The New Age Christian—An Accepted Oxymoron

[akfools]

The New Age Christian—An Accepted Oxymoron
by Ray Yungen
Lighthouse Trails Research
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/
March 18, 2011


The current popularity with meditative mysticism presents a very new and perplexing challenge for evangelical Christianity. We are beginning to encounter the New Age or Aquarian Christian. This new term describes someone who remains in his or her home church and professes the Christian faith but has also incorporated various aspects of the New Age or Aquarian mindset into his or her life. New Age author David Spangler was very optimistic about the possibility of this integration when he wrote, “The point is that the New Age is here … it builds itself and forms itself in the midst of the old.”1

What has fueled the momentum of this trend is the buffet-style dining approach that has become a hallmark of American religious sensibilities in the last twenty years—you take what you want and leave the rest. Americans are picking and blending religions as if they were ordering espressos: pick your espresso blend, but you still get coffee—pick your spiritual path, but you still get God. Whatever suits your spiritual tastes, you bring together. The result is hybrid New Age spirituality.

I recall a conversation once with a woman in a coffee bar. We chatted on spiritual subjects, and her comments led me to believe she was an evangelical Christian. Towards the end of our friendly conversation she dropped a bombshell on me when she blurted-out, “Well, we all have the Christ consciousness!”

In another incident, a local pastor shared with me how a woman he had long known as a strong solid Christian was almost swept up by New Age thinking. Her young adult son had been addicted to drugs and went through a drug rehabilitation program. In the process, his counselor introduced him to New Age spirituality.  He, in turn, shared it with his mother, giving her a book to read titled Conversations With God (a New Age bestseller).

Incredibly, she found herself being swayed by the book’s arguments and began to doubt whether or not her evangelical Christianity was indeed the only way to God. Her desire to see her son aligned with God left her mind open in welcoming the possibility that various mystical paths were equally genuine in finding God.  It took this pastor nearly two hours to help this woman understand the error of her thinking. Keep in mind this woman was a solid and devoted Christian who had been living her Christian faith for decades. If these Christians can be swayed, what about people who are even more vulnerable to what is going on in the larger culture?

The New Age message has such a positive ring that it is necessary to look behind the appealing facade to see what is actually there. If one goes to a massage therapist who does Reiki one should know the true nature of that practice. If your doctor wants you to meditate, you should know the spiritual dangers of non-biblical meditation.

As the world moves further into becoming a full-fledged mystical society, it will become increasingly difficult to escape the ideas and practices described in this chapter. Christians must become aware of what is happening in order to make informed choices about things that may adversely affect them spiritually. In addition, many of our friends, family members, and co-workers will be seeking spiritual solutions to the uncertainties of our society and the world in which we live as a whole. The following account brings this point home like no other. A Christian in Georgia emailed me with the following story:

At work a colleague who is a deacon at the local Baptist church was telling me about his visits to a local woman for “Therapeutic Massage.” He said she used “some kind of Indian technique.”

I asked him if it was Reiki and he said “Yeah that’s it. She’s a Reiki practitioner.” I told him what I had read in your book about Reiki and he got defensive.  He said, “I don’t care what it is as long as it works.”

I was floored. I said, “You are a deacon. How can you make such a statement?”

He said, “There are several deacons at my church that believe in Reiki.”

I pleaded with him to do some research on the subject and I sent him an email with quotes off some sites that promote Reiki. Later he told me he could see where I was coming from but that as long as he didn’t believe in the spiritual aspect of it, he didn’t see why he shouldn’t participate in it. I was surprised that there was a Reiki practitioner in the middle of rural Bible Belt America. I guess nothing should shock me anymore.2

One book on the Chakra* system clearly shows:

Many people who have open crown chakras have had a profound spiritual experience in which their usual sense of being separate and apart falls away and there is a feeling of being at One with All and Everything.  There is a profound sense of merging.… There is, in essence, a feeling that All of This Is God, and I Am a part of all of this so I, too, Am God.3

This concept of course, has its source in the spirit world. The  “Reiki News” provides this evidence:

Imagine my surprise during my first Reiki class when I observed the astral images of guides and healing spirits pouring forth bright shimmering rays of healing energy at the hands of novice practitioners. 4

Interest in Reiki and other mystical practices are accelerating to such a degree that most people will come face to face with this sooner or later. One popular counselor made the following assessment regarding the growing momentum of New Age practical mysticism:

We cannot overstate how profoundly their impact is being felt in education, business, medicine, and psychotherapy. It is safe to say that the prevailing religion in America … is no longer Christianity but is instead New Age.5

It would not surprise me if the majority of people in America have a family member or close friend who does mantra meditation, practices yoga, has either encountered Reiki or Therapeutic Touch, or is an avid fan of the Oprah Winfrey show. How could anyone possibly conceive that any of these seemingly benign or even helpful methods or talkshows might have a connection to Satan or that which is against God? A brother in Christ whom I met for coffee one day gave me the answer to that question: He referred to the Scripture in which Eve took of the fruit, and while it had the appearance of something good, the results of her partaking were detrimental.

