New Age philosophy

[Finrock]

Good afternoon all!

One of the main issues that I see with New Age philosophies is that so often, although they may contain many true and good principles, they short circuit the true path to “fulfillment” and lasting happiness, thus never enabling those who adhere to the New Age principles to attain what they truly want. Jesus Christ is the only way to true happiness and true fulfillment. I’m reminded of a speech by a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I think it is relevant to this topic:

"*One of the most popular and attractive philosophies of men is to live life your own way, do your own thing, be yourself, don’t let others tell you what to do. But the Lord said, ‘I am the way.’ He said, ‘Follow me.’ He said, ‘What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am…’

No institution, plan, program, or system ever conceived by men has access to the redeeming and transforming power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, while the Lord’s invitation to follow Him is the highest of all, it is also achievable by everyone, not because we are able, but because He is, and because He can make us able too. ‘We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind [everyone, living and dead] may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.’

The Lord’s way is not hard. Life is hard, not the gospel. ‘There is an opposition in all things,’ everywhere, for everyone. Life is hard for all of us, but life is also simple. We have only two choices. We can either follow the Lord and be endowed with His power and have peace, light, strength, knowledge, confidence, love, and joy, or we can go some other way, any other way, whatever other way, and go it alone—without His support, without His power, without guidance, in darkness, turmoil, doubt, grief, and despair. And I ask, which way is easier?

He said, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

'Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; … and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

‘For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Life is hard, but life is simple. Get on the path and never, ever give up. You never give up. You just keep on going. You don’t quit, and you will make it.

There is only one way to happiness and fulfillment. Jesus Christ is the Way. Every other way, any other way, whatever other way is foolishness.

I bear record of Him, even Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of the living God, He is the Bread of Life, He is the Truth, He is the Resurrection and the Life, He is the Savior and the Light of the World. He is the Way, the only Way.

May we have the good sense to follow Him. In His holy name, even Jesus Christ, amen*" (Elder Lawrence Corbridge, Emphasis added; Full article here).

Kind Regards,
Finrock

 

[SpiritMeadow]

The term New Age is not useful and is nothing more than an unbrella term for a lot of faith systems all held to be not exactly Christian in orientation. There is little connection between them internally. There are quite fringe groups and some that would be highly understandable by the average Christian.

They are commonly hated by right wing Christians, especially fundamentalists and others who are essentially that since such persons and groups believe there is only ONE way to achieve salvation, their way (being the church they personally belong to).

Many New Age are actually New Thought groups who draw their lineage back to Plotinus who lived and wrote in around the 200 CE time frame I believe.

Many of them preach a cross between Christianity and Buddhism. They do preach often a very uplifting, loving, service oriented spirituality. This is considered very dangerous by some mainstream churches, especially the right wings of them, who fear that they will be supplanted by a more intellectual and spiritually grown view of God.

Many are probably weird, as weird as some would find as one person put it, someone who had never heard of Christianity walking into a RCC and seeing a dead man attached to a cross. It might well frighten you out the door.

Many of the others are quite benign and seem to teach a strong message of love one another. Oprah has featured a few of these folks years ago, but I don’t subscribe to the idea that said talk show host is some guru. Again, that tends to come from the right wing.

Anybody who warns you away from said groups is someone I would beware of. Truth is never arrived at by shutting out thought and learning. Truth rises to the top by rigorous examination of all the information available. When you start getting warned, then think fundamentalist and someone who is desperate to protect their own mind concept of God and faith.

 

[Detales]

‘I am the way.’ He said, ‘Follow me.’ He said, ‘What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am…’

‘For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Finrock, the above excerpts from the speech you quoted are exactly what many “new age” folks live by. And they don’t interpret it in the laisse-fair way that most folks seem to think they do. In fact, those who “live life your own way, do your own thing, be yourself, don’t let others tell you what to do.” are seen to be missing the point. If the New Agers have a fault, it is that they have found more ancient and concurrent teachings that reinforce the teachings of Jesus. And if there is a fault with Christianity, it is the habitual dismissal of other teachings that reinforce the teachings of Jesus. Much of value is thus missed.

