His only response was a couple of weeks later, warning me against things not invented by Christians, as well as warning me against the Elijah List, since I have an article or 2 on here from that website. Since I check in at the 'what's new' link on the LUR website on a regular basis, particularly looking for the article(s) about The Healing Rooms. That's a topic for another blog message, perhaps. Among the 'new' articles is the one linked above, and it's so short I'm going to cut & paste it and then address it. The one thing that really bothers me most though, is that I specifically emailed and requested feedback. But I received not even so much as a courtesy message that he was posting his response to his website. But, as my pastor said once during a service, shortly after becoming head pastor of a church he discovered that 'sheep bite'. Plus, I have EFT to help soothe my feelers over the whole issue. Here's the article:
When does alternative medicine cross over the line where we need to be concerned?Where does the Bible tell us not to use them? We're told in the Bible not to engage in sorcery or divination and not to consult those with familiar spirits (i.e. 'channelers' ), and told not to worship strange gods. EFT does none of those things, though some EFT practitioners may do some of those things. The part where it mentions meridians is really what tipped me off that it might be discussing EFT type modalities. Plus my e-booklet puts forth my contention that emotion and spirit are linked. Thus if you're using EFT for emotional issues it would also tie into spiritual issues, and I cite many passages of scripture to back up my contention. My response is going to be somewhat short, since this is one of the few articles on this website with absolutely NOT ONE scripture to back up his contention. The article says it has crossed the line when we use a spiritual means to treat the physical body and that puts it in the realm of the occult? First of all, how many scientific studies have shown links between stress and disease, just one of several 'emotional states'. I just did a search on the dogpile search engine, using the terms 'stress AND disease' and it came up with 95 results. (Granted, some of them aren't more than links to shopping sites, but many contain useful information.) I then did the same with 'sadness AND disease' and that came back with 100 results. Plus, EFT is primarily about emotions and not necessarily the physical body.
The sicknesses that we often treat are in the body, it is physical. Regular medicine uses a physical means to treat the physical body (other means are employed when it is emotional/psychosomatic). The majority of New age medicine has the premise that whatever is happening to the body first begins in the spirit. they believe in treating the spirit to fix the body. By manipulating energy centers or meridians that supposedly run through the body, they can align our spirit into health, which will then affect the body.
When we use a spiritual means to treat the physical body, that is when has crossed the line to be something else other than medicine. It is not longer medicine but in the category of the metaphysical or the Occult. We are no longer using a physical cure for a physical ailment.We find many of these techniques are connected with other religions and spiritual systems. The belief that sickness is in the spirit first and manifests in the body (like Mind sciences teaches).
These kind of methods used from other religions the Bible tells us not to use.
Not to mention, how many passages of scripture say that Jesus cast out devils and they were healed? Would that not be a 'spiritual means to treat the physical body' ? Using eSword, I did a search of the KJVA New Testament using the words 'devil heal' and include a partial match, it came up with 11 results. Here are a few of them:
Mat 4:24 KJVA
(24) And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
Mat 12:22 KJVA
(22) Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
Luk 8:2 KJVA
(2) And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
Luk 9:42 KJVA
(42) And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.
Act 10:38 KJVA (38) How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
In some cases it appears that 'casting out of devils' and 'healing' are not one in the same thing, in some cases one thing was done and then in others people were healed. Though in some passages it appears the two are in fact linked. And there are many, many mentions of various and different emotions in the Bible -- several of them in my e-booklet or and/or the appendix.
Of course, there's always the possibility that the article had very little to do with EFT, either in conjunction with using it as a tool in spiritual warfare, or not. But I doubt it. I'll close this response with the following verses from the book of Romans:
Rom 14:13-14 WEB (13) Therefore lets not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brothers way, or an occasion for falling. (14) I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
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6 comments:
I too am a Christian who uses EFT, not just with myself, but with a number of Christain clients I see at my church. I find that work on stubborn emotional issues, addictions and self-deprecating thought patterns makes a hugh difference to how these people run their spiritual lives. It brings people closer to God, improves prayer life, and sets them on the path to becoming more effective disciples. Keep up the good work.
Dave
Emotions are not part of the spirit - they are a part of the soul (mind, will, emotions) 1 Thessalonians 5:23 the body, spirit, and soul are seperated.
EFT healing works. I disagree with the practice of EFT since I believe in sozo healing - the work of Jesus. I believe that Jesus provides healing of the soul, but when Chrsitians believe that the Gospel ends at 'you don't go to hell,' we miss out on the Kingdom of God and miracles, signs, and wonders here on earth.
