I don't want to be an atheist

[wigginhall]

So Christians should 'live and let die'?  I know there are many who would like to believe that there are 'many paths' or 'many ways up the mountain', however, sincerely that is not the case.  The Lord Jesus is 'The way, the truth and the life', it is the Christian's job to warn and to pray so that people can be rescued from the deception. Let me add that it's not just those who are into the occult that are deceived, this is not some vendetta against them, the whole world sways under the power of the evil one; there are many deceptions; but there is only one Truth. I pray that all would find it.

Your thinking is self-contradictory it seems to me. You are of the position, I thought, that we can only be saved by *Grace, therefore it matters not one jot whether we go searching for God or live a Christ-like life or whether or not we succeed in getting to a correct understanding, it's all in God's hands.

By Grace through faith

But isn't faith imputed by God?

[SweetPea]

Sweetpea

If I might make a suggestion.

I think you can be a Christian and avoid elements of what is perceived as " the occult" without upsetting anyone.

Presumably you are supposed to live by the example Jesus set and make your decisions from those things, a sort of Christian ethics, based on Jesus and his teachings.

It's up to you to discern what that is.  This then is your path.

All you need to really say is you prefer to work things out for yourself, using Jesus as your guide.

No one needs to bring up Satan, or being deceived or anything else like that.

You are allowed to have your own path, and others to have theirs.

I have had Romanies offer to tell me my future and I just say " no thanks , I prefer to work it out for myself"

I think most Pagans can accept your path is not theirs.

 

To make your life decisions based on the ethical teachings of Jesus is a valid path.

I don't think you need the other "more superstitious " reasons. They just alienate people   

So Christians should 'live and let die'?  I know there are many who would like to believe that there are 'many paths' or 'many ways up the mountain', however, sincerely that is not the case.  The Lord Jesus is 'The way, the truth and the life', it is the Christian's job to warn and to pray so that people can be rescued from the deception. Let me add that it's not just those who are into the occult that are deceived, this is not some vendetta against them, the whole world sways under the power of the evil one; there are many deceptions; but there is only one Truth. I pray that all would find it.

You have not the slightest shred of verifiable evidence to support your statement, you are a liar if you say your have! Making threats as to what will happen to people who don't see it your way is abusive and WRONG, as I know only too well!

If you read 2Corrie's post again she has not made any threats.

Well, I didn't want to post about the event I experienced when I gave up my new age belief but feel I must, now, as you say there is no evidence  to support 2Corrie's words.

In the very moment that I renounced my new age beliefs I was spiritually attacked, and it was very, very frightening. Only by praying and calling on Jesus Christ did the attack cease.
Many ex-new agers have had a similar experience - you only have to 'google'.

Randall N. Baer, an ex-new age leader details what happened to him when he gave up the philosophy in his book, 'Living in the New Age Nightmare'. Johanna Michaelsen's account of her experience on leaving the occult behind is well worth a read.

Many ex-new agers are now trying to help those leaving NA behind.

Sweet Pea,

My own view is if you stick to the ethical and lovely teachings of Jesus about loving your neighbour, and ignore the rest ( manipulations of people) you won't have an issue.
The truth is meant to set you free, not scare you to death.

You just have to believe if all this stuff about Jesus is true, he is above manipulative stuff created by other people.

Some people put more value in the opinions of people.

Trouble is, if you listen to people it leaves you vunerable.

If you follow the ethics as stated by Jesus,you are not as open to individual interpretation and manipulation.

Kindness, compassion and love exceed boundaries.

Explore for yourself.

Yes, there is much truth in your words, Rose. But what happened to me in that moment was the seducing spirit turned on me; and yes, I was set free when I called on Jesus. I was not at all influenced by the authors I've mentioned, I didn't read their accounts until sometime later.

I also agree to discount a lot of the dogma attached to Christianity.... I'd call myself a scriptually 'born again'.

[Rhiannon]

Something similar happened to me, SweetPea, I know how frightening it feels and I too sought someone to pray with me. But the experience - very real and scary - originated in my own fear and superstition as taught to me by those who had been taken in by the hysteria against 'the occult' and, very often, the egos of those who liked to make portentous pronouncements about 'the dark one' and 'the deceiver'.

