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Christianity isn't about this world but what lies beyond it. The arbiter of truth isn't what makes the world better.
I agree with you that there are a lot of hypocritical, hateful and judgemental people "playing church", with weirdos, perverts and evil hiding in every church. Fortunately the church does not define a Christian though. Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ not a religion. A non-Christian could never understand that unless they experience it for themselves. I see Christ working in my life in unexplainable ways, and It feels comforting to know that a higher authority is on my side and looking over me. All I have to say about the world being "a better place because of Christianity", is everyone will know just how much of a better place it was when the Holy Spirit is lifted from the earth in Revelations "end times" and all hell breaks loose, literally.
You can not compare anything with Christianity.
There are two interesting developmental benchmarks in the relationship between a man and his father: when he realizes that he could overpower his father, and when he realizes that his father was right all along.
Ridiculous.
Depends who your father is I guess.
That's right!
You don't understand it. Watch the videos I posted above. Also look at Steven Bancarz. The guy was new age guru. Promoting meditations and making big bucks out of it. Listen to him now.
Would you disagree if I postulated that that 'satanic', in its core, is defined as any framework, practice or behavior that does not advance one's relationship with God? Working from this premise onward, does it not seem that the common people, the masses of Muslims and Jews, are at least trying to advance their relationship with God? As such, I could not bring myself to call these belief systems satanic, as much as misguided. To me, satanic implies a degree of intentionality: you are actively rejecting God. Is it not true, then, that no false conclusion that sprouts out of good intention can ever be described as satanism? It must be all about intentionality -- intentionality, after all, is the difference between murder and manslaughter, even if the end result is equally poor. Interestingly, when converting pagans, the apostles often used the spiritual frameworks of the pagans -- their own lore! -- to effectively prove the superiority of Christ. How much more then could God prove his superiority through misguided religious frameworks such as these, to those whom he chooses?
Do you know what is the precise characteristic definition of the kind of meditative state that opens one to demonic influence? At what point does the act of concentration make you vulnerable to evil influence? Clearly when we're immersed in a hobby or an activity we enjoy we are not in the risk of becoming possessed, even though our focus may grow so great that our minds grow silent and devoid of thoughts. If we, then, apply the same kind of intense focus to say, our breathing, does anything change?
He must be a man of great wisdom, given that you come to agree with him. Is it not so? Heh.
I'm certain I understand it better than anyone here because I did it for years and experienced the void, the end goal of meditation. Jesus and some other saints are said to have experienced the same. There are different ways to ascend and meditation is a legitimate way of doing so.
I'd prefer to skim through a body of text.
I'm not familiar with New Ageism. It appears to be some sort of outlandish religion. Don't confuse their belief system with grounded awareness training that has a basis in neuroscience.
Ah, I see you're not who I originally replied to, my bad & sorry to hear.
