Discussion Group Meeting #1
Well, we are under way with “my” new 2-weekly discussion group entitled “Exploring New Age Teaching”. I deliberately kept the first one small with only three of us, but ideally 5 or 6 will be about right. To kick it off, I suggested that each of us give a quick summary of “how we got to this point in our lives”, and then answer a second question “what difference has New Age teaching made to your life”. It turned out that the second question was a goodie and in fact that is mainly what we talked about for the next hour and a half.
For M., who had dabbled in several religions over the years but not found anything that really clicked, reading Conversations with God was almost like a mini “conversion” experience. She feels that CWG gives her a practical philosophy that she can actually use in her day to day, and that this idea of God gives her a way to find much more meaning in her life.
For W., who was a fundie Christian for 40 years (don’t let her try and tell you it was only 30), she has found that many of the questions that she hassled over and never found satisfactory answers have suddenly all fallen into place. She has also been able to see that many of the truths she has gathered over the years but been unable to correctly label with Christian labels, now make perfect sense with New Age terminology.
For me, well like the other two I only discovered all of this in June/July last year, so it’s all a major upheaval of thinking and belief. The really big differences that these ideas have made in my life is there is now a lot less struggle and battle to be what I thought God wanted me to be like. This is replaced with a much more easy-going approach of deciding whether or not any action reflects a grander version of myself or not, and choosing accordingly. Not having to worry about sin is also a big relief. In the New Age model, nothing is intrinsically right or wrong. Events are simply events, and we decide how we wish to behold them. It’s also a relaxing change for me to hold a model that does not insist that it is right and the others a wrong (one mountain, many paths), and that there is no reward or punishment in the afterlife.
I think I speak for all of us in saying that we all enjoyed ourselves and got a lot out of the discussion.
So there you have it. Let’s see where it leads this year.
January 29, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Wish I was there
January 30, 2008 at 3:57 am
Hi Jon,
It’s great to see you’re back and roaring to go. I just had a conversaion with a like-minded friend who asked me if I thought of starting a discussion group to share spiritual experiences and guidance. Suprisingly you started it first - so perhaps I can learn from your footsteps
Btw - you may have noticed I changed my name tag from angel&devil to ‘a student of life’. I think it’s more appropriate.
After ranting and rambling about my de-conversion struggles, I’ve decided that it’s actually sucking a lot of energy out from me, hence I’ve decided to stop doing that. Instead I will spend my energy onto learning and experiencing life. I see that you’ve moved on as well
Peace
January 30, 2008 at 9:45 am
Hi AStudentOfLife,
Cool new name! Great to see you are moving on from your deconversion. It is a painful and difficult process, and I am grateful for the encouragement I received from others on the blogosphere who have been through it that it does not last forever. I’m through the worst of it now, and like you, am keen to move on and grow in new directions.
I hope you do get on and form a discussion group. We met with ony 3 of us on Monday and it was really enriching. A few words of advice: don’t “over-lead” the group by preparing studies or handing out photocopied questions or anything like that. Treat everyone like adults and just let the discussion flow where it wants to. I usually find all I need is a few open questions to kick things off, and keep an eye on the discussion that no one person is blabbering on too much and not giving the quieter ones a fair go.
I’m sure you will do really well - make it happen!
Jon
January 30, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Thanks for your encouragement Jon!. I like the last part “make it happen.” It’s empowering.
Btw, I followed your link to Mark’s website. It’s awesome. One of his post hit right on bull’s eye.
February 1, 2008 at 10:33 am
It’s an interesting one, this question you asked at your group - and not an easy one to answer. Perhaps the clearest thing is that I now think I understand (sort of) What’s Going On - and along with that comes a shift in emphasis. I’m no longer so concerned with the afterlife and what’s going to happen when I die and more concerned with how I live my life right now.
As for how I live that life, most of the time I’m not sure there’s very much change - except that I’m much more aware of what I do and how it could be different. I’m aware that much of the time I’m still motivated by my ego and its need to be ’special’, to be well regarded and superior to others. It’s so ingrained it’s a difficult habit to shift, but I understand now how ridiculous it is: how I am indeed special but only because I’m the same as everyone else. We are all special. We are all One - with each other and with God.
Once we all understand that, and carry that knowledge with us from moment to moment, then there really will be a difference in how we live our lives. But the chances are that we won’t even notice - because the memory of how we were before will have faded from our awareness.
February 5, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Is not worrying about “sin” and what happens after we die a denial that those things might actually matter?
Not a facetious question, but an honest one.
Doesn’t denying that something might actually exist out there beyond me that actually has some bearing on what is right and wrong….doesn’t that make it a little scary? At least sometimes?
Interesting discussion. I’ve been reading this blog for nearly a year and I’m watching your transformation. I’m not sure if I have an opinion at all…just support you in finding out the truth.
February 5, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Hi Divinescribble,
Good questions, and I do not take them as being facetious. Questions of right and wrong, and what happens after we die are of consumate importance and matter almost as much as anything in this life could possibly matter. We are defined by what we hold or value to be right and wrong. We both agree on this. Where our disagreement lies is not that these things matter, but the actual “truth” concerning these matters. I do not and will not believe (any more) that God is going to punish a certain number of people to hell. This is an absurd manipulation of fear to coerce people into joining a certain organisation. I am glad - very glad - to have shaken myself free of such nonsense.
Thanks for your support for me “in finding out the truth.” I’m not sure this is my goal anymore. I have heard too many people across the centuries and nations declare that they have the truth to believe such an idealistic notion any more. My goal is not to find the truth, but to experience Who I Am and to choose to experience a grander version of Who I Am. I wish you well for 2008.
Jon