If someone practices yoga (the spiritual way) can one be friends with them?

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divinefaith said:
I find it funny how you make a smart and harsh comment, then right below is your signature which says “Lighten up”. It kind of matches your intended message. :rotfl:

I think the OP really needs clarification about some spiritual issues and I agree with Puzzleannie that they could get themselves informed on this topic:

Let’s be understanding please!
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I agree. I sometimes read a question on here and think it’s dumb, but I try not to show it when I answer. Treating someone like they asked a dumb question not only makes them feel bad, it discourages them from asking further questions. If the OP had not asked this question for fear of being treated like he/she was dumb, he/she would still be holding this misinformed belief.

OP, you can be friends with anyone! We don’t have to only have Catholic friends. You don’t have to worry about yoga practitioners “casting spells” on you. That’s not what yoga spirituality is about. It’s very positive. They mean well. And even if someone did intend to cast a spell on you for some reason, you don’t have to worry as you are a Christian. God is infinitely more powerful than any spell someone may try to cast.
 
anp1215 said:
I agree. I sometimes read a question on here and think it’s dumb, but I try not to show it when I answer. Treating someone like they asked a dumb question not only makes them feel bad, it discourages them from asking further questions. If the OP had not asked this question for fear of being treated like he/she was dumb, he/she would still be holding this misinformed belief.

OP, you can be friends with anyone! We don’t have to only have Catholic friends. You don’t have to worry about yoga practitioners “casting spells” on you. That’s not what yoga spirituality is about. It’s very positive. They mean well. And even if someone did intend to cast a spell on you for some reason, you don’t have to worry as you are a Christian. God is infinitely more powerful than any spell someone may try to cast.
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You give sound advice.

I believe some of the responses to the OP’s query may be due to the fact that there was already a thread on this and other reasons.
 
fakename said:
Thanks for the replies -they help. But as a tangent I will always defend the existence of magic as being the signs by which the demons and men communicate and ally with each other. These signs are the unscientific means by which natural and scientific powers can be exercised and as such they represent a path of unenlightenment established as a snare for mankind (of course preternatural powers are also involved). This is evident from history -for we all know that Simon Magus was a sorcerer who attempted to ascend into heaven but was wonderfully killed by God’s power in the attempt. And it is equally evident that there many witches in the middle ages that had powers (though these powers were grossly exaggerated by popular fear). So in principle, it is totally possible that a modern simon magus could exist and if so, then I’d just like to be protected from him or his followers; a not so unreasonable attitude.
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Do you really believe this? Really? If you believe this, why? Do you believe everything? Do you believe that pancakes can get up and dance as well?

I don’t get it why people believe things that are totally delusional.
 
Rascalking said:
Do you really believe this? Really? If you believe this, why? Do you believe everything? Do you believe that pancakes can get up and dance as well?

I don’t get it why people believe things that are totally delusional.
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Not totally delusional (if delusional at all).

The theoretical foundations are seen in the Summa Theologica. If ,in principle, a demon can change bodily chemicals and can incarnate, and can extract semen to inseminate women, then it would be possible, in principle, for them to do other wonders -like tell the future (imperfectly but better than us) or read the mind (again, w/the same proviso). The Catholic Encyclopedia also goes into the details of demon powers.
 
fakename said:
Not totally delusional (if delusional at all).

The theoretical foundations are seen in the Summa Theologica. If ,in principle, a demon can change bodily chemicals and can incarnate, and can extract semen to inseminate women, then it would be possible, in principle, for them to do other wonders -like tell the future (imperfectly but better than us) or read the mind (again, w/the same proviso). The Catholic Encyclopedia also goes into the details of demon powers.
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Um…okay.

I believe pet turkey tells me to burn things. 😃
 
fakename said:
Not totally delusional (if delusional at all).

If ,in principle,** a demon can change bodily chemicals and can incarnate, and can extract semen to inseminate women**, then it would be possible, in principle, for them to do other wonders -like tell the future (imperfectly but better than us) or read the mind (again, w/the same proviso). The Catholic Encyclopedia also goes into the details of demon powers.
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You believe a demon can inseminate women? When has this ever happened?
 
Catholic90 said:
You believe a demon can inseminate women? When has this ever happened?
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well it seems that the stories of incubi and such are what the philosophers were referring to. But personally I’m not sure, sure if these things ever happened what I was referring to was the “in principle” possibility that it could happen, so that no one would just rule it out apriori.
 
fakename said:
well it seems that the stories of incubi and such are what the philosophers were referring to. But personally I’m not sure, sure if these things ever happened what I was referring to was the “in principle” possibility that it could happen, so that no one would just rule it out apriori.
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Its all nonsense!
 
Rascalking said:
Do you really believe this? Really? If you believe this, why? Do you believe everything? Do you believe that pancakes can get up and dance as well?

