| Jun 2, 2006 @ 11:59 PM |
"New Age"?
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SunBabe
Posts: 12,279
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Will somebody PLEASE define "New Age"? Is this everyone who's left over after only a certain sect of "Christians" define their own narrow form of beliefs and behaviors?
I really want to know.
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| Jun 3, 2006 @ 12:04 AM |
"New Age"? |
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Angel54214
Posts: 18,174
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Sunbabe, I did come across this site and does explain it in full detail.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/newage.htm
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| Jun 3, 2006 @ 12:34 AM |
"New Age"?
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SunBabe
Posts: 12,279
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"In turbulent times, in times of great change, people head for the two extremes: fundamentalism and personal, spiritual experience...With no membership lists or even a coherent philosophy or dogma, it is difficult to define or measure the unorganized New Age movement. But in every major U.S. and European city, thousands who seek insight and personal growth cluster around a metaphysical bookstore, a spiritual teacher, or an education center."
Well, since I'm WAY far from being a fundementalist, never have been in 58 years, I guess that throws me into the "New Age" realm. Thank goodness I'm comfortable amongst all the other Infidels  ...but don't expect to find me clustered around a "metaphysical bookstore, a spiritual teacher, or an education center" ~shudder~ 
New Age beliefs:
A number of fundamental beliefs are held by many New Age followers; individuals are encouraged to "shop" for the beliefs and practices that they feel most comfortable with:
Monism: All that exists is derived from a single source of divine energy.
Pantheism: All that exists is God; God is all that exists. This leads naturally to the concept of the divinity of the individual, that we are all Gods. They do not seek God as revealed in a sacred text or as exists in a remote heaven; they seek God within the self and throughout the entire universe.
Panentheism: God is all that exists. God is at once the entire universe, and transcends the universe as well.
Reincarnation: After death, we are reborn and live another life as a human. This cycle repeats itself many times. This belief is similar to the concept of transmigration of the soul in Hinduism.
Karma: The good and bad deeds that we do adds and subtracts from our accumulated record, our karma. At the end of our life, we are rewarded or punished according to our karma by being reincarnated into either a painful or good new life. This belief is linked to that of reincarnation and is also derived from Hinduism
An Aura is believed to be an energy field radiated by the body. Invisible to most people, it can be detected by some as a shimmering, multi-colored field surrounding the body. Those skilled in detecting and interpreting auras can diagnose an individual's state of mind, and their spiritual and physical health.
Personal Transformation A profoundly intense mystical experience will lead to the acceptance and use of New Age beliefs and practices. Guided imagery, hypnosis, meditation, and (sometimes) the use of hallucinogenic drugs are useful to bring about and enhance this transformation. Believers hope to develop new potentials within themselves: the ability to heal oneself and others, psychic powers, a new understanding of the workings of the universe, etc. Later, when sufficient numbers of people have achieved these powers, a major spiritual, physical, psychological and cultural planet-wide transformation is expected.
Ecological Responsibility: A belief in the importance of uniting to preserve the health of the earth, which is often looked upon as Gaia, (Mother Earth) a living entity.
Universal Religion: Since all is God, then only one reality exists, and all religions are simply different paths to that ultimate reality. The universal religion can be visualized as a mountain, with many sadhanas (spiritual paths) to the summit. Some are hard; others easy. There is no one correct path. All paths eventually reach the top. They anticipate that a new universal religion which contains elements of all current faiths will evolve and become generally accepted worldwide.
New World Order As the Age of Aquarius unfolds, a New Age will develop. This will be a utopia in which there is world government, and end to wars, disease, hunger, pollution, and poverty. Gender, racial, religious and other forms of discrimination will cease. People's allegiance to their tribe or nation will be replaced by a concern for the entire world and its people.
Well THAT'S broad enough to attract me, hehehe...except that I refuse to wear the lable 
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| Jun 3, 2006 @ 1:53 AM |
"New Age"? |
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sail_dancer
Posts: 9,865
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SunBabe,
I'm definately not New Age but many people in the forum give me that label.
