This is a response to the file KURT.LZH, which has been circulating over MOODS. The LZH archive consists of the file KURT.DOC, which is available in XHATE10 (ZIP OR ARC), the archive you are reading this from.
This archive crystallizes (no pun intended) the Constance Cumbey "New Age Conspiracy" theory, a theory that has become almost a canonical part of Fundamentalist Christian doctrine. There are no indications who this "Kurt" is, but he is assumed to be the author of this tract.
This piece is a libel against Neo-paganism in general and Dianist Wicca in particular. It is full of lies and requires a response.
Michelle Klein-Hass Founder, the Christian Hate Materials Project
PROJECT: THE LAST GENERATION
THE BRAIN WASHING OF A GENERATION
Though this book deals with the Washington State educational system, the same things are happening all over the country under different names. For most of the school curriculum formation (writing and tryed out) is done in the Pacific Northwest by the new age movement for the National Education system As an insider, I can explain how they have managed to go so far in government and law making and gone undetected by the majority of the population. The following gives some of the plans and ideas of leaders who are in the radical reconstruction of our educational system. This book will give an idea of how they have advanced, some of the results of their advancement, and where the momentum seems to be taking us....
....This book will show the taking over of the Education system; with the intent of wiping-out THE JUDEO - CHRISTIAN VALUES. By a conspiracy which is written of by Marilyn Ferguson in the Aquarian Conspiracy and "she has found in the deepest roots of the educational system; she quotes "There are lot of us in the woodwork." He, a veteran bureaucrat, was referring to a loose coalition of conspirators in agencies and congressional staffs.
There continues to be no hard evidence that there is a "New Age Conspiracy" infiltrating the school system! The public schools are in sorry shape, to be sure, but these assertions of a covert "crystal weenie" KGB out to undermine Judeo-Christio-Islamic values are way out of line indeed.
A Parents Guide to Child's Education
The 15 "warning signs" referred to in this piece range from the innocuous to the absolutely ludicrous. First off, there are absolutely NO curricula I know of that teach reincarnation and Eastern Religion. In fact, Religion is usually glossed over, if discussed at all, in Public Schools, keeping in mind the constant skirmishes over the 1st Amendment. And if Religion is discussed, the thrust is usually towards Judeo-Christio-Islamic monotheism if anything. In the South, the thrust is even more blatantly towards Evangelical Christianity. Even more ludicrous is the assertion that in some cases children have to sign a "contract" not to discuss their studies with their parents. Bullpuckey! The trend in education nowadays is towards MORE, not LESS parental involvement. .
The other assertions regarding teaching about the environment, teachings about nuclear war and children's fears of it, and exploration of children's attitudes have basis in fact. I do not think there is any harm in children, especially older children, discussing hard issues in class. In the era of AIDS and Crack, the hard issues of sexuality and self-esteem NEED to be brought up. If not, there is a danger that a whole generation will indeed be lost.
After a discussion of applicable laws regarding education, the tract bounced to another, completely unrelated bugaboo....
On April 25, 1982, folks around the western world opened up their newspapers and found themselves staring at a startling full-page ad. The ad trumpeted in bold headlines that:
The World has had enough of HUNGER, INJUSTICE, WAR, IN ANSWER TO OUR CALL FOR HELP, AS WORLD TEACHER FOR ALL HUMANITY THE CHRIST IS NOW HERE! HUMANITY,.
The ad went on to say that this "Christ" has been emerging as a spokesman quietly since 1977; that throughout history, mankind has been guided by a group of enlightened men, the "Masters of Wisdom." The ad claims that he is the "World Teacher," called Maitreya, known by Christians as the Christ, by the Jews as the Messiah, by the Buddhists as the fifth Buddha, by the Muslims as the Imam Mahdi, and by the Hindus as Krishna. The ad claimed that he was hidden from the world, but that within the next two months he would speak to humanity in a worldwide TV broadcast in which his message would be heard by all nations telepathically in their own language. Extraordinary News! If these claims were true, this would be extraordinary news: a world-shattering event. However, close examination of this material reveals things which do not tally with the Biblical version of the second coming of Christ.
