Against Christianity?

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Do these practices go against christianity

Yes
12 (16%)
No
51 (68%)
Undecided
12 (16%)

Total Members Voted: 64

Voting closed: October 11, 2004, 19:24:09

Berserk

IS ASTRAL PROJECTION PERMISSIBLE FOR A CHRISTIAN?

In one of my astral projection experiences, I floated near the ceiling, looked down on my sleeping body, and tried to merge with it.  I achieved this state through self-hypnosis.  In another apparent AP I retrieved an ex-girlfriend from a lower plane to which she was consigned after committing suicide.  During these experiences, I was certain they were genuine.  Upon awakening, I gradually came to the conclusion that both APs were merely vivid lucid dreams.  I've since performed another soul retrieval, which, upon awakening, I reluctantly concluded was again just a dream.  

One reason for my skepticism is that I have taught myself to create lucid dreams as vivid as any of my apparent APs.  For example, in one I projected to Boston at high noon while it was midnight here in Buffalo, NY.  I could see downtown Boston in great detail, smell the gas fumes, and hear the din of many conversations blending in with traffic noise.  I even grabbed a woman walking by.  When she screamed, I explained to her that I was "back there" sleeping, that I was god in this dream universe, and that she was merely a figment of my imagination.  She reacted with horror the way a real woman would react to being seized by a stranger.  Embarrassed, I woke up, but soon realized it was just another lucid dream.  

After these failures, I asked myself whether a waking OBE might be more convincing.  I bought the complete set of Gateway CDs created by the Monroe Institute.   After experimenting with them, I soon realized that my Christian faith was confronting me with a dilemma: was is permissible for a Christian to soar through the astral realm unbidden by God?  At present, my answer is a tentative "Yes."  Let me share my biblical justification with you.

In the Bible, AP is a specialized manifestation of the gift of prophecy.  So I asked myself 2 questions: (1) Is this gift reserved for a chosen few or is it available to every believer.  (2) If it is theoretically available to all, can it be developed through contemplative disciplines or must it be bestowed as an act of divine sovereignty without regard to our striving to receive it?

(1) In 1 Corinthians 12:29-30, Paul asks rhetorically, "Are all prophets?  Are all teachers?  Do all work miracles?  Do all have gifts of healing?  Do all speak in tongues?  Do all interpret?" These questions are often misconstrued to imply the answer: "Of course  not!  And God never intended everyone to possess these gifts."  What Paul is really saying is this: "Look around you.  As a matter of experience, not everyone develops these gifts."  This distinction is important because Paul proceeds to express the wish that everyone would prophesy (14:5) and adds, "You can ALL prophesy one at a time (14:31)."  His wish that everyone would prophesy is based on Moses' wish in Numbers 11:29: "How I wish ALL the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!"  There are several points of contact with Numbers 11-12 in 1 Corinthians 12-14.  In rabbinic Judaism, Moses' wish was viewed as a prophecy which would be fulfilled with the Messiah's arrival.  For Paul, the Messiah has arrived and the prophecy can now be fufilled.

(2) Believers were not expected to passively wait for God to impart the prophetic charism to them.  Rather, Paul urges, "Pursue the way of love and EARNESTLY STRIVE FDR (Greek: "zeloute") spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy."  This proactive striving was presumably to include spiritual disciplines like prolonged prayer and meditation.  But would Paul have allowed the use of Robert Bruce's tachniques or the Gateway CDs?  My tentative reply is a qualified `Yes.'  To qualify as Christian, these disciplines would have to be pursued with an attitude of worship and with a motivation to use the experience to glorify God and pursue His causes.  Here Swedenborg is the best modern model.

The most intriguing New Testament example of AP is that experienced by Paul and described in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4.  One wonders what secrets he was forbidden to reveal--secrets disclosed to him in Paradise.  In this text, Paul coyly speaks of himself in the third person as "a man":

"I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.  I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago was caught up to the third heaven.  Whether it was in the body or out of the body, i do not know--God knows.  And I know that this man. . .was caught up to Paradise.  He heard inexpressible things, things that humanity is not permitted to tell."