So when the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. (Genesis 3:6)

Secondly, and just as important, what actually constitutes that which is satanic? Virtually everyone in Christendom equates that term, satanic, with things dark and sinister. However, the Bible paints a far different picture of Satan—one that fits the New Age movement perfectly. Satan said, “I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). He did not say he would be the Most High; he said he would be like the Most High. The word “like” here means to correspond to. How could Satan accomplish this mission?

It is important to understand that Satan is not simply trying to draw people to the dark side of a good versus evil conflict. Actually, he is trying to eradicate the gap between himself and God, between good and evil, altogether. When we understand this approach it helps us see why Thomas Merton said everyone is already united with God or why Jack Canfield said he felt God flowing through all things. All means all—nothing left out. Such reasoning implies that God has given His glory to all of creation; since Satan is part of creation, then he too shares in this glory, and thus is “like the Most High.”

Contrary to this belief of good and evil merging and man or creation becoming “like the Most High,” man and God can only be brought together through the Cross. If the all-is-one view were true, then salvation through a Redeemer would become unnecessary and Jesus’ death on the Cross would be rendered altogether futile and pointless. In order for the Cross to make any sense, there must be a separation between God’s perfect nature and Man’s sin nature. We know Satan has only one enemy—the Cross; he knows that without it no human being can be restored to God.

The Bible says the message of the Cross is the power of God, and while there are two opposing spiritual realms, God has always and will always, prevail. Satan can never thwart God’s ultimate plan. And yet, today’s Western society is enticed by practical mystics who deny, by their own proclamations, God’s plan of eternal salvation. Will the majority of mankind come to believe that all is one and there is no line to be drawn in the sand regarding good and evil? The Bible admonishes, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” (Isaiah 5:20)

Yet, such a plan now exists and will shape future events—events that will alter the course on which millions will advance. 


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(from A Time of Departing, from chapter 5, "Discernment")

Notes:
1. David Spangler, “The New Age is Here”  (New Thought  magazine,   Spring 1989), p. 6.
2. A personal email sent to Ray Yungen in 2005.
3. Joy Gardner-Gordon, Pocket Guide to the Chakras (Berkley, CA:   Crossing Press, 1998), p. 31.
4. Glenn Derrick, “Reiki and Chi Kung” (Reiki News, Winter   1994, http://www.reiki.org//reikinews/reikin 19.html, accessed   12/2005), p. 12.
5.  Neil T. Anderson, Terry E. Zuehlke, Julianne S. Zuehlke, Christ Centered Therapy: The Practical Integration of Theology and  Psychology  (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), p. 61.

[Psalm 51:17]

In addition, one of the excuses I hear from supposedly professed Christians who practice this stuff is, "Why does it matter? We love God, so everything's OK".

As for these faithful Christians mentioned in this article that ended up falling for this after many, many years of being fundamental - honestly, it sounded like they never had any discernment. No, not everyone is perfect in this area(I am FAR from it), but the Boreans searched the scriptures daily to see if these things were so. It sounds like these long-time Christians think b/c they are already saved and free, they are free to do this stuff without searching the scriptures, or even the internet for resources exposing this stuff for that matter.

[Kilika]

As for these faithful Christians mentioned in this article that ended up falling for this after many, many years of being fundamental - honestly, it sounded like they never had any discernment.

There is an assumption that people who frequent a traditional church building is "Christian". That's a big mistake to assume that. The vast majority that do those things are not Christian, which is one who believes AND has the Holy Ghost. Maybe the discernment isn't there because the Spirit isn't there. Those types are the ones I believe Jesus will tell He never knew them.

They give off an appearance of Christian, trying to be "christ-like", but there is no light in them.

