Danger Ahead!
56When will peace come?
The Top Ten Reasons to Avoid Those Progressive, Free Thinking Spiritual Paths Like New Thought
To the Spiritual Seeker:
There is an energy out there just waiting for you to bite. It has a set of tricks that look so good. They’re meant to lead you out of your old belief systems. You must watch this energy closely. It can be very easy to give into its wiles. You may not ever be able to return to your old ways of thinking if you capitulate, or even just investigate. Be careful. You just may like what you find.
Ten Reasons to Avoid Progressive Spirituality:
1. They do not believe in literal devils or demons. They teach that you are responsible for your choices. Now, how can you have religion without devils? Well, you just decide to let go of that belief and recognize that there is only One Power. Nothing is fighting for your soul. Hmmmm… No devils? Don’t know if I can live without devils.
2. They accept everyone—male, female, black, brown, yellow, white, gay, straight, old, young, smart, not so smart—everyone! How can you have a good church with all that diversity? I mean, you have to draw the line somewhere, right? Wasn’t America founded on religious divisions?
3. They say that compassion is the way you live out your spirituality. What does that mean, exactly? Simple. Do the least harm and the most good. That’s how you practice God’s love in the world. (Are they serious? Not everyone is loveable. You have to judge some of them, right?)
4. They bless all the religions of the world and your right to participate in them, as long as—and here’s the Catch 22—those religions practice love. I mean, one of them has to be Ultimate Truth, right? They can’t ALL have merit.
5. They don’t believe in eternal damnation. Well, that’s just silly. There are some people who need to be punished forever. And I don’t just mean the Hitlers and Saddam Husseins of the world. I also mean anyone who doesn’t believe like I do. After all, MY religion is the RIGHT religion. So there! (I hope…)
6. They teach that all life is sacred, that we need to be good stewards and take care of the planet. Yeah, right! The world is going to end soon. Why should I be concerned about ozone layers and global warming and polar bears going extinct? I’m going to heaven. No such nonsense there, by golly!
7. They say that giving and receiving is one principle, that what you put forth returns to you. Perhaps, but it has to be 10% or it won’t work. And it has to be to the right church. (Mine, of course.)
8. They believe that we are all interconnected, not only with each other, but with everything in the universe. Poppycock! All you have to do is look at another object to see how separate everything is. The very idea that everything is connected borders on insanity as far as I’m concerned. Right? (Now, what are atoms again?)
9. They teach that you can create your own reality, that miracles are all around you, that you can attract into your life what you really want. Not so. Only God gives out the goodies. And you have to be really good and believe the right way in order to get any of those goodies. The Devil always blocks your attempts, too. Your bad luck is his fault. (Sounds interesting, though…)
10. Finally, these progressive paths like New Thought teach that Love is the only Reality. What the heck does that mean? They say it means that nothing is outside or apart from the Creative Source. Nothing is lost. No one goes to hell. That God lives within us, around us, everywhere. Naw. God is separate, distinct, and lives way out there, far away from this sinful, depraved world. Even though he created it to be just as it is. (I think.)
There you have it. Now, I’m not saying that any of this makes any sense, but I do know that if you want to learn more about this way of life called New Thought, connect with your local Center for Spiritual Living (Religious Science) or your closest Unity Church. Also, there are a bunch of independent centers and churches as well. Start asking around. You’ll find one that suits your interests.
Y’know, after researching and writing this little treatise, the progressive path doesn’t sound so bad. Maybe I’ll check out one of the centers this Sunday. I’ll keep you posted.
But believe as you will. It’s always your call.
For the seeker, the free thinker, the open minded...
- New Thought Blog--Spirit Feast - Richard Kent Matthews\' Executive High Watch
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I'm hoping you understand that this is a parody. I actually believe all the bold headings in the post.
Thanks for your comments. I will check out your hub.
Only GOD knows the true Religion!
