Onceuponatime Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Energy healing, tapping, the law of attraction, or other "new age" type practices? Or are they diametrically opposed to Christianity? Serious discussion please. I am not sure where I stand on this issue and I have been exposed to it a lot lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYoungerMrsWarde Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 My mainstream Christian Grandmother sees a kinesiologist/chiropractor instead of a regular doctor. He uses "energy" reading in a sense by touching parts of your body and sees if your arm goes weak when he does it (you're holding your arm out and he tries to push it down.) Then he holds herbal medicines samples (which he sells) up to the "weak" areas and sees if it keeps your arm from collapsing when he pushes on it. Considering the "energy" charts on the wall, I'd consider that "new age-y." I don't know if it's actually working (which I don't know how that would) or he's a good con-artist who does actually help people-sort of. He's worked on me. I don't know how me made my arm collapse, but it wasn't me making it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS_ Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Energy healing, tapping, the law of attraction, or other "new age" type practices? Or are they diametrically opposed to Christianity? Serious discussion please. I am not sure where I stand on this issue and I have been exposed to it a lot lately. I think it depends on the specific practice and the person's attitude towards it. I think there is a lot we don't understand about healing and how our bodies heal themselves and so I don't discount some ideas that some people might think are "new age" just because some people I don't agree with spiritually use them. For instance, I use acupuncture, which in some circles is new age although it's really very old. There are acupuncture practitioners in my town that have a new age mindset and others that don't. I go to one that doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I would say, in general, probably no, but I would have to look into each one and understand it thoroughly first before making up my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 I would say, in general, probably no, but I would have to look into each one and understand it thoroughly first before making up my mind. What would be your reason/s for saying no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 To many gray areas for me to say. One time I was trapped in a blizzard at a dinky motel. I was 8 and had a temp of 105 and rising, was vomiting, just really sick. The only Dr there was a rather new agey chiro/reflexologist type. He massaged my pressure points and my fever dropped in min. It was amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I can't see why not. I'm quite sure there are denominations that wouldn't accept you and others that would deny your Christianity but frankly, that goes on now with other issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Energy healing, tapping, the law of attraction, or other "new age" type practices? Or are they diametrically opposed to Christianity? Serious discussion please. I am not sure where I stand on this issue and I have been exposed to it a lot lately. I do energy healing work and LoA coaching. I have worked with people who self-identify as Christian and it hasn't been an issue. I also know people who work in these fields who are Christian, and their faith plays a huge role in their work. So while it might be an issue for some Christians, I know it certainly isn't an issue for all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I can't see how alternative medicine is anti-Christian, or how one would be sinning by following the advice of an alternative practitioner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gailmegan Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 This is definitely one of those gray areas. The Bible tells us that all truth is God's truth. Western medicine isn't the only form of healing that God has created. There are other types of energy connections in our bodies that aren't visible to the eye. Many Christians believe that if God created that connection, there is no reason we can't use it for healing. I also agree with the PP that some practitioners do include a spiritual element in the healing process, which can be in contradiction with the Scriptures. I think the best any Christian can do is research the particular healing practice, talk to the practitioner ahead of time and pray for God's guidance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linguistmama Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 We've used energy healing including Reiki, chiropractic care, acupuncture, homeopathy etc. I believe that with any type of care, be it western or alternative, a practitioner could use it for bad or for good. I a very happy to accept whatever healing methods are the best for our family. I look at our regular western doctor and our energy healer with the same attitude that I am ultimately responsible to follow my instincts and pray about seeing them or not. I have found such great good in alternative medicine and believe that it has been given to humans just as much as western models of care. Also, if I lived in an area of the world where acupuncture was the norm then it might not even come up as a question. It would be obvious that it was a cultural difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 For me it depends on whether I felt like it was a "natural" energy that was being manipulated, or whether the practitioner was manipulating or even summoning a "supernatural" energy. I