Ok...here comes the "Maitreya"/Antichrist barrage. The TV appearance of "Maitreya" has been trumpeted by Benjamin Creme for years and years. The big TV broadcast didn't happen in 1982, it didn't happen in 1987 during the "Harmonic Convergence", and it didn't happen in May 1990, the last time Creme asserted that Maitreya would speak on TV.
If this was the Biblical Antichrist, then I'm sure he'd have his act together a lot more than he does. And he certainly wouldn't choose an eccentric, albeit rich old coot as his "John The Baptist" figure.
The piece continues by another bounce, first into the "We Are The World"/Hands Across America event (a failure) then back into Alice Bailey and how she supposedly speaks for all "New Age" types.
The sinister plan that is attributed to Bailey to corrupt education runs as follows:
1) Children should be trained to accept a One-world global government and culture without question.
This doesn't wash. If teaching kids about other cultures is training them to accept a "One-world government" then the Geography and Social Studies classes that kids experience at school are guilty as charged. But one does not mean another. A does NOT equal B.
2) Full implementation of the anti-Christian educational philosophies of John Dewey, but with a more eastern metaphysical approach.
John Dewey, although very misguided with Positivist philosophy and Behaviorist psychology, was NOT anti-Christian. In fact he saw religion as a way of keeping social systems together.
3) Destruction of the ideals of patriotism and national pride, helping kids become "world citizens."
I don't see that...quite the opposite, I see that flag-waving, "God bless America" attitude being instilled in kids at an early age.
4) Hinduism and other pagan religions must be emphasized as attempts are made to blend them into Western civilization. 5) Orthodox Christianity must be demeaned and declared obsolete to the children, while lifting up the New Age "One World" religion. 6) The New Age pluralistic religion (All paths lead to God - all religions are equally valid) will be taught as the only acceptable belief system, excluding Jesus' unique claims. 8) Essential Christian doctrines like hell, judgement or even heaven are to be mocked and denied. Rather, karma and reincarnation should be taught
Again, like I have said, when Religion is spoken about in school, it is usually in the context of the Three Great Monotheisms. In the South, the ideology of Evangelical Christian Fundamentalism has always been and continues to be liberally admixed in all parts of school life.
7) Adolescents will be encouraged to force these doctrines on their parents and rebel if the parents do not cooperate. 9) Permissive methods of discipline will be fostered, and concepts such as sin and guilt are felt to be unevolved and counter-productive.
Rather than schools becoming less and less structured in the '80s and the '90s, the "hickory stick" approach has made a very big comeback. Watch the movie "Lean On Me" (which is based on a true story) and tell me that permissiveness is on the rise.
10) Children are taught that death is not an enemy to be feared or fought off, but rather is to be embraced as part of "the Plan." 11) They are also to be taught that people who do not accept the New Age teachings (ie. Bible-believers) are an evolutionary "drag" on humanity and must either capitulate or be killed like a bacterial infection. 12) The model of the traditional family and its sexual mores must be discarded, and loyalty to one's family must be replaced by loyalty to the world. It is frightening to note how many of these concepts, first promulgated a generation ago, have become standard features of public education, supported by our tax dollars! More and more of these ideas are being brought in every semester! Both of the authors of this booklet were involved in education and curriculum formation for schools while occultists; and used our positions to indoctrinate our charges in New Age values. That was years ago! Today, the "brain trust" behind modern education reads like a Who's Who of the New Age.
I have seen NONE of this shit taught in school either when I was there or in the materials brought back by friends' children! In fact, with the "Just Say NO" and "DARE" programs, the Christian moral ideals of chastity before marriage, the traditional family, and the authority of parents are being pushed at a fever pitch.
