Yoga and Christianity

[Mystic3]

If devils are only our own thoughts, why does exorcism work where psychology fails?

The truth is that psychotherapy usually acts and exorcism people often damaged. I know a woman from an evangelical church. They made her so much fear for the devil, that she is identified herself with the devil, and had to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital. By identifying with the devil, she overcame her fear. The costs were that she became crazy. There are many such cases. Scientific studies strongly advise against exorcism. But of course exorcism works sometimes. There was in psychotherapy the technique of electric shocks. Some people have been healed, but the majority got damages. So it is with the exorcism. Exorcism is at the present time an incorrect treatment of mental health problems. The prayer of Jesus is sufficient to protect against demons. I sometimes had problems with strong opposing forces on my spiritual path. They were often much stronger than me. But I prayed to Jesus, was protected and always ultimately triumphed. Trust in Jesus and love. Love is the strongest force in the universe. Do not become a victim of demons by busying yourself with them or work with fear on the spiritual path. The center of Christianity is love and not fear. This is very important to recognize. Send the demons love, pray for them, and they will disappear. They have no chance against love.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

The prayer of Jesus is sufficient to protect against demons. I sometimes had problems with strong opposing forces on my spiritual path. They were often much stronger than me. But I prayed to Jesus, was protected and always ultimately triumphed. Trust in Jesus and love. Love is the strongest force in the universe. Do not become a victim of demons by busying yourself with them or work with fear on the spiritual path. The center of Christianity is love and not fear. This is very important to recognize. Send the demons love, pray for them, and they will disappear. They have no chance against love.

I am in much agreement though I have not prayed for demons yet.:newidea:

I have had times when I suspected such evil influence but first carefully eliminating all other posible causes.

 

[Mickey]

Send the demons love, pray for them

Huh? That is not Scriptural or patristic.

There are many tools to resist the demons. We can renounce them. We pray to Christ (or the angels and saints for intercession). We fast. We practice virtue against the corresponding passion. We can even direct a righteous anger against them. We receive the sacraments (especially Holy Communion).

But we certainly do not send them love and pray for them. That is dangerous!

 

[Hunter24]

I am in much agreement though I have not prayed for demons yet.:newidea:

I have had times when I suspected such evil influence but first carefully eliminating all other posible causes.

in school i was told that Christians think Demons are irredeamable because the sided with Satan, so why pray for them?

 

[Michael_Mayo]

in school i was told that Christians think Demons are irredeamable because the sided with Satan, so why pray for them?

I never heard of it. Maybe Mystic3 will say more.

It got me thinking though of how we sometimes "demonize " others. Project onto them all we do not like nor accept about ourselves rather than owning it. I would go own to wonder about the specific nature of the demon problem and what it might have to say about one’s spiritual life.

 

[Hunter24]

I never heard of it. Maybe Mystic3 will say more.

It got me thinking though of how we sometimes "demonize " others. Project onto them all we do not like nor accept about ourselves rather than owning it. I would go own to wonder about the specific nature of the demon problem and what it might have to say about one’s spiritual life.

I think thats just a coincidence of the english language, but also a very interesting idea.

 

[flameburns623]

So far as we know, something there is about Lucifer and the rest of the fallen angels that, having once rebelled against God, they are now irredeemable and beyond prayer. Which is not SOO incredible, given that the Saints in Heaven have, having won final victory against Christ, become forever able never again to sin. Rivers of ink have flowed expounding 'pon all this, but the summation of the matter is that somehow Eternity changes created beings in somehow a final manner.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

I think thats just a coincidence of the english language, but also a very interesting idea.

Our language can be confusing. For example we sometimes speak of someone with mental problems or addiction as battling their demons. That may or may not be the case.

Are we to assume that demons can put thoughts into our minds (temptations)? Affect our moods?

 

[Hunter24]

Our language can be confusing. For example we sometimes speak of someone with mental problems or addiction as battling their demons. That may or may not be the case.

Are we to assume that demons can put thoughts into our minds (temptations)? Affect our moods?

thats an interesting question, idk where i would stand on that.

little known fact, Capernicus had a religious experience when he discovered the Earth revolves around the SUN. guess he didnt stop to think “son” and “sun” arent pronounced the same in Hebrew.

 

[flameburns623]

Our language can be confusing. For example we sometimes speak of someone with mental problems or addiction as battling their demons. That may or may not be the case.

Are we to assume that demons can put thoughts into our minds (temptations)? Affect our moods?

