Is using psychic ability a sin?

[Hunter24]

So, this isn’t meant to be a silly question, but a serious question about how people claim to be able to use psychic ability. I have heard that it is the ability to use the brain to interact with your environment. I hear people talk about how people are able to form electric spheres in their hands with this ability. I was wondering if it a is a sin to do such things. If you want more information on the question, just ask.

Christians would call it a sin. Are you just asking this theoreticly or do you actualy have some of these abilitys? Just out of curiosity.

Also, I’ve alwase wondered this, If such abilitys were to manifest themselves in a person naturally, how would it be sinful? If a person has no control over it then how are they at fault?

 

[thenobes]

Padre Pio, as I understand it, could “read” a person’s sins without the person telling him what they were. There are reports of his** circumlocution **as well.

Don’t you mean Bilocation?

peace
steve

 

[snarflemike]

I have heard that it is the ability to use the brain to interact with your environment.

I notice that a lot of the responses don’t actually address what the OP asked about, as I quoted above. Does the CCC prohibit what is quoted above?

This is not to say I believe humans can have such abilities. That is another question entirely.

 

[Qoeleth]

If there is such psychic ability, it is ‘supernatural’ in the sense only that it has not be thoroughly studied scientifically. If a person has some unusual ability (say, being able to see in the dark, or perform complex calculations mentally, or telekinesis), I think it would be great to develop it, to the point where it could be scientifically demonstrated and study. Perhaps it might unlock some new human potential.

If it involved supernatural entities (such as demons or angels) I would say it could be sinful, or at least dangerous.

 

[thistle]

I notice that a lot of the responses don’t actually address what the OP asked about, as I quoted above. Does the CCC prohibit what is quoted above?

This is not to say I believe humans can have such abilities. That is another question entirely.

(name removed by moderator) answered the OP’s question in post #5 quoting the CCC.

For easy reference I’ll repeat it.

CCC 2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to “unveil” the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.

 

[Abba]

Also, I’ve alwase wondered this, If such abilitys were to manifest themselves in a person naturally, how would it be sinful? If a person has no control over it then how are they at fault?

Hello Hunter24,

Well, what exactly would make it ‘natural’ and what ‘abilities’ exactly? We can not simply say that in the case of some special supernatural powers that may or may not be natural it would not be sinful. What exactly is it that we are talking about?

Demonic influence can seem ‘natural.’

It would be sinful because the person is allowing demons to influence their 'abilities and attempting to see the future and in most case at least to some degree the person can opt to decrease the influence or abruptly end it. I would assume, that there are very few cases in where the person cannot control the demonic influence or cases where the person has become so addicted to the influence that does not find in him or herself the strength to walk away, etc… I have met some people who practice voodoo and they have chosen to continue to allow possession.

 

[Hunter24]

Hello Hunter24,

Well, what exactly would make it ‘natural’ and what ‘abilities’ exactly? We can not simply say that in the case of some special supernatural powers that may or may not be natural it would not be sinful. What exactly is it that we are talking about?

Demonic influence can seem ‘natural.’

It would be sinful because the person is allowing demons to influence their 'abilities and attempting to see the future and in most case at least to some degree the person can opt to decrease the influence or abruptly end it. I would assume, that there are very few cases in where the person cannot control the demonic influence or cases where the person has become so addicted to the influence that does not find in him or herself the strength to walk away, etc… I have met some people who practice voodoo and they have chosen to continue to allow possession.

Some people are simply naturally gifted with strong psychic ability. Now obviousely it’s bad if they use it to harm others, but if this ability is naturally there then i don’t see how such an ability would be sinful. Not all psychic ability relies on contact with spirits, and for some people their psychic ability is so strong that it can find its way into their lives even if they do not use or develope it. Some people with these abilitys may suddenly know something that they shouldn’t or suddenly have a premonition of the future, and without any effort on their part.

 

[Abba]

Some people are simply naturally gifted with strong psychic ability. Now obviousely it’s bad if they use it to harm others, but if this ability is naturally there then i don’t see how such an ability would be sinful. Not all psychic ability relies on contact with spirits, and for some people their psychic ability is so strong that it can find its way into their lives even if they do not use or develope it. Some people with these abilitys may suddenly know something that they shouldn’t or suddenly have a premonition of the future, and without any effort on their part.

I think we need to rise above the material world, the influence of modern culture and ideas
and try to understand some spiritual truths in order to be able to discern the origin of what we may call ‘psychic powers’. If we come to understand, specifically when by ‘psychic abilities’ as you note above we mean foretelling the future, that this can only have two sources; God or Satan then our task is to discern which one.

We come to the spiritual understanding that the human being is not equipped nor designed to foretell the future by some interior physical functioning and the reason some people are able to experience and see the future is either because they have a gift of the Holy Spirit or they are being influenced by demons.

