why do alot of peopke dislike new age?

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ArmyOfOne1911

I walked in the book store not to long ago and asked if they had any Robert Bruce books in and he said they did but he didn't recommend it because it was new age etc... Robert Bruce was actually the guy who I first heard of. His material allowed me to have my first obe. I'm not a religious person but I won't say that God doesn't exist... After all what do I know? It's just I never could stand religion... I don't really see God as what the bible says etc. I kinda have my own views. It's just I notice a lot of people dislike New age. Why is this?

Stillwater

The new age represents for many people a sort of "anti-religion".

In its attempt to avoid dogmas, and to be open to all sorts of ideas the movement as a whole may have been too accepting. There are not a fixed number of ideals held by new-agers, but among them are the use of crystals, channeling spirits and entities, the use of astral projection, magical endtimes full of "5th-dimensional ascensions", the idea of extra-terrestrials as higher order spiritual beings, energy bodies, ley-lines, earth-magic, astrological prophecies, and all sorts of other things.

Some of those things may have merit in their own respects, and different groups have different views, but the new age as a whole took them all part-and-parcel.

I think people are highly critical of the movement for that reason, and tend to view it as the downfall of intuitve, non-empirical exploration of metaphysics.
"The Gardener is but a dream of the Garden."

-Unattributed Zen monastic

Lionheart

 Unfortunately in this world of greed and materialism that has been created, some people are too busy thinking of themselves then to allow themselves to think "outside of the box", which is what New Age is. People fear what they can't understand or they just plain ignore it and hope it goes away.

Killa Rican

#3
Well..."New Age" is a pretty broad faith. A lot of types of spiritualitys and practices pre-existant can be thrown under it.

When the New Age movement started - it was a good thing...publications were up. Books on Occult subject were once again obtainable - a lot of people "came out of hiding" and were less underground about there practices.

New Age is very mainstream now, in a culture dominated by Materialism Vs Religion.

I see "New Age" as an attempt, to throw every belief system in one pot, mix it together, and try to find reason in it. Reminds me of Universalism, the belief that every path is the "right path" rather then the one "True Path" that Jesus spoke about.

Personally my only "beef" with it is since it is so mainstream and what it's come down to at this point, basically New Age material is the "metaphysical" category most widely offered to the public, some or most who often have no interest in digging further or are led to believe there is nothing more of value to them after this exposure... I consider it's pretty disturbing. People should continue to seek answers and keep questioning regardless if they think they found there "truth". Not even settle for less.. IMO.

Also yeah...When I think "New Age" I cant help but have the "Age of Aquarius" song play in my head when I read about Alien Channellings, and the "Light Worker" cult movement...-__-
For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, none will suffice. ~Joseph Dunninger

Volgerle

Quote from: Stillwater on March 26, 2012, 00:34:00
The new age represents for many people a sort of "anti-religion".
Indeed, but with the irony of it being that some (not all!) of its critics (mostly from the religionist camp) themselves call it "The New Age Religion". Maybe its due to their need to make it understandable / tangible / palpable for them, since they cannot or are not willing to grasp any more 'open' concepts, worldviews and belief systems, which are outside of their mind box. Hence for them every metaphysical viewpoint or topic must be put under a label of a certain type of 'religion'.

CFTraveler

New Age is a threat to many groups- the 'Old time religionists' and materialists both, because it doesn't fit in with either, and also because religion probably loses members to new age movements every day, due to their reluctance to accept certain ideas. 
When I first started working in my New Thought church (which is not New Age, btw, but attracts a lot of New Age people) the local 'orthodox' churches in our area started campaigning against our church, and one of the things that were said were that we were "New Age", and that we were a threat to 'good christians'.  This was hilarious, because what happened is that many New Agers that were not satisfied with what they were doing ended up going to our church, and religious people that were curious about what their pastors were talking about ended up going to it too, to see what was so scary about us too.
So we ended up with a great diverse group, which is great, because many people with many opinions make for really interesting discussion groups.
Anyway, I think I got off the point, so I'll stop now.