Dee Dickinson, the director of New Horizons for Learning, is a member of President Bush's White House Task Force on Innovative Learning. She has helped put together a graduate program in Education at Antioch University (a teachers' college!) in cooperation with the Washington Education Association. This course includes subjects like astrology and tapping the human potential. A frequent lecturer at Antioch is Miriam Starhawk, one of the leading spokeswomen for Wicca ("white" [sic] witchcraft). She is a witch [sic]!
I am SURE that for every Dee Dickinson on the White House Literacy Task Force (The real name of Bush's "Task Force on Innovative Learning") there are at least two Reaganbush Bible thumpers. And just because Starhawk has lectured at Antioch doesn't mean that Antioch is a Pagan institution. It might be liberal, but it certainly isn't Pagan.
III. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
The radical reconstruction of our school system (in the U.S.) funded by our tax dollars, and the lobbying force of the N.E.A. (National Education Association), and the W.E.A. (Washington Education Association), will bring a new reformed Babylon to earth. (let me build on this.) Their purpose is to educate our children to reject differences in sex, intelligence, culture, values, ethnic systems, and religious values. No absolutes. This translates into creating a new government order, a new economical system, and a new religious order. (The New Age) All this BEGINS in the RADICAL reconstruction of our educational system. A. CONTROL THE SYSTEM.
What "Kurt" neglects to say is that Parental Control movements are the biggest trend in education. In literally hundreds of school districts, PTAs and parents' councils are getting veto power over textbooks and curriculae. It seems to me that schools are less and less controlled by the N.E.A. and School Boards and more and more controlled by parents.
IV. THE FORMING OF THE NEW BABYLON (The winning of a generation)
The next section will help describe the curriculum change toward a new religion and the New Babylon. The Heritage Institute has a master's degree program in education which was designed in cooperation with leaders of the Washington Education Association and New Horizons for Learning(Dee Dickinson). This is through Antioch University Seattle, founded in 1975. Some courses offered include:
The article lists a series of classes, obviously elective in nature, that smack of being listed out of context.
To briefly recap the material presented so far, I would remind you of the International, National and local movements bringing in the New Age movement to our school system through the Tri-University project, BSTEP, the National Education Association, the National Training Laboratory, and now a masters degree program. All of these organizations and projects involve the movement away from academics, and the reforming our values through behavior curriculums. The plans presented emphasize control over our educators and the students, along with control over all curriculum to leader, economy, and religion. The movement is very subtle, so as not to alarm the people with massive changes, but rather through gradualism gain acceptance of ideas while expanding them into the deeper roots of their New Babylon. The taking away of Judeo-Christian values and replacing them with values that support the New Age philosophy did not happen over night. It began in 1962 when prayer was taken out of the schools, equalling the removal of God, and you will remember the N.E.A. Teachers Training Manual which included the use of influence procedures for using brainwashing techniques was published in 1962. So this has been on going for almost 30 years now.
"Kurt"'s agenda now shows itself up. "Kurt" really objects to the fact that even though in most cases religion is discussed exclusively in a Judeo-Christio-Islamic Monotheistic context, that Christian indoctrination in the form of prayer in schools (where it does not belong) is no longer allowed by Supreme Court decision.
g. At an Edmonds school district high school we see evidence of the culture in our area. An example comes from the hallways in Nov. 88 in the form of flyers promoting:"Joey Swanson presents-Forced Entry -- with COVEN plus DEATH SQUAD." ( At the Ballard V.F.W.)
This is obviously an advertisement flier for a Heavy Metal gig. Need I say more?
I will conclude with a large chunk of the tract, so that you can decide for yourself where "Kurt"'s true agenda lies: that unless public schools become indoctrination grounds for Evangelical Christian Fundamentalism, that the only other choice is for children to be taught in Fundamentalist parochial schools. I wonder whether this whole tract is an attempt to scare Christian parents into pulling their kids out of school and putting them into Fundie parochial schools? M.K-H.
