Reinventing Jesus Christ: The New Gospel

Chapter 6 - Update

Global Renaissance Alliance

By Warren Smith

 http://www.reinventingjesuschrist.com

Posted August 29, 2006

Skip down to Ken Blanchard [the trainer for Rick Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan

Spiritual Politics

In co-founding the Global Renaissance Alliance—recently renamed the Peace Alliance—Neale Donald Walsch and Marianne Williamson were greatly inspired by a book entitled Spiritual Politics. In fact, both of their enthusiastic endorsements are featured on the front and back covers of this radical 1994 New Age political primer. Neale Donald Walsch’s front cover endorsement reads:

"Extraordinary and invaluable…. One of the most important books to appear in the marketplace of ideas in a very long time."[1]

Corinne McLaughlin and Gordon Davidson, the co-authors of Spiritual Politics, frankly admit that their book is based on the “ageless wisdom” that has been passed down through the years from ancient occultists to modern-day occultists. McLaughlin and Davidson openly embrace this “ageless wisdom.” The almost encyclopedic New Age teachings of Alice Bailey are referred to throughout their book. Bailey’s teachings were “telepathically” dictated to her by the Tibetan master Djwhal Khul—a spirit guide also known as DK. The spiritual teachings transmitted to Bailey by DK describe the soon coming of a New Age “Christ” and the establishment of a one-world government. The “Christ” described by DK and Bailey is Maitreya—the same Maitreya described by Benjamin Creme and Wayne Peterson. McLaughlin and Davidson dedicate Spiritual Politics “To M and DK”:

"To M and DK

and to all the Warriors of the Spirit,
that they may awaken to the fire in their hearts
and hear the inner anthem calling them
to the Great Work."[2]

Thus, it is very revealing that Williamson and Walsch have so openly endorsed a book that is steeped in the occultic teachings of Alice Bailey—teachings that proclaim Maitreya, not Jesus, as “the Christ.” Williamson’s back cover endorsement of Spiritual Politics reads:

"Bravo to Corinne and Gordon for shining such a bright light on politics in this groundbreaking book! Spiritual Politics gives us the instructional wisdom of the East and West, as well as the practical tools for helping create effective change in the world. I highly recommend it."[3]

But Williamson’s endorsement is very misleading. Spiritual Politics is not based on anything resembling the “wisdom of the West” which most people associate with Christianity. McLaughlin and Davidson are very clear that Spiritual Politics is based on the hidden, “ageless wisdom” of the occult—the occult traditions that originated with Hermes Trismegistus and culminated in the mystical/New Age teachings of Alice Bailey. In Spiritual Politics they write:

"For centuries, the Ageless Wisdom in the West was shielded from an unprepared public…. The unveiled truths were handed down only orally by individual teachers to tested disciples or by certain religious groups and secret societies, such as the Kabbalists, Druids, Essenes, Sufis, Knights Templar, Rosicrucians, Freemasons, and others who carefully guarded the teachings down through the centuries. A study of these secret societies would reveal powerful influences on the history of nations….

"Over the last hundred years, the Ageless Wisdom has spread widely in the West, beginning with the work of the Russian Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. Her seminal book, The Secret Doctrine, published in 1888, synthesized Christian, Jewish, and Islamic mysticism with the Eastern teachings of Hinduism, Taoism, and Buddhism, showing their common roots and comparing their sacred texts….

"The next development came through the teachings of an Englishwoman, Alice Bailey, a former member of the Theosophical Society. In 1919 Bailey was contacted by a Tibetan master, Djwhal Khul, who asked her to write a series of books with him telepathically that would continue Blavatsky’s work. Over a period of thirty years, Bailey received eighteen books from him on the nature of the cosmos and the human being, outlining principles for individual spiritual growth and humanity’s next evolutionary steps. In 1923 Bailey founded Lucis Trust [originally called Lucifer Publishing, ed.] to bring the teachings in her books to the public. A year later she began the Arcane School. The books were written to apply to several levels of consciousness at once and thus can be read by both beginners and advanced students. Her works have been especially helpful to the two of us in our own spiritual growth and have provided much of the inspiration for Spiritual Politics."[4]

Because McLaughlin and Davidson so strongly endorse the Bailey teachings on the politics of a coming New Age “Christ,” the spiritual foundation of the Global Renaissance Alliance became very transparent as Williamson and Walsch both endorsed their book. There is nothing subtle about Spiritual Politics and there is nothing subtle about the “spiritual politics” of Williamson and Walsch and their Global Renaissance Alliance.

New Age Political Conference

In April, 2000 a groundbreaking conference entitled “Re-Igniting the Spirit of America: A Summit on Values, Spirituality and Governance” was held in Washington, D.C.[5] It brought together New Age leaders, sympathetic politicians and other interested parties for the purpose of injecting new spiritual life into the political process. Because the conference was primarily sponsored by Corinne McLaughlin, Gordon Davidson, and Neale Donald Walsch, it might have been alternately titled “Re-Igniting the Spirit of America: How to Incorporate New Age Teachings into American Politics.” In her keynote address, Corinne McLaughlin reflected on the political collaboration with Walsch that helped to produce the conference:

"Since my husband Gordon Davidson and I wrote our book Spiritual Politics seven years ago, we always wanted to bring together the kind of political visionaries and activists we wrote about. 3 years ago, we invited many of these leaders (who are speaking at this conference) to meet together and see how we could collaborate. Out of several meetings we had around the country, we started SPARC—the Spiritual/Political Alliance for Renewal and Collaboration. One of the leaders who we invited was Neale Donald Walsch, who had the same vision. He had just written in his Conversations with God, Book, 2 that he wanted to organize a big conference on spirituality and politics—so our organization, The Center for Visionary Leadership, joined his organization, ReCreation, to work together to create this conference.[6]

At the time of this conference the Global Renaissance Alliance—now the Peace Alliance—was listed as an associate sponsor. Barbara Marx Hubbard’s Foundation for Conscious Evolution was also named as a sponsor. Speakers and panel members included a number of high profile New Age leaders and many well-known politicians: Marianne Williamson, Neale Donald Walsch, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich and many others. Spiritual Politics was definitely making its mark in Washington D.C. But it wouldn’t be until after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, that Walsch and Williamson and their global alliance of New Age leaders would really start to make their move.

Maitreya and “Spiritual Politics”

Here are some things to consider before you too easily dismiss the New Age peace movement, their “spiritual politics” and the mysterious false Christ figure named Maitreya.

The New Age Global Renaissance Alliance/Peace Alliance is not something to be taken lightly—neither is Maitreya.

Endnotes

1. Corinne McLaughlin and Gordon Davidson, Spiritual Politics: Changing the World from the Inside Out (New York: Ballantine Books, Random House, 1994), front cover.  back

2. Ibid., dedication page.  back

3. Ibid., back cover.  back

4. Ibid., pp. 15-16.  back

5. (http://www.visionarylead.org/summit2_.htm).  back

6. Corinne McLaughlin, Opening Keynote Talk for Summit: “The Movement to Re-Ignite the Spirit of America,” April 27, 2000. http://www.visionarylead.org/summit2000_keynotes.htm.  back

© 2006 by Warren Smith - Reprinted with permission. Emphases added in bold letters.

Warren Smith is a former New Age follower who at one time was deeply involved in the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles. He is the author of these insightful books:

The Light that was Dark: http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/01743light.htm

Reinventing Jesus Christ (2nd edition which is posted online): http://www.reinventingjesuschrist.com

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