In my studies, I have been introduced to different beliefs and religions. I find much to like, in principle with eastern religions. There is a focus on simplicity which is lacking in our culture. I find that people look at eastern religions and see much to be learned from them. Sadly, many of our young people have forsaken the Christian faith in search of some new-age syncretism of eastern beliefs. 

Everything we find in eastern religions is found in the Christian faith with one distinctive, but it is a very important distinction. The difference is that in the Christian faith, we do not believe God is some energy force or non-personal being. We believe God is personal and that God wants to know us and be known on a personal level. In fact, God took upon flesh and dwelt among us in Jesus Christ. 

When we die, we don’t become part of God, instead, we have eternal fellowship with God in all of our personalities. This is a big difference. As an example, the goal of meditation in eastern religions is to empty your mind in order to connect with the energy or being that animates all creation. You lose yourself, your personality, and you connect to the divine, which has no personality. This is a far cry from what we read in Psalm 119. As Christians, we do not empty our minds, but we fill our minds with all the goodness of God. God communicates with us through words of Scripture and the Holy Spirit. In the Christian faith, we do not become nothing in order to connect with God and nature, but we become all God created us to be in a sweet personal relationship with God and neighbor in all their creative personality.