The Bible and Spiritual Mediums

[dano]

I wanted to get peoples' opinions on this topic. I believe that when God prohibits something in the Bible there is usually a logical basis behind the prohibition. I have read through portions of scripture that deal with spiritual mediums and find mainly blanket statements stating they are bad and not much else. Anyway, I have started to form my own opinion on the subject which I won't share at this time but I'd like to hear your ideas.

 

[nbcrusader]

A prohibition against spiritual mediums is a logical extension of the First Commandment - Have no other gods.

When people look to spiritual mediums, psychics, fortune tellers, etc., they are seeking power, answers, direction, guidance from something other than God.

 

[dano]

wow that cut right to the core of the issue. thats a great response.

so what do you think of them in general? how do they sometimes know stuff? demonic activity? When Saul visited the Witch at Endor they actually made contact with Samuel...

 

[nbcrusader]

What do I think? Stay away! We are not to mess with stuff, even if we think it is innocent.

How do they know stuff? In general, they don't. Many are frauds that use simple techniques for extracting information, wording things with generalizations, or leading you to make connections between their statements and the facts of which they speak.

There may be some who do appear to use "supernatural" abilities. It is quite possible that demonic activity is at work. I generally hesitate at using such a label, as it may lead to over inclusion of activities in this category. But we cannot entirely dismiss this as a source either.

 

[foray]

I dunno about mediums but I believe that people do see ghosts, cos my mother and my best friend do, all the time.

foray

 

[U2democrat]

society is driven by money these days, and if deceiving people into believing that a person has all the answers people are desperate enough to fall for it. i personally have a lot of problems with much of what is said in the bible, so i try my best to follow the golden rule. that essentially covers everything.

 

[anitram]

What is a spiritual medium, exactly? By that, I mean, who fits into the category?

Fortune tellers?
Aura readers?
Reiki practitioners?

 

[dano]

I was thinking mainly of people who can put you in contact with someone who is dead. I don't really know that much about the differences between soothsayers, fortune tellers, psychics and the like. I just used the term medium because I know someone who went to see one not long ago and thats what she called it.

 

[U2democrat]

I was thinking mainly of people who can put you in contact with someone who is dead. I don't really know that much about the differences between soothsayers, fortune tellers, psychics and the like. I just used the term medium because I know someone who went to see one not long ago and thats what she called it.

I just think that those types of "mediums" tend to be phony and the people channeling those "mediums" will occasionally hit it right on the money, but most of the time they're out there for money. Call me skeptical but i just don't believe any of that stuff.

 

[verte76]

I just think that those types of "mediums" tend to be phony and the people channeling those "mediums" will occasionally hit it right on the money, but most of the time they're out there for money. Call me skeptical but i just don't believe any of that stuff.

I agree. They're usually in it strictly for the $$.

 

[iota]

I think the reason the Bible forbids this kind of thing is that when we engage the spiritual realm we are out of our depth. We experience SOME of the spiritual realm, but we are not made to experience it in that way, especially without the guidance of God. It opens the floodgates to all kinds of things we have no way of comprehending.

 

[starsgoblue]

Do I think that mediums can keyword -sometimes- be accurate and effective in a sense? Yes.

BUT you gotta question where that power is coming from....I don't think it is from anywhere anyone should be messing with. I've seen some messed up things from people being involved in that kind of stuff. God can and will heal/communicate without our trying to manipulate our 'fates'.....

 

[A_Wanderer]

I can see no reason that they be mutually exclusive other than the church wanting to maintain a monopoly on the mysterious and vague advice to live your life by department.

 

[starsgoblue]

A_Wanderer....you got to think, if it's not coming from a divine source, then where is it coming from? I have seen people been bound and reduced by using methods such as these....God doesn't do that. The source of these mediums will give you something in one hand and take away with the other...

 

[A_Wanderer]

Mediums are a load of bull, now the fortune telling is always vague and dodgy, mediums can use a variety of techniques from cold reading to bugs and the rest is an amalgamation of crazyness and induced crazyness. All a big scamola my book. The concept of God and divine intervention is about the same level to me, my view is equally as valid as yours and I can respect your right to believe and not consider me to be better than a believer.

 

[starsgoblue]

I'm not trying to prostelytize to you A_Wan...

Deal.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Yeah I know, just making a point that forbiding soothsayers etc. seems like trying to hold a monopoly on faith.

 

[nbcrusader]

A_Wanderer is correct. God requires a monopoly for our love and devotion. We do not have the option of picking and choosing our beliefs if we are to live God's way.

I say God, and not the Church, as this teaching comes directly from Scripture and not from Church teachings or writings.

 

[hiphop]

You are right, nbcrusader, God requires a monopoly.

However, God is in everything. He is in all of us, every moment.

My knowledge of God is that every existing spirit is made up by God. So with all respect, I think that this monopoly, while it is a monopoly, excludes nothing. How do I know this? The Holy Spirit taught me by touching my soul. If he is in me, if he is in the wind, if he is in the rivers and the nature, he shall also be in you.

As to the original question, I believe that you can get into contact with the spirits of the Dead by practising yourself.

If you have no clue about shamanism, it will not help you a lot to see a faith healer. You have to learn in order to be able to interprete what your teachers tell you. before of that, you have to select your teachers. Some know a lot, some know nothing. There are many ways.

Yes, there are dark forces. You better not fool with them.

However, if your mission is to heal, you have to know about them. That´s what I am trying to learn, step by step.

Again, back to the spirits of the Dead.. to illustrate an example: the night of the 31st of October, I did not attend a Halloween party. Instead, I celebrated Samhain. This is an old celebration by the Celtic folks. Their ancient knowledge says that this night is very good to make contact with the spirits. We burned a fire, reading poems of the ones we miss and wanted to greet, and there was nothing dark or forbidden about that. In fact, there were children with us, and I had the chance to pray with them. It was very beautiful to see their faces in the light of the candles.

It´s just very natural, like a meeting with friends. It´s just like a gathering in Church. The room and the surroundings don´t matter, spirit is everywhere and at all times. It depends on your powers, and on the will of the spirits to pass by.