The New Age is associated with more than just religion or spiritualism. It has become very commercialized in recent years. The use of crystals, gemstones, magnets, insense & oils, candles, healing wands, chimes...etc. Also Metaphysics and healing have been added to the stew pot of the term "New Age".
I consider myself a Spiritualist, basically a "New Ager" without the frills!
If you want the Vatican's point of view:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/documents/rc_pc_interelg_doc_20030203_new-age_en.html
Peace
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| Jun 3, 2006 @ 4:25 AM |
"New Age"?
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SunBabe
Posts: 12,279
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I was teasin', Sail...I, too, always considered "New Age" to include "use of crystals, gemstones, magnets, incense & oils, candles, healing wands, chimes...etc. Also Metaphysics and healing" ...I didn't realize it meant all "non-FUNDEMENTALISTS" 
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| Jun 3, 2006 @ 8:16 AM |
"New Age"? |
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bevrice
Posts: 11,141
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No, sun, I don't think it means all non fundamentalists, either. It mainly just encompasses seeking out other spirits for messages, channeling, crystals, spiritualists, and so on.
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| Jun 3, 2006 @ 2:18 PM |
"New Age"?
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omkeerpunt
Posts: 511
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Sun new age as a movement originated from a very strange russian woman by the name of Helen Hann or Mrs Batansky. You would probably enjoy reading about this woman because she refused any convention from childhood. She was given a revelation through channeling which now exists in various reworked formats. The movement she started has very clear and rather sinister motives and techniques and these are all about deception. Flowing from this origin and largely obscuring the original motives is the new age lifestyle including the stuff Bev mentioned.
I noticed you jokingly refered to some people including yourself as the "new age devils". You obviously missed the point of the post that you were referring to there. There is a huge difference between the new age deceivers and the new age deceived. There are those that know exactly why they preach the new age principles (specifically to fight the biblical message) and those that get taken in by it generally because they chose not to believe in the biblical message. The crystals, music, books and talks of energy and aura is incidental to the real purpose of the new age movement.
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| Jun 3, 2006 @ 3:36 PM |
"New Age"? |
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lacyvsq
Posts: 6,161
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Om -- I googled trying to find something about this woman and could not. Can you give a link to information?
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| Jun 4, 2006 @ 1:40 AM |
"New Age"?
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omkeerpunt
Posts: 511
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Sorry I had the name wrong in my memory. Here is her name and some links:
Madam Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (Hahn)
www.ewtn.com/library/NEWAGE/THEOSOP1.TXT
http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/New_Age
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| Jun 4, 2006 @ 10:13 AM |
"New Age"? |
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sail_dancer
Posts: 9,865
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omkeerpunt,
The link I provided above contains a history on "New Age" thinking. It dates back further than Madam Helena Petrovna Blavatsky's teachings.
I do agree however that she influenced the movement in a negative way.
Peace
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| Jun 4, 2006 @ 11:31 AM |
"New Age"?
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lacyvsq
Posts: 6,161
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Thanx om, I googled theosophy which appears to be the movement in which H P B was most active. There is an immense amount of information and many articles. The movement she started has very clear and rather sinister motives and techniques and these are all about deception. ~omkeerpunt
H. P. Blavatsky saw that the essential truths in all the great religions had been deeply honeycombed with error, and that for this reason religion had become an element of contention and division in the world. A return to an understanding of the ancient wisdom-religion -- theosophy -- the spiritual center from which the rival faiths all diverged, is the only way to produce harmony among their followers, and thereby to take an immense step toward universal brotherhood.~preface to H. P. BLAVATSKY and the THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT, A Brief Historical Sketch by CHARLES J. RYAN I am doing a bit of research into The Theosophical Society to see if I can find "very clear and rather sinister motives and techniques" which "are all about deception" and the connection to "New Age".