Paul shares this experience to counteract propaganda spread by traveling "super-apostles" who are adept at AP.  These men have circulated reference letters documenting their astral adventures to various churches.  Compared to them, Paul seems less than imposing to the Corinthians in his speech and personal charisma.  PAUL OBJECTS NOT TO THEIR AP GIFT, BUT TO THEIR ARROGANCE IN TREATING THIS GIFT AS A BADGE OF THEIR TRUE SPIRITUALITY.  So Paul resists the pressure to match their press clippings, and instead, gives the Corinthians a list of his extraordinary sufferings in the service of the Gospel.  

He sums up his perspective on true spirituality thus: "To keep me from becoming conceited because of all my surpassingly great revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh [= some sort of physical affliction]. . .Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But He said to me, `My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me (12:7-9)."
If we read between the lines, Paul is tacitly approving AP, so long as it is performed to promote God's work.

In the Bible, AP is normally portrayed as being "in the Spirit" or being "carried away in the Spirit."  As a clearly prophetic prerogative, AP is experienced by the prophets Ezekiel and John: e. g.

"The Spirit lifted me up and took me away. . .(Ezekiel 1:14)."
"On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet. . . (Revelation 1:10)."
"After this I looked, and there was before me a door standing open in Heaven.  And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, `Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.'  At once I was in the Spirit. . . (Revelation 4:1-2)."
"And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain. . . (Revelation 21:10)."

As late as 200 AD, AP remains a function of being "in the Spirit" through the exercise of the prophetic charism.  In Tertullian's church, AP is actually encouraged during the Sunday service:

"Because we acknowledge spiritual gifts, we too have deserved to acquire THE PROPHETIC GIFT...We now have a sister among us whose lot it is to be favored with various revelatory gifts.  Right in the church in the midst of Sunday's sacred rites, she experiences these gifts in ecstatic vision, while IN THE SPIRIT.  She converses with angels, and sometimes even with the Lord.  She both sees and hears mysterious communications.  She [clairvoyantly] understands some people's hearts and distributes remedies to those in need.  Whether during Scripture reading, the chanting of Psalms, the preaching of sermons, or the offering up of prayers, she receives the means and opportunity to see visions in all these services...After the people are dismissed at the end of the services, she routinely reports to us whatever she has seen in visions.  All her communications are scrupulously examined to probe their truth.  `Among other things,' she says, `I have been shown a soul in bodily shape, and a spirit has been regularly appearing to me.  This spirit is no void or empty illusion.  You would even expect it to offer its hand to be grasped.  It is soft and transparent, with an ethereal color.  It resembles the form of a human being in every respect (Tertullian, De Anima 9:4).'"

Apparently, the state of consciousness that facilitates this woman's AP also allows her clairvoyant insight into parishioners' guarded secrets and insights into the solutions to their problems.  She even seems to have a regular spirit guide.

In the early church, such prophetic gifts are suppressed around the same time that a consensus is developed to limit the New Testament canon to the 26 books it now contains.  This consensus is achieved around 200 AD, but is not formalized until later.  After 200 AD, there are only a few minor quibbles about the suitability of this or that book for inclusion in the New Testament canon.

Berserk

laiana

Hi Beserk,

Thanks for posting your thoughts - that has also given me more food for thought!

(This is an issue I have been struggling with for a while now...)

:)

lifebreath

Since I haven't posted here in about a year, here's my "drive-by" reply ...

