Hi everyone,
As a born again Christian I'm often warned against energy therapies especially acupuncture and such and I wonder why this is. Since EFT is loosely based on acupuncture I often wonder if it's ok for me to continue using it. I personally find it very helpful and was even thinking about pursuing it as a career - it would be wonderful to help people like that! But now I'm really confused.. I've done a lot of research and haven't really found any strong arguments why this would be wrong. There were some, for example that acupuncture is an occult practice which, if this is true I don't like it or that by helping people overcome things that Jesus is supposed to help them with I'm actually standing between them and Jesus. Does this make sense to anyone?
Is it really wrong of Christians to believe that we have energy pathways in our bodies and if so why?
I'm really interested to hear what fellow Christians here think.
Thanks
I don't follow a religion myself, but I know there are many Christians and those of other faiths who practice 'energy therapies' such as EFT and Reiki etc.
It depends how you want to look at it I guess.
In the simplest sense, you could use the example that, when you become hungry, this is because your body requires replenishment of energy, and you give it food to do that. Is it wrong to believe that your body needs the energy and to obtain that energy from food... of course not. Yet by eating the food you are changing the energy within your body, and manipulating it in ways to benefit yourself. EFT, Acupuncture etc. are just other ways of manipulating the energy within the body, some by more physical means than others.
Of course, some people believe that these practices are associated with angels, or other dimension, or spirit beings etc. etc. but that is down to individual belief. Considering that these practices work without any such beliefs, shows that it's the actual practical side of them that is the beneficial side, and the belief in such 'other worldly' or 'spiritual' things is completely optional (people who do believe in that may feel they benefit spiritually from it, but it's not a requirement)
You may find the following website offer useful information to help you decide...
And you can google for more.
Surely there are so many different 'types' of Christians, with so many different beliefs, that you could never get a concrete answer to a question like this?
I understand what you mean Crowan, but the more insights I get the easier it will be for me to make a decision. I'm not looking for a yes/no answer.
I understand what you mean Crowan, but the more insights I get the easier it will be for me to make the decision. I'm not looking for a yes/no answer.
sorry, two posts by accident, don't know how to delete
My old parish priest used to practice Bowen Technique and was interested in my use of EFT, Reiki, etc. He was a catholic priest, too! (The type that tells you not to have sex before marriage, to go to church every Sunday and 3 days in a row at Easter and probably wasn't keen on gays.)
It would be interesting if someone could come up with a valid reason why energy concepts should be frowned on in the first place.
All the latest media attacks on the Placebo effect, Homeopathy, and the likes such as Acupuncture seem to be based on various forms of prejudice or ignorance. I have not seen one scientific argument to refute the value of any of these disciplines. .
My old parish priest used to practice Bowen Technique and was interested in my use of EFT, Reiki, etc. He was a catholic priest, too! (The type that tells you not to have sex before marriage, to go to church every Sunday and 3 days in a row at Easter and probably wasn't keen on gays.)
That's refreshing! I remember a Catholic priest warning us about acupuncture during the mass when I was in high school. He literally said that it "comes from the devil." I don't understand where they get that. Seriously, what would someone base such a belief on????
I've known a few cases of local church-people (i.e. vicars, priests and - once - a bishop) refusing to let the church halls be used for yoga. Shamanism, too, but that's more understandable. I guess fear has something to do with it.
I've known a few cases of local church-people (i.e. vicars, priests and - once - a bishop) refusing to let the church halls be used for yoga. Shamanism, too, but that's more understandable. I guess fear has something to do with it.
Ditto for tai chi classes. Funnily, the closer the church practice is to Catholicism, the more likely they are to let me use the church hall. o_O
Hi everyone,
As a born again Christian I'm often warned against energy therapies especially acupuncture and such and I wonder why this is. Since EFT is loosely based on acupuncture I often wonder if it's ok for me to continue using it. I personally find it very helpful and was even thinking about pursuing it as a career - it would be wonderful to help people like that! But now I'm really confused.. I've done a lot of research and haven't really found any strong arguments why this would be wrong. There were some, for example that acupuncture is an occult practice which, if this is true I don't like it or that by helping people overcome things that Jesus is supposed to help them with I'm actually standing between them and Jesus. Does this make sense to anyone?
Is it really wrong of Christians to believe that we have energy pathways in our bodies and if so why?
I'm really interested to hear what fellow Christians here think.
Thanks
Hi orcinus,
I feel a bit of a fraud replying to you as I'm not even sure what EFT is! 😉
But, let me try to explain the way I see it. I am a student of Christian Science (some Christians will tell you that we are not even Christian) but we deeply strive to follow our Master in ALL his ways - including healing. Christian healing comes through the all-power and all-presence of God, divine Mind, not through the human mind. It comes through understanding our one-ness with God; through understanding that right now and here, we are His image and likeness - completely spiritual, pure, innocent and perfect.
