1 Corinthians Chapter 12, 1-14.

[Fire Walk With Me]

I have encountered (worse, am living with) those who feel that anything outside their experience is automatically of the devil, even when I attempt to show them this passage in the Bible.

7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of =all=.
8. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit.
9. To another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit.
10. To another the workings of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another =different= kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

From the Gideon's Bible because that version specifically mentions "prophecy". I believe that other Bible versions do as well. Of course the Vedic and other literature of India are full of the Siddhis, where they are far more commonly accepted and sought.

Peace to all.

[get the red out]

1. Mindless robots don't read

Unfortunately mindless robots don't read or think for themselves, they are told what to believe by their preachers and stick with that. It is so much like the Catholic Church operated in the Middle Ages prior to printing presses and when the only literate people were the aristocracy, monks, and priests. Written music itself was created so that particular parts of the Bible that they wanted the uneducated people to know could be put to the same melody and chanted over and over to the people for them to memorize (Gregorian Chant). And the people were kept afraid and submissive, and to go against the "Church" was death.

Now most people in this country can read and are perfectly capable of thinking for themselves, but they are scared into submitting that power to others. The preachers today must be crafty, and they are, because of literacy and that irritating Constitution. The Gregorian Chant has been replaced with famous TV Preachers, devious use of the term "Family Values" and right wing radio. And anything that goes against the greed of the current Christo-fascist Corporatocracy is "evil". So anything "green" is "evil", any talent that doesn't benefit them is "evil", anyone who isn't a straight, white male or submissive white female is "evil"....... But Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, all sorts of nasty characters are "good".

If they think you are "evil" you are in the best company IMO. It's tough convincing a robot of anything, they can't even understand what someone outside their world is saying. I had a long debate with my rw cousin on FB recently, he couldn't even understand separation of Church and state by his comments. When I critized the religious right for their influence in politics he took that as a criticism of "Christian Principles". God only knows what would happen if he knew about the things that interest me spiritually on a personal level.

:rant:

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. It just gets me when it's right there in the Bible itself, describing it as BEING FROM GOD...

...and they won't even consider it. I do understand the bar against such things, but, well, Shift happens...I don't let it get me irate, I just shake my head and go do something constructive, such as posting the information...

I've just read Swami Muktananda's "Mystery of the Mind" and there is a very good bit on the Siddhis, that they are natural, and not very important at all :) Paramhansa Yogananda said the same thing: Do you want God, or do you want God's toys?"

:hi:

[Ruby the Liberal]

3. In context, that is speaking to those who already believe.

Countered by: 1 Corinthians Chapter 2, Verse 14: But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Did you get this passage as a rebuttal to your point?

[Fire Walk With Me]

4. If this means "foolishness" as I've above quoted Muktananda and Yogananda

then yes, it is better to want God than God's toys. Such things are seen by the wise as distractions to the true path (although I will make use of them while I have them for the benefit of others, for the purpose of the greatest good, which I take to be part of the path itself).

The Bible is full of contradictions, sadly. There is so much which shines as first-rate love and spirituality, that it's a shame to have them clouded in any form, in any amount. I tend to stick to the Upanishads, etc.