James .:
Jason,
That's a very good question that I am happy to answer. Yes, I do believe that the Dharma of Gotama (his sasana) has been phased out, is deprecated. So I don't believe in the 'saving grace' of the sasana anymore. Rather I believe that salvation is only attained through Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
However! The texts still remain, and this does not negate the efficacy of the practices of said texts. I still have classical Buddhist insights, I still experience parts of the four limbs of stream winning (minus the morality part, but the texts often state worldlings are those in whom the limbs are "in altogether, and in every way lacking"), I still discern the indriya, but do not possess them fully, nor have I completed them.
In short, I believe that is impossible to be fully Buddhist, like it was in the past. So while I do believe it is possible to resurrect ghosts, or watch "old history tapes" and experience what the saints of old did. I do not believe that the sasana is still in effect, I believe it to be dead.
Attempts to resurrect it, are viewed by me as futile. Christ is the way to go. I only have peace of mind, and freedom from fear of hell, when recollecting my Christianity.
However I do have powerful non-dual experiences, Christianity does not negate the existence of mysticism, it does negate the existence of righteous people however, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Furthermore it states that powers are bad, and are pretty much toxic.
Peace.
Fair enough. The thing I like about meditation is that you can really believe anything you want and still make progress on the path of insight. Cheers.