On the other hand, just about every other therapy, whether medical, complementary, alternative, energy or holisitc, rely on on the power of matter or the energies of the human mind and body and start from a basis of imperfection, trying to fix matter. To my way of thinking, there is absolutely no difference between medical ways of seeking relief, relying on matter to help (which probably 99.9% of Christians subscribe to) and whatever other therapy anyone chooses. None of them rely totally on God (which was Jesus' way), so personally, I don't see how Christians can say that one is wrong or dangerous compared to what they do. The fear is that using energy therapies will somehow separate you from God. Well, that isn't actually possible (even though most people aren't even aware of that fact!) :rolleyes:
Shakespeare said, "There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so".
At the end of the day orcinus, this is between you and God. Take it to Him, rather than being swayed by human opinions. Hope that helps.
Love and peace,
Judy
Hi, Judy and thanks for posting your opinion on this. EFT falls under energy therapy which, I agree with you, is just another way to seek relief just like some rely on conventional therapies. My fear was that energy therapies really do have occultic roots which I definitely wouldn't be comfortable with. If this were the case I wouldn't question it anymore. It would be a NO. But since it's not a firm yes either (just the way I feel at the moment), I've decided to keep a praying journal for a while and see what insights I get.
You said that "the fear is that using energy therapies will somehow separate you from God. Well, that isn't actually possible (even though most people aren't even aware of that fact!)"
Can you expand on this, please?
Thanks
You said that "the fear is that using energy therapies will somehow separate you from God. Well, that isn't actually possible (even though most people aren't even aware of that fact!)"
Can you expand on this, please?Thanks
Short and sweet: "For in Him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28)
Love and peace,
Judy
Hi, Judy and thanks for posting your opinion on this. EFT falls under energy therapy which, I agree with you, is just another way to seek relief just like some rely on conventional therapies. My fear was that energy therapies really do have occultic roots which I definitely wouldn't be comfortable with. If this were the case I wouldn't question it anymore. It would be a NO. But since it's not a firm yes either (just the way I feel at the moment), I've decided to keep a praying journal for a while and see what insights I get.
You said that "the fear is that using energy therapies will somehow separate you from God. Well, that isn't actually possible (even though most people aren't even aware of that fact!)"
Can you expand on this, please?Thanks
It depends what you mean by "occult". In the strict sense it means "knowledge of the hidden", yet science constantly works with things it can't see or is hidden from us, yet because it's "science" it's deemed as ok.
Acupuncture and Acupressure (the basis of EFT) are not occult in the 'paranormal' sense which is what, those who don't understand, fear.
As I said above, it's a fact that our bodies use energy. It's a fact that our nervous system is what connects all parts of our body to our brains, and it is constantly firing energy (electrical impulses) back and forth so that we physically operate. Sure, in the East, when acupuncture and acupressure were first developed, they had little understanding of the autonomous nervous system, but they learnt from trial and error (in a sense it was early medical science) about how signals and energy moved about the body. In doing so, they mapped out the Energy Meridian System (which closely resembles the nervous system). Using needles or pressure (in the case of EFT, tapping) on specific points of this nervous system effects the way the energy is firing around the body.
In medical science it wasn't that long ago (relatively speaking) that electro-shock therapy was used to treat mental illness (or in some cases things that were not really mental health issues), and that was an extreme form of energy therapy, often done with a complete misunderstanding and serious side effects, or even the drastic measures of pre-frontal lobotomies which were literally cutting out sections of the energy system and causing it to have to re-route and act differently.
Acupuncture, Acupressure, EFT or other forms of energy meridian therapies are gentle, non invasive techniques that are based on a far better understanding of our nervous/energy system than recent medical science has used.
I know which I'd prefer, and I know it has nothing to do with the oft feared 'occult'.
On the other hand, just about every other therapy, whether medical, complementary, alternative, energy or holisitc, rely on on the power of matter or the energies of the human mind and body
Shamanism doesn't (although I can see that you would have other objections to it).
Shamanism doesn't (although I can see that you would have other objections to it).
I don't have objections to anything whose motive is to help people Crowan - it's all a matter of choice and how we are led.
Love and peace,
Judy
Sorry - 'object to' is probably the wrong phrase. 'Disagree with' might be better.
However, it isn't either relying on the power of matter or the energies of the human mind and body.
It would be interesting if someone could come up with a valid reason why energy concepts should be frowned on in the first place.
All the latest media attacks on the Placebo effect, Homeopathy, and the likes such as Acupuncture seem to be based on various forms of prejudice or ignorance. I have not seen one scientific argument to refute the value of any of these disciplines. .
I can see that the placing on long needles into the body may be construed as the work of the devil? I mean it sounds pretty crazy at first doesn't it?
I mean it sounds pretty crazy at first doesn't it?
But actually most things sound pretty crazy if they are outside our experience. Not just acupuncture, but also shamanism, Christianity, etc, etc ...
