Why are the New Age movement and other exotic ideas so attractive?

[Sufjon]

Thanks for sharing. It gives us better understanding of your perspective. I congratulate you on your privileged position, but how many families, let alone African families, would have the luxury of making the same choice as you? I personally don’t see the charm in throwing away a life for the sake of physical pleasere, but that’s my perspective. My family situation comes closer to the actual ground situation of average families that we are talking about. Anyway, so as not to derail the OP any further, can we get back to the fundamental difference between Christianity and New Age that I broached earlier? I have supplied a link. If you get time, will you take a tour and come back with your observations?

Everyone has a privileged position in one way or another. You have to look to see what your privileges are. Things like money can be a privilege, but it can also be a huge impediment. It is up to us to determine if what we have is a benefit or a curse. People can make both out of most anything.

As for throwing a life away for physical pleasure, that is not true. I was talking about emotional comfort, which some people are able to give and receive through the act of physical union. It’s not just about pleasure. Also, it is not a given that either of us would die from it. Caution is the key.

Your friend
Sufjon

 

[tqualey]

I think it would be a good idea to return to the thread.

God bless

 

[afthomercy]

It is difficult to come back as a lower form of life than what you have achieved, because the material world is an epiphenomenon of consciousness. The consciousness of a human will manifest as another human, or evolve within that realm.

When you say that the whole material universe is a projection of [divine?] consciousness (and by implication, not separate from it), I’m afraid, we don’t even have a starting point to converse. It reinforces my impression that Christianity and New Age are antithetical to each other. If we argued, we would end up talking at each other rather than to each other. Where do we go from here?

 

[afthomercy]

Thanks - that looks like a great site - very detailed. It covers just about every new age trick in the book! It’s a lot to read, but it looks like a great resource.

The basic thrust of the site is that all the new age therapies are steeped in occult antiquity. The chakras and nadhi’s, chi energy, etc., claimed to exist cannot be scientifically proven. If at all they are effective in practice, it is either due to the placebo effect or due to the occult connections of the practitioner of the therapy. They are not part of the Christian revelation. If they are neither scientific nor part of Christian revelation, then they come from the forces of darkness to turn our hearts away from the true [Christian] God. Hence they should be shunned.
For example, the website says, if your accupuncture therapist is a closet Shaman, he will use the needles as a channel to introduce dark spirits into you, even without your becoming aware of it. As you have placed your trust in him and your spiritual defenses are down [you have kind of told your guardian angel to look the other way], evil can just walk in and take residence. Sounds scary, but makes sense.

 

[rinnie]

What I also find ironic about the new age movement is if you really pay attention they are Jumpers as I like to call them.

You watch they are lost sheep. Many but not all reject Christ. Yet they are looking and looking for him. Many can’t find him so keep looking.

If you ever watch anyone that is truly a Catholic they never jump.

My prime example is my Dad. My whole life he worked like a dog. When he retired the stock split and he did well. He said Thank you JESUS.

When my brother at the age of 39 got a brain tumor he cried Dear Jesus I can’t take this one. Please don’t make me carry this cross.

When my brother died a year later he prayed harder and became a even better Catholic. And said it was the will of God. He is in heaven now and his suffering is over. We will be together someday. Its okay.

Right before he left this world he went into surgery. He said God will either cure me or take me home. Either way I live. He lives with my brother and God.

He lived with Jesus in this world and the next. That is the BIG difference. No mystery here. He knew from the get go. You are put here to do Gods work then when your work is over you reitre in the big sky with God forever. Talk about a exotic idea!! I am in thats for sure.

Like Papa I wll stick with the faith and it will also carry me.

But that is the difference. The new age promise some kind of escape from reality. Which by the way is like talking a pain pill. Its short lived. Christ offers hope and love and strength and the end is the cure. Eternal life. But you gotta wait for it. New age tries to tell you that you can have it here and now.

Its not going to happen. THis is never going to be heaven so forget it. Eternal life and bliss comes when Christ comes to take you home.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

What I also find ironic about the new age movement is if you really pay attention they are Jumpers as I like to call them.

You watch they are lost sheep. Many but not all reject Christ. Yet they are looking and looking for him. Many can’t find him so keep looking.

If you ever watch anyone that is truly a Catholic they never jump.