[Mark]

Holy Yoga For Jesus

Grab your mat and say a prayer, Seattle. Yoga just got a whole lot more pious. “Holy Yoga” is happening in Redmond Friday and Saturday, part of a weekend workshop event for yogis with Christian convictions. What’s on the schedule? I’m so glad you asked. Attendees will start out with a “Jesus at the Core” Bible study. (Get it? Because yoga is all about engaging your core, right?) There’s gentle holy yoga and power holy yoga — all about encouraging “victorious living in Christ.” “Holy Yoga is a holistic worship experience,” said Brooke Boon, founder of Holy Yoga. “We use our minds to study and meditate on the word of God, our hearts to listen, our bodies to glorify and our souls to respond to the promptings of His Holy Spirit.”

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/06/02/holy-yoga-for-jesus-is-coming-to-seattle-area/

[Mark]

‘Holy yoga’ at Everett church combines scripture with movement

Kathi Myron believes that emotions can affect a person's physical well-being.

"We get blocked up by keeping things in," she said. "You won't be feeling good at that point."

Myron, Canyon Creek Church's "holy yoga" instructor, withheld her emotions for years after her father died when he was 42. She was a high school senior.

It wasn't until her experience with Holy Yoga that she confronted her emotions, which were causing tension her joints and hips, she said.

"The yoga and opening up my body made me feel like a different person," she said.

rest: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/delicious/gqlf/~3/I_ppPWFhAuA/news01

I can only imagine just how she felt after opening herself up to devil influence, and now she is teaching it to others. We can see right here how the devil invades churches.

Yoga Exposed (2 Parts)
8/31/2008

Yoga is from the Sankrit word Yug, meaning ‘union’ (with the Divine, your higher ‘SELF’). Yoga is supposedly a path for transcending the ordinary mind (who you think you are) in order to merge with your ‘higher SELF’ or ‘God SELF.’ Yoga means ‘to yoke’ — to yoke with Brahman (i.e., the ‘Infinite,’ the ‘Universal Spirit,’ the impersonal force that the Hindus call ‘God’) via the realization of an altered state of consciousness, thereby theoretically releasing oneself from the bondage of endless reincarnation. Yoga comes out of the Hindu Vedas. It can be traced back to Patanjali, who was a religious leader. Shiva, one of Hinduism’s three most powerful gods, was known as ‘The Destroyer’ — he’s called Yogi Swara or the ‘Lord of Yoga.’

Yoga is clearly a New Age concept that is deeply religious and pantheistic in its origin. It is widely practiced and supported by New Age proponents. The New Age movement denies the reality of sin and total depravity, and believes that man is generally good and is divine. They teach that there is a god within us, and we are to harness that and develop it through meditation and other metaphysical techniques. They teach that the only thing people need is enlightenment regarding their divinity. Sadly, even professing Christians have bought into this lie. Every yoga teacher is, in effect, a Hindu or Buddhist missionary, even though ‘he or she may wear a cross, insist that Jesus was a great Yogi, and protest that Yoga is not a religion, but science’. This is the most blatant of lies as we will see.

http://www.contendingfortruth.com/?p=1085

[2BeNoticed]

1 Corinthians 10:23
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

Romans 14:23
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

No practice that allows room for doubt is of Faith. Knowledge of these things gives us an edge in getting a better grasp of understanding the spirit realm  The practice of these unbiblical pieces of knowledge is not expedient nor is it by hearing of the word of God. The greatest lie has to have something of the truth(foundational) in order for the paper thin floors(The Lies) to be able to cover the emptiness that lies underneath(Deception of religion) when people begin to feel through the paper thin floors waving through the emptiness beneath only to happenstance graze a foundational truth that is used to support the lies. They cling to that foundational truth trying to justify the paper thin floors that have no support without the foundational truth that was used in order to pull them in. There are too many religions and sects that do this. I can only say practice Love and Let the Holy Spirit show you the foundational truths that can be gleaned  from knowing only to reinforce what God has already shown you not replace it.
Prime example: the golden rule do unto others as you would have them to do unto you (not biblical),(Supports scripture indirectly) Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Do we replace scripture with the golden rule now? NO
Do we begin to think that the golden rule, and the Holy word are now interchangeable? NO
Do we think God is so awesome that even the heathen are compelled to speak his truth? YES God is Awesome!!!!!

[Mark]

Franklin church mixes yoga and Christian spirituality
To church, using exercise born in East is departure

About 60 women rolled out their mats in a dimly lit carpeted room for an hour of connecting to God through Scripture meditation, prayer and downward-facing dog.

They do this each Sunday.

But this yoga class isn’t in a studio — it goes on alongside children’s choir practice and Sunday night Bible study at The People’s Church in Franklin.

