With respect to you Reaper, you're wrong again. The two meditations are vastly different from each other in practice & purpose.

Totally agree, but the Hare Krishnas practice a form of meditation that is the same. (They don't empty their minds, but fill it wholly with their god.)

Hi Lyoll, can you tell me how they fill their minds with God?

I'm not an expert, but from what I've seen, they chant praise of Krishna for a good long while, so that all they are thinking about is Krishna and the praises stay in their mind and keep coming back to them. They are tremendously serious about doing everything with reference to the god and in accordance with his commandments.

I looked around the wed and Yes, they do so with what's called, "Mantra". they repeat it over, and over, and over again. Mostly praises & words of devotion to their deities.

However they do so in order to concentrate or focus on a theme in order to ultimately gain Nirvana; we do it, as you know, for a closer walk with the Lord.

Unfortunately, some in the church began to do the same which is called, "Contemplative Prayer". Contemplative Prayer is not new in Christianity as the Monks in the early Medieval Age began to do it. How they've done it I do not know, but I think this is why Catholics have these long repetitive which is frowned upon by the Lord Himself (Matthew 6:7).

Nice citation! But don't you think that the ban against repetitions means that you shouldn't try to get divine attention by saying "please" a thousand times, not that you can't repeatedly use prayer to refocus yourself on the divine?

Prayer w/out ceasing in 1 Thessalonians 5 is not the same thing as Mantras. Prayers is asking God to grant whatever is desired as Mantras & Meditation are procedural exercises.

The entire purpose of eastern meditation is to gain Nirvana where, according to Siddhartha Gautama (founder of Buddhism), you gain ultimate happiness as you're no longer ensnared by desire which is the cause of suffering & attain the highest knowledge while Hindus believe not only that but it means the end of ego & other negative characterial traits & the cycle of rebirths (1).

Mantras are of course are prayer to, not just an occultic chant; but they are prayers specifically for the practice of meditation.

As for Pagan prayers, which Mantras are of course, there is an occultic & carnal element (works-righteousness - Ephesians 2:8-9) to the practice because it is prescriptive in nature. For example, if you say this prayer for prosperity 10 times a day you will surely get your prayers answered (or it will magically be accomplished). The deity or patron saint is obligated to answer your prayers favorably (given that you live the right way of course).

With biblical Christianity God reserves the right to grant your request. We cannot bargain with Him, nor is He obligated to grant our wish because we are sinners before a holy & just God (Exodus 34:6-7 & Psalm 7:11). Paul Washer said that the only we can motivate God to do is to send us to the deepest part of Hell. He is right.

Thus, biblical prayer is not X = Y (that is, pray X amount of time & you will get Y - answered prayer) but an asking of God with a trusting hope that He will grant our request out of His mercy (sparing us of the penalty we deserve) & grace (undeserved kindness).

Sources
1. Hinduwebsite.com, Accessed 09-30-2021 https://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/concepts/nirvana.asp

I appreciate the citation! According to the Society for Krishna consciousness website,

"This should be the goal of all prayer to attain loving service of the Supreme Lord, with no other desire. Lord Caitanya prayed, “I do not want to enjoy beautiful women, nor do I want wealth or many followers. All I want is Your causeless devotional service in my life, birth after birth.”

On hearing a prayer of full surrender and devotion to God, we may think, “That is a beautiful sentiment, but it’s only for the rare pure devotee, the saint” Yet we are all eternal, pure souls, part of the Supreme Lord."

It says of people who pray for material things,

"They are certainly better than those who never approach the Supreme, for although prayers for material benefits are ultimately foolish requests, the sukritinas get into the habit of approaching the Supreme, and thus they may purify themselves for higher communion with God."

http://www.krishna.com/power-prayer

As far as any argument that classes other religions as Pagan (as opposed to Christianity) what does the classification rest on, beyond us-versus-themism?)

I am not a Hindu, or a follower of Krishna, but I think the real divine has been approached by many groups throughout world history, and the real religious passion shown by the followers of Krishna is exactly what so many Christians say Christianity ought to be.

Hi Uniform. Nice to see you. I hope you're well

Doing well so far; have been a little busy with Online_Therapist but most days there were little activity. How about you, Kate?

TO PUT IT SIMPLY...

... Christian meditation does not involve the emptying of one's mind in order to get any revelation, epiphanies, or enlightenment, but the pondering of God's words, works, & deeds. This is the essential difference between eastern meditation & Christian meditation.

One could argue that Christians in history, the Gnostics perhaps or any of the mystics have done them, but that is not what the Bible supports or advocates. The scriptures are very specific, & naturally the Devil wants you to do the opposite by emptying your mind in order to listen to whatever demon that wants to influence you, rather than, to abide in Christ.

Did not Jesus say the following:

"...Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
- Matthew 4:4

Except the woman in the picture is reading an empty book.