My prime example is my Dad. My whole life he worked like a dog. When he retired the stock split and he did well. He said Thank you JESUS.

When my brother at the age of 39 got a brain tumor he cried Dear Jesus I can’t take this one. Please don’t make me carry this cross.

When my brother died a year later he prayed harder and became a even better Catholic. And said it was the will of God. He is in heaven now and his suffering is over. We will be together someday. Its okay.

Right before he left this world he went into surgery. He said God will either cure me or take me home. Either way I live. He lives with my brother and God.

He lived with Jesus in this world and the next. That is the BIG difference. No mystery here. He knew from the get go. You are put here to do Gods work then when your work is over you reitre in the big sky with God forever. Talk about a exotic idea!! I am in thats for sure.

Like Papa I wll stick with the faith and it will also carry me.

But that is the difference. The new age promise some kind of escape from reality. Which by the way is like talking a pain pill. Its short lived. Christ offers hope and love and strength and the end is the cure. Eternal life. But you gotta wait for it. New age tries to tell you that you can have it here and now.

Its not going to happen. THis is never going to be heaven so forget it. Eternal life and bliss comes when Christ comes to take you home.

So true. Thank you for this post.

 

[janszki]

The reason the New Age movement and other exotic ideas are so attractive is simple…

SATAN…He is the prince of deception and the father of all lies, generally the best test to use is to question oneself if the theory/action/idea seems attractive and if it is then chances are it is coming from him. Best to look into Helena Blavatsky, one of the pioneers of the Theosophical (New Age) movement…her doctrines, on the surface sound nice, friendly and warm…however they are Satanic at the core. (Her teachings and ideology eventually were followed and applied by her greatest pupil, Adolf Hitler).

God Bless.

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Rinnie,

Thank you for sharing your story.

God bless

Tom

What I also find ironic about the new age movement is if you really pay attention they are Jumpers as I like to call them.

You watch they are lost sheep. Many but not all reject Christ. Yet they are looking and looking for him. Many can’t find him so keep looking.

If you ever watch anyone that is truly a Catholic they never jump.

My prime example is my Dad. My whole life he worked like a dog. When he retired the stock split and he did well. He said Thank you JESUS.

When my brother at the age of 39 got a brain tumor he cried Dear Jesus I can’t take this one. Please don’t make me carry this cross.

When my brother died a year later he prayed harder and became a even better Catholic. And said it was the will of God. He is in heaven now and his suffering is over. We will be together someday. Its okay.

Right before he left this world he went into surgery. He said God will either cure me or take me home. Either way I live. He lives with my brother and God.

He lived with Jesus in this world and the next. That is the BIG difference. No mystery here. He knew from the get go. You are put here to do Gods work then when your work is over you reitre in the big sky with God forever. Talk about a exotic idea!! I am in thats for sure.

Like Papa I wll stick with the faith and it will also carry me.

But that is the difference. The new age promise some kind of escape from reality. Which by the way is like talking a pain pill. Its short lived. Christ offers hope and love and strength and the end is the cure. Eternal life. But you gotta wait for it. New age tries to tell you that you can have it here and now.

Its not going to happen. THis is never going to be heaven so forget it. Eternal life and bliss comes when Christ comes to take you home.

 

[rinnie]

Father was talking on EWTN just today about false religions.

He said that when you see people outside of Abortion Clinics praying and making the statement you are seeing a true Church showing a false Church.

He said to really live your faith is alot harder then preaching it.

He said a false Church is when you see people living outside of the word of God. Like when you see a fortune teller reading your cards etc. That is a false Church you could say. It is a work of the devil.

God is the only person who knows what is going to happen to us. If he wanted us to know he would find a way to tell us.

Look in the O.T. God came to the leaders he picked in their dreams.

If God wants you to know something that is going to happen he can find a way to warn you. But when you think about this fortune tellers are a joke really.

Here is why! Say you are going to meet your fate and today is the day you are going to meet our Lord. If he wants you and you refuse to leave the house, you are simply going to die in the house:shrug:

I used to work with a women and she swore she could read people’s future. I was like yeah okay. Tell me something thats going to happen. This is what she said, A true fortune teller will not be able to read or tell you your fortune because you do not believe and she knows she cannot get through you. Its like a wall or something:shrug:

 

[Sufjon]

SATAN…He is the prince of deception and the father of all lies, generally the best test to use is to question oneself if the theory/action/idea seems attractive and if it is then chances are it is coming from him.

