been reading a lot about this kind thing..do you have any ideas, guys?

A load of crap, that's what it is.

Well that was quite in depth, if I may say so.

As in depth as New Age crap is

anyway, i heard a lot of this kind of religion right now. i heard that they use yoga and other kind of meditations. they could enter into portals using their minds. they are using enya's music. is it true. i just read a book. i assume there's a member fr that religion here

Wow.. for saying you have respect for other people's beliefs... you sure are showing lack of it now.

edit on.

Enya happens to be very calming music, and I enjoy listening to her.
Yoga and meditation is also equaly relaxing, and healthy for not just your mind but body.

Don't knock it till you try it.

Hi Ashley-Star*Child



No offence, but wasn’t that a little disrespectful to people that have "new age" beliefs ? One of the reasons the "new age" has come about and is growing at an unbelievable speed, is because there are some people that are so extreme in there beliefs and disrespectful to others beliefs, that some have abandoned them beliefs and have gone else where looking for spiritual answers, and to be enlightened.

Its actually funny its called "new age" to start with, because most of the "new age" knowledge is based on ancient pagan and Buddhist and Hinduic teachings, so its no surprise people are turning to alternative faiths while people like your self are making disrespectful comments like that and putting down the teachings of Jesus. Your comments do not offend me, as I am aware what your beliefs are. I understand your lack of knowledge on the subject.

What you just said is not being a very good ambassador for Christianity.



I Think your find that metaphysics and "new age" theologies are extremely complex and in depth, but then you would not know that would you, because you have not learned anything about it.

Wasn’t it a while ago on another post that you where rightfully complaining about someone insulting Jesus and your religion? well may I ask, do you think that 2 wrongs make a right ?

Its all good that you dont believe in what some do, but to insult them just because you dont believe in it is a little un called for.

All the best
Faeden

Whatever you say, Ashley can get in and get out on her own way.

\

No, on the contrary, keep up the good work. More people like you with your closed minded opinions just drives more people away from the church.,
Keep up the good work



Well said.
Fear causes strange reactions.
Religion is evolving, and the catholic church archaeic teachings will be gone soon.

Honey I'm far from closed-minded, however, your closed minded symbolism crap might send a few people running. Keep it up, the prosecution is waiting.

Many of these 'enlightenment of the soul' activities have physical properties only. Yoga won't stretch your mind (try acid for that one ) but it might stretch a few other things.

Meditation is no different to praying, just depends on how you use it. Astral projection happens everytime you sleep, and some people learn how to do this whilst awake. It's not that these things don't exist/work, it's that the focus on those properties solely leaves much wanting.

Secondly, I am not, by the modern definition of the word a 'Christian' and am therefore no 'ambassador' of it. I believe in God, I believe in Jesus, Mary etc, but my belief system cannot be defined. I incorporate Judaism, Christianity, and excluded texts into my belief system, so do not stereotype.

Lets get one thing straight...I ain't your honey.
Ah yes, the christian " you will rot in hell" offense.
+YAWN++_+_+__+
You need to get new----lol----material

Um, you edited your post so I will as well.\
You picked yoga as your example, but failed to address sufism, shamanism, native spirituality, pagen, buddism, and others with the belief that god is within us all...bits
There are many exciting things happening in spirituality.
You say you are open minded---prove it.
As with everything else, spirituality/religion is evolving.
Sorry about your luck, but times are a changing

Is that the best you can come up with? Where's your defense for you beliefs? You haven't even defined them!

I never said you'd rot in hell, you people assume too much.

*deis laughing*

You are the epitome of closed mindedness. You are also a hypocrite.

You sit here and wonder where I get you bashing faiths, and whatnot.. then you turn around and say:



and



If that's not close minded... OR hypocritical....

You'll never get it though. You keep living in this fantasy world... spouting out whatever you feel is right at the time, and when called out about it, act all innocent, and that you're totaly right. I'm sorry, but this isn't going to pass. Your attitude is sickening.

And I'm supposed to care what your opinion of me is? Please, define hypocrisy as you will, it's your flawed judgement.

Is it? let's see... You tell me that you accept and respect other people's beliefs, then you call New Age CRAP!! How the hell is that not being a hypocrite? HOW?