Right, if there even IS a true religion. That's why I prefer to call myself a seeker rather than a believer. Seems just when I think I've got it, it all changes again. Thank God!!
By God, I think the devil didn't make you do this!
Nice Hub, Richard!
Thanks and not everyone will agree with you. When one is out of agreement with the masses, the masses get scared and yell devil! Don't worry, it's coming. I look forward to it!
Thanks again.
Richard be very careful. Some of the things like global warming is actually another governmental scam being put forward as fuel for a new world order. Be very careful not to get spirituality mixed up and mixed in to some bogus cult or religion. I suggest you dig deeper into your research before you start to knock anything and praise anything. There are things that has been widely accepted throughout the ages and has never been properly scrutinized and is operational through blind faith. Any religion has a holy spiritual path to undertake in order to reach the kingdom of heaven or god consciousness.
You said to me that you believe the universe is alive in ways we don't understand. That is the problem. Understanding something! We can't knock or praise something unless we can actually prove it as right or wrong!
As I said before, I don't follow any church for the history of the church is as corrupt as it gets. I believe the real religion is just spirituality and it can come dressed up in many different faces and forms.
You are either a good person or a bad person, but somehow we all live this physical experience together for a short while.
Richard, do you believe the conscious mind or spirit never dies and lives on after death? Do you also believe in reincarnation?
My belief is that we all live in one big intelligent mind or consciousness that is GOD and we all have access to the greater source. I think GOD can be how we perceive him to be. He can be cruel or kind, good or bad, compassionate or insensitive. In the old testament he ruled with an iron fist and in the new testament he ruled with love and compassion. Could god be both god and the devil? The mind and spirit are very powerful and if not understood can manifest a reality that plays on the conscious. This is why it is very important to what people think. The more bad thoughts that come into people's minds the more the devil walks this earth. The more good things that plays on people's minds the more GOD spreads his word among us.
I'll read your link now and see what it is about.
I really enjoyed the way that you put this. You mean it's okay to be compassionate and see how sacred life really is?? Who woulda thought that!!!
If you've noticed, all major religions seem to have the same basic set of beliefs; however, there have been wars, blood has been shed, and people have been feared into belief. That's not love, that's control.
If people would take just 2 seconds to look at the big picture without the details, they would easily see that everything is really the same.
Thanks for this.
To ThatAllSeeingEye:
Thanks for the well thought out response. First, I remind all readers of a wonderful little principle called Occam's Razor. It was established by William of Occam back in the 13th or 14th century. It basically proposes this: Let the simplest explanation be true until proven otherwise. I not only like that principle, I live by it. So, on with your comments and questions.
According to the scientific evidence, it appears the polar ice caps are receding. Maybe, maybe not. It appears glaciers all over the world are also receding. Perhaps. Animal populations are being decimated both by humans and by weather and geological changes to their environments. What would Occam's Razor say? The simplest explanation, right now, is to listen to the scientists because if they're right, and we don't listen, there may be no reversing the damage that we cause. If they're wrong, so what? No environmental harm done. Oh, we're still polluting the planet like there is no tomorrow, but at least the weather won't change, right? (Hmmmm...)
As far as your words about things being "operational through blind faith," you would have to be more specific for me to understand what you mean. But, if I read you right, I will once again invoke The Razor here. Let the simplest be true until proven otherwise. And the simplest explanation here? Nothing supernatural has EVER happened in the world. If you believe it has, then the burden of proof lies with you, not me. I look around and see a perfectly natural world, a world that needs no interference by outside forces like gods or angels or demons or spirits of any kind. Any damage that occurs on our account must be repaired by us. No one is coming to save us.
Finally, I do believe in a Deliberate Universe, that all consciousness is One Consciousness. Do I have proof? Not in the usual sense. But the opposite--to me--makes little sense, that the universe is an accident. It goes like this: First there was nothing, then rocks turned to meat and started to think. That's even more absurd than the Creation Story in the Book of Genesis. Even Copernicus and Galileo had to prove their claims that the earth went around the sun. If they'd had no proof, we would still believe the Flat Earth theory.
