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Part Three, Feminist theology, Goddess worship

New Age Marxism: The Influence of Riane Eisler



In Parts One and Two, we talked about how today's New Age movement has influenced Progressive thought and this administration's agenda. We took a look at Lynne Twist, one of the major organizers in this effort, and her ever expanding network including names such as Van Jones, Maurice Strong and Marianne Williamson.

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Much of this current ideology has its' roots in the writing and ideas of Riane Eisler, known in New Age circles as a "cultural historian". Her historical theory can be summed up by a review here:
Riane Eisler describes how humankind once lived in a caring, sharing environment. That period, which lasted for tens of thousands of years, survived, though barely, just into historical times. It was characterized by a worship of the divine feminine as represented by the chalice in the title of Eisler's book. In a blink of the eye, historically speaking, that environment was brutally overthrown and replaced with the beginnings of the patriarchy in which we live today. Those who overthrew this golden age worshipped not life and creativity, but death and destruction; in short, the blade. Those in power today continue to worship that blade, which has been changed by the rapid rise of technology into the lethal systems that could end all life on the planet in a matter of days or hours. I found the early part of The Chalice and the Blade fascinating. Eisler frequently quotes such notables as Marija Gimbutas and James Mellaart, whose archaeological findings are the supporting pillars in Wiccan/Pagan cosmology.
Although Progressives, feminists and New Agers seem to accept her work as groundbreaking, many experts dispute what she considers "evidence". In just one example, Salon has an excellent piece online titled False Goddess, debunking the scholarship in her worldwide bestseller, The Chalice and the Blade. Yet despite the facts, thousands of people embrace her ideology including many in positions of power here and around the world. Popular culture has been strongly influenced by the writings of Riane Eisler. For example, Dan Brown lists her as part of his bibliography for The DaVinci Code. Her writing was also thought to have strongly influenced the New Age book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, and she is referenced on page 247. She is also wildly popular in the Wiccan community:
It is beyond the scope of this writing to deal with the possible paleolithic origins of the Craft. For a study of the ancient matrilineal practices of our race, we recommend Eisler’s The Chalice and The Blade.
Riane's ideas are a popular resource online for the Institute of Noetic Sciences , featuring her in connection with many resources and events, along with Marianne Williamson, Van Jones and many more. IONS is run by radical and New Age board members including Van Jones, Lynne Twist, Deepak Chopra, Maurice Strong, Desmond Tutu and Michael Lerner. Riane has been featured at many New Age retreats and events, and is a reading resource listed for the upcoming Journey to the Great Mother Goddess on Malta retreat this September. Here's a little snippet about the theme of the event:
It is through the face of the dark goddess or Crone that we feel the power of the dragon energy which flows deep within the Earth, coming to the surface in sacred sites such as Malta, where the oracles lived. She entreats us to; ‘Come raise your consciousness beyond that which keeps you small and powerless, receiving my dragon fire energy which has been denied you with inaccurate teachings about hell and fear of the underworld. Release your hold on beliefs or stories which keep you trapped in an unfulfilled life and be ready to stand tall. It is through my unconditional love for you that I will help you dissolve those things that stop you being all that you are. Are you willing to own your power?’
It may come as no surprise that her husband, David Loye, thinks Marx was a founder of moral sensitivity. He is a student of Darwin and has written numerous books on him. Riane and Karl Marx are among his list of morally sensitive leaders: DAVID L: A new book I'm working on deals with a crucial aspect of this consciousness, moral sensitivity. I believe it sheds light on this basic question about the separation of religion and sex, spirit and nature. I'm taking a new look at the founders of the scientific study of moral sensitivity-Immanuel Kant, Marx, Engels, Emile Durkheim, Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, moving into current times, including the key work of Carol Gilligan, Marija Gimbutas, and Riane bearing on moral sensitivity. David seems to feel that Obama is here to fulfill the blueprint David described in his 1971 book, The Healing of a Nation, a book filled with glowing descriptions of Karl Marx. According to David's online autobiography: Particularly startling today is that in the last chapter I outlined the evolutionary requirements and methods for advancing the healing presidency that forty years later Barack Obama seems to have arrived to fulfill. Riane's writings can currently be found as part of an anthology called Goddess Shift, along with contributions from Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Melinda Gates, Marianne Williamson, the Wiccan ecofeminist Starhawk and others. It is only an opinion of course, but with a book title like that, I find it fair to assume the contributors have a similar outlook on feminist theology, goddess worship and the direction they would like to see this nation move. There is much more to be learned about the work of Riane Eisler as well as David Loye, but what little has been outlined here is a sampling of the direction they are attempting to take us, along with many more who combine feminist, New Age and Marxist theory to create their version of Utopia. The influence this movement appears to have with the current administration is literally a red flag for us all.

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Michelle Horstman is a small business owner, artist and mother of three in Texas. Michelle also writes for NewsRealBlog and her personal blog can be found at Benfranklinslepthere.blogspot.com </em>


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