Now, as far as the gifts of the Holy Spirits, I am not a theologian and I have limited knowledge, but, I was just reading in a Melkite Catholic website that they are infused during baptism. I would welcome anyone who can expand on this point to do so. If this is the case, then we can only discern as a possible gift of the Holy Spirit this possibility from those who have been baptized in the the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. melkite.org.au/page4580338.aspx

What I just read in that Melkite Catholic website is news to me. That is, that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given at baptism. Up to now, I thought that much as the God’s laws have been inscribed in our hearts (as Paul write in the Letter to the Romans 2:15) that the gifts of the Holy Spirit was given at conception or at whatever point it is that the laws are inscribed in our hearts. This appears not to be the case, it seems as though it is at baptism that the gift of the Holy Spirit are given. I am not sure about this, I will have to look into this.

Allow me to ask you; were you ever baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit?

 

[Abba]

I lost computer connection and I wanted to add this:

Foretelling the future is not a physical ability. There are some people who are adamantly defending the rights of animals to the extreme as to equalize animals to human beings. They argue that animals can be more rational than a psycho path. But, the person suffering from a neurosis like the one that recently committed the massacre at the theater (Holmes) is suffering from a human neurosis and using his out of balance rational ability to get the horrible thing done. In other words, a neurotic animal is a neurotic animal and a neurotic human being is a rational neurotic being.

The same follows as a response to the claim that some human beings have a special physical ability - a human is made of flesh and blood and bones and a tin man is a tin man.

 

[Hunter24]

I lost computer connection and I wanted to add this:

Foretelling the future is not a physical ability. There are some people who are adamantly defending the rights of animals to the extreme as to equalize animals to human beings. They argue that animals can be more rational than a psycho path. But, the person suffering from a neurosis like the one that recently committed the massacre at the theater (Holmes) is suffering from a human neurosis and using his out of balance rational ability to get the horrible thing done. In other words, a neurotic animal is a neurotic animal and a neurotic human being is a rational neurotic being.

The same follows as a response to the claim that some human beings have a special physical ability - a human is made of flesh and blood and bones and a tin man is a tin man.

There is a fundimental difference in view point here. You are Christian, I am not. You view these things as coming from either God or Satan. I view them as being manifestations of our connection to the universe, because I beleave god is inherantly present in and made up of all life and energy.

I dont know how animals relate to this at all, but again we disagree here. You see animals as physical constructs with no soul or ability to reason. I see them as equal to humans on a spiritual level, even if their physical body’s dont have the mecisary processes to facilitate higher order thinking while they are on this plane of existence. You position is that we are more inteligent than animals because we have been gifted with reason by the divine. Mine is that we are more inteligent because we simply evolved a superior brain.

Lastly, you are incorrect on you statement about what a Human is. The human being is not “just flesh and bone” it is a synergy of both a physical organism and a spirit. This is what I beleave and also what the catholic church teaches. Psychic ability is not a trait attached to the body, it is attached to the spirit.

There are to methods of psychic ability, that which relies on the asistance of spiritual entity’s (Ouija boards, ect.) and that which is a result of a person connecting to existence. We all are connected spiritually because all life and energy compose the ultimate, final God. By connecting with the rest of existence spiritually we can gain insight into things we don’t know.

Now the catholic church wouldn’t agree with that but that’s what my religion teaches.

 

[Khalid]

Slight correction - the shooter was psychotic, not neurotic; there is a difference. I’m neurotic, but not a psychopath, nor delusional.

 

[Abba]

Lastly, you are incorrect on you statement about what a Human is. The human being is not “just flesh and bone” it is a synergy of both a physical organism and a spirit. This is what I beleave and also what the catholic church teaches. Psychic ability is not a trait attached to the body, it is attached to the spirit.

I meant for the spiritual part to be understood. I apologize for my sloppy writing. I meant that physically the human being is of flesh, blood and bones and there is no special construct/composition physically of particular individuals that is different from this which would allow the to do this that would be considered supernatural. In other words, no super human beings.

There are to methods of psychic ability, that which relies on the asistance of spiritual entity’s (Ouija boards, ect.) and that which is a result of a person connecting to existence. We all are connected spiritually because all life and energy compose the ultimate, final God. By connecting with the rest of existence spiritually we can gain insight into things we don’t know.

Is God according to your beliefs a personal God? Is there an evil entity in your belief and if so, how do you know if what you are connecting to is not the evil entity? How or what do you do to get your ‘psychic powers’ ?

Btw, that was another sloppy thing of me to write when I wrote that “… in order to be able to discern the origin of what we may call ‘psychic powers’” as I do not understand that such a thing as understood to mean a power of the individual exists. I should have written '…in order to be able to discern the origin of some supernatural phenomenon."

Were you born into that belief?