Holy Yoga, led by instructor Keleah Anderson, is going into its third year at the church and has almost doubled its number of participants since the free program started.

To the Baptist-affiliated church, yoga is just one more way to reach out.

“We’ve been known to do things in not the mainstream typical ways,” said women’s pastor Cindy Cole.

To some Christians, yoga represents Hinduism and/or New Age thinking. Last year at this time, Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, stirred up national attention when he blasted yoga in his blog on AlbertMohler.com. He contended that Christians should not practice yoga.

“Al Mohler is a friend of mine,” said People’s Church pastor Rick White. “But I don’t see it like Al sees it.”

However, The People’s Church is fairly clear on where it draws the line. Offering yoga for exercise’s sake alone wouldn’t be in the church’s plan. Neither would any type of Eastern-influenced yoga. For them Holy Yoga is about casting their net.

“This is just another hook in the water for us,” White said. “When you take someone like Keleah, it takes this to a level of excellence and spirituality.”

Anderson, 39, a yoga teacher for 10 years, has gradually added Christian teachings to her yoga sessions. Once she read the book Holy Yoga, she knew she was on to something and went on to be certified as a Holy Yoga instructor.

“We’re in this no-man’s land,” said Holy Yoga founder Brooke Boon of Phoenix. “The yoga community doesn’t think we’re yoga and the Christian community doesn’t think we’re Christ-like.”

“Well, where do we fit in?” she said. “We get it from both sides, but the tide is changing.”

Boon has about 450 instructors in 43 states and six countries since she started training teachers. Five of those instructors, including Anderson, are in the Nashville area. Anderson, however, is the only one teaching at a church at this time.
Yoga and worship

With contemporary Christian music playing in the background Sunday evening, Anderson quoted Scripture and spoke about opening hearts to Christ, knowing him and his love for them as she led the class through Ashtanga yoga postures.

During resting postures, Anderson walked around the room and stopped to gently push participants deeper into a posture while she whispered a little prayer for them. At other times, women would sing softly with the music. “Go ahead, sing!” Anderson said. “This is your worship.

“Holy Yoga creates a safe place for Christians to do yoga,” she said.

Participant Heather Houle used to practice secular yoga but hasn’t since she started doing Holy Yoga. “I’ve had tears roll down to the mat sometimes,” she said of the experience.

Tracey Rogers, who’s been practicing yoga for about four years, still will go to a secular class. “But it wasn’t until Keleah’s classes that it became intentional,” she adds, saying her focus is on God no matter what class she’s in.

“I know people are skeptical,” Anderson said. “I just ask them to come. Most tell me afterward that it’s not what they thought it was.”
In the beginning

Boon started Holy Yoga in 2002 in Phoenix.

Boon, who was raised Jewish, dove into yoga, logging 2,500 hours of training. After becoming a Christian, she dropped the practice. “Like most Christians, I was unsure about it,” she said.

But she got back on the mat, played Christian music and prayed. Boon said God gave her the idea to teach again, but with a new focus.

“If God is sovereign over all things,” she said, “then I have to know yoga falls into that.”


http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110927/WILLIAMSON01/309270040/Franklin-church-mixes-yoga-and-Christian-spirituality?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+delicious%2Fgqlf+%28Christian+Headlines+Top+Headlines%29

[PeanutGallery]

Prime example: the golden rule do unto others as you would have them to do unto you (not biblical),(Supports scripture indirectly) Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

(not biblical)?
You lost me here; how are golden rule and Matt 7:12 different?
Unless, it was in relation to salvation by works vs faith.

[Kilika]

I think what he means is that the wording is not biblical, as in a new translation. The wording has been changed by the world from what scripture says. Personally, I see what he's saying that the wording is not scripture, it's been changed, but the message is the same. One could argue though that it not being the Word, but a version, it has no life in it, and the message is lost literally in translation.

[PeanutGallery]

I'll buy that; but, what happens when a new perversion bible uses that quote?
Then many will claim it to be biblical.
-------------------
Jer_6:16  Thus saith the LORD , Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

[Mark]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV6bvTHumqk&feature=player_embedded

[Psalm 51:17]

In our present day, it seems like the word "Christian" is becoming an oxymoron word of itself - pretty much if anyone says he/she is a Christian, then almost automatically everyone is supposed to assume he/she is just that. Can't tell you how many times I've been told to not "judge" Billy Graham and Rick Warren b/c somehow God put them in the national spotlight with all of the "work" they've done.

Matthew_15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.