I suggest you (meaning primarily the original poster, but anyone else as well) read the book "Meditations on the Tarot: A Journey into Christian Hermeticism" written by Valentin Tomberg, but published anonymously and post-humously. Tomberg was a devoted Hermetic initiate, well versed in many streams of esoterica, who later in life converted to Roman Catholicism. I believe this rather large tome addresses many of the questions raised and will help guide your journey.

ozonerider

Hello everyone , since this is my first post , may I just say as a matter of introduction that as a 48 yr old male , I have had "spiritual" experiences my whole life . From OOB'S to Trance channeling , Aura readings , psychometry, yada yada  ...the whole gambit .Pretty much you name it I did it PSI wise . Though I was raised RCath. I was never told theses things were evil or against God's word . I did use these "gifts" to help people . It wasn't until over twenty five years later when I became "born again" , that I was told they were Demonic and I needed to go through "deliverance". :?  Now its twenty years after the fact and I have come full circle . After YEARS of Bible study I have come to the conclusion that the "modern Church " is deceiving Christians into believing something that is erroneous . :cry:
Christianity actually is really very simple , many of us have just chosen to complicate matters and embrace half truths . ...
Do you know the question ?.......
.
.
.
Are we under Law or Grace ? :wink:
I will leave this thread at the point and see if there is any real interest .

soma-sight

19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.


The Bible warns us that psychic phenom and sorcery are to be avoided at all costs.

It is a work of the flesh and not the Spirit.

If you are serious about Christ and His Path than you need to focus on these qualities..........

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and selfcontrol. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

soma-sight

QuoteOf course, as per disscusion here that may be a sin via Christian standards. But what about those of us for whom it is completely involuntary? Are we/they possesed by demons or Satan or some such nonsense?

Yes people can become possesed without their knowledge of it, you are not supposed to hide your "I" under a pillow and become a drone my friend!

You are a wonderful, unique person that does not need to run away from his own self.

We just need to refine ourselves, not destroy.

The Lord wants us to be real people, real individuals that participate in life and spend our time serving Him, not destroying our ego.

Satan wants that for us. He wants us to become nothing and not inherit Eternal Life.

Posession can happen to people who are not willing for it to happen. It is scary and I will pray for you.

ozonerider

Soma-Sight , since you are quoting from the Law, I guess Jesus death on the cross didn't nullify it after all.

Sorry but we are NO LONGER under the Law, but grace. Nice try :D

soma-sight

QuoteSoma-Sight , since you are quoting from the Law, I guess Jesus death on the cross didn't nullify it after all.

Sorry but we are NO LONGER under the Law, but grace. Nice try

ozonerider, Just because we are under Grace does not give us the right to murder, steal, commit adultery, become sorcerers, etc.

The Bible is very clear on what the Fruits of TRUE believe are and false belief.

If you believe in the Bible truly than YOU DONT WANT to do things contrary to His Will because the Holy Spirit is in control of you.

Nice Try.


19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

  22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and selfcontrol. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.


paker7

Quote from: Soma-Sightozonerider, Just because we are under Grace does not give us the right to murder, steal, commit adultery, become sorcerers, etc.

 :evil:  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  :evil:

Let me guess - is the Malleus Maleficarum your second favorite book after the Bible ?

Commoners believe - winners KNOW !

soma-sight

paker7,

Witchcraft is evil.

Is that so hard to understand or feel in your heart?

Just dont do it.

ozonerider

Soma-Sight, there you go again, you just don't get it do you ?
I thought Jesus destroyed the Devil (evil) on the cross and the LAW .
"Without the Law there is NO transgression."

Get it ? The first Adam bombed out and ate from the "Tree of Good and Evil". The second Adam (Jesus) didn't and NULLIFIED the ENTIRE LAW at the Cross .

No Law, gone kaput, therefore ,who are you to judge what is good and Evil without going back to the Law?

The very first point I made ,  GRACE = No LAW  :D

paker7

Quote from: Soma-Sightpaker7,

Witchcraft is evil.

Why ?

Commoners believe - winners KNOW !

Palehorse

Quote from: paker7
Quote from: Soma-Sightpaker7,

Witchcraft is evil.