In the final analysis, Occam's Razor reigns supreme. If you can present bonafide proof of your claims, or even a glimpse of evidence, then fine. Let's chat, have a cup of coffee, see where it leads. But the moment I am asked to accept something on faith alone, the conversation is for all intents and purposes, over.
Reincarnation? Maybe, but doubtful. Heaven? We're already there if one knows how to observe it. Hell? A state of mind created through fear. Reality? Your guess is as good as mine. The simplest explanation? I seek because I do not yet know. And that is the truth.
There are many scientists that has debunked the global warming theory. Some of these scientists say the planet's core is no hotter than it has been for thousands of years. It is just a government plan to cut down on resources and to introduce a new tax that will ultimately save the planet! It could also be an act of humanitarian crisis that can bring nations together in compliance to an agenda or forthcoming plan.
The only way the planet is going to self destruct is if man triggers it somehow either through nuclear war or technology that we are not aware of or educated on such as H.A.A.R.P technology. This stuff can play around with the earth's atmosphere and energy fields. It is alleged that H.A.A.R.P technology can be used to alter weather patterns or to create far worst devastation.
When I refer to as blind faith I am suggesting that what people consider as religion is not the religion that their church practices behind closed doors. This is all I can say on the matter for now and if you want to find out more on the subject then please be my guest and research it. First investigate Pagan and ancient religion and then compare it to modern religion and you will be astonished to the comparisons you will find, especially in symbolism and practices. Ancient Egypt is the foundation for all modern religions and always has been.
I have to accept that you don't believe in the supernatural although I don't look at it like that myself. Any demons or devils or evil spirits are merely entities and life forms that reside in another dimension which our physical senses cannot see but they can see us.
The universe is merely a frequency in a band width of multi universes or infinite frequency ranges. We if you like are trapped in one of these frequency levels where our physical senses hold us prisoner into the physical reality we see, hear, touch, smell and taste. The only time we glimpse other realities is when we are fast asleep and our minds are cleared to experience the unknown. This is why they make hallucinatory drugs illegal for they possess a chemical that unlocks the brain to other dimensions. We naturally have this chemical in each of us and it is through meditation that releases the chemical in the brain to unlock multi dimensional travel.
I see you are a truth seeker which is the start of what I call waking up to reality. People who blindly follow their church and other control methods that make them look outside of themselves for guidance, joy or answers will always live under restriction and physical sense of reality.
You're doing what you said I was doing. When you say "The universe is merely a frequency in a band width of multi universes..." that's a statement, not a hypothesis. It cannot yet be proven. I know that some physicists are saying it's a possibility. But no real proof has come forth yet. When there is proof, I will be willing to consider it. In the mean time, one universe is enough for most of us to handle, don't you think?
I have done much study into ancient religious symbolism and practice. I see the same thing repeated over and over again: We need to know.
It's so easy over time to take possibilities and turn them into solid truths, even without evidence. All the major religions have done that. They see a storm and call it god's wrath. They see a sick child die and call it demonic. As time goes by, these ways of seeing become doctrine. It is up to the free thinkers to constantly challenge doctrine, even if that doctrine was created in the land of the pharaohs. Most doctrine evolved out the fear of the unknown. It was a way of making it known. At least until someone came along and changed it. Like Jesus or Paul or Muhammad or Gandhi. People are afraid of change. And that's OK. It's a survival mechanism.
But I digress. The human brain is so powerful that we can literally create worlds. No telling what the future holds. I believe in the possibilities and hope I am around to see some of the changes.
Good journey to you!
Presigo 2 years ago
I agree with your premise of the dangers of our new found spirituality or lack there of. I would encourage you to read my hub called "it only makes us human(ism)