrines, new age groups change their modus operandi, doctrine, and public masks so
regularly that it becomes difficult to say what they are about or what their agendas might
be.
Chapter 8, ―Worldview,‖ concludes with a new look at the changing sociological and political
landscape of the times as influenced possibly by the new age. We read about communities
and organizations that define the ―new age social vision‖: The Farm, Findhorn Community,
Windstar Foundation, Bear Tribe, and Greenpeace. Melton finishes by discussing the idea
that man is moving toward raising consciousness in the social sense as well as the personal
sense, and that this in turn will lead to changes in planetary consciousness in the new age.
Melton's New Age Almanac is a samplinga smorgasbordof new age ideas, movements,
teachers, and methods. The book works best as a reference guide only. Because the scope