 

[Detales]

“They are commonly hated by right wing Christians, especially fundamentalists and others who are essentially that since such persons and groups believe there is only ONE way to achieve salvation, their way (being the church they personally belong to).” ~~Spiritmeadow

Yes, men and women of perception would agree with you. My favorite is Mark Twain’s “Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion - several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn’t straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother’s path to happiness and heaven.”

This also is true in my experience: “Many of them preach a cross between Christianity and Buddhism. They do preach often a very uplifting, loving, service oriented spirituality. This is considered very dangerous by some mainstream churches, especially the right wings of them, who fear that they will be supplanted by a more intellectual and spiritually grown view of God.” ~~Spiritmeadow All one need do is look at studies corellating…oh well, we won’t go there. But most religionists do seem in my experience to fit the general catagory of “methinks the [believer] doth protest too much.”

Again, in my experience and opinioin, a closer application of critical thinking reveals much.

 

[Finrock]

Good evening Detales! It is a pleasure to meet you.

‘I am the way.’ He said, ‘Follow me.’ He said, ‘What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am…’

‘For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Finrock, the above excerpts from the speech you quoted are exactly what many “new age” folks live by. And they don’t interpret it in the laisse-fair way that most folks seem to think they do. In fact, those who “live life your own way, do your own thing, be yourself, don’t let others tell you what to do.” are seen to be missing the point. If the New Agers have a fault, it is that they have found more ancient and concurrent teachings that reinforce the teachings of Jesus. And if there is a fault with Christianity, it is the habitual dismissal of other teachings that reinforce the teachings of Jesus. Much of value is thus missed.

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond to my post.

As I said in my first post, I agree that many of the so called “new age” philosophies have much that is true and good in them. I’m no expert on these philosophies and such, but those that I have been exposed too, I often see elements of what I would consider to be truth. However, the danger, just as in most anything (it needn’t be a “new age” philosophy) is the center and focus of your efforts and thoughts. I think, speaking broadly, that anything that leads a man to believe in Jesus Christ, to believe that He lives and that He is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and to believe in His atonement, is essentially good. If these philosophies are centered on that message, then they aren’t “new age” philosophies at all, but rather they are the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, that isn’t, generally speaking, what these philosophies entail. There may be a recognition of the Savior and even focus on becoming like Him, but somewhere along the line the philosophies vary from the path that Jesus taught.

But, really, this is the test, for me: Does the philosophy recognize Jesus Christ as God? Does it teach me to have faith in Him and in His atonement? Does it recognize Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who lived, died, and lives again? Does it recognize Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world and as the way, the truth, and the light?

Jesus Christ taught the only Way by which man can find true and lasting happiness and joy. There is no other way that leads to true fulfillment. If any way, no matter what way it is, isn’t* the Way *that Jesus taught, it is incomplete and will ultimately lead it’s followers astray. So, if what is being taught is the Way to fulfillment that Jesus taught, then it is the true way. Then again, it isn’t a “new age” philosophy at this point, but rather it is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Kind Regards,
Finrock

 

[Benadam]

OK, given the vagaries of English grammar any your unusual use of “forms,” you admit that the Church is properly a pantheon, and that the “New Agers,” (genuine ones not using diluted teaching) are founded on Unity. So what’s your problem with them?

 

[Wesley7]

And how is that different from the inclusivity of the philosophies or other religions based on Unity?

If I were going to be a “philosopher” ~ I would make sure my “philosophy” properly agrees and conforms with the Philokalia.

Written in English Vol. 1,2,3 and 4.

 

[Detales]

Wesley7~~, Nice patchworks, but only applicable in limited situations. The Bible, as well, is patchework in a sense, eg, only seven of Pauls epistles are genuinely attributed to him, Peter was written by someone else even if under his influence, and you can go to any scholarly Bible site and note insertions, mistranslations, etc, etc. There are libraries of materials on this topic that might interest you.

Benadam~~ I hope your screen is intact, along with your keyboard. No, I see the Trinity in quite a different light, the “personal” designations necessary for thinking about Diviity at the human level for educational purposes.