Volgerle

Quote from: CFTraveler on March 26, 2012, 10:19:38Anyway, I think I got off the point, so I'll stop now.
But I really liked to read this story, CFT. That's the way that supposed "change" or "shift" should work for society in general, at least what I would hope for personally. People should or could still remain affiliated with their religious backgrounds (christian, jewish, muslim, any eastern or whatever) but be looking and thinking out of the box and creating networks and groups with other open-minded people. Looking for what UNITES us, not what DIVIDES us (It's actually what we do here in this online forum, too, imho).

Rudolph

#7
Quote from: ArmyOfOne1911 on March 25, 2012, 23:58:08
It's just I notice a lot of people dislike New age. Why is this?

Probably because there is so much to not like.

I can honestly say that I have been close to the New Age Movement since about 1970 and I have seen a lot.

In the beginning I was very young and gullible and I swallowed so much of it whole. But then as time marched on I found that nearly everything that was being promulgated was untrue. A lot of it not only bordered on insane but some popular branches were just plain loonytoons.

The really Dark and Destructive side of the New Age is easily visible in the stream of anti-Catholic lies, bigotry and Hatespeech that is continuously repeated. In the beginning I believed it myself. But then it just got more and more outrageous and soon I was pausing and standing back and looking at it a little skeptically and then I had to come right and say, "Hey, I happen to know for a fact that that claim is just plain False".

There is a current of Victim-Consciousness in the general New Age doctrines that belies the "let's pretend" shore story about being enlightened and struggling against the Forces that are trying to keep Truth and Light away from the struggling masses. This is baloney. The most readily available forms of Genuine Truth and Light are ignored by most of the pseudo-seekers while the most absurd forms of obfuscation and falsehood are strongly embraced.

There is so much beauty and awesome wonder in the Ancient Traditions that are right there in front of us. Those who focus on the negative aspects reveal the flaw in their own hearts. The typical Catholic who practices Centering Prayer Meditation and follows the Liturgical calendar with the fasting and ritual, etc. is imho wayyyy ahead of the average New Age pretender who meditates sometimes and talks more about enlightenment than he actually actively works on it. He is way ahead of the self appointed priest who serves up the Gnostic Mass (which is a giant, blatant plagiarized rip-off of the ancient RC Tridentine Mass). I know faithful practicing Catholics who have mystical experiences and vivid LD's that would be the envy of many who follow and manage these AP forums. They move through each day with Love in their hearts and an Agape that is beyond the ken of most New Age hypocrites.

Most New Agers have a LOT of growing up to do before the general public will look upon them with anything other than the disdain that they have earned.
Beware the fake "seeker" who finds Truth to be abusive.

Killa Rican

For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, none will suffice. ~Joseph Dunninger

ArmyOfOne1911

Thanks a bunch for the replies.  :-D I guess you can say I am opened minded to things... But I for myself have to experience it to have a solid opinion on it. Would you guys concider Robert Bruce New age? I mean his books are in that section but his material makes a lot of sense to me. But like I said... I really don't have any religion... Movement... Group... Or anything I am associated with. All I know is astral projection is real... I'm here to learn an keep on learning. Experiment.

CFTraveler

Hell no.
I wouldn't consider him New Age, and I think he even has expressed some opinions about some New Age teachings he doesn't agree with. 

ArmyOfOne1911


Stillwater

The public isn't really accustomed to dealing with mysticism and metaphsyics, so it isn't surprising that they have no real way of drawing distinctions between what initiates consider major differences and taxonomies. "New Age" is a blanket term that gets applied to a set of beliefs and movements as diverse as Shintoism is from Islam.

It just isn't their sphere. Would a Chinese dude really know the real difference between a Jehovah's Witness and a Mormon, afterall?
"The Gardener is but a dream of the Garden."