struggle with this area, because I believe there is a lot we don't know about the body, and I believe that energy is a real force that acts on us. Many things that are considered "supernatural" right now, I would not be surprised to discover are actually natural energy forces that we were meant to be more in harmony with. However, as a Christian I do believe there are supernatural forces that are very real and also very dangerous. That requires me to be extremely cautious what sort of energy I am opening myself up to. If I am in doubt I err on the side of caution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kchara Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I would say it depends on the practice. I agree with the PP who said there's a lot about healing and the human body we just don't know yet. The only thing I would give a hard no to is any type of practice that is trying to tap into the "divine energy" inside of us. God is the only divine, therefore that would be off limits to me. It's the reason I no longer practice yoga (the Namaste greeting kind of killed that for me). But, I do see a chiropractor, and if I'm blessed to get pregnant again, I'm planning on acupressure and reflexology for some of my pregnancy issues. I'm also hoping to learn about aromatherapy. My stepmom is certified (or something, not entirely sure, she took classes and works on people) with Reiki, and she's a pastor's wife, but I don't know enough about it to know if I would agree or disagree with the practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4wildberrys Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 For me it depends on whether I felt like it was a "natural" energy that was being manipulated, or whether the practitioner was manipulating or even summoning a "supernatural" energy. I struggle with this area, because I believe there is a lot we don't know about the body, and I believe that energy is a real force that acts on us. Many things that are considered "supernatural" right now, I would not be surprised to discover are actually natural energy forces that we were meant to be more in harmony with. However, as a Christian I do believe there are supernatural forces that are very real and also very dangerous. That requires me to be extremely cautious what sort of energy I am opening myself up to. If I am in doubt I err on the side of caution. :iagree: But I also don't see how regular medicine or therapy is necessarily any different than the natural healing methods or a threat to Christians' spirituality overall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Energy healing, tapping, the law of attraction, or other "new age" type practices? Or are they diametrically opposed to Christianity? Serious discussion please. I am not sure where I stand on this issue and I have been exposed to it a lot lately. I remember having this discussion with a missionary to Asia. He'd been there a long time and mentioned that a lot of western missionaries had trouble figuring out what was Asian and what was counter to Christianity. One of the examples he often used was using Moxa sticks . But I think that accupuncture, accupressure, yoga and meditation could be similar examples. Someone who has frequent chiropractic treatments or back massages might have less of an issue with such treatments than someone for whom it seems wholly foreign. A lot would also depend on how it was framed. I would have little issue with moxibustion treatments. But incense in another setting might well have a religious use. It isn't the incense itself that is at issue; it is how it is being used. Meditation itself is not only not counter to Christianity, but encouraged in the Bible. But it could be practiced in a way that attempts to diminish the truth of Christianity. I'm not sure what the "law of attraction" is. Just looking at the wiki article for it, I have more issue with it from a validity standpoint than a religious one. It seems about as useful as treating illnesses with herbs that look like the suffering part of the body. It just seems to me more foolishness than sinfulness (though it is a foolishness that I've also seen Christians practice. For example, the mantra like repitition of the Prayer of Jabez a few years ago - to pick one from my own Christian tradition. Or learning the names and characteristics of demons in order to "bind" them - which was gaining popularity a few decades back when Frank Peretti's books were recent publications.) This is part of a chapter from What's a Christion to Do with Harry Potter by Connie Neal. She tackles a similar question (magic in literature) in light of the New Testament discussion of the sinfulness of meat sacrificed to idols. Where she ends up is that it is indeed fine for some and sinful for others. And that one group ought not put stumbling blocks OR criticism on the other group. This might be helpful in thinking through where you are with the practices you listed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 My reason for saying no would be on a case by case basis for things that I think are fake. I don't know what "tapping" is unless it's similar or the same thing as acupuncture, which I think *may* have merit and scientific evidence so I would not dismiss it totally. The other two? No, I think those are fake but am always willing to change my mind on things that can be proven a bit more and have been researched. There are a whole lotta things that sound so cool and really came about because they, well, sounded cool. I want research backing up actual observations of actual occurrences, NOT research in order to back up an IDEA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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