This thread is instructive in at least 4 ways:
(1) It illustrates how muddle-headed many Fundamentalists are about what is encompassed by the expression "New Age movement."
(2) It illustrates how Fundamentalists simplistically use "New Age" as a vague dirty word to slander godly ministers that they don't like or disagree with, or think go beyond biblical mandates and teachings.
(3) It illustrates a widespread Evangelical ignorance of the limited and incomplete nature of biblical revelation. Claims of biblical inspiration do not include a claim of revelatory completeness. Many ethical (e. g. abortion) and doctrinal questions (e. g. the inspiration of the New Testament canon as opposed to the Old Testament) are not explicitly addressed in Scripture and are therefore hotly debated and thus inspire denominational multiplicity.
(4) Many important how-to questions are left unanswered in Scripture and lead to the charge of New Age contamination when believers try to fill in the how-to gaps: e. g.
(a) How should I pray and meditate? Jesus offers the Lord's Prayer as a content model for prayer, but says little about the emotions and methods of the life of prayer and meditation.
(b) Paul tells us to display "the fruit of the Spirit" and to "zealously strive for spiritual gifts," but does not offer specifics on how to seek them.
(c) The Bible repeatedly tells us that we need faith for effective Christian living and effective petitionary prayer, but offers little explicit advice on how to acquire this faith and how to overcome the honest doubts and skepticism that pose barriers to this faith.
Mere borrowing or application of pagan and occult practices to the Christian faith does not in itself make those practices wrong or non-Christian. In my next few planned posts I will illustrate how Gospel tradition borrows from the occult and pagan world.
Oh, my, I guess this comment (in the quote box) was at least partially referring to me and my comment in this thread. I didn't see it until today.
While I see that most of your statement disparages some of us making comments in this thread, I'm going to zero in on your last sentence. I completely disagree that God doesn't have a problem with Christians copying pagan and occult practices, which were designed to make connections with the demonic realm. Why would God lead His people to use practices created for this purpose? I really don't think He needs for His followers to be copycats of the occult.
BTW, Rick Warren promotes "Christian mysticism," aka contemplative spirituality, in
The Purpose Driven Life. In this book he quotes widely from the mystics and teaches "breath prayers," a form of mantra meditation. This type of meditation can lead to altered consciousness, which is central to the occult because it opens a person to demonic oppression/possession.
If you do as the pagans/occultists do, you will eventually get what they get--demonic possession. And we know that Satan masquerades as an angel of light. So, it may not seem demonic at first. It may FEEL like a good thing, but sooner or later, the person begins to experience the destructive side of demonic influence--mental and physical illness, or even death.
Participating in occult practices is condemned in the Bible for a reason. God would not have His children do as the pagans do and be plunged into the darkness of the occult. Those who choose to partake do so at their own peril.
New Age mysticism is a modern version of the same old worn-out occult beliefs and practices that have been around since the Egyptian mystery religions, and possibly before. Second verse same as the first.... New Age promises a better life, but in truth, it steals, kills and destroys like every other occult belief system.
I urge all who are into the occult in any way or who are thinking about taking the plunge, please reconsider. If you are seeking a deeper understanding of God or desire to experience Him in a deeper way, the occult will never give you what you seek. New Age practices will NOT lead you into a better relationship with Jesus Christ, but will lead you away from Him and His truth.
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