Quote: First of all, I don't believe all New Age people reject the gospel completely. It is more of a matter of their wondering if the gospels accurately reflect what Jesus said.
It is also a matter of many people presenting the gospel in a manner that is too fear and guilt based. I don't believe Jesus was a fearmonger, even though he did warn people at times.
One of the reasons people like to read things outside of the gospels is because the gospels don't provide a lot of information of what the afterlife is like. Parables are given, but these are cryptic.
I like to read NDEs because they provide descriptions of what the afterlife is like. These descriptions can be very inspirational.
I agree and feel very similar to most of what you are saying here. Specifically by paragraph - I don't know a lot of new age people, I get my admittedly limited view from what I read on this site mostly. Second paragraph - I agree, fear and guilt will only take people so far in terms of motivation. What I like to remember is that people who felt like rejects from standard religious types loved to hang out with Jesus - there was something very attractive about him. However I would caution that sometimes the most loving thing we can do to people is to warn them of the danger of where their actions are leading. 3rd and 4th - I agree, and also read NDEs.
As for the gay marriage thing, I assume you are using this as an example of how Christians disagree on controversial topics and also can be seen as judgmental to outsiders. I am sympathetic to your arguments in support of it, but at the end of the day I don't believe gay issues are at the core of Christianity. Sadly, the people who make condemnation of gay lifestyles the core of their version of Christianity are preachers of judgment, and so it is a fair point that you are making. However, I don't think that we can take that point and say therefore Christians should not speak out against other perceived evils in the world, or talk about things that could be fear inducing such as hell. Jesus talked about hell quite a bit. If your friend was driving towards a cliff, and he didn't realize a cliff was there, shouldn't you shout something at him even if it would make him feel uncomfortable? The more loving thing to do is to make him feel uncomfortable and make him reconsider the direction he is traveling in.
Quote: When it comes right down to it each of us has to listen to our common sense, heart and conscience, because even when it comes to people who believe in the gospels, people interpret them in different ways.
Here is where we differ I believe. Like I suggested before, to go from a controversial topic with genuine debate among the Christian community to the conclusion that anything can be rethought is where I disagree. Basically by saying 'since some Christians condemn homosexuality, which seems to me not to be a sin, therefore we can interpret everything in Christianity how we want and the existence of hell just becomes an interpretation I don't want to include in my outlook'. I would argue that just because there is common dissent on controversial issues doesn't mean Christianity is open to radical reinterpretation on core issues. Or I guess it can be so, but its no longer Christianity.
Quote: I really doubt that Jesus views new age people as if they are contemptible. He sees their light and knows their hearts.
I agree, and this statement along with a couple others seems a bit like a straw man argument... I don't advocate that Jesus views New Agers with contempt, just as I don't think all New Agers reject the gospel entirely, although you seem to be attributing these things to my thinking.
Quote: If we understand that moving heavenward is a glorious and wonderful thing, we don't need fear to keep us in line. If anything, fear will prevent us from discriminating things in an accurate manner.
I'm not advocating fear to keep people in line. But on the same token, just because the idea of hell is fearful doesn't mean we can or should try to wish it away. It exists or doesn't exist, whether we like it or not. Just like a cliff exists for your friend or it doesn't, whether we like it or not. The choice is how to react to this, and sometimes the most loving thing to do is to remind someone who is causing major problems that they will be made to be responsible for their actions in the afterlife.
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