1. hugs a tree?
2. makes herbal medicines?
3. meditates and chants?
4. visualizes world peace?
5. believes that the all-powerful deity is neither male nor female?
6. refers to God as She or He equally?
7. believes it is important to protect the environment?
8. respects the earth, air, fire, and water as natural elements that are important to humans?
9. gathers with friends every full moon to meditate, visualize good things, sing, and dance around a fire?
10. believes that every person has the right to chose her/his spiritual path without being told that it is wrong, as long as it doesn't harm anyone?
What, if any, spiritual lables would fit such a person? Christian? Buddhist? Pagan? What do you think?
2007-07-01 17:03:26 · 28 answers · asked by Lady Morgana 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I find it hard to comprehend that me doing all of the above would have any affect on anyone!
Why would it be any of their business?
I wonder how they would cope if we told them we take offense to them praying all the time to their "ego driven imaginary friend?"
Great Question By the way!
Blessed BE!
)O(
Ariel
2007-07-01 18:01:44 · answer #1 · answered by *~Ariel Brigalow Moondust~* 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. hugs a tree? No
2. makes herbal medicines? No
3. meditates and chants? Eh. So-so.
4. visualizes world peace? No
5. believes that the all-powerful deity is neither male nor female? Thats fine
6. refers to God as She or He equally? Not a she. no. That establishes gender. "He" does not.
7. believes it is important to protect the environment? sure thats fine
8. respects the earth, air, fire, and water as natural elements that are important to humans? Respect? Depends what you mean by respect. If I use a lighter do I have to thank the almighty earth for providing that element? No
9. gathers with friends every full moon to meditate, visualize good things, sing, and dance around a fire? Eh.
10. believes that every person has the right to chose her/his spiritual path without being told that it is wrong, as long as it doesn't harm anyone? Eh
What, if any, spiritual lables would fit such a person? Christian? Buddhist? Pagan? What do you think? New Age anything.
2007-07-02 00:26:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
1. Why? Does the tree need a hug?
2. Not if they work, but then MOST modern medicines have their sources in herbal/natural sources... so? If they work, WHO CARES where they come from?
3. Meditation on the Word of the Lord is a great thing. Chanting the Lord's praises is also wonderful, and edifying.
4. We ALWAYS visualize world peace, which is why we PRAY for everyone to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
5. Okay... we do to, even though Jesus kept referring to God as the Father. Maybe He didn't know what He was talking about? But as a spiritual entity, God does not have any sexual nature to Him.
6. Um... God is not a She or He "equally"...See #5.
7. God commanded Mankind to exercise stewardship over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8:6-8). Stewardship implies caretaking, not abusing. We are to intelligently manage the resources God has given us, using all diligent care to preserve and protect them.
8. See #7 ... careful, you're repeating yourself!
9. Ummm... a rather waste of time. Why only at a full moon? Do you howl at it? (Just kidding!) Think good thoughts? WHOOPEE! Sing? Dance? A FIRE???? Don't you know that fire is BAD FOR AIR POLLUTION???
10. Oh, now HERE is the real CRUX of your "question" now isn't it???!!! You DO have a RIGHT to chose, you are VERY correct about that. However, we, as Christians, ALSO have a RIGHT to tell you if you have chosen the wrong path... and it is a DUTY of our faith. Jesus told us to "go out into ALL the world and teach them in My Name" the Gospel. If we do not, we both deny our Lord AND deny our faith. Wouldn't that be just as "wrong" as if you denied your "faith"? Why is it alright for YOU to follow your faith, but not for us to follow ours, especially when you are saying that we should all just "get along" and respect each others faiths? You want US to respect YOUR faith, but you cannot respect ours. As for not harming anyone... we view your decision to not believe in our Lord as harming YOURSELF. If you were about to put a gun to your head and shoot yourself, we would be horrified if we did not even attempt to stop you from harming yourself. WHY, then, do you not understand that when we see you make a "wrong" decision that we feel upset and sad that you are harming yourself, spiritually? And spiritual harm (to a Christian) is actually even WORSE than any physical harm which can be done to a person.
Spiritual labels? On the whole, someone who does "all" these things is "labelled" a non-Christian.