As for “a composit system developed through people of various beliefs could be practicing one form of worship in view of the same ultimate end.” how about the Church? Archeologists still cant tell in many instances whether certain painting depicting meals are of pagan or Christian origin. And I don’t know about your parrish, but in mine, there was a Christmas Tree and the priest often played Santa Claus. Not dogma, but certailny part of the celebration. And what about the ancient Egyptians who carried a crech through their streets on the 25th of December? And the Identitiy statements of Jesus and from other Biblical texts could easily have been lifted from several ancient philosophies, and seem on examination to point to the same scenario. I have little doubt that there is more about that that can be found in the study of Christology.

*Benadam~~"*But, really, this is the test, for me: Does the philosophy recognize Jesus Christ as God? Does it teach me to have faith in Him and in His atonement? Does it recognize Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who lived, died, and lives again? Does it recognize Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world and as the way, the truth, and the light?

Jesus Christ taught the only Way by which man can find true and lasting happiness and joy. There is no other way that leads to true fulfillment. If any way, no matter what way it is, isn’t the Way that Jesus taught, it is incomplete and will ultimately lead it’s followers astray. So, if what is being taught is the Way to fulfillment that Jesus taught, then it is the true way. Then again, it isn’t a “new age” philosophy at this point, but rather it is the gospel of Jesus Christ."

What you are pointing to here is the Catholic version of the mystery of Incarnation, and its sequels.The original teachings regarding these, in fact, is where the deteriorated “new age” feel goodies stem form by dint of misunderstanding. There has always been a historic difference between the face of a religion and its esoteric, or hidden aspect. That is well and good. We see what happend when that goes awry as exemplified by our n.a. friends. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is older than the ancients and as new as tomorrow’s sunrise. It is not pointed to only by the Catholic Church, or even Christians, for that matter.

And if truth is timed, my friend, it isn’t Truth. Truth IS now, eternal. Eternality has no dimention of duration. The PTSD you refere to has been misunderstood as well, and is up-side down, again as a mythic introduction to find who has ears. Love is no less or more with or without those ears, but its a durn sight more interesting to see what’s behind the curtain.

 

[Benadam]

I say “embarassingly” because even though I had left the Catholic church I wouldn’t go to any other Christian church because I felt I was “better than that,” but! I looked into the occult. Worse, now that I look back on it.

I can relate very well to this sentiment. Somehow I felt that adopting some other christian faith was akin to adultery. I didn’t feel that way when I allowed myself to seek out and manifest the goods offered through the powers of nature.

Through it all I never accepted the paganism I studied as anything but an undeveloped understanding of reality. Because of that I was astonished at the dynamic spirituality manifest in the practice. Catholic teaching had not been toppled by any other teaching in my mind but the experience of otherworldliness while the magic powers courted me offered mystery to my experience of being that was missing for me at the time.

I for one am glad we are home.:hug1:

 

[Finrock]

Good evening again Detales.

Thank you for your response.

What you are pointing to here is the Catholic version of the mystery of Incarnation, and its sequels.

No, actually what I was pointing to is what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches as to what ultimately leads us to salvation, or complete and true fulfillment.

The original teachings regarding these, in fact, is where the deteriorated “new age” feel goodies stem form by dint of misunderstanding. There has always been a historic difference between the face of a religion and its esoteric, or hidden aspect. That is well and good. We see what happend when that goes awry as exemplified by our n.a. friends.

I agree with this. Jesus taught in parables so often precisely because He intended to hide an underlying meaning or message from persons who were “…not spiritually prepared to receive it” (Matt. 13:10-17, lds.org).

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is older than the ancients and as new as tomorrow’s sunrise. It is not pointed to only by the Catholic Church, or even Christians, for that matter.

I agree with this also, that the gospel of Jesus Christ “is older than the ancients” and further that it has been taught since the days of Adam and it even precedes Adam. It is eternal truth. That was really one of my points; that if a “new age” philosophy contains the fulness of eternal truth, it is the gospel of Jesus Christ, it isn’t a new age philosophy. But, I also was trying to point out that no “new age” philosophy that I am aware of contains the fulness of the truth, but often only some truth.

And if truth is timed, my friend, it isn’t Truth. Truth IS now, eternal. Eternality has no dimention of duration. The PTSD you refere to has been misunderstood as well, and is up-side down, again as a mythic introduction to find who has ears. Love is no less or more with or without those ears, but its a durn sight more interesting to see what’s behind the curtain.

