ChristiansUnite Forums

A friend at church just told me she's been having acupuncture.
I've a feeling this isn't spiritually advisable, but can anyone clarify for me?
Thanks, bless you all,
Bethany

Here's a couple of links for you to read up on. There's lots of info out there about "alternative" medicines and "new age" treatments.

http://www.weum.no/altmed/conclusion.htm
http://www.cmf.org.uk/index.htm?nucleus/nucjan00/truth.htm

Thanks Gracey, I'll take a look at those.
Bless you, Bethany

Nothing wrong with it. Some people tie it religion to it. But Acupuncture in itself is not inherently evil, it is just an “alternative” medical practice, such as Chiropractic care and many style of Massage Therapy. I know many who have tried it,andi t helps them greatly.

Well, it could be easy to get into a debate over this, but I'll try not to.

Some christians feel it is better not to subject themselves to treatments which do have "mystic" overtones - acupuncture being one of them.

Certain types of massage therapy are fine, some are not so fine.

All of this depends on your spiritual beliefs; some christians I know believe in the Holy Spirit, but refuse to believe in "other" spirits, including the bad ones.

"Inner Healing" therapies can be good or bad.... there's at least one church I know of using some very "new agey" inner healing strategies based on Carl Jung's philosophy.... definitely not christian.

My only concern is what the practicioner of such therapies might be praying over me while they work.

Gracey    (http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/spezial/jasons_smilie/lipsrsealed2.gif)

Well, I just want you to consider this. Not saying it is rue, not saying I believe it, BUT, what if, that "inner healing" they talk about was originally made by God, and Satan took it, and uses it for New Age Purposes.

I don't see what is unchristian about Carl Jung's Theories... ??? Carl Jung did not hold Christianity in high regard, of course, but he still had many plausible Psychological Theories, that work well in practice (ask any Psychologist). Carl Jung was not Christian, but that doesn't mean his theories are any less valid.



Well, it is a good thing whatever they are praying to isn't real. ;D Even if it is, my daddy can beat them up. ;D

That's why I said inner healing therapies can be good or bad  :)   I spent quite a few months studying some of this stuff; there's a lot out there if you really want to find it. In the end, you have to make your own decision, but it should at least be an informed one!

http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/inner82.html

"The healer helps the person not only to relive the actual or created past, but also to feel the pain and agony. This highly emotional part of inner healing is similar to Freud’s abreaction. Either prior to or at this point of emotional intensity, a Jesus figure is brought into the scene to bring healing. Some inner healers do this through guided imagery, others make suggestions about what Jesus may be doing or saying, and still others let the person who has already been led to this point of intensity to wait expectantly for Jesus to speak or act. This is all highly suggestive and, because of the use of occult-type visualization, the Jesus being visualized, having been created by the healer or the client, cannot be the Jesus of the Bible."  

As for Jung, if you are really interested here's a couple of links:

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view.php/2256
http://www.friesian.com/jung.htm

As Jung said in Memories, Dreams, Reflections:

"If the Creator were conscious of Himself, He would not need conscious creatures; nor is it probable that the extremely indirect methods of creation, which squander millions of years upon the development of countless species and creatures, are the outcome of purposeful intention. Natural history tells us of a haphazard and casual transformation of species over hundreds of millions of years of devouring and being devoured. The biological and political history of man is an elaborate repetition of the same thing. But the history of the mind offers a different picture. Here the miracle of reflecting consciousness intervenes -- the second cosmogony [ed. note: what Teilhard de Chardin called the origin of the "noosphere," the layer of "mind"]. The importance of consciousness is so great that one cannot help suspecting the element of meaning to be concealed somewhere within all the monstrous, apparently senseless biological turmoil, and that the road to its manifestation was ultimately found on the level of warm-blooded vertebrates possessed of a differentiated brain -- found as if by chance, unintended and unforeseen, and yet somehow sensed, felt and groped for out of some dark urge." [p. 339]



ROFL ;D (mine too!)

Gracey

Yes, Freud and his boys had some interesting Theories. I love reading their stuff. The collective unconscious, very interesting theory.

Well, I do know that I have some friends who have tried acupuncture and have had great success...others who haven't. As for their beliefs?  A couple are Christians, others into new age.

Now, my aunt went the homeopathic, holistic route w/ healing of cancer.  My aunt is a pastor.  She believes that we can live off the land and the Lord is our great physician.  
She is healed of the cancer that was in the blood and organs, although some has spread to the bones.  She is believing in a healing from the Lord.  She is in the Word all the time, praying, praising and worshipping, etc.  She IS believing that she IS the healed of the Lord...and refuses to go any conventional route.
I am having faith in her beliefs also, and continue to pray for her...