And no I don't give a.. care what you care. But gods, Ashley I just with you'd... *THINK* before you openn that big mouth of yours.

And you of course, are not at all a hypocrite when you display your disgust with the Juedo-Christian religion? Whose the hypocrite now?

There was NO definition of what they considered 'New Age' and yes, there are certain parts of 'New Age' beliefs I find a total load. That's my opinion and I'm entitled o have it, just as you and everyone else is entitled to have their opinions of different religions.

YOU PEOPLE!!!.....Good grief...yes I can see how open minded you are

I have to defend them????????
I DO NOT judge, nor do I feel the need to defend.
Your beliefs are yours, mine are mine.
The difference is that I do not bash someone whom may have a different faith than the great RC church
Quich, Ashley needs a de-programmer

I need to define them..?>?>..
I thought you were open minded and investigated "New Age" spirituality before you started bashing it.
Good grief.
"sigh" so far to go....so little time

And I will FURTHER add that half of what I consider 'New Age crap' is to do with the supposed *symbolism* that certain Christians degenerate the religion to. But yes, my idea of 'New Age' in general Christianities version or otherwise, depending on what it is, is well outside the scope of what I can accept.

Again Turtle, you did NOT define it. New Age covers many areas, surely you don't accept them all. You are being a hypocrite, AND you didn't read my post. I just told you I'm not 'Christian' in the sense you are putting forth, what about that don't you understand?

When you're done twisting reality to fit your baseless argument, I have never once displayed disgust with jeudao/christianity. I have the problem with you, and anyeone else who uses religion to degrade and spread hate. You do this. You know you do. Infact, my dislike of you started when you called me and other pagans dumb for worshiping "false idols" WHOOPS! How conveniant for you to forget that, right?

You don't want to believe me, fine. Ask Joc or Light.. I get along with them, and they with me. Because we show mutual respect for our beliefs.

Keep digging that hole, girl. You might need a bigger shovel soon.

LMAO, and how many times have I ...as hard as it is... uttered the words 'you can believe what you want' thereby I do NOT interfere with youre twisted reality. What really ticks you off is that MY God created your 'gods', and they in turn, are subserviant to MY God, like I said to you originally. In time...in time.

You wanna call my reality twisted? Want to count how many Judeo-Christians there are...GLOBALLY?

Again, I will not interefere, it's merely my opinion of course. And you DO display disgust for my belief system, don't wiggle your way out of it now.

If it talks like a duck, walks like a duck...guess what... It's a duck.

Sorry about your luck, but I do not define my belief in god, I'll give you a hint though..

Your christ conciousness comes from within.
You are a cell in the body of God.
God is PURE ENERGY

I find it funny when people arguing to establish their standing as more knowledgeable than another about religious insights prove nothing but their own ignorace by wasting their time...because obviously neither have given what their defending enough time to realize the petty nature of it.

No, your soul is electrical energy. God is not within you, you are not a god.

And, for the record, just because I say 'you are free to believe what you want' it doesn't mean I agree with you, I say it out of general respect for whatever you people happen to believe.

Guess what, I've never EVER said Christianity is crap. I've said it's used as a tool for control... which is still not hatred for the religion, just those who would use it as shuch.

And you only started saying "believe in whatever" after you got banned and spoken to by a mod. And you never mean it. If you did, You'd stop comming in threads like these and spouting out things that contradict what you keep trying to portray yourself as.

You have nothing, you know you have nothing, and *YOU* can't wiggle out of this one.

Ashley-Star*Child Posted Today, 01:57 AM
And, for the record, just because I say 'you are free to believe what you want' it doesn't mean I agree with you, I say it out of general respect for whatever you people happen to believe.




Why do you need to refer to me as YOU PEOPLE???

From what i know is that Buddism is form or found ,is after this universe have been created.So if God/Godess/one super intelligence does exist then he/she is the greatest of all.

What i have discovered that a religion is form when one of a person discovered new things of miracle.He then form a new religion.

So if u are able to discover new mircale u can form a religions.

But if compare who have the most powerful skills.Maybe there is no answer because it's same as different skills can oppose each other.

Because you did.



That, again is as hypocritical as SC claims me to be, and as closed minded as your stereotyping of people who just happen to believe in God.

