S&T, thanks for the specific quotes. Now I know what we're talking about.
TERMS S&T IS CONCERNED ABOUT:
“as above, so below” = Peterson decided to express the -idea- behind “on earth as it is in heaven” as simply and briefly as possible to emphasize the main point of the passage below.
Matthew 6:7-13
"The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best--
as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
”focused center” = simply way to express that the teaching in question is the primary and guiding principle.
”deep consciousness” = simply a description of the practice of being aware of God’s presence in even the smallest details of our lives and the need for this awareness to affect the way we live. In my opinion, it is a very good way to render this idea.
”inside out” = I think the point Peterson was trying to express was that the light coming from Jesus was not from the reflection of the sun on his white clothes that blinded the disciples or a shaft of light from heaven breaking through the clouds (like some anti-supernaturalists would have us believe), but rather that the body of Jesus was transformed, revealing a bit of the glory of God in Christ – His true nature. (Remember the image of the Son of God being our light in The Revelation?)
Matthew 17:1-2
Six days later, three of them saw that glory. Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light.
“true self/selves” = Refers to their very being/their spirits (the same thing that is traditionally expressed as “their hearts”)
John 4:23-24
But the time is coming--it has, in fact, come--when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. "It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself--Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration."
2.) Even if Peterson is somehow consciously co-opting “new age” and occultic terms for his work, he is completely changing their meaning for the purposes of communicating the gospel. The biblical writers did this in numerous places. The most obvious place is the opening to the gospel of John and the use of the pagan Greek concept of the “logos” (“the word” in English). John used a concept already familiar to the pagans (and most Jews) throughout the Roman world and reinterpreted it in light of Christ. And in another more basic way, the New Testament itself was primarily (if not completely) written in Greek, a pagan language not native to the Hebrew people that God has nurtured to bring for the Messiah. Like every language, the Greek language structures the way ideas and concepts are communicated. If God would use something as limited as human language to communicate with us, why should we get bent out of shape when the limits of language reveal themselves when we pull phrases out of context?
In any case, thanks for explaining your concerns. I hope you will give “The Message” another chance and get a sense of what Peterson has done.
Thanks!

TERMS S&T IS CONCERNED ABOUT:
“as above, so below” = Peterson decided to express the -idea- behind “on earth as it is in heaven” as simply and briefly as possible to emphasize the main point of the passage below.
Matthew 6:7-13
"The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best--
as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
”focused center” = simply way to express that the teaching in question is the primary and guiding principle.
”deep consciousness” = simply a description of the practice of being aware of God’s presence in even the smallest details of our lives and the need for this awareness to affect the way we live. In my opinion, it is a very good way to render this idea.
”inside out” = I think the point Peterson was trying to express was that the light coming from Jesus was not from the reflection of the sun on his white clothes that blinded the disciples or a shaft of light from heaven breaking through the clouds (like some anti-supernaturalists would have us believe), but rather that the body of Jesus was transformed, revealing a bit of the glory of God in Christ – His true nature. (Remember the image of the Son of God being our light in The Revelation?)
Matthew 17:1-2
Six days later, three of them saw that glory. Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light.
“true self/selves” = Refers to their very being/their spirits (the same thing that is traditionally expressed as “their hearts”)
John 4:23-24
But the time is coming--it has, in fact, come--when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. "It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself--Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration."
1.) The use of the same words does not necessarily mean that he is referring to “new age” or occult concepts. The context of words help us determine their meaning. The context of all of these terms is consistent with the Christian message, not an occultic message.Originally posted by Spirit and Truth:
How do you feel about the terms used in the translation that appear to be new age and possibly even occultic in nature?
2.) Even if Peterson is somehow consciously co-opting “new age” and occultic terms for his work, he is completely changing their meaning for the purposes of communicating the gospel. The biblical writers did this in numerous places. The most obvious place is the opening to the gospel of John and the use of the pagan Greek concept of the “logos” (“the word” in English). John used a concept already familiar to the pagans (and most Jews) throughout the Roman world and reinterpreted it in light of Christ. And in another more basic way, the New Testament itself was primarily (if not completely) written in Greek, a pagan language not native to the Hebrew people that God has nurtured to bring for the Messiah. Like every language, the Greek language structures the way ideas and concepts are communicated. If God would use something as limited as human language to communicate with us, why should we get bent out of shape when the limits of language reveal themselves when we pull phrases out of context?

In any case, thanks for explaining your concerns. I hope you will give “The Message” another chance and get a sense of what Peterson has done.
Thanks!