Psychologist Trains Exorcists

[justforme23]

Wow! Anything beyond hungering and thirsting for God is no go in your view? This is an elitist view. There are many that do not have this knowledge of God would have been excluded (due to upbringing, lack of education, environment etc). I don’t believe God’s grace is so limited.

Anything else is an intellectual path to god, not the spiritual understanding to really have a relationship with the holy spirit
an intellectual study of learning about god is not the path to god, , it is a deception.

 

[lynnanine]

Anything else is an intellectual path to god, not the spiritual understanding to really have a relationship with the holy spirit
an intellectual study of learning about god is not the path to god, , it is a deception.

Does that mean that those who have found their faith through reason and study have an invalid faith? I understand that it is important to have the spiritual connection with God, but it is also important to be able to understand the history and logic behind your faith so that you can share it more effectively than just saying, “I feel God’s love.” For example, I think approaching someone claiming to be an atheist through St. Thomas Aquinas’ five proofs would be helpful, rather than telling them to search their hearts for a spiritual connection.

 

[justforme23]

Does that mean that those who have found their faith through reason and study have an invalid faith? I understand that it is important to have the spiritual connection with God, but it is also important to be able to understand the history and logic behind your faith so that you can share it more effectively than just saying, “I feel God’s love.” For example, I think approaching someone claiming to be an atheist through St. Thomas Aquinas’ five proofs would be helpful, rather than telling them to search their hearts for a spiritual connection.

Scripture
“The letter killeth, the spirit giveth life”.

Psalms
“Be still and know that I am god”.

 

[lynnanine]

Scripture
“The letter killeth, the spirit giveth life”.

Psalms
“Be still and know that I am god”.

I looked it up and for reference, the first quote that you have is 2 Corinthians 3:6. If you look at the rest of the chapter, you can see that Paul is not talking being intellectual or that understanding your faith is a sin (because it has definitely helped my faith grow even stronger), but he’s talking about other preachers that took pride in their letters of recommendation.

This is not applicable to taking an intellectual approach to faith. Rather, we’re called to faith and reason and to question everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

 

[Charlemagne_III]

I think approaching someone claiming to be an atheist through St. Thomas Aquinas’ five proofs would be helpful, rather than telling them to search their hearts for a spiritual connection.

This is a valid point. But unless the atheist searches his heart, he is not likely to find God in his head alone. It is the head and the heart working together (as they were certainly meant to work together) that helps us confront the truth not only about God but about each other.

 

[lynnanine]

This is a valid point. But unless the atheist searches his heart, he is not likely to find God in his head alone. It is the head and the heart working together (as they were certainly meant to work together) that helps us confront the truth not only about God but about each other.

I definitely agree that it is a case of “both and” not “either or.” I was just defending the head, because as it was being put forth it sounded like it was only the heart.

 

[Charlemagne_III]

I definitely agree that it is a case of “both and” not “either or.” I was just defending the head, because as it was being put forth it sounded like it was only the heart.

Right. God wants us to know him and to love him.

That’s why atheism persists. Some people do not want to love Him, and therefore do not know Him.

Getting back to the topic of this thread, the psychologist is useful to the priest because, if he (the psychologist) has an open mind, he can help the priest treat the devil as an entity with whom to match wits.

I believe it is possible to outwit the devil. I think it has probably been done many times. After all, didn’t he outwit himself when he was banished to hell? How clever is that?

 

[justforme23]

I looked it up and for reference, the first quote that you have is 2 Corinthians 3:6. If you look at the rest of the chapter, you can see that Paul is not talking being intellectual or that understanding your faith is a sin (because it has definitely helped my faith grow even stronger), but he’s talking about other preachers that took pride in their letters of recommendation.

This is not applicable to taking an intellectual approach to faith. Rather, we’re called to faith and reason and to question everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

most christians are full of pride, preachers or not.

“The letter killeth” o

 

[ericc]

Right. God wants us to know him and to love him.

That’s why atheism persists. Some people do not want to love Him, and therefore do not know Him.

If you do not know Him, how do you love Him? For some the journey may be through the senses. Like our doubting Thomas.

 

[Charlemagne_III]

If you do not know Him, how do you love Him? For some the journey may be through the senses. Like our doubting Thomas.

If the heart is closed to Him, no amount of reasoning will prevail to know Him.

As Jesus said of Thomas, blessed rather are those who have not seen, yet believe.

 

[lynnanine]

most christians are full of pride, preachers or not.

“The letter killeth” o

I do agree that pride is a struggle for most people, not just Christians. I’m still not seeing your argument against intellectualism being a pointer toward God.

 

[ericc]

most christians are full of pride, preachers or not.

“The letter killeth” o

Proud of what may I ask? The cross is not an easy load to bear.