I have already said previously that ALL religions are connected, and most have part of the story, but NONE have all of it. But nooooooo that's not good enough, every Judeo-Christian is a closed-minded hypocrite because they believe in God. How clumsy of me not to realize that.

HELLO.......
Are you that daft that you do not remember what you wrote ten minutes ago

YOU referred to You people ( I assume anyone else that doesn't believe in the catholic mindset) in your FIRST post to me, BEFORE I replied back to you.
Yes I replied YOU PEOPLE!!!! I took offense then and I took offense when you did it AGAIN.


I could go on but I fail to see the interest in having a battle of wits with an unarmed woman.

Well then, don't battle.

'you people' and 'YOU PEOPLE!!!' serve as a different context. The first in calm, the second is SCREAMING AND SHOUTING!!!!!!!!! And is, therefore offensive.

What this all proves of course, after my slip of the tongue comment based on the lack of clarification of what 'New Age' area was even being brought up, is that people of other religions are hypocritical and closed minded about Christianity. It's a 'New Age' trend didn't you know?

Oh, a slip of the tongue.... I feel much better.

You think people are closed minded because they don't believe in christianity?
I could have swore that you got mad at me for accusing you of being a christian...
Do you even have a clue what you believe in, or do you just point your nose to the east?

Not quite sure what you meant by your comment " It's a new age trend, don't you know?"

BTW, you assume WAY to much about my religious beliefs.
If you were to check back I never stated what religion I followed.

And or do I really care wha religion you follow. I'm wrong, there IS a definition of my religion, Judeo-Christian. I said I am not Christian by the MODERN DEFINITION OF THE WORD. I didn't say I wasn't Christian, by way of believe in Jesus, etc, in fact I even went through that. But I also consult excluded texts. I know what I believe, do you?

I believe I'll have another beer

You do that.

Back on topic... so far, I read that New Age involves yoga, meditation, and listening to calming music (Enya was mentioned).

Does anyone have insight to their doctrine?

Ok guys, like Ashley always says, I start the insults and the agression. Ok... so... can anyone help me find my post, filled with insults, which preceded hers?



Theres a difference between calling it crap and stating her opinion on why she doesnt believe in it nor like certain parts.



Did you just admit to insulting people on MANY occasions?



Funny... You'd have to first BELIEVE in YOUR god to have that belief.





Respect? And when you cal their realities twisted and when you call their beliefs crap, you mean that out of respect also?



Oh, well, I'm sorry we dont all bow down to you and say thank you after you insult other religions.

I do believe Ashley is outnumbered here, and has lost the argument!!!

CONGRATS GUYS!

I don't know much about New Age stuff, but if that's what floats your boat, then by all means, sail away baby

If you find something to believe in, follow it. There are infinite chances in a lifetime to truely believe in something. And if what you find makes you happy and keeps you content, then please follow that belief. BUT DO NOT tell me I'm wrong...

Simple eh?

Hi Ashley-star*child

You didn’t answer my question

Wasn’t it a while ago on another post you where rightfully complaining about someone insulting Jesus and your religion? well may I ask, do you think that 2 wrongs make a right ?

All the best
Faeden

Ashley, referring to belief systems as 'crap' and then getting into arguements with people is not the way to have a civil discussion.

I've already e-mailed you about this once, please take notice this time.

yeah, whats the point of even posting ashley??? it wasnt a question about do you think new age is crap or not. I personally find meditation calming..i sometimes need to slow down my head and to take a break and relax really helps

To go back to the actual question rather then the bickering about insulting beliefs(personally I don't have a lot of patience of the new age movement either its some thing akin to a rein faire of the occult picking out all the cheery and bright aspects and discarding any thing no longer popular some of its followers can be inteligent people but the movement as a whole seems more of a nusance then any thing else).

The New Age movement is a modern religious movement or group of cults(depending on who you ask) rooted in the victorian era movement known as Theosophy as well as the teachings of various occult societies(Golden Dawn for example) that have become more public then they once were. As a whole its a conglomoration of eastern philosophy(mostly extremely dilluted and misrepresented), Jewish Kabbalah removed from its proper religious context, assorted divination practices from various time periods, some Christian notions (alchemy was largely a Christian practice and is still practiced by new agers to give one specific example), and a large helping of self help psychology.