I don’t get it why people believe things that are totally delusional.
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Wow, that is a great way to show your faith. Down-playing the beliefs of others. How then do you respond to atheists that ask you to explain your beliefs in Catholicism. Try explaining transsubstantiation to a non-believer, or any of a multitude of beliefs that require faith in things both visible and invisible.
 
jps23430 said:
Wow, that is a great way to show your faith. Down-playing the beliefs of others. How then do you respond to atheists that ask you to explain your beliefs in Catholicism. Try explaining transsubstantiation to a non-believer, or any of a multitude of beliefs that require faith in things both visible and invisible.
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Your darn right I downplay the beliefs of others, in particular when they are really, really wierd or stupid.
 
jps23430 said:
Wow, that is a great way to show your faith. Down-playing the beliefs of others. How then do you respond to atheists that ask you to explain your beliefs in Catholicism. Try explaining transsubstantiation to a non-believer, or any of a multitude of beliefs that require faith in things both visible and invisible.
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Those are not beliefs as in spiritual/religious beliefs. That is superstition and horror books/movies material. Really, who would listen about our faith if that rubbish is added in. It would ‘confirm’ to some that we are a religion build on superstition.
 
jps23430 said:
Wow, that is a great way to show your faith. Down-playing the beliefs of others. How then do you respond to atheists that ask you to explain your beliefs in Catholicism. Try explaining transsubstantiation to a non-believer, or any of a multitude of beliefs that require faith in things both visible and invisible.
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Agree. There are plenty of aspects of Catholicism that could be called “ridiculous” or “superstitious.”
 
fakename said:
If someone practices yoga (the spiritual way) can one be friends with them?
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Another related question: How do you know when someone is willing to take your advice seriously, because if one wants to warn someone against practicing a too-spiritual yoga (or anything else), then one needs their serious attention yet this is hard to get; mostly warning people about spiritual stuff leads to discord and the other person persisting in badness even more.

Should I warn anyway? What is the sign that they are willing to listen?

Note about the incubi: ok this is irrelevant but I still feel compelled to give a few more reasons in favor of this stuff: 1) it seems to be the popular belief of mankind that there are such spirits as incubi, etc. So it is more probably true than not, 2) again for reasons found in the Summa, it seems unreasonable to suppose that beings (demons) that have the power to destroy the world with a thought would be unable to cause a woman to become pregnant (though again, demons don’t have sperm so they must get it from somewhere else). Indeed it seems openly contradictory for a fortiori, if a demon can make counterfeit miracles he surely can mimic sexual generation. If anyone has any evidence that can put either the above two reasons to shame then I’ll be impressed and might rethink my position.

As for superstition, surely if it is a superstition to believe in these dark things, then it is at least not mortal, for it does not befit a holy man to have a mortal sin, but St. Thomas Aquinas was a holy man who believed in incubi, so clearly his belief couldn’t have been a mortal sin if it was a sin.
 
fakename said:
Another related question: How do you know when someone is willing to take your advice seriously, because if one wants to warn someone against practicing a too-spiritual yoga (or anything else), then one needs their serious attention yet this is hard to get; mostly warning people about spiritual stuff leads to discord and the other person persisting in badness even more.

Should I warn anyway? What is the sign that they are willing to listen?

Note about the incubi: ok this is irrelevant but I still feel compelled to give a few more reasons in favor of this stuff: 1) it seems to be the popular belief of mankind that there are such spirits as incubi, etc. So it is more probably true than not, 2) again for reasons found in the Summa, it seems unreasonable to suppose that beings (demons) that have the power to destroy the world with a thought would be unable to cause a woman to become pregnant (though again, demons don’t have sperm so they must get it from somewhere else). Indeed it seems openly contradictory for a fortiori, if a demon can make counterfeit miracles he surely can mimic sexual generation. If anyone has any evidence that can put either the above two reasons to shame then I’ll be impressed and might rethink my position.

As for superstition, surely if it is a superstition to believe in these dark things, then it is at least not mortal, for it does not befit a holy man to have a mortal sin, but St. Thomas Aquinas was a holy man who believed in incubi, so clearly his belief couldn’t have been a mortal sin if it was a sin.
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Sincerely, you need to talk to a priest. If God is with you, who do you need to fear.
 
Yeah, maybe -I just looked it up in the Catholic Encyclopedia and despite the teachings of St. Thomas the belief in incubi was implied to be a sort of superstition or at least unjust suspicion. But there are so many reasons to believe they could exist, oh well 🤷
 
fakename said:
Yeah, maybe -I just looked it up in the Catholic Encyclopedia and despite the teachings of St. Thomas the belief in incubi was implied to be a sort of superstition or at least unjust suspicion. But there are so many reasons to believe they could exist, oh well 🤷
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Perhaps if you spent less time on reading up on incubi, succubi and demons, you would not be so fearful and suspicious of things unfamiliar?
 
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