Many of the fundamentalist churches and others have decried what has come to be known as "New Age". This fellow offers perhaps the best defense I have seen to the "eye for an eye" and divisive movements, which feel moved to attack those who are trying to investigate and find answers to their personal issues on a higher plane. There are a plethora of belief systems and each are valid at the particular moment for any number of human beings. My great connundrum, which I believe is engendered through schooling practices is this, why do we have the audacity to think that anyone who believes differently than us is wrong and should be attacked? Is it because at some point we have felt our own intrinsic beliefs disapproved of and negated by well meaning parents, teachers, or others?
I believe that co-operation and acceptance are the true building blocks of community. To any fundamentalist christians I would suggest that you follow your truth. Christ discussed love at many points and it was the most important part of his ministry - he showed love regardless of the people's viewpoint or belief system. He also said about his miracles "Greater things than these will ye also do. If ye believe." He did not say "if ye believe in me." This is the fundamental principle behind much of the "New Age" movement.
So where exactly is the disconnect? Perhaps anything "New" or different is automatically feared by some of these insular groups?
Perhaps being an exclusive group rather than an inclusive one is the problem - we are christians and they are not? Christ did not have that mindset, I would suggest to you. The division does not come from Christ but from the dogma of the religion. Dogma is a way of "nailing down" beliefs so that they cannot progress to another level. How do people then grow and learn more?
But I digress. This Mark Passio of whom he speaks in the video is an advocate of violence. If someone comes against you, you should violently oppose them and, he says, the New Age says you shouldn't. This is ridiculous nonsense. The New Age as Gabriel notes in the video is not a religion and has many different facets. This Mark fellow has entirely misunderstood what the movement is about and is ranting his "eye for an eye" philosophy. One wonders if some of these people on Youtube are not plants to incite violence. But in any event, I put this up here to counter people coming out against the New Age (not that I don't believe they have a right to free speech - I do) and the misunderstanding it could create.
When free thought is not allowed, we have facisim. We stray into dangerous territory when we fear and hate groups who have different belief systems. We are all different. We will all need different belief systems. That is okay. Just because I hold one and you hold another, doesn't make me better or worse than you, just different. Five years from now we may both be on to new vistas and that is okay. It does not make the old viewpoint wrong, just wrong for us now.
Let's get away from the idea we were taught in school - there 's one way, (that would have been the teacher's_) and if you don't espouse it you are bad and I will send you to the office for discipline. Come on now, we are adults. Let's let the little kid stuff go.
I believe that co-operation and acceptance are the true building blocks of community. To any fundamentalist christians I would suggest that you follow your truth. Christ discussed love at many points and it was the most important part of his ministry - he showed love regardless of the people's viewpoint or belief system. He also said about his miracles "Greater things than these will ye also do. If ye believe." He did not say "if ye believe in me." This is the fundamental principle behind much of the "New Age" movement.
So where exactly is the disconnect? Perhaps anything "New" or different is automatically feared by some of these insular groups?
Perhaps being an exclusive group rather than an inclusive one is the problem - we are christians and they are not? Christ did not have that mindset, I would suggest to you. The division does not come from Christ but from the dogma of the religion. Dogma is a way of "nailing down" beliefs so that they cannot progress to another level. How do people then grow and learn more?
But I digress. This Mark Passio of whom he speaks in the video is an advocate of violence. If someone comes against you, you should violently oppose them and, he says, the New Age says you shouldn't. This is ridiculous nonsense. The New Age as Gabriel notes in the video is not a religion and has many different facets. This Mark fellow has entirely misunderstood what the movement is about and is ranting his "eye for an eye" philosophy. One wonders if some of these people on Youtube are not plants to incite violence. But in any event, I put this up here to counter people coming out against the New Age (not that I don't believe they have a right to free speech - I do) and the misunderstanding it could create.
When free thought is not allowed, we have facisim. We stray into dangerous territory when we fear and hate groups who have different belief systems. We are all different. We will all need different belief systems. That is okay. Just because I hold one and you hold another, doesn't make me better or worse than you, just different. Five years from now we may both be on to new vistas and that is okay. It does not make the old viewpoint wrong, just wrong for us now.
Let's get away from the idea we were taught in school - there 's one way, (that would have been the teacher's_) and if you don't espouse it you are bad and I will send you to the office for discipline. Come on now, we are adults. Let's let the little kid stuff go.
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