There are many teachers who still hold to the standards and values of God who do not have Jesus as their savior. They don't have the power to overcome this movement but those who have Jesus Christ as their Lord can. These teachers must seek deliverance for their kids from the Antichrist through prayer. Some teachers help to curb the degeneration of the next generation of kids, but I'm afraid that the educational process is converting more and more teachers to the New Age movement through their cleverly devised strategies. These teachers are a generation, and will be creating a generation, for the coming Antichrist and his prophet as was foretold in the Holy Bible....
....Be prepared to receive ridicule if you plan to fight this movement. Through eastern mysticism, and no ABSOLUTES or value system, our society is being changed to accept the New Age answers. The hysterical part of this is that the New Age philosophy created the problems that they are now trying to solve. So now New Agers can be heroes in developing answers to the problems they've created. With the only true God who gave us the social structures, government structures, family structures, and individual standards, the problems cease to exist when these standards are followed. Without the structures God gave and with a value system being destroyed by New Age thinking, we see the increase in alcoholism, drug abuse, sexual immorality, all of which leads to higher divorce rates, which leads to the breakdown of the family and the love everyone needs. When the family unit dissolves the destructive cycle increases and propagates itself. In order to bring this home to you, consider the teacher in the Tacoma School Dist. who is now offering an accredited course for teachers through U.PS. The course is 'Teaching for Social Responsibility' and instructed by Lee Landrud. The course is promoted like this:
feel connected
see different viewpoints
think critically
resolve conflicts so all win
responsibly make decisions
become agents of peaceful change
cooperate in team learning
learn meditation skills....
....Teachers who have Jesus in their lives seem to emphasize only the positive values of God in the curriculums and de-emphasize New Age philosophy. But the teachers who have no understanding of the conflict of beliefs being fought in our society are easy targets for deception. The educators who have already been indoctrinated and filled with this movement's deceptions will do anything to promote and fulfill the call upon them as agents of change for the New Age movement....
....The picture I have drawn seems to be so immense that it's unstoppable. But I truly believe by turning to God and away from sin that God will heal our land. My hope is that like the Kings of Israel there were good and bad Kings. When the Kings led the people into rebellion against God, His judgement came upon the nation of Israel. But when the king led the people back to God, God restored the people, land, prosperity, and security to the nation of Israel. And sometimes God stayed the judgement due the Israelites while restoration and the people were humbling themselves before God. We know that the one world government, one world leader, one world economy, one world religion will take place in the end times. But God may stay the judgement against us if we continually seek Him and ask Him for our people and our land. This may cause revival to take place which turns our nation around, and stays the end time judgements against us....
....Action is needed by finding out what your children are being taught in school and how it lines up with the word of God. Lets become responsible for our children and their upbringing, not leaving it up to someone else. Through this outline, I've given you information and examples to make you aware of the plans for this generation. So above all prayer, along with fasting to God, to make the way, clear the path, open the minds and hearts of the educators and the children. We hope for a change in our educational system and society, to reflect Godly principles for the salvation of our people and land.
end of tract
The change that "Kurt" is hoping for is on its way, and it's not a very pleasant one. Excellent teachers whose only "crime" is same-sex orientation are still being removed from the profession. I am waiting until someone who is Neo-pagan by religious belief is hounded from their classroom by Fundie witch-hunters. Forced prayer in school using "The Lord's Prayer" or another Christian prayer might come back to schools once the balance of the Supreme Court tilts irreversably to the Right with the ratification of Judge Souter or another Religious Rightist candidate to the seat recently vacated. The theory of Evolution, which is as founded in scientific fact as the Three Laws of Thermodynamics and Newton's Law of Gravity, continues to be taught, albeit under fire from Creationist pseudo-science. But who knows how long before even that will no longer be a part of the curriculum. With the "back to basics" mania, it is doubtful that the New Age methods that might have found their way in a non-religious context into the schools will remain there. The fact of the matter is that the watered-down textbooks that result from pressure from the Religious Right are doing damage to the learning experience NOW. With further erosion of the Supreme Court, it is obvious that the slide will continue into a true dark age of illiteracy and faith rather than academic excellence and knowledge.