“I was quite adept at inducing and expanding the limits of mystical and out-of-body experiences – this was one of the big reasons for much of my success. I would mount myself up with all kinds of New Age inventions and crystals, and then thrust myself into trance-induced higher states of consciousness. It would feel like I was being transported by winged angels and loving forces to an incredible variety of dazzling extra-natural domains. The sensation of my spirit being released from Earthbound, bodily restrictions and freed to roam the unlimited expanses of the cosmos was breathtaking. Here it was, the freedom, the light, and the truth that I had been searching for all my life. I had found the keys that opened the heavens before my very eyes.
“But the ultimate seduction had overtaken me: What I thought was “up” was actually “down.” What I thought was “heaven” was actually “hell” wrapped in Satan’s finest counterfeit garments. What I thought were Ascended Masters, extraterrestrials, and angels were actually demons in cunning, glowing disguises….
“One night, while in the Ascension Chamber, my spirit was roaming some of the farthest reaches of “heavenly light” that I had ever perceived. That night I had an experience that would change my life forever.
“During this experience I was surrounded by a virtually overwhelming luminosity – it was as if I was looking straight into the sun.
“Waves of bliss radiated through my spirit. I was totally captivated by the power.
“Suddenly, another force stepped in. It took me by complete surprise.
“In the twinkling of an eye, it was like a supernatural hand had taken me behind the scenes of the experience that I was having. I was taken behind the outer covering of the dazzling luminosity and there saw something that left me literally shaking for a full week. What I saw was the face of devouring darkness! Behind the glittering outer facade of
beauty lay a massively powerful, wildly churning face of absolute hatred and unspeakable abominations – the face of demons filled with the power of Satan.
“For a moment that seemed like an eternity, I realized that I was in major league trouble, for this devouring force was now closing in on me.
“In absolute, stark terror I felt powerless to stop what appeared to be inevitable doom. Horror filled me like a consuming flame. Then, miraculously, the same supernatural hand as before delivered me from the jaws of this consuming darkness, and hours later, I found myself waking up the next morning in the Ascension Chamber. It felt like I had a peaceful nights sleep but, upon waking, the horror of the past night’s experience had left me terribly shaken. My mind was racing uncontrollably in all directions at what felt like the speed of light. My body was shaking involuntarily, sometimes rather violently. This nightmare continued without respite for a full week. I thought that I was going stark raving mad. In a month’s time, though, my grave situation gradually settled down to some semblance of sanity and normalcy.
“What I didn’t know at the time was that it was Jesus who had intervened by His greater grace into my life. At this point, though, I only knew that some force greater than that of the devouring darkness had done two things:
1. it had shown me the real face of the New Age “heavens” and “angels” that I was so deeply involved with, and
2. it had delivered me from certain doom.
“What I knew at this time was that I had made some serious errors in my New Age involvements. I also knew that if those errors weren’t corrected that I might face the same horrific experience again. And quite possibly the next time I wouldn’t get away.
“An openness to reconsider my New Age involvements arose in me out of desperate need. This openness would help me, over the following months, to find a Way, a Truth, and a Life that I had never known before – Jesus Christ.
“But this journey was not to be an easy one. For Satan does not relinquish those he has in bondage without a struggle, as I was about to find out….
“Over the years, my intense interest in [the] field of New Age sacred science led me to set up a large teaching and research complex containing five different types of Ascension Chambers, each separate chamber having an elaborate design for performing different functions for “activating the Light-body” or “communicating with the Great White Brotherhood.”
“With deep regret, I must report that over a thousand sessions were given over a period of three years. In fact, the Ascension Chamber and its four other variations proved exceptionally popular among certain New Age circles of Santa Fe, and it was actually one of my “claims to fame” on the national scene.
“What I realize today that totally was veiled to me while enmeshed in webs of delusion is that such chambers (this one, and others similar to it that are available in the New Age today) can be DEMON’S DENS of temptation, ensnarement, delusion-weaving, and brainwashing.
“While in a trance-state, a person is highly vulnerable to demonic intrusions that perpetrate their dark web-weaving. Behind the modernized New Age gloss, Biblically forbidden occult-based principles and practices are at the foundation of New Age phenomenon like Healing Temple One and the Ascension Chamber.
“I testify in humility and repentance today. They are harmful. They are an abomination. They are a fast-rising New Age phenomenon to be avoided like the plague in the years ahead….
“The Bible states: “Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:11, 12). And: “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of
righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds” (2 Cor. 11:14, 15).