-Unattributed Zen monastic

Seeking ET

#13
    I also have a couple ideas, being a "new ager" myself.  I live in a predominately Mormon community, almost 70% (not Utah), so my beliefs are regularly under attack by the majority of the people I go to work and school with.  Initially, the religious feel so strongly about their faith, they believe it makes so much sense, that they are sometimes surprised when others don't pick it up and run with it as they have.  It seems almost a personal attack on their intelligence when they tell you the "good word" and you shake your head in disappointment, rather than jump for joy at the news.  They can't understand how you could see things differently.  
   Sometimes the religious feel that we're simply creating our own God.  They believe that we don't have the strength to live up to the gospel, or have some deep seeded desire to sin, and so we deny what we can't accomplish and create a God more to our standards.  Basically, if God doesn't want me having sex, then I'll just pretend God is someone who DOES.  They don't take the time to understand that new age beliefs, such as God not actually being as furious and judgmental towards the human race as the Bible makes "Him" out to be, can bring about MORE inner peace than any dogmatic institution.  They certainly have a difficult time with the notion that texts written thousands of years ago might HAVE to be dismissed in certain areas because of the "new age" progress of science, because for some unforeseeable reason, the religious God didn't create science, but detests it.  I've heard it all, including alien visitation are nothing but demons from hell, and dinosaur fossils were placed here by the devil to trick us.  
   Lastly, the "new age" movement is a direct attack on Christian fundamentals.  The typical new ager feels that the sooner the Bible is taken out of literal context, the sooner the truth about God and humanity can ultimately bring us closer together.  In the new age movement, sex is liberation, sin is simply error, hell does not exist as a reign of a devil, and Earthlings aren't the only intelligence in the universe.  In the Christian belief, the world is growing worse BECAUSE of such ideas, and in the end Jesus will come to punish us for our disbelief and create a world utopia where all CHRISTIANS can live in harmony and joy, while the rest of us burn in eternal hell fire.  They possess an esoteric mindset, and the idea that Christian prophecy will not come about as they faithfully believe to them feels like an attack on their God, which they then violently defend.  
   Not EVERYTHING in the Bible needs to be dismissed.  "Cast not your gems before dogs, or your pearls before swine, lest they trample them, then turn to rend you", is good advice for any new ager.  Remember that it is not a question of wisdom vs. wisdom.  It's more like wisdom vs. piety.  Wisdom is combined education with experience.  Piety is simply obedience.  New agers are typically true seekers.  They are more concerned about the actual truth rather than what they are TAUGHT is truth, and courageously study a great deal more in a genuine attempt to piece together the whole picture.  The religious, especially Christianity, don't look beyond a single text, and therefor don't "buy" anything that's not specifically IN that text.  But then, if that were true, I suppose China doesn't really exist, because it's never biblically mentioned.  
   Don't get frustrated!  The new age movement is strong, and growing.  Because it now has strong roots that didn't exist 20 years ago, other generations will very early on be able to hear these other teachings and, not having decades of indoctrination behind them, more easily embrace other ideas.  It's ahead of its time right now, but that's a good indication that later generations will recognize its validity.  Amidst all this, don't forget that religion is indoctrination.  They do not want to hear the truth, because "they have it".  Rather, they prefer that you listen.  They do not want to study other possible ideas, because "they have the right one".  They would prefer that you stop.  When a person has accepted a teaching, they will not make room within for any counter idea, especially if they believe that what they have accepted must be accepted on faith, against all science and reason.  Remember, beliefs of faith are unprovable, and thus no amount of proof is enough to make them reconsider their faith.  It's much more natural to attack counter ideas than reconsider your own, and that's why we see such conflict between the religious and the more open minded with society.  I'm reminded of a saying that seems appropriate:
"In order to think outside the box, you must first accept that you are in one".

P.S.  Regarding Robert Bruce... though I don't know the man, I think he would agree that religion doesn't reflect our true nature as multidimensional beings, nor that God is a punishing, rule enforcing Deity.  Those are ideas with a seasoning of "new age''.  It's hard to say because, unlike, say, Christianity or Jedaism, "New Age" has overlapping ideas, and it's NECESSARY beliefs aren't laid out (nor should they be).  To be Christian is very specific.  To be "new age" is very broad, subject to interpretation and disagreement.  We should ask him.