 

[Abba]

Slight correction - the shooter was psychotic, not neurotic; there is a difference. I’m neurotic, but not a psychopath, nor delusional.

I stand corrected.
wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-neurotic-and-psychotic.htm

 

[snarflemike]

(name removed by moderator) answered the OP’s question in post #5 quoting the CCC.

For easy reference I’ll repeat it.

CCC 2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to “unveil” the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.

I don’t see this as applying to e.g. moving the salt shaker across the table with one’s mind powers (not saying I think that’s possible).

 

[Abba]

Some people are simply naturally gifted with strong psychic ability. Now obviousely it’s bad if they use it to harm others, but if this ability is naturally there then i don’t see how such an ability would be sinful. Not all psychic ability relies on contact with spirits, and for some people their psychic ability is so strong that it can find its way into their lives even if they do not use or develope it. Some people with these abilitys may suddenly know something that they shouldn’t or suddenly have a premonition of the future, and without any effort on their part.

Above, Hunter24, and on your post previous to the one quoted above, you use the word ‘naturally’ and are eliminating ‘spirit’. This lead me to think that you wanted to consider if it was sinful for someone who was born with some natural ‘psychic’ ability to use it even though they could not help themselves. In much the same way as the character in The Mentalist. This character does not depend on spirits, but supposed is himself the origin of his abilities - like the so-called ‘GodMan’ of India. So, I thought you were basing this ‘natural’ ability on the physical composition of the body and as the individual being the origin of the ability as it has been thought in psychokinesis, telekinesis, telepathy, clairvoyance, ESP, etc… These supposedly being, possible independent abilities of the human being with a physical or mind basis.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychokinesis
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telepathy

This is why I tried to draw a correlation, admitted a sloppy presentation, between the people who want to degrade the human dignity to equate humans with animals and those who want to raise the ability of human being to beings (able to be ‘GodMan’ ) with special supernatural powers of their own. You have stated that you are not doing away with a spiritual source and just to close the topic on the physical I wonder; do you believe that some human bodies are different than others and are able to manipulate matter in the forms described above?

You are now saying that you never meant to do away with the spiritual as a source of origin. I understand now. I also understand that you consider the source as a force of the universe that is of God and is all around us and I suppose the psychic can draw on this energy. Why is one person able to draw the energy and not another?

 

[Hunter24]

I meant for the spiritual part to be understood. I apologize for my sloppy writing. I meant that physically the human being is of flesh, blood and bones and there is no special construct/composition physically of particular individuals that is different from this which would allow the to do this that would be considered supernatural. In other words, no super human beings.

Is God according to your beliefs a personal God? Is there an evil entity in your belief and if so, how do you know if what you are connecting to is not the evil entity? How or what do you do to get your ‘psychic powers’ ?

Btw, that was another sloppy thing of me to write when I wrote that “… in order to be able to discern the origin of what we may call ‘psychic powers’” as I do not understand that such a thing as understood to mean a power of the individual exists. I should have written '…in order to be able to discern the origin of some supernatural phenomenon."

Were you born into that belief?

I’m a Eclectic Wiccan, so the “ultimate God” is not personal. the best description I know of is an Obi-Wan Kenobi quote, “it’s an energy field created by all living things, it surrounds us, penetrates us, it binds the galaxy together” now there he is talking about the force but it is a very good description of how many Wiccans view the ultimate God. There are however deviations within the god. The most major division being the Divine Masculine (the horned God) and Divne femanine (Goddess). They are like Ying and Yang, opposed opposites, neither good nor evil, but simply different, in balance. They are Semi-personal, and comprised of many individual dietys, the pagan dietys of earth (Thor, Freyja, Odin, ect.) these are parts of the God and Goddess revealed in a culturally relevant context to the people of earth.

There is no ultimate incarnation of evil equivalent to Satan, but there is no reason that a being (spiritual or physical) may not seek to harm others for personal gain, but there is no grand master of evil reigning over it all. It is still very important to exorcise caution though.

Theoreticly because we are all connected we all have them, but for some reason or another some people’s connections are inherantly stronger than others. These connections are like muscles, working with them can strengthen them and not doing so may cause them to weaken. So if they just emerge in a person they simply have a connection to the spirtual that is naturally stronger than others, that’s not to say that others can’t develope it.