“Yes, I actually was getting a guided tour of some of the “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” by demons masquerading as “servants of righteousness.” Though some of my experiences may have been just imaginary fantasy, I am fully convinced that most of them were ventures into some of Satan’s most beautifully deceiving spirit-domains of glittery bondage masquerading as our Heavenly Father’s kingdom of heaven.”
Randall Baer’s downright painful admissions of a career-long deception – even a lifetime of deception – ought to give every single person pause, both Christian and non-Christian, to reflect on the stark possibility that we may be allowing ourselves to be deceived, even in minor ways. Consider Mr. Baer’s tearful remorse at having unwittingly been the tool, the catalyst, in deceiving others – even in the promotion of pure evil. Knowing his heart to be in the right place, and knowing that he would make the right choices after coming to a knowledge of the truth, the Lord mercifully intervened and popped this elaborate, fascinating bubble of deception.
Baer’s experience is yet another wake up call for all of us to become gravely serious about the reality of extremely elaborate spiritual deception. As Joseph Smith stated in the Doctrine and Covenants: “we should waste and wear out our lives” in exposing such deceptions, and that they ought to “be attended to with great earnestness – let no man count them as small things.”13
Some additional relevant thoughts by Randall Baer concerning his experience (emphasis added):
“The popular Christian book, The Beautiful Side of Evil, by Johanna Michaelsen, is very aptly named. Darkness can have an outer covering, so to speak, of luminosity that can appear to be inexpressibly beautiful. The power of darkness can feel wonderfully beauteous, too. Satan and his demonic legions are masterful counterfeiters who can make darkness appear to be light, untruth appear to be truth and hate appear to be love. The luminosity of darkness can be so bright that it bedazzles to the point of blindness and mesmerizes to the point of brainwashing. This is exactly what happened to me, and what is happening today to all those involved in the New Age Movement….
“To every outward indication, I was a successful professional in some field (what a lot of neighbors thought [who did not realize my growing national prominence]). All this was not done as a conscious deception at all. Rather, it was the result of a lifestyle inherited from childhood plus a strong commitment to bringing a highly professional approach to my career and to reach as broad an audience as possible.
“Many people would be surprised at the number of closet New Agers there are throughout every level of American society, from the business office to the hospitals to the laboratories. By all external indicators, an observer would find it very difficult to discern that such a person is a New Ager. The point here being: New Agers who blend into the mainstream cultural landscape are everywhere in our society. I also would like to point out here, in a parenthetical statement, that not all New Age activities are cults. Some certainly are, but a solid percentage of New Age organizations, seminars, etc. are definitely not cults. Most of these operate along the lines of regular businesses in terms of how they offer their products and services.”
This last point is especially important to point out. While we ought not to allow ourselves to be deceived by New Age tenets and philosophies, those who do adhere to them with genuine intent are not our enemies, nor ought they to be looked upon disapprovingly in any way.
There are many highly legitimate practices that, although often infiltrated with New Age ideologies, are truly helpful for all mankind. Some examples would include chiropractics, many holistic medical practices, many herbal and natural medicine therapies, many natural and simplistic living practices, genuine efforts to discover and utilize “clean energy” as well as reduce the amount of pollution in this world.
An example of applying helpful knowledge and skills without being taken in by incorrect philosophies would be in learning a martial art. Learning Kung Fu helps one develop self-defense skills and keep oneself healthy.
However, considering Eastern religious philosophies as legitimate and adopting meditative practices traditionally connected to Kung Fu are areas where one begins to be taken in by deception. The more pure and simple and correct, the more the adversary attempts to infiltrate and co-opt and corrupt it. God creates, Satan imitates.
Although we can rejoice that Randall Baer embraced Jesus Christ and His Gospel, his story ends with tragedy. On May 5th, 1989, at the young age of 33, he was found dead. Since his life-changing experience and complete rejection of New Ageism, he began speaking out against it and sharing his story openly. He was last known to be driving back to his home in Colorado from a well-attended speaking engagement he had done in New Mexico. His car was found off the side of a windy road, but there were no skid marks where he had apparently gone off. His body was lying next to the car, but did not have the kinds of injuries consistent with the nature of the accident.
Additionally, his briefcase had been tampered with. This and other circumstantial evidence suggests that his death was a deliberate homicide with misleading, staged evidence at the scene.14 Nevertheless, he had completed the manuscript of his last book Inside the New Age Nightmare, and it was published posthumously per his wishes.