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| Jun 4, 2006 @ 11:32 AM |
"New Age"? |
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omkeerpunt
Posts: 511
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And we all fall short of the greatness of Sail
Lacy make sure you read both sides of the story and not just the pro side as you quoted from one of her admirers.
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| Jun 4, 2006 @ 11:47 AM |
"New Age"?
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lacyvsq
Posts: 6,161
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First of all, it is worth saying once again that not everyone or everything in the broad sweep of New Age is linked to the theories of the movement in the same ways. Likewise, the label itself is often misapplied or extended to phenomena which can be categorised in other ways. The term New Age has even been abused to demonise people and practices. It is essential to see whether phenomena linked to this movement, however loosely, reflect or conflict with a Christian vision of God, the human person and the world. The mere use of the term New Age in itself means little, if anything. The relationship of the person, group, practice or commodity to the central tenets of Christianity is what counts.~from Sail's link above -- under section 6.2 (my emphasis added)
Lacy make sure you read both sides of the story and not just the pro side as you quoted from one of her admirers.
Please direct me -- I love doing research and prefer doing it as balanced as I can.
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| Jun 6, 2006 @ 7:30 PM |
"New Age"? |
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sealacamp
Posts: 3,681
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Is this everyone who's left over after only a certain sect of "Christians" define their own narrow form of beliefs and behaviors?
There is not new age. Someone long ago recognized " There is nothing new under the sun.". And true Christians are defined by Jesus Christ not their own beliefs, that is what makes them Christians in the first place. If someone is defined by their own beliefs then they are something else not what they claim to be. If that is the case then those people have fooled themselves.
S
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| Jun 6, 2006 @ 7:37 PM |
"New Age"?
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bevrice
Posts: 11,141
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Amen, seal.
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| Jun 6, 2006 @ 8:57 PM |
"New Age"? |
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waterfire
Posts: 2,946
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Hmm last post did not take!
Anway, Seal, because you define it does not make real
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| Jun 7, 2006 @ 6:16 PM |
"New Age"?
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sealacamp
Posts: 3,681
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Anway, Seal, because you define it does not make real
That is correct. Perhaps you missed the point. Jesus defined it. If it is a disagreement that you seek you will have to take it up with Him.
S
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| Jun 8, 2006 @ 1:47 PM |
"New Age"? |
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sail_dancer
Posts: 9,865
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Seal,
Have you accepted Jesus because He is the savior, or because you read his words and wanted to follow Him?
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| Jun 8, 2006 @ 1:53 PM |
"New Age"?
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waterfire
Posts: 2,946
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That is correct. Perhaps you missed the point. Jesus defined it. If it is a disagreement that you seek you will have to take it up with Him.
I got the point, Jesus knew what was real but I think your understanding is incomplete
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| Jun 8, 2006 @ 5:42 PM |
"New Age"? |
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sealacamp
Posts: 3,681
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Well you may think what you may however the truth has a way of manifesting itself regardless of what anyone thinks. Really I am puzzeled how you could possibly come to such a conclusion when there is very little I have revealed here. Even my words are inadequate to convey any understanding I may have. Even more than that no one person could possibly have complete understanding, it is not possible for any human, other than Jesus, who was/is human and God in one.
As it is written " My ways and thoughts are so far above yours that you can not begin to understand them." That being the case my understand will always be incomplete and so will everyone elses.
My reason for submitting to Jesus is a long convoluted road that led me back where I started in the first place. And I can tell you honestly that until I came to that place I never made any progress in life or the spirit. Perhaps you have read the book by C.S. Lewis, Pilgrims Regress. That is where I was for the longest time and where most people are now. Very difficult to see it when you are in it and even harder to move past that place. I can also tell you that I have submitted to Jesus for the reasons you mentioned and others that are elusive and difficult to describe. As I said in the beginning of this my words are not adequate to convey all that there is to communicate. But not to worry because the Holy Spirit will do that speaking for Himself.
S
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