What is Church teaching on this philosophy?

[AveChriste11]

I have recently been learning about a lot of Eastern and New Age teachings and have become confused. Mostly on the origin of Suffering, this philosophy states:
A. We were created out of the Essence or Being of God.
B. The cause of evil is the idea that we are separated from God and separated from all life.
C. People can free themselves from their emotional wounds when they let go of all attachments and value judgments accepting, things as they are.
D. Jesus and Mother Mary were just like us and there was nothing Jesus did that we can’t do. It goes so far to state them to be ascended masters and one day we could be just like them.
E. By overcoming the perception that we are separated from God and choosing to gather a sense of Oneness by letting go of the idea that we are the doer. We can be here below the extension or open door for God or a representative of God to flow into this material universe and radiate Light and Love…

I know these ideas can be traced back to Helena Blavatsky in the 19th century who started the Theosophical Society. Yet I have witnessed that a lot of these ideas are a mixture of much older philosophies which the Church stated were heresies.

Can anyone help me sort out what the Church teaches on these subjects?

Sincerely,
A lapsed and struggling Christian

 

[1ke]

Can anyone help me sort out what the Church teaches on these subjects?

Certainly.

All of the above propositions are false and heretical.

 

[Vico]

I have recently been learning about a lot of Eastern and New Age teachings and have become confused. Mostly on the origin of Suffering, this philosophy states:
A. We were created out of the Essence or Being of God.
B. The cause of evil is the idea that we are separated from God and separated from all life.
C. People can free themselves from their emotional wounds when they let go of all attachments and value judgments accepting, things as they are.
D. Jesus and Mother Mary were just like us and there was nothing Jesus did that we can’t do. It goes so far to state them to be ascended masters and one day we could be just like them.
E. By overcoming the perception that we are separated from God and choosing to gather a sense of Oneness by letting go of the idea that we are the doer. We can be here below the extension or open door for God or a representative of God to flow into this material universe and radiate Light and Love…

I know these ideas can be traced back to Helena Blavatsky in the 19th century who started the Theosophical Society. Yet I have witnessed that a lot of these ideas are a mixture of much older philosophies which the Church stated were heresies.

Can anyone help me sort out what the Church teaches on these subjects?

Sincerely,
A lapsed and struggling Christian

I would recommend reading these two documents from the Pontifical Council for Culture, Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

---

JESUS CHRIST THE BEARER OF THE WATER OF LIFE**
A Christian reflection on the “New Age”
"Even if it can be admitted that New Age* religiosity in some way responds to the legitimate spiritual longing of human nature, it must be acknowledged that its attempts to do so run counter to Christian revelation. In Western culture in particular, the appeal of “alternative” approaches to spirituality is very strong. …"

“Here is what is “new” about* New Age*. It is a “syncretism of esoteric and secular elements”…”
vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/documents/rc_pc_interelg_doc_20030203_new-age_en.html

and

PRESENTATIONS OF HOLY SEE’S DOCUMENT ON "NEW AGE"
“the *New Age Movement *is both the *symptom *of a culture in deep crisis and the *wrong answer *to this situation of cultural crisis, its worries, questions, aspirations and hopes”
…
“the *New Age Movement *presents itself as a false utopia in order to respond to the human heart’s deep thirst for happiness, which is prey to the tragedy of existence and the discontentment of the deep unhappiness of modern happiness.”
vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/documents/rc_pc_interelg_doc_20030203_press-conf-new-age_en.html

 

[AveChriste11]

I gathered that they were heretical. But I wanted to gain a better understanding as to why they were heretical. My heart has been drawn to the Rites of the Catholic Church for some time now. I was raised as a Baptist in Tennessee. I was formally confirmed or chrismated into the Greek Orthodox church at one point but have since lapsed and fallen away from it. I feel I was received too quickly and I was never a formal catechumen. Spiritually speaking I feel as if I have no center or pillar when Life and these ideas confuse me.

I lately have been drawn to Therese of Lisieux which surprised me because she is a Western saint. But I believe she is in Heaven and prays for me, interceding for me.
So I am looking for what kind of Catholic writings I need to study in order to find these answers?

 

[ynotzap]

I would recommend the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and The Church Teaches by the Jesuit Fathers of St. Mary’s College. Many of these question will be resoved.

 

[ynotzap]

I have recently been learning about a lot of Eastern and New Age teachings and have become confused. Mostly on the origin of Suffering, this philosophy states:
A. We were created out of the Essence or Being of God.

short answers: We are not in any way the essence or being of God, we were created, God is distinctly and apart from His creation
.
B. The cause of evil is the idea that we are separated from God and separated from all life.

Short answer: The cause of evil is sin, and Satan who is a fallen angel in rebellion against God We are not separated from all life, but without grace through Jesus Christ we are separated spiritually. from God.

C. People can free themselves from their emotional wounds when they let go of all attachments and value judgments accepting, things as they are

Short ans: People can not free themselves from the evils, and wounds of human nature this is why Jesus came, to set captives free(from evil), give sight to the blind ( understanding and enlightenment) Jesus takes what things are, and makes them as they should be.

D. Jesus and Mother Mary were just like us and there was nothing Jesus did that we can’t do. It goes so far to state them to be ascended masters and one day we could be just like them.

Short ans: Jesus is like us in His human nature, but not like us in His divine nature, He is God-man. Mary is like us except she was born without sin, we were. We can’t do what Jesus can do, He is God. By His grace we can become like him and share His glory.