So the litmus test for truth in religion is that in order to be true, it must be unattractive, unfriendly and cold?

Best to look into Helena Blavatsky, one of the pioneers of the Theosophical (New Age) movement…her doctrines, on the surface sound nice, friendly and warm…however they are Satanic at the core. (Her teachings and ideology eventually were followed and applied by her greatest pupil, Adolf Hitler).

Thanks for bringing up Adolf Hitler. Yes, it was rather clever how we Hindus, Buddhists and New-Agers tricked all those Christians in Germany into running those death camps for us. We pulled it off so well, that no Hindus, Buddhists or New-Agers had show up to run any of them. We made it look like the handiwork of Christians. And you have GOT to be kidding - blaming the Second World War on a bunch of hippie chicks with incense, stones and exercise mats.

Anyway, I have to go polish my jackboots now and go to bed.

Your friend,
Sufjon

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Sufjon,

Many of those who claimed the Christian faith failed to actually model their behavior on Christ in Nazi Germany - and you are quite right to bring this up. While there were some who tried - most of them were swept up into the concentration camps that destroyed the bodies - but, not the souls - of millions.

Those who claimed the twisted cross as their cross - denied the Cross of Christ - and this should stand as a warning to all of us who grow weak when political or social pressure is placed on us to do evil. Ultimately, however we use our free will - if we love this world more than Christ we will surely perish.

God bless

So the litmus test for truth in religion is that in order to be true, it must be unattractive, unfriendly and cold?

Thanks for bringing up Adolf Hitler. Yes, it was rather clever how we Hindus, Buddhists and New-Agers tricked all those Christians in Germany into running those death camps for us. We pulled it off so well, that no Hindus, Buddhists or New-Agers had show up to run any of them. We made it look like the handiwork of Christians. And you have GOT to be kidding - blaming the Second World War on a bunch of hippie chicks with incense, stones and exercise mats.

Anyway, I have to go polish my jackboots now and go to bed.

Your friend,
Sufjon

 

[Sufjon]

Hi, Sufjon,

Many of those who claimed the Christian faith failed to actually model their behavior on Christ in Nazi Germany - and you are quite right to bring this up. While there were some who tried - most of them were swept up into the concentration camps that destroyed the bodies - but, not the souls - of millions.

Those who claimed the twisted cross as their cross - denied the Cross of Christ - and this should stand as a warning to all of us who grow weak when political or social pressure is placed on us to do evil. Ultimately, however we use our free will - if we love this world more than Christ we will surely perish.

God bless

Great post tqualey: And my parody aside, we should remember that this sort of thing can happen any time, any place, and any of us can find ourselves as perpetrators if we’re not watchful. All people of all faiths or of any nation are capable of the same if we’re not mindful.

Your friend
Sufjon

 

[Rahn]

(Fallen) Human nature. Our flesh is still trying to find that way to “be like God” that the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was supposed to bring (according to one crafty and deceiving snake).

The answer is found in the book of James, chapter 4, verse 7:
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

 

[rinnie]

Great post tqualey: And my parody aside, we should remember that this sort of thing can happen any time, any place, and any of us can find ourselves as perpetrators if we’re not watchful. All people of all faiths or of any nation are capable of the same if we’re not mindful.

Your friend
Sufjon

You are so right Sufjon. And it seems that good people especially in this country start off so right and on the right track. Especially our goverment. And then somehow they get so off balance.

This is usually a result of give a Human being 2 things. Power and Money. It seems to be true that when People get both they seem to feel that they no longer need God.

Then they seem to feel that in a way they are god and the next thing you know they begin to destroy the lives of others and then themselves.

I think thats when God said that it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle. When People have material things they seem to forget about the most important needs which are spiritual.

That must be how a person looks well on the outside but is sick on the inside. And you can see someone sick on the outside (cancer or something) but well on the inside.

You have to wonder which is better, then you know there is nothing more important then being well on the inside. Like Christ said you can kill the body but never the soul. You can beat a person physically up all you want, but never break their Spirit.