Now as for my thoughts and oppinions on it. First be aware I'm speaking of the movement as a whole not individual members. There are exceptions to a lot of what I"m about to say. Personally while I respect some members of the new age movement I find the movement as a whole rather childish in its practices. They advocate a host of "alternative" medical treatments from acupuncture to herbalism arguing that just because its been around for centuries and its natural it must be healthy regardless of the total failure of objective science to document many of the claims some of which are in fact dangerous. Despite popular superstition for example just because a treatment is all natural does not make it safer or more effective then established medicine. Honestly if you think Accupuncture can cure disease why not use rhino horn shavings to cure male impotence in favor of viagra(the chinese have done both for hundreds of years). For that matter many plants that CAN help you can be extremely dangerous even deadly if used carefully(for example with the right dosages digitalis(fox glove) can act as a heart medication in the wrong dosages it can kill you). Further most new agers tend to pick and choose aspects of ancient traditions that appeal to them often with minimal study of the deeper signifigance(compare how many people where yin yangs to how many know its a symbol of the Tao from the easter philosophy of Taoism and of those how many have even heard of the Tao Te Ching). This is more true in its treatment of eastern philosophy then any thing else especially in regards to karma and reincarnation(many people have a very simple view of karma thinking it just means that if you do some thing good good will come back or if you do some thing bad bad will come back with out understanding the concept refers to your next life as often as this one and affects what standing you come back in). In particular look how many people think they are going to come back as animals or even want to? In Eastern tradition animals are inferior to people on the scale of reincarnation and the idea is to grow to higher and higher states(this was one of the main things supporting the caste system for centuries) not to go back down. Also the idea of seeing a past life regressionist is a very western concept. In the east generally speaking past lives are left in the past not intensely analyzed to understand this one.

Perhaps the two worst(to me) aspects are how it treats the negative side of the spiritual and how it handles other religions. IN terms of the negative the vast majority of the new age movement simply pretends it doesn't exist. They babble relentlessly aobut how they don't practice black magic(often saying they don't believe in black magic for that matter) nor have any patience for those who do. Any traditional practicioner of magic was in fact extensively familiar with the negative as well as the positive. It was held that you couldn't help some one break free of curses unless you understood the nature of how a curse was laid. Also many traditional practicioners regularly did things new agers would never stomache. For example its often erroneously said that astrology began in Babylonia(the Babylonians read meaning in just about every occurance in the natural world no actual evidence suggests they had beliefs regarding specific arrangements of stars or planets). Yet none of them would ever consider taking up another popular and well documented form of Babylonian divination known as augury(the ritual sacrafice of a bird so that the future may be read from its entrails). Acts like animal sacrafice or even human sacrafice were(and in many cases still are) prevelent through out many forms of magic and paganism along wiht a number of other practices most modern people would find abhorent. Yet all of this is swept away in favor of a very watered down version. not unlike how Reinasance faires sanatize the less savory aspects of the middle ages.

Also many new agers have a very one sided view point on tolerance. They'll close ranks and go after any one who questions there belief system for any reason(I have no doubt it'll happen because of this post) yet they're the first ones to belittle and make fun of christians. Many(even most) are very quick to treat any one who calls themselves Christian just as badly as the worst fundamentalist treats them and they think theres nothing wrong with that. They also are the single largest group advocating the dissolution of individual religions into a single world wide faith naively assuming that the world converting to pantheism or polytheism will make it less violent then it is now(I say naively because polytheists ran Rome for centuries and were firm believers in murdering any one who wouldn't worship there gods).

On the whole the movement seems more a rejection of traditional spirituality then any thing else. It appeals heavily to many people who want a magic wand solution to there problems. Want inner peace? Intone this mantra three times a day. Want to cure yourself of caner? Practice Trancendental meditation. The movement has also been the corner stone of the mvoe in the US away from traditional western medicine to what ever fly by not nonsense can be dreamed up. Most of these miricale cures are at best untested or at worst repeatedly shown to be useless(for example hate to burst your bubble folks but homeopathic remedies are just distilled water any medicinal benefits they show are purely psyhchological effects(this is shown both by the fact that chemicly speaking all homeopathic remedies are indistinguishable from water and the fact that they have repeatedly failed in double blind experiments against placeblos). IN the short run it doesn't mean much but the longer people take such superstitions seriously the worse things will get. Want an idea of the sort of society we can easily wind up with by relying on this nonsense look at what happens to so many "christian scientists" who rely on equally unprovable means for curing disease.

so what conclusions are you bringing forward from this hypothesis?

