I've heard many people who say they dislike Christianity, or other "Western" religions  because of the focus on the 'self', and they turn to "Eastern" or sometimes "new age" religions because they say they focus more on the whole of creation, and not on individual importance.  Somehow the feeling of being part of something greater than them (and somehow the inherent humility contained in that thought) appeals to them.

The shame is, those people have it wrong, or at least part of it.  One of the biggest, and greatest things to realize as a Christian is that it's not about me!  It's about the Lord.  God loves us and wants us with Him for eternity, but our willingness or decision to partake in the gift He gives us does not add to or subtract from His greatness.  That's far more freeing to me than thinking of becoming "one with Brahman" or whatever...because I do get to be an individual, a child of God, but it's not due to my actions or my worth or my desire, only due to the blood of Christ washing me clean!

Yeah, we have embraced a "consumer" gospel, why I do not know!  There is a popular Christian book out there that makes the comment that, just like we have a void that cannot be filled without God, so God has a void that cannot be filled apart from us.  This thing is a huge seller!  The devil has us so focused on ourselves that we don't see what is going on around us.  It is like little kids.  If you don't want them to see you do something (hide a present, etc.), distract them with something else.  We are playing with the toy of self-fulfillment while he goes about smashing holes in society and in the church.