In Reply to: Re: what is earth religion? posted by Miguel on July 21, 2004 at 13:45:57:
I'm still not clear on it. Look at the list I've posted below of the kinds of books sold in a New Age Bookshop. It's quite a mix. The good, the bad and the ugly.
“Wicca Books, Witchcraft Books & Spell Books
Divination Books
…including astrology books, tarot books and cartomancy books, numerolgy books, palmistry books, etc.
Paranormal and The Unexplained
…mediums, crop circles, aliens, UFOs, ghosts, nazca lines, etc.
Self Help Books
…movitational and inspirational books, stop smoking books, weight loss books, books on improving confidence, stress management books, memory improvement books, fear of flying books and holistic self help.
Complementary Health Books…alternative health topics, including reiki, homoeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology, acupuncture, Bach flower remedies, herbalism, iridology, massage, yoga, etc
Estoeric and Occult Books
…Egyptian Magic, kaballah, rosicrucianism and Aleister Crowley's works.
Angels Books
Positive Parenting and Positive Books for Children
…uplifting, inspirational and spiritual. Books to develop children's self esteem, spiritual awareness and to nurture their personal development.
Earth Based Religions
…druidism, paganism, native american spirituality and shamanism, totem animals, tree wisdom and other earth based faiths and beliefs.
Eastern Wisdom Books
…Taoism, Buddhism and Zen.
Feng Shui Books
Reincarnation and Past Lives Books
Inspirational Books and Affirmation Books”
I’m not at all into Wicca, paganism, rosicrucianism, Crowley, etc., i.e. anything to do with the occult. BUT I’m convinced there’s a lot of very valid and useful knowledge and treatment in alternative health practices which essentially have little or nothing to do with needing to know of what spirit is. The same is true in regards to self help, personal development and character building thought and practices. The majority of the values and thinking in both alternative health & self help applications don’t go against Christian teaching. Unfortunately many Christians are deprived of improvements they could be making in their lives and in themselves better whether it be psychological, physical, and/or spiritual; because useful, wholesome, valid, proven therapies are pooh-poohed, ignored and demonized because they’re deemed to be New Age. It really doesn’t matter where the term New Age originated, it’s the colloquial use of the term and the connotations that are associated with the term that are misleading. For example, crystal therapy and homeopathy are so far apart it’s ludicrous. Actually I know nothing about cyrstal therapy, but I do know that homeopathic medicines worked for my allergies when nothing else did.