Oh get a life. You have to 'outnumber' me to come against me? That's a compliment not an insult. Thanks

Yep, and again, part of what KevinM said, the 'cheery' happy rainbow stuff just isn't me. I want the full story not the New Age interpretation of it which leaves everything up to symbolism, sunshine and rainbows, picking out the parts that are too harsh for them to handle. However, there ARE alot of things I do believe in which are now termed 'New Age', which they of course are not, they have been around for a very long time it's just a matter of interpretation. I believe in reincarnation, astrology, OBE's, etc, simply because most of it originates from Kabbalah or Judaism. That's where it's roots lie, and therefore, there is historical evidence, including in my line of belief that such things exist, and no, sorry to disappoint you, they in no way discredit God, they further prove that the jUdeo-Christian religions. Which is why I said before that they don't have the whole story. So, go ahead, soak up the sunshine and rainbows, you're only getting a distorted picture.

And, no, in case you were all wondering, I didn't just *disappear*, I was enjoying myself on an eBay competition. Not much happened here though I must say.

SaRuMan,

I have elaborated on my original statement to explain it. It's not 'crap', I'll re-phrase, it's a *new* interpretation of what's been around for thousands upon thousands of years. And technically, New Age could mean anything, which is why I asked for it to be defined. The first thing I thought when I saw this was the 'New Age' interpretation of Jesus, which, I still maintain, is crap. And seeing as that is a branch off of a religion I subscribe to, I feel I am quite able to say that. But hey, don't let me stop anyone from believing in anything.



What two wrongs? Read above.

I'm a bit of a traditionalist myself
My chosen faith is babylonian pantheism
Faden there is no such thing as an ancient pagan
for two reasons

1. The word pagan is a christian epiphet which basically means "one who worships someone other than jesus. It was coined in the middle ages
2. Before jesus showed up most of the world was pantheist

Most of us "pagans" tend to find being called pagan fairly insulting.

No ones going to like this bit but I do see how Ashley's post saying new age was a load of crap is justified.
I like to keep abreast of new religious developments
Last week for instance i was reading a book about the new age movement which stated that "Robin Hood" and "Maid Marion" were perfectly acceptable to be revered as deities
Now i'm all for being open minded on a religious front as its one of the biggest dictates of my faith
But robin and marion now
Whats next
Mickey Mouse
The new age religion is best left to those people who want to follow a religion that isn't religious. Theres a need for it but only because most can't be bothered to see what else is on offer and because saying "i'm a new ager" Is supposed to be cooool
There isn't anything new about it
all the normal new age activities are stolen from other faiths
apart from the robin hood stuff at least as far as I can see


Besides Criticising Ashley for her lack of faith shouldn't be disturbing
It should be pitied
Do you all criticise a blind man cos he can't see
or a deaf man cos he can't hear
Personally I leave all my criticism for dislexics
at least on that front they won't write back

http://www.xs4all.nl/~wichm/newage3.html
http://www.religioustolerance.org/newage.htm

The New Age Movement is fine with me, as is, the Civil Rights Movement

I agree with LordBailey on this one..what ever makes one happy...

Yeah, well if thats all you have to pay attention too then why not just look at the people who follow a certian faith and choose that way. Buhddists, hey they seem pretty content and sublime. Mormans, kinda weird but they always got their peachy attitude. Hindus seem comfortable. Christians, got that weird kinda happiness too but honestly I think its that veil people throw up when they are afraid of something. Not like Ashley though she seems impecabbly perfect in her religion and it seems to have given her many riches we can all see are evident with the manner she speaks to others.

Thanks Marduk...




Am I supposed to be afraid? More compliments, ahh, keep 'em coming. New Age people are so straightforward, it just kills me. Being able to talk so forthrightly comes from the knowledge that my impecable religion gives me. Can you say the same?