We don’t have to “assume” anything. This is the normative understanding of what demons are doing constantly, in the minds of all of us. Are there other factors in play as well? Physiological conditions, mental illness, emotion disturbances? Of course there are, and Catholic exorcist practices include ruling such issues out, include accounting for such potential problems. We do ourselves no favor if we EITHER preclude natual OR supernatural factors relative to this subject.

 

[Mystic3]

in school i was told that Christians think Demons are irredeamable because the sided with Satan, so why pray for them?

The devil does not really exist. It is a symbol for the ego. The Bible refers to a devil who came to Jesus as he sat for forty days in the desert and meditated. Shortly before Jesus came to enlightenment, the devil appeared to him. The devil wanted to stop him from destroying his ego and from attaining the point where he could stay in the light. Before the inner conflict within a person dissolve, they strengthen for a time. That is very important to understand. A strong feeling of aversion to a spiritual life appears and the worldly pleasures appear for a time to be more important than god. They appear as a large source of confusion and temptation. With a little imagination, the devil can be imagined. One can see the ego as a sort of inner devil who stops one in the path towards enlightenment. However, this devil is not a being, but a part of the individual’s own self. This is a visualized ego conflict. In the Bible it is described with an image, a presence, but this is not to be taken literally. In Buddhism, the devil is called Mara. Before he achieved enlightenment, Mara came to Buddha. Buddha reached his hand towards the earth, activated his root chakra, and rid himself of this ego conflict. Mara and his entire army of temptation disappeared. After Buddha triumphed, the light of enlightenment flowed within. With Jesus, it meant that angels came and served him, after he managed to overwhelm his ego.

Satan does not exist, but in the world exist good and evil. There are good people and bad people. But the bad people are not completely bad. They have good and bad qualities as the good people. But in bad people the bad qualities predominate. Every soul can strengthen the good qualities and overcome the bad. And so it is with demons. Therefor we can pray for bad people and also for demons, that they find the way to God and to love. And if we pray for our enemies (bad people or demons), we overcome them in our spirit. We create love and peace inside and transform us to holiness.

I would go own to wonder about the specific nature of the demon problem and what it might have to say about one’s spiritual life.

Understanding the demons means to understand ourselves. It means to find our path to holiness and to paradise.

So far as we know, something there is about Lucifer and the rest of the fallen angels that, having once rebelled against God, they are now irredeemable and beyond prayer.

In my opinion every fallen angel can stand up again. Every soul can be saved by the grace of God. God is good and omnipotent.

Are we to assume that demons can put thoughts into our minds (temptations)? Affect our moods?

That is an interesting question. On a spiritual level everything is connected. If I create positive thoughts in my mind, I can transform the people in my yoga class. I often experienced this. And thus can negative people or demons influence our mind. We have to protect our mind through concentrating on love, God and positive thoughts. We get the help of the angels (the positive souls) and of God, if we pray to them.

 

[flameburns623]

For Catholic Christians–and for Christians, generally–the attempt to psychologize-away the real and literal existence of Satan and of demons cannot be accepted. These are real beings, beings of a different order than humans, whose intellect and spiritual knowledge are such that, having chosen ONCE to disobey God, are set against Him utterly and for all time. Whereas human beings, in the Divine plan of things, are rarely if ever confronted with the same stark inevitability based upon a single choice. I believe the Church has condemned as error the teaching that Satan and the demons have any hope of final restoration to grace. Someone can either provide a link to the substantiating Church source; OR, correct me if I am in error, with authoritative Ecclesial substantiation.

 

[Dorothy]

For Catholic Christians–and for Christians, generally–the attempt to psychologize-away the real and literal existence of Satan and of demons cannot be accepted. These are real beings, beings of a different order than humans, whose intellect and spiritual knowledge are such that, having chosen ONCE to disobey God, are set against Him utterly and for all time. Whereas human beings, in the Divine plan of things, are rarely if ever confronted with the same stark inevitability based upon a single choice. I believe the Church has condemned as error the teaching that Satan and the demons have any hope of final restoration to grace. Someone can either provide a link to the substantiating Church source; OR, correct me if I am in error, with authoritative Ecclesial substantiation.

You are correct.

 

[Hunter24]

The devil does not really exist. It is a symbol for the ego. The Bible refers to a devil who came to Jesus as he sat for forty days in the desert and meditated. Shortly before Jesus came to enlightenment, the devil appeared to him. The devil wanted to stop him from destroying his ego and from attaining the point where he could stay in the light. Before the inner conflict within a person dissolve, they strengthen for a time. That is very important to understand. A strong feeling of aversion to a spiritual life appears and the worldly pleasures appear for a time to be more important than god. They appear as a large source of confusion and temptation. With a little imagination, the devil can be imagined. One can see the ego as a sort of inner devil who stops one in the path towards enlightenment. However, this devil is not a being, but a part of the individual’s own self. This is a visualized ego conflict. In the Bible it is described with an image, a presence, but this is not to be taken literally. In Buddhism, the devil is called Mara. Before he achieved enlightenment, Mara came to Buddha. Buddha reached his hand towards the earth, activated his root chakra, and rid himself of this ego conflict. Mara and his entire army of temptation disappeared. After Buddha triumphed, the light of enlightenment flowed within. With Jesus, it meant that angels came and served him, after he managed to overwhelm his ego.

