The Vatican and the Newage

[headscratcher4]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=518&ncid=732&e=2&u=/ap/20030203/ap_on_re_eu/vatican_new_age

The Catholic church prounounces on newage...

Kettle/Black?

There's something very funny about one religion "debunking" another...

[arcticpenguin]

Interesting to see yoga in their list of suspects.

[specious_reasons]

"Newage"? Does that rhyme with "sewage"? :)

You know, from the firmly rooted Xtian viewpoint, it's perfectly logical to debunk other religions, especially ones that hang like lampreys on the fringes of established religions.

I also have a problem with new age, mostly because of the attitude that nothing's wrong, even if there are logical contradictions.

Originally posted by specious_reasons
"Newage"? Does that rhyme with "sewage"? :)

You know, from the firmly rooted Xtian viewpoint, it's perfectly logical to debunk other religions, especially ones that hang like lampreys on the fringes of established religions.

I also have a problem with new age, mostly because of the attitude that nothing's wrong, even if there are logical contradictions.


Like what specifically?

Saying "new age" is pretty vague.

[specious_reasons]

Originally posted by Whodini

Like what specifically?

Saying "new age" is pretty vague.

You're right, "new age" is very large and encompasses an awful lot. My personal experience with new age comes from a couple of sources. Whitley Streiber, the guy that wrote "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues", a couple of co-workers who tried to "open" my mind, and a book or two they lent me.

The primary theory that they all seemed to share was that, essentially, all religions were correct, that the spiritual world was more or less "constructed" by us.

So, this meant that Christianity was entirely valid, yet was created by belief, which is contradictory to the central tenets of Christianity. It's like holding tea and no tea at the same time.

[whitefork]

Originally posted by specious_reasons

Whitley Streiber, the guy that wrote "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

:confused: Tom Robbins. :confused:

[Tricky]

Originally posted by specious_reasons
The primary theory that they all seemed to share was that, essentially, all religions were correct, that the spiritual world was more or less "constructed" by us.

This an almost direct copy from Robert Heinlen's Stranger in a Strange Land. His "heaven" had different neighborhoods, one for each "religion" with space allocated by number of believers. The final scene (in heaven) had the Christian bishop getting into a lather because the Martian religion was starting to take over a lot of his space, and Michael Valentine Smith starting a construction project.

[specious_reasons]

Originally posted by whitefork


:confused: Tom Robbins. :confused:

You are correct, I've read one or two Whitely Streiber books, and at least one Tom Robbins book. Sorry for the bad grammar.

The Tom Robbins book I know I've read was "Another Roadside Attraction", or something to that effect, and it was infused with new age ideology, as I saw it.

[Tricky]

Originally posted by whitefork


:confused: Tom Robbins. :confused:
That's right. Tom Robbins is a comic genius. He was making fun of new age ideology in his books. Whitley Streiber (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/103-9011406-8671042) is the woo-woo who has written a number of books about having "hard evidence" for UFOs. I guess in a way, that's sort of comical too.

[whitefork]

I didn't know Whitley Streiber, and was cryptically asking if there was another book called Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. Another Roadside Attraction might be considered blasphemous as I recall, what with the corpse of Jesus Christ playing such a prominent role.

When I was reading Robbins I didn't think that he was espousing newage doctrine as much as mocking it, but that was a long time ago.

[specious_reasons]

Interesting.

I thought that "Another Roadside Attraction" was poking fun at religion in general, but I felt it gave more sympathy to the "new age" characters in the book. It made me think the book was a little too woo-woo for me.

That idea may have been influenced by who gave me the book, and their interpretation tainted mine. Maybe I'll re-read it with a different interpretation in mind and see what I think....

...after all of the other books I've promised myself I'd read.

[Blue Monk]

"Music that relaxes you is good. But if this music empties prayer and prayer turns into just listening to music and falling asleep, it's no longer prayer."

No, it's probably some damn good herb.

Originally posted by Blue Monk


No, it's probably some damn good herb.

Hancock? :D