Ascension

I am curious as to what the word ascension means to persons on this forum.
I realize that this may appear to most as a really stupid question. Believe me, it is not.

My experience with the word comes from the early eighties when people were following channelers and joining "new age" groups. They all said that they would ascend because they had hidden knowledge of the truth. The reasoning for this was that the angels or the creator had chosen them specially to impart this wondrous knowledge to save them from the coming turmoil. These people I met in two different states and in many different cities. It wasn't just one group. They were all saying the same thing. My gut feeling told me then that there was definitely something amis in these messages. The messages played to the ego in everyone making them feel special and superior to others on this planet.

Then I come to these forums and here we go again with same word. I am wondering if this means the same thing or something new. This is why I am asking.

Alexandra