I have trouble believing this is the mainline Christian point of view when so many walk around saying “the greatest trick satan ever played was to convince people he dosnt exist”. Christianity teaches the devil is very real. personaly however i do agree with you though.

 

[Mystic3]

For Catholic Christians–and for Christians, generally–the attempt to psychologize-away the real and literal existence of Satan and of demons cannot be accepted.

I do not psychologize, I think scientifically. I combine faith and reason. That is the way of the Catholic Church. We must move with the times and adapt the faith to current scientific knowledge. Christianity has developed over time and can be further developed. We should not stand still in the middle ages.

I have trouble believing this is the mainline Christian point of view. Christianity teaches the devil is very real. personaly however i do agree with you though.

In the moment is it not the mainline in Christianity, but things can change. And they have to change if Christianity will survive over the centuries. And they have to change if we recognize that some things are wrong.

 

[flameburns623]

Christianity is about the “faith ONCE delivered to the saints”, about Jesus Christ “the same yesterday, today, and forever”, about “holding fast to the traditions you have received”. Change is unhealthy for religious institutions generally, and not especially good for organic life: a stable environment is necessary for healthy growth. Supervolcanoes, comets, and asteroids have, on multiple occaisions, caused dramatic earth changes and in so doing obliterated much of the planetary life on Earth. Even fairly moderate change seems to lead to widespread mass extinction. Talk of “change” seems exciting, especially if one happens to be of a certain age. The mature and hopefully-wizened however learn that it is best if change is rare, limited and controlled so much as is within our power so to manage.

 

[Hunter24]

Christianity is about the “faith ONCE delivered to the saints”, about Jesus Christ “the same yesterday, today, and forever”, about “holding fast to the traditions you have received”. Change is unhealthy for religious institutions generally, and not especially good for organic life: a stable environment is necessary for healthy growth. Supervolcanoes, comets, and asteroids have, on multiple occaisions, caused dramatic earth changes and in so doing obliterated much of the planetary life on Earth. Even fairly moderate change seems to lead to widespread mass extinction. Talk of “change” seems exciting, especially if one happens to be of a certain age. The mature and hopefully-wizened however learn that it is best if change is rare, limited and controlled so much as is within our power so to manage.

Change is natural, extinction and evolution are natural parts of life. this is were alot of people go wrong, they think that extinction and climate change are bad, when infact they are perfectly natural, what they should be worried about is if humans are the exclusive or major cause of these things. everything that begins must end.

 

[flameburns623]

Change is natural, extinction and evolution are natural parts of life. this is were alot of people go wrong, they think that extinction and climate change are bad, when infact they are perfectly natural, what they should be worried about is if humans are the exclusive or major cause of these things. everything that begins must end.

Welcome to the Culture of Death, abode of the devils whose existence you deny. Christians worship a Christ who has come “that you may have life, and that more abundantly”, whose end-game is to throw death itself into the Abyss. Please know that I will pray you come to know that Jesus, He Who is Lord of Life. God bless!

 

[Hunter24]

Welcome to the Culture of Death, abode of the devils whose existence you deny. Christians worship a Christ who has come “that you may have life, and that more abundantly”, whose end-game is to throw death itself into the Abyss. Please know that I will pray you come to know that Jesus, He Who is Lord of Life. God bless!

Culture of death? I believe in reincarnation, death is just another step in the cycle. Please point out to me one physical object (not religious or spiritual) that will not one day be destroyed?

 

[flameburns623]

I can’t “point” to them in the sense of producing them for the purpose of scientific verification–but the resurrected Body of Christ, and the Assumed body of Mary are two physical objects NOW LIVING, which will never be destroyed. One day, ALL the bodies of ALL of the Saints will likewise be resurrected and glorified, thereafter never to be destroyed. And at that time, also, a new Heaven and a new Earth will be manifest, wherein will exist a multitude of obects which will never be destroyed. Bear in mind: “glorified” does NOT equate to “spiritual”: Christ was able to be touched, was able to consume food. His was an absolutely physical, material Body. But . . . likely this answer is not the most satisfactory for you. Sorry. Again, you are in my prayers.