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new age, a form of spirituality that derived from eastern religious practices, has several different forms of beliefs, ranging from everything from astrology to spiritual growth.
some forms of new age represent a selfless spiritual path that bares similarites to the teachings of christianity and bhuddism ; while others are more narcissistic, requiring one to have the most candles, mint soaps and meditation time, which accumulates karma power into a sort of "karma bank account". this karma bank account tends to decide a persons fate, afterlife, health and the success of their portfolio.
it is interesting to note that many christians often mix elements of other religions such as eastern philopshy. some even suggest that christianity and eastern religions exchanged teachings and ideas on various ancient trade routes through the middle east and asia
as a non- denominational christian , i do not have a bad opinon of new age or any other religions or faiths. in fact, i am glad that the constitution, which advocates one to freely adhere to any religion, is not only relevant, but cherished amongst the cultural melting pots that dwell in the united states
edgar cayce, a figure synonmous with new age, was a person who was a follower of jesus before he became reknown for his readings.
although i am not too familar with cayce, it is interesting to note that cayce advocated or reiterated many things found in the new testament.
while others judge modern chrstians for there beliefs, i dont for the simple fact that jesus taught to refrain from judgement as paul did in romans chapter 14.
edgar cayce,one of the influences of new age, was qouted as saying:
" Meditate, oft. Separate thyself for a season from the cares of the world. Get close to nature and learn from the lowliest of that which manifests in nature, in the earth; in the birds, in the trees, in the grass, in the flowers, in the bees; that the life of each is a manifesting, is a song of glory to its Maker. And do thou likewise!"
as a christian, i dont regard the edgar cayce qoute as bad
jesus was qouted as saying this:
" Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
lazy is my opinion of new age.
I enjoyed your article,
Thankyou for the well though out summary.
Neat ole silk road.
I thought your defintion of New Age stuff seemed accurate, spiros7...someone that considers, respects and then encorporates teachings from the East...afterall Jesus was from the East.
I find that smarter to be open to teachings way older than 2000 years..there is much wisdom in them...whether Lao Tzu, Buddha, Guru Nanak, Krishna, or Kabir... Doesn't mean you worship these men...just
that they had good teachings and insights...many were based on non-duality,
that God was not separated from us...
that we really are all part of The One...and nothing
is what it appears to be...not even water or blindness...
not even matter, where bread can be turned into fish, and water to wiine.
The so-called New Agers are broadening their understanding of what creation even IS!
The Peace Generation of the 60s and 70s, saw that going to church on Sunday and living
the Money Dream of America after WWII
didn't bring happiness.. no wonder they looked further esp when Thomas Merton came on the scene writing about the smilarities of the Eastern ideas with the teachings of Jesus.
Last edited by Miss Hepburn; 10-22-2018 at 08:18 AM..
Reason: alwayss tyopos
I thought your defintion of New Age stuff seemed accurate, spiros7...someone that considers, respects and then encorporates teachings from the East...afterall Jesus was from the East.
I find that smarter to be open to teachings way older than 2000 years..there is much wisdom in them...whether Lao Tzu, Buddha, Guru Nanak, Krishna, or Kabir... Doesn't mean you worship these men...just
that they had good teachings and insights...many were based on non-duality,
that God was not separated from us...
that we really are all part of The One...and nothing
is what it appears to be...not even water or blindness...
not even matter, where bread can be turned into fish, and water to wiine.
The so-called New Agers are broadening their understanding of what creation even IS!
The Peace Generation of the 60s and 70s, saw that going to church on Sunday and living
the Money Dream of America after WWII
didn't bring happiness.. no wonder they looked further esp when Thomas Merton came on the scene writing about the smilarities of the Eastern ideas with the teachings of Jesus.
Yes New Age included Eastern ideas, but also pagan, and Western mysticism. We New Agers were trying to figure out the essence of all religion, which according to William James is mysticism, the direct personal connection with Spirit.
But very soon Shirley McClain came along, and I felt that New Age ideas were becoming commercialized and popularized and watered down.
And I don't know when it happened, but the idea that everything is good, and evil isn't real, made its way into New Age thought. They said the cause of all apparent evil is fear, and there is no reason to fear anything.
