What is Contemplative Christianity?

[Desert Snake]

Any spiritual activity is "capable" of producing any sort of spiritual result. Open is open. That's why one has to practice this stuff with intention.

How is this relevant to my comment, or, is it just a general statement your making?

 

[sassysam29]

Aren't we (according to scripture) to prove ALL things?

How do we prove all things? What is the standard by which we measure our experiences? If meditation is a Christian practice which includes more than simply pondering the scriptures, wouldn't there be passages that detail and teach the applications? Would a good God tell us to prove all things without a standard in which we know it is truth? If truth is subjective, it is not truth, it is mere opinion, tradition and man made rituals, (none of which makes something true.)

 

[Desert Snake]

Aren't we (according to scripture) to prove ALL things?

How do we prove all things? What is the standard by which we measure our experiences? If meditation is a Christian practice which includes more than simply pondering the scriptures, wouldn't there be passages that detail and teach the applications? Would a good God tell us to prove all things without a standard in which we know it is truth? If truth is subjective, it is not truth, it is mere opinion, tradition and man marituals, (none of which makes something true.)

The problem is that, what is being referenced, is not a clear Scriptural contemplation. It's an emptying of ones mind, (great, right?), but under the auspices that this is with ''intention''. Ok, so what is the intention, then, if it is an ''emptying''? If there is intention, ie Scriptural contemplation, then there is no emptying of the mind.

 

[sojourner]

On the other hand, biblical meditation is actively thinking and deliberate contemplation on the words of God and truths about Him in the scriptures.

No. It isn't. Remember: Christianity is an Eastern religion, and the Desert Fathers and Mothers, who engaged in apophatic meditation, were doing so according to biblical tenet.

I don't think it matters how much intention a human being has if they are participating in a practice which puts them in a place of vulnerability to spiritual beings who are much more powerful and have evil intentions toward humans.

Intention has everything to do with protecting oneself against energies one does not want to engage.

BTW: how well-versed are you in the philosophy and practice, and how experienced are you in the practice? Or are you just spitballing here, with no experience from which to speculate?

 

[sojourner]

If meditation is a Christian practice which includes more than simply pondering the scriptures, wouldn't there be passages that detail and teach the applications?

No more than we can expect the scriptures to deal with air conditioning in the worship space.

Would a good God tell us to prove all things without a standard in which we know it is truth? If truth is subjective, it is not truth, it is mere opinion, tradition and man made rituals, (none of which makes something true.)

Everyone has a truth, from their perspective.

 

[sojourner]

The problem is that, what is being referenced, is not a clear Scriptural contemplation. It's an emptying of ones mind, (great, right?), but under the auspices that this is with ''intention''. Ok, so what is the intention, then, if it is an ''emptying''? If there is intention, ie Scriptural contemplation, then there is no emptying of the mind. The proponents of this seem to neither know eastern /non-Xian/ meditation, or Xian contemplation.

Judging from what you've written here, I don't think you completely understand the concept or practice of intention in contemplative prayer.

 

[Desert Snake]

No. It isn't. Remember: Christianity is an Eastern religion, and the Desert Fathers and Mothers, who engaged in apophatic meditation, were doing so according to biblical tenet.

Intention has everything to do with protecting oneself against energies one does not want to engage.

BTW: how well-versed are you in the philosophy and practice, and how experienced are you in the practice? Or are you just spitballing here, with no experience from which to speculate?

Wow, define ''eastern''? My cultural zeitgeist is partly east of Israel. Just sayin'.

 

[sojourner]

I would ask, in a Xian context, what exactly would be the point of it in the first place? Why label it ''Christian'', if there is no Xian parameter in which the contemplation is taking place? Simple, it isn't Xian. It's no-mind meditation with the idea that somehow ones adherence to religious dogma is going to affect the ''mystical'' outcome. it's a mess.

You're actually babbling. Please leave the pontification about spiritual practices to those who actually have training and experience in such matters.

 

[Desert Snake]

Judging from what you've written here, I don't think you completely understand the concept or practice of intention in contemplative prayer.

I am actually not very impressed in general, with much or all that I have read, concerning this ''type'' of meditation or contemplation, in the Xian context. If I were to read more things that I considered legit, or even ''Xian'', I would probably not have such a negative view.

 

[sojourner]

Wow, define ''eastern''? My cultural zeitgeist is partly east of Israel. Just sayin'.

Wow. Define "east of Israel." It's certainly not Western.

 

[Desert Snake]

You're actually babbling. Please leave the pontification about spiritual practices to those who actually have training and experience in such matters.

Lol, this is all in the context of you being ''correct'', a presumption proposed without any evidence. As to ''babbling'', sure, whatever, ditto.

 

[sojourner]

How is this relevant to my comment, or, is it just a general statement your making?

<sigh> You brought up that Yoga could invite "demonic possession." My comment is cogent to that supposition, in that it introduces intention as a means to keep such "possession" from happening.

 

[sojourner]

I am actually not very impressed in general, with much or all that I have read, concerning this ''type'' of meditation or contemplation, in the Xian context.

Your loss.

If I were to read more things that I considered legit, or even ''Xian'', I would probably not have such a negative view.

Read the Desert Fathers.

 

[sassysam29]

I would agree that tradition, man made holidays, feel good conveniences and worldly endeavors have taken hold (almost taken over) the church as we know it, I definitely won't argue there, but simply because we have done so much nonsense based on our own ideas (not scripture), it certainly doesn't make a reasonable argument for unbiblical meditation practices.

 

[sassysam29]

Not sure how to respond to specific posts...please advise

 

[sojourner]

Lol, this is all in the context of you being ''correct'', a presumption proposed without any evidence. As to ''babbling'', sure, whatever, ditto.

This is all in the context of you not knowing what you're talking about here. You can pontificate and suppose all you want to. It changes nothing about the reality of the matter.

 

[sojourner]

I would agree that tradition, man made holidays, feel good conveniences and worldly endeavors have taken hold (almost taken over) the church as we know it, I definitely won't argue there, but simply because we have done so much nonsense based on our own ideas (not scripture), it certainly doesn't make a reasonable argument for unbiblical meditation practices.

The bible, itself, is comprised of "our own ideas." All holidays are "man made." The Divine truth is known in our heart of hearts (which is known through spiritual disciplines of inner work).

 

[sojourner]

Not sure how to respond to specific posts...please advise

Find the "reply" button at the bottom right of the post you want to respond to, and click on it. The quote will pop up in a box next your avatar. Type your response in the box, and hit "post reply."

 

[Desert Snake]

Wow. Define "east of Israel." It's certainly not Western.

dude, half of my ethnic heritage is 'from', east of Israel, as in geographically. /You do mean this in a geographical sense?/ The point is, you are the one who brought up ''eastern'', religion, in regards to Xianity.

 

[sassysam29]

Thx