That is what I THINK... and that is what I BELIEVE... and it is my fervent hope and prayer that some day YOU will also come to understand and believe that too....but I WON'T FORCE YOU!!!
2007-07-02 01:14:28 · answer #3 · answered by wyomugs 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No, I do not disapprove. Herbal medicines can be valuable, respect for the Earth is good, and so is meditation. Trees are good. As for spiritual labels, if I just heard the above religious description without any other information, I might guess New Age or Pagan, but that's just because I'm only going with the information I've got here.
2007-07-02 00:10:26 · answer #4 · answered by solarius 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not all of those things that you have listed are spiritual. I am assuming that you are asking from a spiritual standpoint.
Yes the environment is important. We should be good stewards of what God has gifted us with.
As for the rest, it sounds like a religion other than Christianity,and even though it probably won't be a well received response, I would disagree with it.
It sounds pagan, but again, I am not familiar with all the principles there. But I would definitely say that it isn't Christian
2007-07-02 00:11:06 · answer #5 · answered by 2ndchhapteracts 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. No
2. No
3. If it is to the only Living God
4. No
5. This is not for us to ponder and is very dangerous ground to tread.
6. I don't know about this because Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden...we truly do not know God's sex if he even has one.
7. No.
8. No. As long as it is not part of the religious ceremony.
9. No. As long as there is prayer to God, etc.
10. Yes. The Bible states there is only one way to the Father and that is in the belief that Jesus was the Messiah that died for our sins and rose from the dead on the third day after his death.
I see this person as a New Ager and even potentially a Wiccan (Witchcraft). It is very interesting how the faith that you practice is initially so innocent but ends up telling a lie. Does your faith state that a person is redeemed and will live after death in peace?
Oh, and many of the things that are listed in the Christian Bible are almost exactly the same as the Tanakh (Jewish Bible). I did this research myself and the old testament in a Christian Bible is almost exact word for word compared to the Tanakh (Jewish Bible). The only difference between a real Christian and a real Jewish person is the Messiah...
2007-07-02 00:19:56 · answer #6 · answered by beingsmartisrelative 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am a Christian who was raised by hippies- so perhaps I have the best of both worlds on this one, but I think you can believe in God and celebrate what others believe at the same time, without pushing your beliefs on them.I also think your "label" comes down to who you pray to or ask for help when alone. Then again my parents taught me a long time ago labels are just to make "the man" happy, and they really don't mean ****!
2007-07-02 00:12:01 · answer #7 · answered by demonic angel 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
well, I have no problem with these beliefs but number 9 sounds like Pagan to me...
In fact, 1-4, 7,8,10 are beliefs that me and my husband hold dear and close to our hearts. 5-6 I can say I would respond with a "Most of my life I have referred to God as a He but who's to say that I am right or wrong in this area??? And 9, I don't do nor would ever feel compelled to. However, if people choose to touch spirituality in this way, it is a matter of choice...
2007-07-02 00:11:29 · answer #8 · answered by one_sera_phim 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
10. believes that every person has the right to chose her/his spiritual path without being told that it is wrong, as long as it doesn't harm anyone?
That is the problem. If people do all these things, they end up hurting themselves by sending themselves to Hell, along with all those who have rejected Jesus as their Lord and Savior because of their false beliefs. These people are called pagans because they worship many false gods that do not exist, There is only one God and Jesus is the only way to Him.
2007-07-02 00:21:22 · answer #9 · answered by Apostle Jeff 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It seems that 5 and 6 are the issues for Christians here. I'm not sure why...
If you use your head, a spiritual being is not bound by physical form, and thus would not have genitalia to define it as "male" or "female." Furthermore, as creator, God would seem to take on maternal qualities as well.
2007-07-02 00:20:09 · answer #10 · answered by Skye 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You asked if i disapprove. .Is it my job to disapprove? The Bible that Christians follows clearly says not to judge someone else. I leave the judgment to God.
Besides many Christians believe in some of the things that you have listed.
Its not our job to tell you that you are wrong in doing the things listed. Its not our choice to condemn your beliefs or practices.
As for a spiritual label. .you would probably need to get more specific about the things that you listed (i.e. what you meditate or chant about).
2007-07-02 00:12:55 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