Eastern religions are not tailored for the modern world so the New Age mutates Eastern traditions to best suit the needs of the modern lifestyle.
26. How is paganism related to the New Age movement?
Paganism is integrally related to the New Age movement. Evidence of this can be found on any New Age bookstore shelf. The New Age movement is not necessarily demonic, as many modern witches do not believe in Satan, but neo-pagans assert a belief in a Goddess. Many New Agers support pre-Christian pagan beliefs and shamanism as well.
27. How does the eastern element of New Age spirituality contrast with Western Christianity's form of spirituality?
Eastern religions differ greatly from Christianity. First, many Eastern religions like Hinduism are polytheistic, whereas Christianity is monotheistic. Second, Eastern religions support a vision of oneness which includes the individual; Christianity believes in a distinction between the Creator and the creation. Eastern religions support belief in reincarnation, which also runs counter to Western Christian thought. Eastern spiritual practices like meditation differ from their Christian counterparts. Furthermore, Christianity and other Western religions are dualistic, whereas Eastern religions are more monistic.
28. How do the New Agers distort Biblical passages such as John 10:22-42 and Luke 17:21?
The New Agers distort Biblical passages, according to the author. For example, John 10:22-42 is often quoted as being supportive of pantheism. Here, Jesus encounters some hostile Jews. In his defense Jesus refers to one of the Pslams: "You are gods." New Agers read into this passage that Jesus "asserted the divinity of all people," (147). Also frequently cited by New Agers is the passage in Luke 17:21 which states, "The Kingdom of God is within you," (147). New Agers read into this that human beings are gods and that the divine resides in each of us. Sire claims that this distortion teaches pantheism and removes the quotes from their Biblical context. The solution to the problem is to re-read the passages within their proper context and respect the historical credibility of the Bible.
29. What problems does the author find with the concept of New Age reincarnation?
The concept of reincarnation is problematic and against the fundamental tenets of Christianity, according to the author. "Christ taught redemption, not reincarnation," he states on page 151. Groothuis debunks the possibility of reincarnation. He states that most Westerners assume that reincarnation means simply transmigration, when in actuality the Eastern concept of reincarnation permits one to return as an animal. Second, Groothuis states that reincarnation does not insure cosmic justice as many New Agers believe, because we do not remember our past lives or the lessons we supposedly learn from them. Third, the Eastern view of reincarnation is inherently contradictory, simultaneously preaching that there is no soul and that that soul can be reincarnated. Finally, there is no evidence for reincarnation and hypnosis accounts cannot be trusted.
30. What is the deficiency of the New Age in regards to evil and sin?
For the author, the deficiency of the New Age regarding sin and evil evokes Charles Manson. The New Age promotes moral relativism. Charles Manson supported the belief...
Another important theorist and historian was Eric Hobsbawm, who was well-known and respected for his work on the history of British labor movement. These and other theorists, particularly those who dealt with the history of the labor movement in the country, provided the groundwork and the historical insight that was to lead to the later more widespread acceptance of multiculturalism and social history In Britain therefore the Marxist historians and
As Spong has closed his career as a formal minister, retiring from the bishop position in 2000 have has become even more controversial than ever before: Spong believes in a transcending reality at "the very heart of life" that presses toward life and wholeness. He describes God as the "Ground of Being" and "universal presence" that undergirds all life and is present in all that is. He regards heaven as
The spin that often surrounds war, is fundamentally damaging even if it is intended as damage control for the nation as a whole, or at the very least the leaders of the nation. Public Belief It has been hinted at within this work that the old adage, the public does not necessarily believe what it hears, but it hears what it believes is at play when it comes to media. As
Life of Jesus, Critically Examined Penned in the tumultuous year of 1835, during an era defined by dogmatic religious intolerance and institutionalized adherence to the edicts of the church, David Friedrich Strauss' The Life of Jesus, Critically Examined represents an astonishingly bold assault on the complacency of Christianity, one which compels readers to challenge their own conception of faith. A respected theologian with a philosophical yearning to comprehend the world around
The Japanese myth partly resembles that of Adam and Eve present in the Bible and in the Quran. However, the first beings in Japan are considered to hold much more power than their equivalents in the west. Another resemblance between the Japanese legends and those in the west is the fact that the kami are considered to live in the high planes of Takamagahara, somewhat resembling mount Olympus, from Greek
Figure 1 portrays three of the scenes 20/20 presented March 15, 2010. Figure 1: Heather, Rachel, and Unnamed Girl in 20/20 Program (adapted from Stossel, 2010). Statement of the Problem For any individual, the death of a family member, friend, parent or sibling may often be overwhelming. For adolescents, the death of person close to them may prove much more traumatic as it can disrupt adolescent development. Diana Mahoney (2008), with the
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now