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Originally Posted by Sybilline
1. Depends, traditional Christianity is more about reward/punishment, the new ones I have noticed don't really differ much from New Age, except the focus is more on Jesus's teachings and not too much paranormal.
2. This greatly depends on the interpretation. Some New Age practitioners do not believe in punishment, and most Christians still do. But there are also Christians that don't believe in this concept anymore.
3. Yes that is true. They are reinterpreted and rejected---- but I disagree on the idea that this is to conform, i.e., fit-in to the New Age concept. I think we just evolve. As for how to determine it, people still use their personal judgments. Each Christian sect have each their own different interpretations. Homosexuality is starting to become acceptable. That's good, that's evolution. It's all about whether someone accepts it or not and if the bible's words can be reinterpreted in a different manner to fit that judgment, then so be it. I can understand why they do this. The Bible is much too Ancient, much too Sacred to them, for them to simply bin it. Why bin such an important part of the world's history when you can simply read it from another angle?
I personally enjoy reinterpreting most of the words in the Scripture. It's a great way to honour it.
4. I might as well, as I was raised as one, and the Bible is really the only religious/spiritual book I know that much about. At the same time I am not, as I do not place Jesus above any other Master, but still hold him in high respect.
5. I prefer to stay in the neutral. I have a knack for seeing both sides of the story, or at the very least I make an effort to do so. That's usually how I handle all arguments.
6. Neale Donald Walsch... :))
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Thanks Syb, this is exactly the kind of response I was looking forward to.
Perhaps you can take a stab at this Scripture. I think that people draw to their conclusions before interpreting on the basis of their presuppositions.
New Ageism says that rather than being the Second Person of the GodHead, "Christ," is the office man took. Now if you read the Scripture: Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Now this Scripture is an example of what must be reinterpreted to align in other beliefs. Is Jesus the way the truth and the life? That no one can come to the Father except through him? Or, does this need to be reinterpreted so that other religions can be considered right, as in all ways lead to the top of the mountain. But if this be the case, then, no way works just as well. Such as through atheism. Or one must admit Christianity to be wrong and not all ways lead to the Father, and Jesus is a liar.
I'm not going too deep by commenting on everything you shared, but I suspect by stating Evolution that you subscribe to the belief that the Creation process had not taken six days of work... but I am not saying anything on this as it would take a page or an external link to share the thoughts of theistic evolutionist. And going into the difference between a Christian sect and cult that uses extrabiblical texts as authoritative guides could go even further, especially in consideration of one using social norms or social laws rather than the law of God.
This is just to satisfy my curiousness, wondering what, and why people believe what they do in this forum.
Back to you Syb, and thanks for your input thus far!