An olive branch to the New Age movement

Yesterday I wrote a long diatribe re: the New Age movement, but I didn't post it; I try to write when I'm dispassionate. Otherwise I come out sounding dumber than usual. In the past months, I did have several posts trashing some recent guests on Coast To Coast, but I've withdrawn those, too. I don't want to fight anymore. I don't really enjoy attacking beliefs. The New Age is not a philosophy; it's not a science; it's not a perspective: it's a belief. People are entitled to believe what they want without harassment. As a Progressive who voted for Mr. Change, that is the credo I live by.

Science is all about debate, proving and disproving. Philosophy involves critical examination of viewpoints that, to an extent, can be weighed and tested. Beliefs can only be affirmed or attacked.  "So what," I think, "if Bruce Goldberg appears on Coast To Coast and claims to be a time traveler from 10,000 years in the future, what's the harm in that?" If people want to believe this rubbish, let them.

My love-hate relationship with the New Age movement goes back years.

At this stage of my life, however, I want to extend the New Age an olive branch. I won't ridicule your silly beliefs any more. After all, I was once one of you. I've attended New Age conferences and read Shirley MacClaine. I ended my subscription of "Fate" magazine in 1999 because I was convinced that the world would end soon after and I didn't want to squander my money. I've dabbled in bunches of stuff that most New Agers aren't aware ever existed. Remember biorhythms? I studied those. I have a grand trine AND a grand cross in my horoscope, from a horoscope that I charted on paper before there were computers. I've handled crystals.

So, what happened?  Well, for one, the world didn't end. Disclosure didn't occur. Sylvia Browne was exposed as a fraud--on Coast To Coast, no less! Hillary stopped going to seances.  It wasn't one thing, but many little ones, over the years, to the morning when I rolled out of bed, looked in the mirror and said, "I don't believe."