Youth Announcements

Youth Announcements • Youth Team Plus • Youth Activities

Youth Announcements • Youth Team Plus • Youth Activities • Christmas Lock in (Dec. 16) • Movie: • Home Alone • Elf • The Santa Clause • A Muppet Christmas Carol

Christianity Cults & Religions

Yoga Poses

Eastern Spirituality Hinduism, Buddhism, and the New Age

Eastern Spirituality in America • In 1893 Swain Vivekananda established a beachhead for Hinduism in North America. • Swain Vivekananda is credited with popularizing the Hindu philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga in the “Western World.” • In 1920, ParamahansaYogananda founded The Self-Realization Fellowship. • Famous for his book Autobiography of a Yogi. • In 1965 the oriental exclusion act was done away with which lead to a larger numbers of Asian immigrants now entering the US. • In 1900 an estimated 1% of Americans believed in reincarnation. Today, roughly 25%. • In 2009, one-quarter of US adults expressed belief in one or more Eastern or New Age religious ideas, including yoga as “a spiritual practice” and “spiritual energy located in physical things” such as crystals. • As of 2007, Buddhism was the fourth-largest belief group in the United States.

Common Elements • Pantheism – All is God • Everything in nature is god • The divine is everything and everything is divine • Reincarnation – Future lives • Karma – Cause and effect • Yoga and Meditation • The idea of detachment

Hinduism • Developed in India around 1,500 BC • The oldest of Eastern Religions and Originator of many common eastern ideologies. • No single founder or set of beliefs and tradition • Hundreds of sacred scriptures, spanning from 1,500 BC to AD 1,100 • Four Vedas • Upanishads • BhagavadGita • A belief that god is in all and there are gods • Pantheism and Polytheism • Brahman – Atman • Brahman being the sum of everything. • Atman being the individual. • 33 Million gods

Hinduism (Continued) • Salvation • Each soul is to eventually merge with Brahkma-Aman through thousands of reincarnations • This process is known as Samsara • This world (Maya) is an illusion • 80% of all Hindus still reside in India • Three major expressions: • Vaishnavism • Emphasizes the worship of Vaishna • Transcendental Meditation - His Holiness (H.H.) Maharism Manish Yogi • Friend of the Beatles • Shaivism • Emphasizes the worship of Shaiva • Shakism • Ephasizes the worship of Shaki, divine mother.

Buddhism • Origins in the 4th Cen. BC by Shidehara Gautama • No God is needed • Hold to the Four Noble Truths • 350 Million Buddhists today • Sacred literature is “the three baskets” • Three major sects of Buddhism: • Teravada • “Path of the Elders” • Munks • Mahayana • “Greater Vehicle” • Found mostly in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. • Vajrayana • “Diamond Vehicle” • A mystic form of Buddhism characterized by sexual exploits and folk magic. • Found mostly in Tibet and Mongolia • Its figure head is the Dalai Lama

Shidehara Gautama • Born to a royal family in 485 BC • Lived a good life unlike most of the people who surrounded the palace • He made his way off palace grounds and saw “the Four Signs” • An old man • A sick man • A corpse • An ascetic • It was after seeing these signs that he left his wife and new born child to go understand the world (this took 6 years) • It was during this time that he saw that neither extreme (poverty or wealth) as satisfying • At 35 he realized there was a middle way. • For the rest of his life he that “the middle way”

Four Noble Truths • The reality of suffering • Ignorance is the cause of suffering • Nirvana – Liberation • 8 – fold path: • Understanding • Thoughts • Speech • Actions • Livelihood • Endeavor • Mindfulness • Concentration

New Age Movement • Influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as other Eastern Religions • Influenced by transcendentalists • Transcendentalism – beyond experience but not knowledge. • Calculated renouncing of Orthodox Christian beliefs • Emphasis on Pantheism • Relative truth • Individual autonomy – All paths lead to God • Rejection of sin • No central leader or organization

New Age Movement (Continued) • What’s the attraction? • Personal godhood • Freedom to explore • Rejecting traditional religious approaches • Techniques for enlightenment • Physical healing • Alternative medicines • Holistic health

What does the Bible say? • The one true God is personal and distinct from his creation • Gen. 1; Rom. 1 • Jesus is the unique redeemer • I Tim. 2:5; Matt 7:13; John 14:6 • Reincarnation undermines justice • Heb. 9:27 • Resurrection not reincarnation • John 5:28 • John 6:40 • Philippians 3:10 • Christian meditation is about attachment to God • Psalm 48:9

Does and Don’ts Does • Do familiarize yourself with the basic teachings • Do ask questions • Do be prepared to give an answer • Do share your personal testimony • Do encourage others to read what the Bible says about Jesus Don’ts • Don’t be quick to criticize your friend's religion • Don’t overlook potentially sensitive cultural factors • Don’t forget to pray faithfully

Prayer Requests • Tessa – Shana • Grades – Logan • CarlitaHarten (Surgery) - David

Quick Review

At the root of much of today’s “spirituality” is … an ancient religion. • Buddhism • Hinduism • Theravada • Astrology

True or False? In Buddhism, there is a creator behind the reality of the cosmos that explains it.

True or False? In Buddhism, there is a creator behind the reality of the cosmos that explains it. FALSE(In Buddhism, God is no needed. The Buddha taught that the pursuit of God is irrelevant and can hinder one’s quest for enlightenment.)

The New Age movement: • Rejects sin as the ultimate cause of evil. • Emphasizes personal autonomy. • Accepts pantheism. • (a) and (b) • All of the above

In eastern spiritual meditation, a person is seeking to … • Pay for their sins • Vanish • Be resurrected • Hear God

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ alone is the … mediator between the one, holy God and sinful human beings.

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ alone is the MEDIATOR mediator between the one, holy God and sinful human beings.

Next Week Islam

Youth Announcements