 

[benedictus2]

janszki:

                                             Best to look into Helena Blavatsky, one of the pioneers of the  Theosophical (New Age) movement...her doctrines, on the surface sound  nice, friendly and warm...however they are Satanic at the core. (Her  teachings and ideology eventually were followed and applied by her  greatest pupil, Adolf Hitler).

Thanks for bringing up Adolf Hitler. Yes, it was rather clever how we Hindus, Buddhists and New-Agers tricked all those Christians in Germany into running those death camps for us.

I know you are being sarcastic here and I have not exactly read anything about Adolf Hitler being a pupil of Blavatsky.

However, to say that Hitlers plan follows from Blavatsky’s doctrine (if this is true) is not quite the same as saying that Hindus and Buddhists did this. It merely says that it followed from a mishmash of Hindu and Buddhist tenets that Blavatsky had conjured.

There is a certain congruity in HinduBuddhist beliefs and Ockham’s nominalism - which is the mother of the terrible isms - Marxism, relativism, deconstructionism. All these related to the beliefs that powered the Third Reich.

That is why I quipped before that Ockham must have been a Hindu in his past life.

 

[Beautiful_Epona]

I agree there are a lot of frauds out there when it comes to the New Age movement, but there are some very talented and honest ones too. ‘Some’ have the gift, not a lot sadly.

I think a lot of people are drawn to the New Age because it is all about connecting yourself with what comes natural. We are connected to Mother Earth, without her, we cannot eat, breath or survive. I feel the New Age offers a special connection with this and more. It’s not just about having a reading done by a Medium or receiving some Reiki healing (which by the way is a beautiful, relaxing way to unwind), it is about connecting with your Angels too. Christians believe in Angels and acknowledge the Archangels too, St.Michael, St.Raphael etc. All beautiful Angels that did a lot for our world.

Spiritualists have a deep love for Angels, and often call on their own ‘Guarding Angel/s’ to protect them in a situation, or ask for their assistance in something. They believe if you don’t ask you will not receive help, because of the free will thing.

Crystals are another common New Age attraction. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they have healing qualities. Rose Quartz for love and fertility, Tigers Eye for courage, Amethyst for spiritual awareness.

I was raised Catholic, baptised, communion and confirmation. I ventured into the New Age for over 10 years. Nothing ‘bad’ ever happened to me. I was not possessed by the Devil, or any other spirit. I simply started to have an open mind, and wanted to find out more about myself and the amazing things I was capable of. Us humans are amazing! Through the New Age, I found Meditation, Yoga and Reiki. They are not evil things, they have been done for centuries. Catholics meditate on the scriptures, well, Buddha was meditating well before that.

Please do not worry about your Sister. She has spread her wings, and is exploring her life, her spiritual journey. I believe that we are all seeking God/The Creator/Goddess/Great Spirit, whatever name you choose to say does not matter, we are all “seeking”, and eventually, we will all meet again, as all the paths join in the end.

Blessings to you.

 

[benedictus2]

I agree there are a lot of frauds out there when it comes to the New Age movement, but there are some very talented and honest ones too. ‘Some’ have the gift, not a lot sadly.

Whose gift? God’s or the devil’s?

I think a lot of people are drawn to the New Age because it is all about connecting yourself with what comes natural.

They are drawn to the New Age because it allows them to let them be god. It panders to their ego while pretending to be getting rid of it.

We are connected to Mother Earth,

Earth is not our Mother.

without her, we cannot eat, breath or survive.

Not quite. Without God we cannot eat, breath or survive. Mother earth is still here but meany are not surviving, not eating. Just cast your mind back to the victims of the natural disasters.

It is God that sustains “mother” earth.

I feel the New Age offers a special connection with this and more. It’s not just about having a reading done by a Medium or receiving some Reiki healing (which by the way is a beautiful, relaxing way to unwind), it is about connecting with your Angels
too. Christians believe in Angels and acknowledge the Archangels too, St.Michael, St.Raphael etc. All beautiful Angels that did a lot for our world.

No they are not the same. Christian ideas of angels are not the same as New Age ideas of angels.

Crystals are another common New Age attraction. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they have healing qualities. Rose Quartz for love and fertility, Tigers Eye for courage, Amethyst for spiritual awareness.