Why ?

I think a better question (to Soma Sight) at this point would be -- how do you define "witchcraft"?
Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and look, I'm guarding it until it blazes."
    --Gospel of Thomas, saying 10

Legend

I don't believe anything about it goes against the Cath. principles per se.  At least from the top of my head, nothing clashes with them.  As you venture and discover things, you may notice some discrepencies between the two, but that's not necesarilly a bad thing.


Fear drives people to do such crazy things :\

Quote from: QuantitativefoolI have just recently been starting various energy raising stuff and projection ect. I am also a fairly faithful Catholic. My question is wether or not any of these practices are against Christianity or any religion in general? I personally don't think they are but I am no theologian. Please post your thoughts on this.
)_

Palehorse

Quote from: ozonerider
Get it ? The first Adam bombed out and ate from the "Tree of Good and Evil". The second Adam (Jesus) didn't and NULLIFIED the ENTIRE LAW at the Cross .
No Law, gone kaput, therefore ,who are you to judge what is good and Evil without going back to the Law?

Not quite biblically accurate.

Matthew 5:17
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Exactly what it means to "fulfill" the law is a matter of debate, but the fact remains that the very first Christians, who were all Jewish, remained religious Jews for the rest of their lives.  So, obviously they didn't understand Jesus to have gotten rid of the law completely.  Then again, after the temple fell in 70AD (and with it the priesthood and everything pertaining to sacrifice), much of it became a moot point.

I think the better question would be that of what business we (and I'm assuming we're all gentiles) would have binding ourselves to ancient Jewish religious law.  The question of whether gentiles are obligated to follow the law was decided at the council of Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts 15, and the answer was "no."  

Does that mean we can (or rather, should) live by any standard we feel like?  Not at all.  As Paul said in 1 Cor. 6:12 and elsewhere "everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial.  Everything is lawful, but I will not be mastered by anything."  Put together with Jesus' teachings, the ideal Christian "rule for living" soon becomes clear -- "love God, love your neighbor, and use the common sense God gave ya."
Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and look, I'm guarding it until it blazes."
    --Gospel of Thomas, saying 10

soma-sight

Jesus said:

" If ye love me, keep my commandments. " (John 14:15 KJV)

What were these commandments that Jesus was referrring to?

The Paul of the Bible summarizes God's law for mankind in one verse:

"For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14 RSV)

This has become known as the "Royal Law".

If you really fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well. (James 2:8 RSV)


Jesus Himself went into more detail about what He wants us to do and not to do. Although we are saved by grace, not by works if we follow only the Royal Law we demonstrate our love for what God through Jesus Christ as done for us.

It is even better if we can also keep all of the Commandments of Jesus, since is thew way in which we can accomplish two very important things:


1) Demonstrate to non-Christians that we truly are followeres of Christ.
These Commandments of Jesus have a very special place of high priority for all Christians because The Lord said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15 KJV). (Emphasis mine)

2) Help bring about Gods dominion/kingdom/realm , the same dominion/kingdom/realm we pray for every time we say the Prayer That Jesus Taught Us. "Your dominion/kingdom/realm come, Your will be on earth as it is in heaven."

Jesus also gave the following instructions regarding His Commandments . . .

" Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." (Matthew 28:19-20 KJV)

By these words, Jesus tells us that we are to obey all of the Commandments He gave to His disciples, and that these Commandments apply until the end of the world and GodÕs domion is fully realized.

soma-sight

Withcraft is the use of the Devil's power.

It is the worship of false gods.

It is condemend in the Bible in MANY instances.

Revelations and Galations tell us that those who are witches will NOT see the Kingdom of God.

Acts has a great story of how Paul and Peter met a sorcerer who tried to "buy" the power of the Holy Spirit.

The OT also has instances of the folly of withcraft.

Palehorse

Quote from: Soma-SightWithcraft is the use of the Devil's power.