And while Giles is right that occult means 'knowledge of the hidden' (or, I think, just 'hidden', as in 'an occult fracture'. 'Occult' is used in medicine to mean something that isn't showing symptoms.), it is used generally now to mean relating to supernatural or magical powers. For people who have split the world into God/good and Satan/evil accessing these powers has to be evil (or dangerous because it leads to evil) because the only one who should have such powers is the Christian god. In this belief-system, such things are hidden for good reason.
So, while I disagree with this model and most of my friends (not all!) would disagree with it, Christian or not, I can see that it is in conflict with particular types of Christian beliefs. Belief is not necessarily either ignorance or prejudice.
Now, I agree that most of us would not class most alternate therapies as 'occult', but if you go for (and this is just an example) Reiki and 'healing energies' are being 'called in' and 'directed', and if this is outside your previous experience, then I can see that a fear of who exactly is sending this energy might well arise.
One of the most common questions I get asked about shamanism is, 'Is this to do with Satanism?' (Just in case anyone might be wondering, the answer is, 'No'.)
I can see that the placing on long needles into the body may be construed as the work of the devil? I mean it sounds pretty crazy at first doesn't it?
The way I understand it is whether we like it or not on this planet our spiritual identity utilises the form of a body.
That body, if we would let it, would truly reflected the spiritual source and would be perfect. Everyone's body is maintained and is under the direct control of the spiritual. This it would seem is done via the Chakra and meridian systems. All acupuncture is doing is trying to clear any meridian blockages so helping the divine energies to get around the body so that they can do their work. It is not occult it is science. I am not even sure if it has anything to do with what is understood as religion.
Everyone's body is maintained and is under the direct control of the spiritual. This it would seem is done via the Chakra and meridian systems. All acupuncture is doing is trying to clear any meridian blockages so helping the divine energies to get around the body so that they can do their work. It is not occult it is science. I am not even sure if it has anything to do with what is understood as religion.
This is one model. Other models do not use chakras and meridians.
This is one model. Other models do not use chakras and meridians.
Is it possible that the effects are the same, but just under a different understanding.......?
This is one model. Other models do not use chakras and meridians.
Though, in the context of this thread, EFT is considered a Meridian Energy Therapy (thought certainly chakras are not a part of it)
Though, in the context of this thread, EFT is considered a Meridian Energy Therapy (thought certainly chakras are not a part of it)
I don't know enough about EFT so I'd appreciate it if someone could offer an explanation of how the meridians get their energy and from.where they get it.
If I stick a pin in your foot, will a signal reach your brain to inform you of this? Indeed it will. That signal travels via the nervous system of which you have a huge network of nerves and nerve endings around your body. The meridian system is like a subset of your nervous system (in the days when it was mapped, there wasn't the technology to understand the whole of the intricate nervous system), for which the energy is supplied like any other energy in your body.
Energy flows through the universe and through everything in the universe, including us.
Energy flows through the universe and through everything in the universe, including us.
Yes I have no problem with that, it is just how does the body actually receive it. Energy is non mass whereas the body is mass.
Are we like a radio. To my way of thinking we have to be something like this. A radio gets its signal (energy) via its aerial. This is then fed to its internal system via its wiring (Meridian) to emerge out of the speaker as something useful.
Do we also have an aerial system that is designed to pick up this Universal energy. ????
Yes I have no problem with that, it is just how does the body actually receive it. Energy is non mass whereas the body is mass.
Are we like a radio. To my way of thinking we have to be something like this. A radio gets its signal (energy) via its aerial. This is then fed to its internal system via its wiring (Meridian) to emerge out of the speaker as something useful.
Do we also have an aerial system that is designed to pick up this Universal energy. ????
An emotion is a physiological response that arises in response to an underlying thought pattern or belief, the meridians do not control our thoughts, though they are directly influenced by our thoughts, EFT emotional freedom technique works through consciousness, tapping the meridians is a good way of distracting the person, so that whist the persons thinking aspect of consciousness is distracted by the tapping and affirmations, the work of intention takes place on a different level of consciousness to create a healing change, similar to hypnotherapy where the talking distracts the thinking aspect of consciousness and the real work takes place in a different aspect of consciousness.
Yes I have no problem with that, it is just how does the body actually receive it. Energy is non mass whereas the body is mass.
Are we like a radio. To my way of thinking we have to be something like this. A radio gets its signal (energy) via its aerial. This is then fed to its internal system via its wiring (Meridian) to emerge out of the speaker as something useful.
Do we also have an aerial system that is designed to pick up this Universal energy. ????
Since we are part of this universal energy, it quite naturally flows through us as it does through trees or streams or anything else. We are all connected. There is no separation.
That being so, there is no need for an aerial system. We do not need to 'pick it up' any more than a pool in a stream needs to pick up water.