How to respond to New agers

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MadeAFace

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I recently went to a job interview at a new salon (I am a hair stylist) & I loved the atmosphere and people a lot. The only thing that made me extremely uncomfortable was a conversation between the owner and one of the clients. They were talking about new agey stuff like reiki and crystals then trying to include me in the conversation asking if ive ever done it. I just replied no and let them finish out their conversation. My catholic faith has not come up yet and I am not sure how to mention that I dont get into stuff like that. Does anyone know anything about that stuff so that I can tell people why its bad?
 
Don’t bother trying to instruct them. One of my wife’s friends is into Reiki and once did an Angel Healing on me (from twenty miles away) and asked my wife if I was feeling better. I believe it was right to take the charity and not the process. Rudeness in response to a kind act is not the response of a gentleman, and I also have to respect my wife’s friendship. If your situation is otherwise enjoyable ignore the silly womans’ nonsense.(I find it is also an answer to a long marriage!)
 
Be True-full to them to who you are and what you beleive and do not Judge them for what they do.

There is a lot on this earth we do not know about. The mind a powerful thing. A lot of these things might just work because the power of the mind. If we want to help others into the Love of God, then we must be the embodiment of this Love. Thus

Teach by example and have an open mind. 👍 😉

Regards Tony
 
Actually it sounds as if you had an opportunity to learn some about these things from your co-worker and client - and you passed on it. 😉 🤷
Personally - I don’t know much about these things either.
THIS SITE might give you some useful information.

I would suggest that in your field you are going to interact with a good many people and discuss many different things. I would suggest that, when you have them in your chair and they are a “captive audience”, is not the best time to “tell people why its bad”.

If such things come up, you can just allow them to explain and, if they ask you if you know about this or do this etc, you can just simply say - "No, I’m Catholic and we believe…(being very brief and positive). Such an exchange might allow both sides to learn from the other and make the experience a very positive one for both.

As and example - - Having just very briefly reviewed the linked article - I would say that reiki might be thought of as similar to the Christian idea of Grace. Both seem to be based on the idea of a Godly love and harmony. Of course there may be many differences…but such a thought might provide a place to start from.

Just some thoughts.

Peace
James
 
Ok well I’d hope they would not judge you for your beliefs. You can share your view point if they are comfortable with discussion. I think using the phrase “I/Catholics believe…” will make worlds difference. If you feel a need to share your view treat it like an academic trading of ideas. I would gage their reactions the whole time. If you start to “lose them” I’d drop it.
 
Lokadottir said:
Ok well I’d hope they would not judge you for your beliefs. You can share your view point if they are comfortable with discussion. I think using the phrase “I/Catholics believe…” will make worlds difference. If you feel a need to share your view treat it like an academic trading of ideas. I would gage their reactions the whole time. If you start to “lose them” I’d drop it.
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👍

It’s been my experience in talking with such people that they are generally very calm and open to other ideas. So the view above - treating it as an exchange of ideas - is a good one.

Peace
James
 
MadeAFace said:
I recently went to a job interview at a new salon (I am a hair stylist) & I loved the atmosphere and people a lot. The only thing that made me extremely uncomfortable was a conversation between the owner and one of the clients. They were talking about new agey stuff like reiki and crystals then trying to include me in the conversation asking if ive ever done it. I just replied no and let them finish out their conversation. My catholic faith has not come up yet and I am not sure how to mention that I dont get into stuff like that. Does anyone know anything about that stuff so that I can tell people why its bad?
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These things are bad and a danger to your Faith. Here are a few resources that will help you

Sharon Lee Giganti’s site…

newagedeception.com/new/

She is also a frequent guest on CAL. Here most recent appearance is here…

catholic.com/radio/shows/the-new-age-deception-8907

Here are some articles on new age and cults from EWTN…

ewtn.com/library/indexes/NEWAGE.HTM

Woman of Grace has some info on this subject here…

womenofgrace.com/en-us/search/default.aspx?q=Claire%20Merkle

Father Mitch Pacwa has a book and a cd on the dangers of new age here…

ignatiusproductions.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=IP&Product_Code=6358&Category_Code=BOOKS

and here…

ignatiusproductions.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=IP&Product_Code=6368&Category_Code=BOOKS

The title on Ms. Giganti’s site is a pretty good general description to why this stuff is bad… ‘the danger of playing God’ and the best defense against these deceptions is and always will be the saving Truth of our Catholic Faith.

