New Age and "God"
Respondents show a great interest in theological issues. Some of the Church's beliefs, in particular the notion that Christ's death on the cross could free the present from guilt, are rejected by arguments of reason. The church's image of God, as it is perceived, is also questioned by all accounts good and well thought-out arguments. While God for the Christian is a living mystery, he does not appear to be to the respondents. He is apparently difficult to grasp (personal or impersonal) but respondents have clear answers to questions about God's qualities in general, his extent, his role in the world and relationship with the individual, as administrator of our karma, etc. So in some sense, the newness has detonated even God. With psychoanalytic terminology, it could be said that the followers managed to see through God, "penetrated" and triumphed, even over him?
At the same time, the image of God that fades out is quite strange. He is not powerful or stern, like the god of the Old Testament, but rather turned away, indifferent, or with an almost instrumental relationship with us. It's not exactly the image of a "good parent" fading out, seen with attachment theoretic eyes. He lets people suffer, but he does this out of love, explains one of the respondents. For us to be perfect. At the same time, it is obvious from the interview answers that there are many people in the world who will have to suffer severely in the future. It is close at hand to ask whether the image of God and attitude to the outside world do not interact in any way, and unless the relationship of God has been given the features of "identification with aggressor".
The new god has not created men, as we have existed forever. Therefore, there is also no guilt or reason to feel or show him any gratitude. This God has not let his son die on a cross, to lighten our burdens. There is no debt of gratitude either. This God does not help or assist us in any active way. Man is thus independent, both in relation to the earthly parents and to God. However, Arlebrand (1992) believes that there is a missing object behind the new search. This search has degenerated into "spiritual materialism and consumerism. Without contact with God, man is forced to fall into the worship of himself and his personal needs. Man seeks not "anything", but "someone". 224f).
Granqvist et al. (2009) in its work based on attachment theory, it is claimed to have been able to demonstrate that people with new-age orientation have a more disorganised/uncertain connection. What of this can be explained by the influence of doctrine itself, and what does it have to do with growing up experiences or biology? In relation to ordinary religion, some individuals can repair a flawed connection, according to Farias and Granqvist (2007), something called "earned security", while this has not been demonstrated in the research on the new ducks.