EFT clearly replaces God's providence for healing of the soul, and I don't believe that God provided EFT to heal the soul (it is a westernized, 'unspiritualized' from Ayurveda and Acupuncture). I also say that God esstablished man over all of Creation (not heaven, or the spiritual realm), so taking an asprin is very different to resolve a headache than EFT ... Asprin does not offend God for us not coming to him to be healed of our headache ... He gave us dominion over Creation. Tapping (pun intended) into the spiritual realm (also know as the occult) is off limits - Deuteronomy 18:14. If you want a New Testimate reference just do a word study on occult as it occurs in the NT.
I don't want to start a blog war; I only want to present the Truth. I do not condemn you, but instead I bless you in the name of Jesus and ask Papa God to bless you and your family with safety, prosperity in time of difficulty, heavenly wisdom for you, and the multiplication of the work of your hands. I bless you with spiritual hunger and thirst for the full revelation of fellowship with Him. Amen!
Zach, thanks for stopping by and for the prayers, it's very much appreciated. I don't quite agree that by using EFT one is 'tapping into' the spiritual realm; as one would be doing while practicing witchcraft, or receiving a 'reiki treatment', for instance.
You're using your physical fingers to tap on your physical face or hands, etc. I surely don't want to do anything that would be offensive to God or open myself up to demonic attack -- and if God were offended with EFT I'm quite sure He'd have told me by now because I've asked for years. He's shown me other things to remove from my life or stay away from (such as yoga); but not so with EFT.
And I am not completely clear on the division of soul & spirit, though Andrew Wommack has some good mp3 teachings I've listened to that brought some clarity. However, my contention is that there is a connection between the spiritual realm and our emotions. There is a clear connection in the following passages of scripture:
Ephes 4:26-27 (ASV) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 neither give place to the devil.
1 Cor 8:13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live--for I don't want to cause another believer to stumble.
I think the point is not whether EFT is wrong or not, but rather would it cause another believer to stumble who may not have the freedom we do. It is best to keep it to yourself when truth is subjective in this matter. I found that SOZO, as well as theophostics works as well as EFT. The tapping is not necessary, only finding the root emotional pain and exposing the lie to Gods truth. I have used tapping in prayer and it worked well but, was convicted that it was to close to divination (making ourselves the source of power).
iam too an orthodox christian.I love jesus very much. I have been suffering from insominia for a long time .. it has changed my life.. going from an extraverst to an introverst. i thought this is the most devasting thing that can happen to a person..it robbed me from friends family a succesful career and it even robbed me from going to church. The negative thoughts that come into our mind for any reason could be from people around us and the devil and mayb the devil workin through them.But jesus did create medicine to help us.. but the govt has another plan with medicine as u all know that they are out to treat symptoms only and not the core cause of illnesses and and the same time they are addictive and can cause a person to commit suicide. especially all the pshycotic meds.. And we all know that suicide is the is a big sin. so we these thoughts i leave u with this.. i do not believe god wants us to suffer. and at the same time god gives us a mind to think. so whatever we have to do to survive and be in good health so we can stay with him as long as we can. Eft is not a issue at all, i agree with dave.. when a person feels good and starts thinking positive. he can start accomplishing more in life and therefore continue in life and continue with our lord jesus christ.. And i truly beleive that jesus is there with us through our trials and tribulations. but he also says he will not help the lazy.. so with this last thought, i truly believe that a person would do what they know to keep themselves as healthy as possible and at last it is always in the lord jesus hands. cause a person does whatever he or she can do to make themeselves better in hopes of god. I do not believe that he will get mad after all he is our father. wess
Here's a possible scientific explanation for EFT I found on this website:
http://www.social-anxiety-solutions.com/how-does-eft-work.html
In my opinion, the meridians or energy channels in the body that are being debated have just not been discovered or accepted by mainstream science just yet. They have been visualized by a scientist who injected radioactive material into said channels and were able to view them!
Our very life and body relies on electrical energy, see article below:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/cells-tissues/human-body-make-electricity.htm
And to protest using "other" means to heal emotional problems would mean to rule out antidepressants, mood stabilizers and antianxiety medication which is precribed all the time, even to Chrisitians.
Just because the Chinese discovered the meridians does not mean that they "own" it so to speak. They've chosen to explain it using their own religion. But the body and all that we know or will one day know about it belongs to God, who created all.
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