Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: jclark@sdcc6.ucsd.edu (John Clark) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: New Age Message-ID: Date: 5 Jun 91 04:27:51 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of California, San Diego Lines: 36 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article iwilliam@au.oracle.com (Ian Williams) writes: +It saddens my heart to see people so searching, and yet so lost.. This is definately a point of view... + +Anyone got any comments about it.. There are a number of things I don't like about the 'nu-age' groups. When I was actively investigating such as an alternative to Christianity, early '70s, I was struck by the same impression that I felt is lacking in Christianity, namely the only 'hope' is for some non-earth solution. Christianity had 'the God', 'nu-age' has 'spiritual' masters, either incarnate now or 'ascended'. By the way, at the time it was not called 'nu-age' but 'aquarian' thought. Also it was not a umpty-ump million dollar industry. The money making came later. I moved on to various groups which had a more of the attitude that humans make solutions for humans. This is not to say there is no "spiritual" dimension, but that one looks closer to earth for solutions. I'm not a 'scientific' rationalist either, since I believe there is an element of the irrational which humans must deal with. Nor am I particularly a 'Secular Humanist' as vilified by various Christian groups. There are a number of event for which I have no explanation nor do I believe that there ever will be. My tendency is toward neo-paganism, since if one is to invent a religion it may as well be fun(of course if you read various 'accounts' which some Christian groups promote one could argue about the fun aspects. But I will leave such 'pornographic' displays to individuals who prohibite themselves from 'the real thing' but vicariously enjoy these lurid descriptions). -- John Clark jclark@ucsd.edu