I agree here as well. We are using different terms, but essentially the same message. When I see elements of truth in some philosophy, I recognize it (the truth) for what it is. The messenger is irrelevant. Truth is truth whether spoken by an angel or a devil. In some cases I recognize a semblance of truth as a distortion of an actual truth (as you mentioned truth misunderstood or misapplied). However, we aren’t just looking for some truth, we ultimately want to find all truth. I’m convinced that Jesus Christ is the Way. In Him is found all truth. To me there is no distinction between Jesus Christ and eternal truth. They are the same. That which has ever been taught in regards to salvation that is true, has always been the gospel of Jesus Christ (even if it wasn’t called the gospel of Jesus Christ). Whether this was being taught by Egyptians, Mayans, Catholics, etc., that part is irrelevant insofar as the truth value of the gospel of Jesus Christ is concerned. Of course, the dilemma is knowing when something being taught actually is* the truth*. And a further dilemma is knowing where can all of the truth necessary for salvation (or whatever you want to call the end goal) be found? But, that goes in to a different discussion.

Kind Regards,
Finrock

 

[Detales]

My appologies, Finrock. My sister is LDS, converted from Catholicism. I should have been quicker on the pick up.

More later.

 

[Benadam]

Benadam~~

 

[Detales]

Finrock,~~Strangely and to my surprise, I have found myself agreeing with what I hear about the Mormon faith far more than with my birth religion which is Catholic. In fact, if someone wanted a simple social religion that was yet open to modernity, I would recommend the LDS Church. For my own part, it would be impossible for me to join it on the metaphysical grounds of my own experience. My sense is… well, my sense is for another thread. I can at this time wish you blessings and best.

Benadam~~ of course the trinity isn’t understood in human terms. And yet we talk about it for “educational” and inspirations al purposes. Mortal mind in incapable of comprehending the Divine, as the limited cannot contain the Infinite.

“What you are relating here demonstrates the modern experience of myth pointing out it’s true object.” Which is, if you can state it?

“Indeed what has always been, and now is, and always will be, is a realm exclusive to divinity” Absolutely.

 

[Benadam]

Myth can only point to Truth. That’s why we have ancient pagan symbols at celebrations of Christ. The winter equinox represents the darkest time of year. Many OT passages express how midnight will be as bright as noon in the day of Yahweh (pp) A common theme. When it is as dark as it will get marks the time for the visitation of God. hen sin comes to a head it’s time . This theme which is also expressed in pagan thought makes the celebration of the Incarnation appropriate on Dec 25. The Christmas tree is an evergreen …a sign of life when everything else is bare. Pagan myth points to Jesus.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

Well, Clair, if you really think about it, and can stop thinking of all “New Agers” being exactly the same, and if you can stop for a moment thinking of all of them using such ideas as an excuse, even on the face of it there is an aspect of their philosophy no one so far has brought to the fore.

I know some “New Agers,” and here is what I think about their interpretation of some of the incomplete ideas put forth on this thread: If one accepts such ideas as reincarnation, which in fact the early fathers did not contradict, and if we each make our own way, and there is a law of karma, and interrelationship of all life, then what you so easily discount becomes a path of ultimate responsibility. It is so easy to negate someone’s way of thinking by means of generalities. That is done here by many Catholics, sometimes to the point of outright bigotry. A Catholic aquaintance of mine was banned from here for that reason.

But back to the responsibility. Look at your signature line. Who there is responsible for making you become the person your dog thinks you are. On the face of it, as stated, it sounds like it is God’s job to make you into that person, as if you had nothing to do with it. A New Ager of the stripe that I am personally aquainted with, would laugh at that, and say, “Where is she in that equation? Can’t she think? Isn’t she responsible for what she does and what happens becuse of it? She’s taken this imaginary ideal, projected the ability to think of her in that way on to an animal, wonderful as it might be, and made her imaginary god responsible to make her that way according to the dog’s perception.”

I know dear, it is a far “fetched” comparison, but what if you are doing the same thing to a “new ager” as I just did with your signature, which I am sure was put there with the best of intentions. Are you doing what so many on here do? Are you speculating without going to the horse’s mouth? (animals, again) Why don’t you all just go find a new ager and talk for a while and see what they actually say themselves, instead of acting like biddies across the back fence? Of course, you might then have an actual conversation and have to make concessions, as might they. Such a risk! Bon chance!

