Hollywood Religion Hollywood has gotten "turned-on" to religionsin a big way. In Tinsel Town, any belief is acceptable, even chic- as long as it's not Bible-based. BY PAUL MCGUIRE Mega-star Tom Cruise uses his fame to promote Scientology, while fellow believer John Travolta released a movie pushing the cult's world view. Demi Moore credits much of her success to New Age physician Deepak Chopra, and Oprah Winfrey uses her national talk show to promote the occult teachings of The Course in Miracles. Since Shirley MacLaine proclaimed "I am God" on a television program based on her mystical experience, a full-scale revival has emerged, but with occult, New Age and pagan religions - and it's being led by some of America's hottest stars. Current release Seven Years In Tibet stars superstar Brad Pitt as the real-life mountain climber who escaped a British prisoner of war camp, climbed the Himalayas, met and tutored a young Dalai Lama. Other films, such as The Craft: Welcome To The Witching Hour from Columbia Pictures, glamorize teen-age girls experimenting with witchcraft who place spells on the other students in their school. Powder, starring Jeff Goldblum and Mary Steinburger, deals with a central character with paranormal powers. Phenomenon, Travolta's recent hit about a man's brain developing supernatural power, has opened the doors for Travolta to discuss his beliefs in Scientology. In fact, Scientology is perhaps the most powerful religion in Hollywood. Cruise and his wife Nicole Kidman, along with Kirstie Alley, Priscella Presley, Travolta and Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, all have publicly claimed to follow the teachings of Scientology. Besides the stars, there are countless other actors, directors, writers, agents and technical people who are Scientologists. L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology's founder, wrote the best-selling book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. Hubbard believed that in society, the artist has more power than the politician. As such, he set up organizations and groups to specifically recruit artists, actors and other creative people in Hollywood. Basketball superstar and actor Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls, as well as other members of the team, are involved in Zen Meditation. Ex-Beatle George Harrison, actresses Elizabeth Taylor, Laura Dern and fashion designer Calvin Klein all practice the teachings of Transcendental Meditation (TM) founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Even the somewhat conservative Harrison Ford helps to raise money for the Dalai Lama. ally Jesse Raphael recently hosted psychic and astrologer Walter Mercado. The entire program was devoted to Mercado talking about his consultations with stars and pronouncing psychic blessings on the audience. Mercado's television show is seen by 500 million people worldwide, and he runs a multi-million dollar psychic empire of books, tapes and lectures. Mercado and other people who are involved in the occult or paranormal are often put on a pedestal by the media as "saints" who can do no wrong. In contrast, when the media does a story on a Christian television evangelist, the story usually portrays the Christian in a harsh and critical light. With the noticeable exception of Touched By An Angel, and a few others, the majority of Hollywood shows which deal with the subject of Christianity and the supernatural are done in a mocking or comedic tone, such as Steve Martin's feature, Leap of Faith, in which Martin based his character on Benny Hinn. Oprah Winfrey uses her national talk show to promote many New Age teachers, including Marianne Williamson, who has been a spiritual advisor to First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Winfrey has embraced the occult teaching "A Course In Miracles," which is promoted by Williamson. "A Course In Miracles" presents a spiritual counterfeit of Christianity, although it uses terms like "miracles," "Son of God," and "Jesus Christ." Cher, Raquel Welch, Roseanne Arquette and countless other celebrities have attended her lectures. Williamson even officiated at the highly publicized wedding of Elizabeth Taylor at Michael Jackson's 2,700-acre estate in the Santa Ynez mountains. illiamson's influence extends well beyond the Hollywood community. She rolled her prominence as advisor to the First Lady into a new book, The Healing of America, which deals with politics and social change. In the book she calls for a "new prophetic voice...not a soloist but a choir." Winfrey has helped push the careers of New Age teachers such as Mormon author Betty Eadie, who wrote Embraced By The Light and who claimed that during a near death experience Jesus showed her that all religions lead to God. In response to that statement, Winfrey said, "That's what I believe." Winfrey's words, "That's what I believe," reflect the root cause of why paganism, Eastern mysticism, the New Age and the occult are rampant in Hollywood. It's not that a group of Hollywood executives, producers and stars got together in some dark room to plan a conspiracy. It's simply that Hollywood films and television programs reflect the spiritual beliefs of those who produce them. However, the net result is the same because the power of those films and television shows to influence young minds and shape the belief systems of new generations is staggering. In a very real sense, evangelism is occurring and - perhaps unwittingly - many of Hollywood's biggest stars are winning souls for the occult. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SALT & LIGHT In the New Age As someone who speaks nationally and has written a number of books on the New Age, the occult, and Bible prophecy from a Christian perspective, I am constantly asked what can be done about the New Age and occult infiltration of the film and television industry. Here are a number of keys that I believe may be helpful: *Understand that the battle is supernatural. Ephesians 6:12 teaches us that the real nature of our battle is spiritual. Therefore we must use spiritual weapons in combating spiritual deception. We must pray for Hollywood executives, directors and actors by name as well as the industry in general. The ministry Mastermedia publishes a list which may be helpful in prayer. We must learn to use the tools of worship and praise in bringing down what the Bible calls strongholds in the invisible realm *We must be credible witnesses for the Christian faith. Many people who are in the New Age movement have a false impression that Christians are ignorant, superstitious and intolerant. It is important that as Christians we conduct ourselves as "ambassadors for Christ." This means that our lives, words and conduct should communicate a rational argument for the Christian faith. *We must actively speak out for the Christian faith in the marketplace of ideas. Christians must actively participate at all levels of society and bring Biblical truths into the "marketplace of ideas." Local churches must continue to evangelize their communities because if they do not the New Age, cults and occult will be there to fill the spiritual vacuum. In the entertainment industry, Christians must create alternatives which communicate Biblical concepts to a secular culture. Tragically, there is a tendency in the Christian culture to remove itself and exist in its own evangelical culture. Yet, Christ not only commanded us to "go into all the world and preach the Gospel," but He also exhorted us to become salt and light. The reason that New Age philosophies have spread throughout our nation is simply because their followers are out there in our communities, media, educational systems, and businesses. Paul McGuire is an author, Bible teacher and speaker. His latest book is >From Earthquakes To Global Unity (Vital Issues Press), which deals with the New Age movement and Bible prophecy. ------------