What power do you believe the devil has that we can make use of?  (I'm not trying to be an arse; I'm just trying to narrow this down to be as specific as possible, since if we're going to debate something, I think it generally helps to first make sure we're all on the same page here).

QuoteIt is the worship of false gods.

This, I believe, is why a lot of things are condemned in the Bible -- in ancient times, if you couldn't explain something, it was attributed to one deity or another, thus for the Jews and Christians it would have been idolatry.  Today, not so much.  There's not necessarily any logical connection between psychic phenomena, astral projection, etc. etc., and gods of any sort, let alone false ones.
Quote
Revelations and Galations tell us that those who are witches will NOT see the Kingdom of God.

Do you have the actual references handy?
Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and look, I'm guarding it until it blazes."
    --Gospel of Thomas, saying 10

ozonerider

QuoteEverything is lawful,





Then stop quoting from the Law my friend  :)

who_am_i

I'm a Christian however I have no denomination but on the topic at hand in my personal views I feel that hypnosis, astral projection, meditation are all gifts I personally believe they were given to us by God and are not evil.....
but I feel I must say its absolutely stupid to argue with this topic. if there's one thing my mother taught me it's there 2 arguments you will not win.
one is religion the other is politics.so why try? The bible also means many different things to many different people. for instance I can point out to Bible verses of top of my head in which I believe they were talking about astral projection. but then again it is my belief. the first is
Revelation 1:10
On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

I believe when he says in the spirit he is talking about where his consciousness is at. it is my believe they had he been in his physical body it would not have been worded in the spirit.

the other againis in revelations.
Revelation 4:2
At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.

Daniel also referred to astral projection in my opinion by saying he was in the spirit and he saw a vision of his body in his head troubled him.

I am not however sure what the exact passage is.

I said it once and I will say it again.  I believe God is kinda like trance.
what works for one person may not work for another does it  mean either one of them are right? or is it simply what works...


0

who_am_i

I do feel I must add tho if you have to ask it may not be right for you. there's something in your spirit that must be bothering you enough to concern the conscious mind to the point where it feels it needs to ask and get acceptance from something it believes might be wrong in some instances.

Potential

God never gives anything, if you want something ya gotta work for it.  All god does is is proclaims he made this and that, but where is the evidence for it.

The reason christians are christians is because of conditions. They were born into a christian family. You ever notice that a lot of orphanages are owned by Catholic or christian organizations.  It makes the conversion process easier, plus the fear they inflict in them, will have them going to church. And the cool thing about the church is how much money they sucker people into giving.

America is a capitalistic country, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. God only blesses the rich, and maybe the poor at times when the rich feel bad about the poor. So the christian religion has become capitalistic as well.

And besides christianity is a easy religion to understand, no going to hell for wrong-doing as long as you believe in the son of god.  So the practice is easy, so the lazy people follow it.  Follow a lie.

Maybe Jesus is Satan and this is his way of gathering an army against god  for the big battle.  I sure hope Rapture comes and gets rid of all the christians, then I can meditate in peace.

who_am_i

I feel I must apologize for who's ever actions caused you to believe that all Christians are that way. I found out about God through my first projection. he came to me I was not forced to go to him. just because you don't understand something doesn't mean you should fear it and immediately want to destroy it. this is a problem in most of the world today.

who_am_i

I would never dream of calling what you believe a lie and telling you that you were stupid because you believed it. I'm not judging you I'm merely asking for the same respect back.

Telos

Quote from: Potential... and the poor get poorer.

No they don't.

Was there some era in history when the poor were better off than they are now? Were economic systems more merciful? So that not having any money wasn't as much of a hardship? You're not interested in solving the problem of poverty. You're interested in solving the problem of relative poverty, which is a jaundiced aspiration born of jealously.

If anyone says, "the rich get richer and poor get poorer" one more time, I shall mercilessly wallop them in the face with a live fish.