BTW, what do you get if you cross an agnostic, a dyslexic and an insomniac? You get someone who stays awake all night wondering if there really is a dog.

I am friends with a ‘new ager’ or I guess that’s what she would have called herself 25 years ago when I first met her. She goes to a church in which the Indian(from India) teacher accepts what he finds is true in all religions. My friend considers herself a Christian who has hidden knowledge from other religions. She reads the bible but, because of her special knowledge, she interprets it very differently from the way a Catholic would. She feels very close to native American religions and uses many of their religious practices. She does not believe that there are evil spirits as well as good ones so she has no defense against them. She believes she has lived previous lives, in one of which her present cat was her mother. I’m not kidding about this. She is an intelligent person in many ways. Her background was Methodist but she left that long ago. She is a troubled person who is always looking for that place (the ocean, the desert, etc.) where she will be happy and feel at home. But no place, no job, no relationship lives up to her hopes. I developed my ideas about new age philosophies from her and her friends. We have had many long discussions.

My super intelligent sister-in-law is an ex-Catholic Anthroposophist. She also belongs to a Friends Meeting. She believes in reincarnation and and some ‘new age’ ideas. I know that not all ‘new agers’ are the same and my sister-in-law wouldn’t consider herself to be one. But what they believe about reality and about Jesus Christ isn’t what a mainline Christian believes. Since I’m a Catholic, I think they are on the wrong path and that bothers me. If reincarnation is true and everybody eventually makes it to the same place I don’t have anything to worry about if I’m wrong. I’ll get a chance in my next life to get it right. But what if the Catholic Church is right? They won’t get a second chance. This is their only life and their only chance to live in Jesus and they’re missing that. They are sincere people. But what if they are sincerely wrong? What they believe and do has eternal consequences.

About my signature, don’t read too much into it. I had written ‘may I become the person my dog thinks I am’ but changed it because this is a religious site. It doesn’t really have a deep meaning, I just wanted to use the picture of one of my dogs.

 

[Detales]

I personally didn’t read all that into your signature, I just was demonstrating what could be done with an innocent statement by someone who was trying to prove an agenda.

And yes, I’m quite aware that there are new agers who are to some degree flakey in their beliefs. I also do/don’t beleive in reincarnation, as I think the concept as it is popularized is flawed. It is not that simple as a person going from one body to another. That is more like the transmigration of souls that the Church says doesn’t happen. But I belive that something does, except not that defined. As for some of the rest of the things popular with new agers, as I said, it is a deterioration of something very genuine that is ordinarly kept under wraps, one might say, exactly because it is so easy to miss the point of it. And that is what I think is the case with populist new agers.

 

[4everjustjesus]

I’m not entirely the expert, but it pretty much says, “You alone are the God of your own reality… except reality doesn’t actually exist! Haha! But you can break free and find your inner Godhood and then manipulate reality… which totally happens… and btw did I mention, reality doesn’t exist?”

haha

 

[Victorious]

My friend considers herself a Christian who has hidden knowledge from other religions.

Gnosticism is still alive and well.

People will go anywhere for peace and the truth – except where they actually reside: the Catholic Church.

 

[Detales]

Originally Posted by Koopa
"I’m not entirely the expert, but it pretty much says, “You alone are the God of your own reality… except reality doesn’t actually exist! Haha! But you can break free and find your inner Godhood and then manipulate reality… which totally happens… and btw did I mention, reality doesn’t exist?”

This is exactly the kind of mocking misunderstanding I am speaking of. Perhaps it is better that way, as such inexperts and laughers keep themselves from even a scholarly understanding of what’s behind it all. Maybe the common new ager is providing a service to such as the above. For that at least they ought to be grateful, if they but knew.

 

[4everjustjesus]

I’m not entirely the expert, but it pretty much says, “You alone are the God of your own reality… except reality doesn’t actually exist! Haha! But you can break free and find your inner Godhood and then manipulate reality… which totally happens… and btw did I mention, reality doesn’t exist?”

hahaha

thanks for all the replies, but i still haven’t found what I wanted. Can someone just give me a clear, basic idea? And also, what are some of their beliefs?