WiZe

#14
Simply because they're not ready for the transformation yet. They're still consumed by the old age history and how they were "trained" to think and believe. They'll continue to believe what they've been taught and never even think that the 'new age' ideas are real because they've been taught to be close minded and not open to any new ideas.

This is how my mother is, she thinks all the new age is BS, she's a Christian. But slowly I can tell the brainwashing is going away and her mind is opening.

majour ka

People just dont get it.
Im also certain if you asked several people, including us lot here, we would all have a different opinion of what it is.
The one problem we do have and I say this with respect is that "New age" what ever it is,.. does seem to cover a large spectrum of ideas  also does attract its fair share of nutters and that can often be reflected in peoples opinions. Further more, since what we do is so misunderstood, people often are of the perception that we are airy fairy people with our head in the clouds, when in fact compassionate, sensitive, creative an intelligent is what your more likely to encounter (may be im being a little over optimistic lol)

Ironically when you look at "new age" most of the practices ideals and interests that fall under the title, are in fact ancient ideas, practices, philosophies and traditions dating back hundreds or thousands of years. Nothing new about them at all lol  8-)


WiZe

QuoteNothing new about them at all lol

Right, lol. More like the "Rediscovered Age"

Stillwater

QuoteNothing new about them at all lol

From wiki:

The term New Age was used as early as 1809 by William Blake who described a coming era of spiritual and artistic advancement in his preface to Milton a Poem by stating: "... when the New Age is at leisure to pronounce, all will be set right ..."


It also has something to do with the idea of the "Age of Aquarius".
"The Gardener is but a dream of the Garden."

-Unattributed Zen monastic

Contenteo

QuoteI see "New Age" as an attempt, to throw every belief system in one pot, mix it together, and try to find reason in it.

There are really no boundaries on it. It can conduct a lot of easy stereotyping. Stereotypes that either end of the New Age community will not be happy with. For instance, focusing crystals, incense, and drug use, as unfortunate as it has been, have been hallmarks. It only takes one bad egg to make the dozen look unappealing.  If a scientist accepted the New Age label, his credibility will have a shiny target that opponents of his research can easily shoot at to discredit him before people actually looked at his work.

I'd say, it is simply an idea that came before its time has come. History is fraught with the same tragic story.

Cheers,
Contenteo

Lionheart

Quote from: Contenteo on June 13, 2012, 02:22:47
  If a scientist accepted the New Age label, his credibility will have a shiny target that opponents of his research can easily shoot at to discredit him before people actually looked at his work.
Most Scientists would be ridiculed if they believed in God period. Science is supposed to look for rational answers to everything, answers that can be proven through, well, science methodology in general.

Killa Rican

Quote from: Stillwater on June 13, 2012, 01:26:40

It also has something to do with the idea of the "Age of Aquarius".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDEn1yhg5wE

Muahaha I couldnt resist...  :-D
For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, none will suffice. ~Joseph Dunninger

zareste

If they didn't call Robert Bruce New Age then they would have nothing to get mad about.

majour ka

Quote from: Stillwater on June 13, 2012, 01:26:40
is at leisure to pronounce, all will be set right ..."[/i]



Love that sentence..thanks still water ;o)

Barnowl

Quote from: WiZe on June 08, 2012, 16:58:37
Simply because they're not ready for the transformation yet. They're still consumed by the old age history and how they were "trained" to think and believe. They'll continue to believe what they've been taught and never even think that the 'new age' ideas are real because they've been taught to be close minded and not open to any new ideas.

This is how my mother is, she thinks all the new age is BS, she's a Christian. But slowly I can tell the brainwashing is going away and her mind is opening.

I can relate to this. Too much dogma and not-questionable beliefs...plus the, 'arrogance' that we know how life works (and then complain when life throws up something that we didn't predict...)

This is why I like new age... because it kinda forces you to be, 'open minded' (not all the time, but most of the time)
Arrogance of old set of beliefs doesn't do it for me. Snobery is still a bit rife amongst a certain generation, like the world sometimes owes them a living, rather than being constructive and helping out...

...still, thankfully, this is slowly dying out :-)
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