God Bless!
 
johnnyc176 said:
These things are bad and a danger to your Faith. Here are a few resources that will help you

Sharon Lee Giganti’s site…

newagedeception.com/new/

She is also a frequent guest on CAL. Here most recent appearance is here…

catholic.com/radio/shows/the-new-age-deception-8907

Here are some articles on new age and cults from EWTN…

ewtn.com/library/indexes/NEWAGE.HTM

Woman of Grace has some info on this subject here…

womenofgrace.com/en-us/search/default.aspx?q=Claire%20Merkle

Father Mitch Pacwa has a book and a cd on the dangers of new age here…

ignatiusproductions.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=IP&Product_Code=6358&Category_Code=BOOKS

and here…

ignatiusproductions.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=IP&Product_Code=6368&Category_Code=BOOKS

The title on Ms. Giganti’s site is a pretty good general description to why this stuff is bad… ‘the danger of playing God’ and the best defense against these deceptions is and always will be the saving Truth of our Catholic Faith.

God Bless!
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Ok first one has a book demonizing Oprah.
Second one
“During a time of incredible loss, (the murder of her infant nephew and subsequent life sentencing of her brother, the suicide of one of her New Thought students, and the mental collapse of another; resulting in her being committed to a psychiatric ward) Sharon says she saw clearly, as if for the first time, the very real consequences of sin and the true teachings of the Bible playing out right before her eyes amid the tragic events surrounding her.” If this had happened while she was Catholic to Catholics it would be “God’s Will.” That’s a horrific double standard and even worse logic.
The third is just to much for my schedule…
the first article I read though was that Harvard has new age thought “taking over” and its horrible that there practicing this at the School of Theology. Of course there is! It’s a theology! Harvard is for the best and brightest they’d have trouble teaching only one theology!
Fourth File not found when I changed the spelling to find more Oprah bashing. Also, apparently yoga is satanic, so is zumba and weight lifting.
Fifth (I’m sorry but “a must reading”?) also not all ascribe to Jungian archetypes there isn’t a terrible lot of information on this one but given the worst four my hopes are low.
Sixth they’ve put next to nothing but one could make similar things in regards to Jews and Muslims. Of course its different!
 
MadeAFace said:
I recently went to a job interview at a new salon (I am a hair stylist) & I loved the atmosphere and people a lot. The only thing that made me extremely uncomfortable was a conversation between the owner and one of the clients. They were talking about new agey stuff like reiki and crystals then trying to include me in the conversation asking if ive ever done it. I just replied no and let them finish out their conversation. My catholic faith has not come up yet and I am not sure how to mention that I dont get into stuff like that. Does anyone know anything about that stuff so that I can tell people why its bad?
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Hey Im a hairdresser too!! What I have learned from my life is this. Don’t bother to preach to them, Mind your own business.

But now if they ask state simply I am Catholic and it goes against my religion.

Leave it at that.

Now if you want to help them, don’t preach your faith. be like Christ and live it.

Love them, be kind, but stick to the teachings of your Church and faith. And remember this one very important sentence.

If the world HATES you remember they HATED me first.

Then pray to God every single day and incorporate Mary and the Saints for prayers for God to give you his Grace to find a way to show them the true truth of God.

Now even a harder part. LEARN your faith. There are thousands of books out there. Remember ignorance of or faith is ignorance of Christ.

Look at this as a grace from God calling you to learn your faith more so you can defend it. See God always takes a bad and finds some good in it.😃
 
MadeAFace said:
I guess my question is what DO catholics believe about it?
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I think the general consensus is that new age is a form of gnosticism.

newadvent.org/cathen/06592a.htm

but a general description I read of new age is the belief that man is part God and when he finds this out and learns more about it he will become God himself, and be fully self-sufficient. Obviously not compatible with Catholic theology.
 
MadeAFace said:
I guess my question is what DO catholics believe about it?
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A better question would be what dies the Church teach about these things. A not so subtle difference - since the beliefs of “Catholics” (individuals) might be all over the place…

For myself - I simply say this…Crystals have no power outside of one’s faith in them. In this they may not s so different than some things Christian.

As for “reiku”, as I said above and without doing any deeper research, I can see some correlation between the “spirit force” and what we describe as grace.

For me - the bottom line is - how do these things relate to “agape”…

Peace
James
 
MadeAFace said:
I guess my question is what DO catholics believe about it?
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Simple elementary my dear. There is only one God. Read the word of God and you will find Prayer is our biggest weapon.

The word of God has no teaching of this, so you know it does not come from him,.
 