So New Age started getting closer to secular humanism, it seemed to me. Trying to remove the awful powers, that humans have always dreaded, from the spirit worlds.
I had started learning about born again Christianity. I don't see the OT and NT as sources of truth. I see them as collections of literature that tell us something about the origins of our culture. I very strongly disagree with the born-agains' focus on the bible. However, I agree with the essence of what the born agains believe. We have reasons to be very afraid, to be terrified. Without faith in something infinitely greater than ourselves, we are lost.
One of my born again friends said, in the 1990s, that New Agers think of God as a big smiley face in the sky. I realized she was right. I did not want to trivialize God that way.
Hi, Good4nothing, I get what ur saying, of course...I was surprised to hear pagan stuff was included in New Age ideas. A neighbor is Wiccan and dont think she would ever think of herself as any New Ager!
I also didnt know they thought of God as only good , as if evil didnt exist except for our fear creating it.
I also don't think the Krishna people I used to know years ago thought of themselves as New Agers either...they just discovered Krishna and so became devotees.
I don't know of any Eastern meditator ...say, that like Yogananda or Ramakrishna, ha, or Tolle to ever reject Jesus.
It seemed to me they understood him very much.
Im just rambling ..this isn't meant for you personally..you prob know all this.
New Age is a label placed unto those that expanded to incorporate more knowledge.
That's how I see it...patchouly and mint soap was extra! Ha, from hippies...who were into "natural" things from cotton to essential oils...not manufactured stuff....polyester and perfumes.
Hi, Good4nothing, I get what ur saying, of course...I was surprised to hear pagan stuff was included in New Age ideas. A neighbor is Wiccan and dont think she would ever think of herself as any New Ager!
I also didnt know they thought of God as only good , as if evil didnt exist except for our fear creating it.
I also don't think the Krishna people I used to know years ago thought of themselves as New Agers either...they just discovered Krishna and so became devotees.
I don't know of any Eastern meditator ...say, that like Yogananda or Ramakrishna, ha, or Tolle to ever reject Jesus.
It seemed to me they understood him very much.
Im just rambling ..this isn't meant for you personally..you prob know all this.
New Age is a label placed unto those that expanded to incorporate more knowledge.
That's how I see it...patchouly and mint soap was extra! Ha, from hippies...who were into "natural" things from cotton to essential oils...not manufactured stuff....polyester and perfumes.
Yes, New Age can mean all kinds of confusing things. To me, in the 1970s and 1980s, it was freedom from dogmatic religion on the one hand, and dogmatic atheism on the other. I took comparative religion classes in college and started to realize there was a direction I could go in trying to understand.
I also forgot to mention that New Age was very influenced by modern physics. I read The Tao of Physics in the 1970s, and that gave me a sense of direction.
But now I see a lot of that fearless, everything is good, attitude among spiritual people. And I think it's another way of hiding from reality.
Also forgot to mention the importance of information theory and systems theory in New Age thought. For example, Steps to an Ecology of Mind by Gregory Bateson.
Yes New Age included Eastern ideas, but also pagan, and Western mysticism. We New Agers were trying to figure out the essence of all religion, which according to William James is mysticism, the direct personal connection with Spirit.
But very soon Shirley McClain came along, and I felt that New Age ideas were becoming commercialized and popularized and watered down.
And I don't know when it happened, but the idea that everything is good, and evil isn't real, made its way into New Age thought. They said the cause of all apparent evil is fear, and there is no reason to fear anything.
So New Age started getting closer to secular humanism, it seemed to me. Trying to remove the awful powers, that humans have always dreaded, from the spirit worlds.
I had started learning about born again Christianity. I don't see the OT and NT as sources of truth. I see them as collections of literature that tell us something about the origins of our culture. I very strongly disagree with the born-agains' focus on the bible. However, I agree with the essence of what the born agains believe. We have reasons to be very afraid, to be terrified. Without faith in something infinitely greater than ourselves, we are lost.
One of my born again friends said, in the 1990s, that New Agers think of God as a big smiley face in the sky. I realized she was right. I did not want to trivialize God that way.
Perhaps you could explain what you mean by "we are lost" without faith? And how do you reconcile the need for faith with also believing that people need to be fearful? How are faith and fear not mutually exclusive?
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