Hi Everybody,

There has been something that I have been wondering about for a long time, and have had no forum to discuss or ask the questions I have been asking. So hopefully everybody here could help me with my problem/questions.

I have been a Christian now for about 5 and a half years. I was saved from a life of drugs and occultism/new age witchcraft. After I was introduced as a Christian to the world of Christian mysticism I almost immediately fell in love with it. The mystics, their practices and their writings inspire me and help me to better understand God, the world, myself and others. And so I always feel that it must be a path that is God centred.

I have great difficulty however with the fact that today's Christian mystical resurgence and the modern mystical movement seem to be forever partnering with Other religions and sometimes even the New Age from which I was saved. My questions are these:

1. Why was God so clearly against the religions of the Pagan nations in the Old Testament.
2. Why do modern mystics no longer seem to feel that God still feels this way.
3. How can we as Christians practice things like yoga, which comes from a religious tradition filled with occultism and witchcraft, practices clearly forbidden in scripture.Even Kundalini is a practice that releases the serpent force (remember that satan has been the symbolic serpent from the beginning), within us and many Christians seem to be okay with this.

4. Why is there so little focus on Satan and the demonic and their influence in mysticism and non-Christian religion when we as Christians meet with, interact with and practice with Non-Christian religions.

5. Are we not opening up doors for the demonic to influence us when we associate ourselves with and practice with non-Christian religions.

I am not saying that we should not speak with and learn from other religions, but where do we draw the line. I believe God is Gracious and that He is working in all people at all times, but surely it is to call them to the Body of Christ. And if they live by their consciences then yes they may be saved, but this is surely not always the case, as our heart are often deceived by the things around us (including our religion).

I ask all of this sincerely and with love and pray that somebody may help me with my questions.

Much Love in the Lord Jesus
Jacques

Nice to hear from you, Jacques.

Good questions, too. And I can really understand where you're coming from having been saved from drugs, new age sorcery etc myself.

I found contemplative prayer a very natural thing for me, but didn't really come to it until a few years after a series of terrible psychic attacks related to the new age healer I was involved with. I still suffer from time to time but have a solid Christian faith which really grounds me and a firm belief that God is protecting me and can deliver me completely if He wills.

Still, when anyone gets involved with new age stuff/occultism etc they open themselves up to all sorts of demonic attack/sorcery/black magic, so it's only sensible to stay close to Christ and keep all the doors closed.

I think you'll find an intelligent assessment of new age belief on these boards and lively discussion on Christian interaction with other religions. My own understanding is that it's possible to deal intellectualy with other belief systems, learn a bit as you say, but not advisable to get involved at a practical level, not least because the energies are different, can get mixed up and, to my mind, are liable to leave opening for demonic interference.

The fact is however that we are not immune to demonic interference just because we pray and lead a Christian life. We need to keep putting on that armour. Indeed I've found that contemplative prayer has stirred up the K and that in turn has opened up old doors to new age connections. I don't think that's the fault of my practise or even the risen K as such, more a reflection of old wounds which haven't yet been healed.

Anyway, all the best and I hope some of your questions get answered in the course of your time here on these boards.

Welcome Jacques!

Stephen has mentioned one important point above. The energy that exist in new age stuff is unclean. Every spiritual matter is not sacred. Satan exists in the realm of spirituality and if we open our selves in non-Christ spirituality it is much likely that we disclouse ourselves to the energy of Satan. Christ needs for this particular reason. It is only through him we can guarded us from those impure energies and principalities. As you, Stephen and many people are witnessed once we leave the realm of that impure energy the dark energies bomarded us both with psychic and direct attack.

As Stephen put it correctly when we start to follow the path of Christ we are not immuned from the interference of this impure energies but we are guarded and secured by Christ. The attack follows when we follow Christ actually helps us to strength our faith in him.

You put very important questions. It is natural that our mind asked many questions. We can get help by discussing those questions with other people. In my experience the best clarity comes through the guidance of Holy Spirit. The guidance of HS always surprised me because the Spirit never answered my questions chronologically. What HS doing is it expands the consciusness and through that expansion I get more clarity than I anticipated. I'm sure you will get answers and clarity through prayer and meditation.

"The attack follows when we follow Christ actually helps us to strength our faith in him."

Great point, Grace, and very true .

Welcome, Jacques!

I see a value in other religious traditions, since they assist me in examining my own beliefs more closely and challenge me to find a faith closer to
what Christ was revealing to us. Saints of all faiths seem to me more alike than different, but that is just my opinion and that and $.50 might get you a cup of coffee!

I hope you don't mind if I ask you a couple of questions. I'm slowly becoming a Moslem after a long lapse from my religion, but I have a deep, deep love for the Church, for Jesus Christ, Mary and the various saints in the Christian tradition(s)--especially Catholicism. I practiced a devotional form of yoga for many years and it helped me up to a point. I hope that you don't feel that I am judging you for your beliefs because I think that they are sound ones for the most part. Can you accept that the new age movement may also be a sociological manifestation of baby boomers reaching their mid lives--many whom had abandoned their religious affilations because they felt them to be constraining--and subsequently cococting something less real? This is not to say that they were in fact constaining, or that the "New Age" solves any problems. But to equate the movement with drugs and occultism would be wrong, imho. Personally, I would equate it with materialism. Can Satan mediate through a social movement? Sure, just as he can mediate through you or I at any moment. True, occultism is a scary word, but can that dimension of being (I'm speaking of higher occultism and the subtle dimension of existence) also be part of God's plan? Isn't there at least some good in these things? Some part of God's plan? We're at a time in history of unprecedented communication where the interface between religion, culture, and self and undergoing huge shifts. Can this help us develop mutual understanding and respect for each other's faith? Isn't the whole idea of evangalizing ones religion something that happens you manifest in your daily gestures? Why cannot each religion be seen as a unique "vision" of the one God which all religions attest to? Specifically, where was God against "the Pagans" in the Old Testament? Was there a historical/cultural/social/political basis for this? I'm not suggesting that paganism is "right," but it may be right for a particular person at a particular time. Isn't that in God's plan? In terms of Yoga, I tend to agree with you, even if I am not a Christian. I see clearly that these energies are different and have different ends. Can I suggest that yoga may free up psychological issues that can then be offered to Christ in prayer? But I have often wondered myself if there is a Christian tradition of "moving prayer." In terms of associating with other religions, I think it's impossible for a religion to not associate with other memes. Christianity, as you know, has been greatly influenced by Hellenism. Islam flowered when it touched Christianity and Judaism. Is there a "pure" form of a religion? Or do religions grow? Are religions always already complete? I would say that Christ's message is complete, but the religion will change in the future to suit the vessel of the times, I would guess. It will also change the vessel of time. I do however think that a line should be drawn, as you seem to suggest. But that line is made of compassion and love, the heart of the Christian message as I understand it.

From the beginning and end of your post above, Asher: I'm slowly becoming a Moslem after a long lapse from my religion, but I have a deep, deep love for the Church, for Jesus Christ, Mary and the various saints in the Christian tradition(s)--especially Catholicism. . . . Are religions always already complete? I would say that Christ's message is complete, but the religion will change in the future to suit the vessel of the times, I would guess. It will also change the vessel of time. I do however think that a line should be drawn, as you seem to suggest. But that line is made of compassion and love, the heart of the Christian message as I understand it.

I hope you don't mind my pushing you a little on this, but why would you want to move back to Islam given your view of Christ and even Christianity? I understand the power of roots, and their hold on us at a mythico-emotional level of being, but to what extent is truth directing your decisions, here?

Just wondering . . . and if you don't feel like replying, that's fine.