They are not scientifically proven. It is pseudo science.

I was raised Catholic, baptised, communion and confirmation. I ventured into the New Age for over 10 years. Nothing ‘bad’ ever happened to me. I was not possessed by the Devil, or any other spirit. I simply started to have an open mind, and wanted to find out more about myself and the amazing things I was capable of. Us humans are amazing! Through the New Age, I found Meditation, Yoga and Reiki. They are not evil things, they have been done for centuries. Catholics meditate on the scriptures, well, Buddha was meditating well before that.

Let me put a challenge to you.

Completely renounce the New Age. I mean completely, get rid of every single New Age item, start going to Mass regularly. Go to confession, stop doing every single new age practice (even mentally).

Do this for a year and tell us your experience after that.

Please do not worry about your Sister. She has spread her wings, and is exploring her life, her spiritual journey.

Dabbling in the diabolic I think is the more apt term.

I believe that we are all seeking God/The Creator/Goddess/Great Spirit, whatever name you choose to say does not matter, we are all “seeking”, and eventually, we will all meet again, as all the paths join in the end.

Blessings to you.

And some are seeking it in the wrong places because the devil is the father of lies and masquerades as the angel of light.

 

[Beautiful_Epona]

**QUOTE=benedictus2;8029167]Let me put a challenge to you. Completely renounce the New Age. I mean completely, get rid of every single New Age item, start going to Mass regularly. Go to confession, stop doing every single new age practice (even mentally). **

Some very interesting points ‘benedictus’.

Firstly, I did not say that the Earth is our Mother. It is a term ‘Mother Earth’ that a lot of people use, not just the new age type people.

Now, just to let you know, for the past year I did actually return to the Church. Before I went back, I did go to confession. I prayed the Rosary and to God every night. The Priest even came over to my house to bless it. I thought I was happy to be ‘back’, but it was short lived. I was sad to see that the Church had not changed a lot from when I use to go as a child. I had support, yes, and I met some lovely people. But some, a little like yourself I suspect do not understand and will not accept the new age in anything today. I do not see anything wrong with trying to better yourself. Now, ego can creep into it with SOME people, and I have met some of those people believe me, but most I have met have been lovely and been determined not to let their ego take over. I think you are judging everyone on possibly ‘some’ bad things you may have ‘heard’?

I believe that God would not want to see me unhappy. I enjoy doing my drumming, meditation, yoga etc and it is harming no one. Would God like to see me unhappy? It is not the devils work. Most New Age people don’t even acknowledge the devil, they just don’t give him the time of day, and really, why should anyone, he does not deserve that. The focus is always inner health and acknowledging a higher force. This doesn’t sound bad to me?

The new age is not evil, it is just ‘newer thought’ than what a lot of Christians are use to.

 

[Lokabrenna]

I think you might as well as “What makes Catholicism so attractive?” as different people will have different answers for you. I think that part of the appeal of the New Age movement is that it gives people a chance to interact with the Divine on their own, without the use of intermediaries.

If I were to find fault with the New Age movement, it would be that they perpetuate some of the worst examples of cultural appropriation I have ever seen. It bothers me when I hear that people are “experts” in tarot, runes, I Ching, and Kabbalah when any ONE of those methods takes years to learn (especially Kabbalah). There are things pulled from Eastern traditions for those who don’t want to bother learning anything about Asian religions (particularly Hinduism and Buddhism) and don’t get me started on “plastic shamanism” and the like, it’s the taking of bits and pieces of a culture out of context and using them that really bothers me. Even worse (from my perspective) is that there’s some overlap between the New Age and modern Paganism, so outsiders tend to lump us both together.

I suppose my beef isn’t that its “demonic” per se, but that it’s a watered down, heavily processed sort of spirituality.

 

[Ranp]

Yes indeed.
Many years ago I saw this quote by Blaise Pascal

“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.”

The key to the answer lies within that quote. We human beings find so many ways of trying to fill that hole, including created things such as new age religions. Sometimes, and prayefully soon for your sister, we finally ask God to fill it

In many ways the metaphysical and mystic components of the New Age movement are very similar to the Gnostic heresy. At the heart of Gnosticism and the New Age movement is the belief that a person can gain special knowledge that will allow them to become god-like.

Ran