I can't go into details but one such person persuaded me to make very poor choices purely on the basis that another person who was trying to help me was into tarot.

I don't regard myself as a survivor of NA, I regard myself as someone who survived Christian spiritual abuse that is solely human in origin. I feel a lot safer well out of it, believe me.

[Rhiannon]

Just did a google of New Age and Christianity and it's seriously depressing. New Age is being called everything from satanic to anti-Semitic, and its adherents can apparently be spotted doing yoga, meditating and watching Oprah. Even contemplative prayer and mysticism comes in for it.

[Rhiannon]

The worst experiences I have had have come from people of a variety of differing beliefs or theologies ,who have attempted to reduce the size of my world, poison my veiw of other people who are even remotely different, declare the whole world is evil and pretty much cut off any experience that conflicts with what they say and discourages exploration of alternatives in any way by spreading fear.

It's very " cultic" and hurts people because it reduces their world into black and white and manipulates people by making their world smaller.

It's usually also very strong on the "one true way ism" and is very judgmental.

I can see it coming a mile off. ( the attitude). 

I won't have it.

Avoid it like the plague IMO.

I agree with you, Rose. 

[torridon]

So Christians should 'live and let die'?  I know there are many who would like to believe that there are 'many paths' or 'many ways up the mountain', however, sincerely that is not the case.  The Lord Jesus is 'The way, the truth and the life', it is the Christian's job to warn and to pray so that people can be rescued from the deception. Let me add that it's not just those who are into the occult that are deceived, this is not some vendetta against them, the whole world sways under the power of the evil one; there are many deceptions; but there is only one Truth. I pray that all would find it.

Your thinking is self-contradictory it seems to me. You are of the position, I thought, that we can only be saved by *Grace, therefore it matters not one jot whether we go searching for God or live a Christ-like life or whether or not we succeed in getting to a correct understanding, it's all in God's hands.

By Grace through faith

You are avoiding the point; you think that God will save through Grace those who persist in the correct faith, but for all those who unwittingly are worshipping through the wrong faith, they are all toast. In this view god is either evil, consigning the majority of people to death for innocently getting it wrong, or he is feeble, unable to overcome the apparently superior power of the Evil One who bears the real responsibility for misleading us in the first place.  Which is it, evil or feeble  ?

[2Corrie]

So Christians should 'live and let die'?  I know there are many who would like to believe that there are 'many paths' or 'many ways up the mountain', however, sincerely that is not the case.  The Lord Jesus is 'The way, the truth and the life', it is the Christian's job to warn and to pray so that people can be rescued from the deception. Let me add that it's not just those who are into the occult that are deceived, this is not some vendetta against them, the whole world sways under the power of the evil one; there are many deceptions; but there is only one Truth. I pray that all would find it.

Your thinking is self-contradictory it seems to me. You are of the position, I thought, that we can only be saved by *Grace, therefore it matters not one jot whether we go searching for God or live a Christ-like life or whether or not we succeed in getting to a correct understanding, it's all in God's hands.

By Grace through faith

But isn't faith imputed by God?

righteousness is imputed, but faith is commanded 'repent and believe the gospel'.

[Rhiannon]

The worst experiences I have had have come from people of a variety of differing beliefs or theologies ,who have attempted to reduce the size of my world, poison my veiw of other people who are even remotely different, declare the whole world is evil and pretty much cut off any experience that conflicts with what they say and discourages exploration of alternatives in any way by spreading fear.

It's very " cultic" and hurts people because it reduces their world into black and white and manipulates people by making their world smaller.

It's usually also very strong on the "one true way ism" and is very judgmental.

I can see it coming a mile off. ( the attitude). 

I won't have it.

Avoid it like the plague IMO.

I agree with you, Rose. 

I had a hunch you might ((((((hugs))))))

One of the biggest problems is that these people can seem so good, so spirit-filled, and can make a person feel very special. And I think some of them are quite sincere, because they've become victims too in the past.

[Rhiannon]

Absolutely. But if you are a Christian, they can make you feel very special indeed, even as they show you the ways in which you've been the wrong type.

And yes, it is often a power thing.