E. By overcoming the perception that we are separated from God and choosing to gather a sense of Oneness by letting go of the idea that we are the doer. We can be here below the extension or open door for God or a representative of God to flow into this material universe and radiate Light and Love…

Short ans: Being separated from God is no perception but a reality, we are born separated from God. In Jesus Christ we are united by the Holy Spirit and become adopted children of God. We can by the power of the Holy Spirit become the Lights of the world, showing the world the True Light who came to dispel the darkness. The Holy Spirit gives us the virtues of Faith, Hope and Love, through Jesus Christ

I know these ideas can be traced back to Helena Blavatsky in the 19th century who started the Theosophical Society. Yet I have witnessed that a lot of these ideas are a mixture of much older philosophies which the Church stated were heresies.

Can anyone help me sort out what the Church teaches on these subjects?

Sincerely,
A lapsed and struggling Christian

See above;

 

[ynotzap]

I would recommend the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and The Church Teaches by the Jesuit Fathers of St. Mary’s College. Many of these questions will be resolved.

 

[CrossofChrist]

I have recently been learning about a lot of Eastern and New Age teachings and have become confused. Mostly on the origin of Suffering, this philosophy states:
A. We were created out of the Essence or Being of God.

Nope.

B. The cause of evil is the idea that we are separated from God and separated from all life.

Well, I guess kind of. Sin is the cause of evil, and sin is what separates us from God. But it’s not the “idea” that does that, it’s the reality of our not being in a state of grace (obviously some are in a state of grace…the saints in heaven and earth (so we pray) and purgatory…you get what I’m saying though).

C. People can free themselves from their emotional wounds when they let go of all attachments and value judgments accepting, things as they are.

I guess that could possibly be interpreted as true. Accepting things as they are would mean accepting the entire truth as it actual exists, in Christ and his Church.

D. Jesus and Mother Mary were just like us

Except sin.

and there was nothing Jesus did that we can’t do.

Totally false. He is the Son of God.

one day we could be just like them.

True. We can one day become divinized and receive the glory of God himself, Holy Trinity.

E. By overcoming the perception that we are separated from God and choosing to gather a sense of Oneness by letting go of the idea that we are the doer. We can be here below the extension or open door for God or a representative of God to flow into this material universe and radiate Light and Love…

I’m a little confused by this but as long as that’s taken within a Catholic context it isn’t per se wrong I don’t think.

But if taken in any other context it’s most certainly not orthodox.

 

[CrossofChrist]

I gathered that they were heretical. But I wanted to gain a better understanding as to why they were heretical. My heart has been drawn to the Rites of the Catholic Church for some time now. I was raised as a Baptist in Tennessee. I was formally confirmed or chrismated into the Greek Orthodox church at one point but have since lapsed and fallen away from it. I feel I was received too quickly and I was never a formal catechumen. Spiritually speaking I feel as if I have no center or pillar when Life and these ideas confuse me.

I lately have been drawn to Therese of Lisieux which surprised me because she is a Western saint. But I believe she is in Heaven and prays for me, interceding for me.
So I am looking for what kind of Catholic writings I need to study in order to find these answers?

Therese is a great saint. She’s awesome! If you haven’t read it already, her Story of a Soul is outstanding. St. Augustine might be another one you could be interested in.

 

[anruari]

A. We were created out of the Essence or Being of God.

short answers: We are not in any way the essence or being of God, we were created, God is distinctly and apart from His creation
;

I would have to disagree strongly.

1 ) we are made in the image and likeness of God.
2) We are made from the dust off the earth. This fact is carried in the Hebrew name Adam which means both “Man” and "earth " scientifically we know that we are made from the dust off supernova stars which is where carbon and oxygen are formed.

1. God breathed the life of his own breath into Adam The Ruach Elohim… the Ruach means breath wind life and spirit (all together and at the same time ) the Holy Spirit the Lord and Giver of life into Adams nostrils making the Soul of Man far more divine than the lesser created souls of other animals and plants. It is this or soul that is most in the image and lines of God.

But we are not God we are not Divine in this life. But as Christians we share in the inheritance of Christ and all that that includes including his Kingship and Godhead

This is far more nuanced than your brief answer. On this first point.

If you want references I’ll link to a referenced article tomorrow (linked to the bible, CCC and Magisterium documents )

 

[ynotzap]

We were

I would have to disagree strongly.

1 ) we are made in the image and likeness of God.
2) We are made from the dust off the earth. This fact is carried in the Hebrew name Adam which means both “Man” and "earth " scientifically we know that we are made from the dust off supernova stars which is where carbon and oxygen are formed.

1. God breathed the life of his own breath into Adam The Ruach Elohim… the Ruach means breath wind life and spirit (all together and at the same time ) the Holy Spirit the Lord and Giver of life into Adams nostrils making the Soul of Man far more divine than the lesser created souls of other animals and plants. It is this or soul that is most in the image and lines of God.

But we are not God we are not Divine in this life. But as Christians we share in the inheritance of Christ and all that that includes including his Kingship and Godhead

This is far more nuanced than your brief answer. On this first point.

If you want references I’ll link to a referenced article tomorrow (linked to the bible, CCC and Magisterium documents )

We were created BY God who’s essence is existence, not OUT OF HIS ESSENCE, we are not part of God This is consistent with Church teaching, it is Panheism to say we are part of God. The likeness and image of God lies in our spiritual nature, with intelligence and free will. enhanced by grace we become more like God, It has nothing to do with coming from His Essence.