Also I don’t work with crystals very much but there are some stones that are shaped in a way that is very soothing in my hands. 🙂
 
Here is a Church document on new age…

JESUS CHRIST, THE BEARER OF THE WATER OF LIFE

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/documents/rc_pc_interelg_doc_20030203_new-age_en.html
An adequate Christian discernment of New Age thought and practice cannot fail to recognize that, like second and third century gnosticism, it represents something of a compendium of positions that the Church has identified as heterodox. John Paul II warns with regard to the “return of ancient gnostic ideas under the guise of the so-called New Age: We cannot delude ourselves that this will lead toward a renewal of religion. It is only a new way of practising gnosticism – that attitude of the spirit that, in the name of a profound knowledge of God, results in distorting His Word and replacing it with purely human words. Gnosticism never completely abandoned the realm of Christianity. Instead, it has always existed side by side with Christianity, sometimes taking the shape of a philosophical movement, but more often assuming the characteristics of a religion or a para-religion in distinct, if not declared, conflict with all that is essentially Christian”.6 An example of this can be seen in the enneagram, the nine-type tool for character analysis, which when used as a means of spiritual growth introduces an ambiguity in the doctrine and the life of the Christian faith.
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staycatholic.com/new_age.htm
 
johnnyc176 said:
These things are bad and a danger to your Faith. Here are a few resources that will help you

Sharon Lee Giganti’s site…

newagedeception.com/new/

She is also a frequent guest on CAL. Here most recent appearance is here…

catholic.com/radio/shows/the-new-age-deception-8907

Here are some articles on new age and cults from EWTN…

ewtn.com/library/indexes/NEWAGE.HTM

Woman of Grace has some info on this subject here…

womenofgrace.com/en-us/search/default.aspx?q=Claire%20Merkle

Father Mitch Pacwa has a book and a cd on the dangers of new age here…

ignatiusproductions.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=IP&Product_Code=6358&Category_Code=BOOKS

and here…

ignatiusproductions.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=IP&Product_Code=6368&Category_Code=BOOKS

The title on Ms. Giganti’s site is a pretty good general description to why this stuff is bad… ‘the danger of playing God’ and the best defense against these deceptions is and always will be the saving Truth of our Catholic Faith.

God Bless!
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My last post was eaten. This collection doesn’t seem to give true solid theological reasons. One site speaks of Yoga being satanic. I understand the theological reasons to abstain from engagement but there is a lack of respect in these.
 
MadeAFace said:
I recently went to a job interview at a new salon (I am a hair stylist) & I loved the atmosphere and people a lot. The only thing that made me extremely uncomfortable was a conversation between the owner and one of the clients. They were talking about new agey stuff like reiki and crystals then trying to include me in the conversation asking if ive ever done it. I just replied no and let them finish out their conversation. My catholic faith has not come up yet and I am not sure how to mention that I dont get into stuff like that. Does anyone know anything about that stuff so that I can tell people why its bad?
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I don’t think there’s anything you can say that would convince them that new age is “bad”. If they thought e.g. Reiki was “bad” they wouldn’t use it.
I think the best thing to say is that you are catholic and it is agains your religious beliefs . They might be interested in learning about your views and ask questions…and that can be a starting point to share your opinion on new age practises.
 
Lokadottir said:
My last post was eaten. This collection doesn’t seem to give true solid theological reasons. One site speaks of Yoga being satanic. I understand the theological reasons to abstain from engagement but there is a lack of respect in these.
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I agree. I’ve only read articles on women of grace, and I do understand that some people may have unpleasant experiences with new age, but I think, that can be said about all religions though…you can have bad experiences anywhere…
.
 
MadeAFace said:
I recently went to a job interview at a new salon (I am a hair stylist) & I loved the atmosphere and people a lot. The only thing that made me extremely uncomfortable was a conversation between the owner and one of the clients. They were talking about new agey stuff like reiki and crystals then trying to include me in the conversation asking if ive ever done it. I just replied no and let them finish out their conversation. My catholic faith has not come up yet and I am not sure how to mention that I dont get into stuff like that. Does anyone know anything about that stuff so that I can tell people why its bad?
Click to expand...
Honestly, the category of New-Age covers so much territory, so many totally unrelated subjects, that there simply is no one response. From advanced metaphysics to the occult to yoga and extreme dietary lifestyles New age is realy just a blanket term for “unconventional”.

In terms of christals I would imagine that wouldn’t be something Catholics would accept.
 
Emese said:
I agree. I’ve only read articles on women of grace, and I do understand that some people may have unpleasant experiences with new age, but I think, that can be said about all religions though…you can have bad experiences anywhere…
.
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Not to mention in the second source it talks about bad things that happened to Clare while being involved in New Age things. If that happened to her as a Catholic and she left, it would be considered foolish.
 
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