Many Christians discovering meditation

[Marcia]

Some people seem to have difficulty distinguishing between meditating on scripture and emptying of self new age meditation.

DonnA is right that some of the New Age techniques have entered evangelical churches through this contemplative spirituality. To be clear on this: though it's called "contemplative prayer" it is not contemplation at all. Buddhist techniques and other Eastern techniques and world views are a part of it, but are woven so seamlessly with Christian terms, that it's hard to detect.

If you all would just read my article on this, you'd see what I mean:
http://www.christiananswersforthenewage.org/Articles_ContemplativePrayer1.html

I have been investigating this for years, and have read a lot of books by the people who are proponents, so I'm not mischaracterizing what they say. Some of these teachers openly admire Eastern swamis and gurus, calling them great spiritual teachers.

It's also helpful to know that not all Eastern meditation is about "emptying" the mind; it's more about going beyond the mind.

 

[Jim1999]

It is rather amazing how some read a passage of a book and miss the same word each time they read it. Then, in a casual reading, that missed word pops up.........well, it was always there, but missed.......and it changes the whole meaning of the sentence or paragraph. The same is true of scripture.

Then, in not trying to fit a passage of scripture into my theology, I have casually read the word and discovered concepts pertinent to the church, to Christians. It may not be the correct translation, or even a proof text for theology, but it did disclose something to me relevant to my life.

Just like in golf. I never cried fore....It was always deacon Jones, madam Smith or some such headache in the church.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Marcia]

It is rather amazing how some read a passage of a book and miss the same word each time they read it. Then, in a casual reading, that missed word pops up.........well, it was always there, but missed.......and it changes the whole meaning of the sentence or paragraph. The same is true of scripture.

Then, in not trying to fit a passage of scripture into my theology, I have casually read the word and discovered concepts pertinent to the church, to Christians. It may not be the correct translation, or even a proof text for theology, but it did disclose something to me relevant to my life.

Yes, but this is something that happened naturally out of your reading scripture. You didn't use a man-made technique to get this word.