And no, I was actualy born catholic. I did k through 12 at a catholic school. I became Wiccan durring my senior year. But thanks to theology class I have a pretty good understanding of catholicism (and I can argue your doctrines against any Protestant )

 

[Hunter24]

Above, Hunter24, and on your post previous to the one quoted above, you use the word ‘naturally’ and are eliminating ‘spirit’. This lead me to think that you wanted to consider if it was sinful for someone who was born with some natural ‘psychic’ ability to use it even though they could not help themselves. In much the same way as the character in The Mentalist. This character does not depend on spirits, but supposed is himself the origin of his abilities - like the so-called ‘GodMan’ of India. So, I thought you were basing this ‘natural’ ability on the physical composition of the body and as the individual being the origin of the ability as it has been thought in psychokinesis, telekinesis, telepathy, clairvoyance, ESP, etc… These supposedly being, possible independent abilities of the human being with a physical or mind basis.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychokinesis
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telepathy

This is why I tried to draw a correlation, admitted a sloppy presentation, between the people who want to degrade the human dignity to equate humans with animals and those who want to raise the ability of human being to beings (able to be ‘GodMan’ ) with special supernatural powers of their own. You have stated that you are not doing away with a spiritual source and just to close the topic on the physical I wonder; do you believe that some human bodies are different than others and are able to manipulate matter in the forms described above?

You are now saying that you never meant to do away with the spiritual as a source of origin. I understand now. I also understand that you consider the source as a force of the universe that is of God and is all around us and I suppose the psychic can draw on this energy. Why is one person able to draw the energy and not another?

Well, we humans use only 10% of our brain, so who knows what the other 90% would allow us to do. I once in Psych class saw a documentary on a man who was born with crippling mental disability, he cant even chew his own food. But there is one part of his brain that is in use which is not in other humans, just one tiny peace. With just this tiny segment of his brain this person who is nearly in a vegetive state is able to learn and play any piano peace just hearing it once! He is incredible! He can’t even chew his own food and he is capable of mastering the works of Motzart, Bach, and Beatoven in an afternoon! All with one part of his brain hat noone but him uses!

Now there are slight noticeable differences between individual people (skin color, hair, height) but these are only slight differences that are a part of the evolutionary process. While its Totaly possible that some people may without realizing it use more of heir brain and unlock abilities we are un aware of, it’s generally held that psychic ability is not related to a physical trait.

 

[thistle]

I’m a Eclectic Wiccan, so the “ultimate God” is not personal. the best description I know of is an Obi-Wan Kenobi quote, “it’s an energy field created by all living things, it surrounds us, penetrates us, it binds the galaxy together” now there he is talking about the force but it is a very good description of how many Wiccans view the ultimate God. There are however deviations within the god. The most major division being the Divine Masculine (the horned God) and Divne femanine (Goddess). They are like Ying and Yang, opposed opposites, neither good nor evil, but simply different, in balance. They are Semi-personal, and comprised of many individual dietys, the pagan dietys of earth (Thor, Freyja, Odin, ect.) these are parts of the God and Goddess revealed in a culturally relevant context to the people of earth.

There is no ultimate incarnation of evil equivalent to Satan, but there is no reason that a being (spiritual or physical) may not seek to harm others for personal gain, but there is no grand master of evil reigning over it all. It is still very important to exorcise caution though.

Theoreticly because we are all connected we all have them, but for some reason or another some people’s connections are inherantly stronger than others. These connections are like muscles, working with them can strengthen them and not doing so may cause them to weaken. So if they just emerge in a person they simply have a connection to the spirtual that is naturally stronger than others, that’s not to say that others can’t develope it.

And no, I was actualy born catholic. I did k through 12 at a catholic school. I became Wiccan durring my senior year. But thanks to theology class I have a pretty good understanding of catholicism (and I can argue your doctrines against any Protestant )

If you are a baptised Catholic then you are still a Catholic. Once a Catholic always a Catholic no matter how you feel, what you think or do, even turning your back on the Church.
There are only two types of Catholic - those in a state of grace and those in a state of mortal sin. There is no such thing as an ex-Catholic or former Catholic.

 

[Hunter24]

If you are a baptised Catholic then you are still a Catholic. Once a Catholic always a Catholic no matter how you feel, what you think or do, even turning your back on the Church.
There are only two types of Catholic - those in a state of grace and those in a state of mortal sin. There is no such thing as an ex-Catholic or former Catholic.

Well that’s all fine and dandy, but that would be the one area I think the church would get it wrong about Christianity. Now obviousely i don’t agree with alot of church dictrines but within the framework of christianity they are all correct except one in my opinion, infant baptism. I was baptised while I was a very young child. I had no clue what was going on, I made no commitment, I had no mental capacity to understand or accept Jesus. This however is a different thread, so if you feal like arguing that one feal free to go start it and shoot me a link.

 

[Abba]

Well that’s all fine and dandy, but that would be the one area I think the church would get it wrong about Christianity. Now obviousely i don’t agree with alot of church dictrines but within the framework of christianity they are all correct except one in my opinion, infant baptism. I was baptised while I was a very young child. I had no clue what was going on, I made no commitment, I had no mental capacity to understand or accept Jesus. This however is a different thread, so if you feal like arguing that one feal free to go start it and shoot me a link.

Did you receive the Sacrament of Confirmation?