Paranormal Not the Path to God

Well that was just plain weird.
One minor note - I have three kids (ages 6,7 and 10) and they have all asked what happens when we die. I have told them the many ideas about what happens, heaven, reincarnation, etc., and all three of them have chosen reincarnation as what they want to happen. The "heaven" option, spending eterity singing God's praises wasn't not desired at all.

I ask but one question of the writer of this piece of drivel, who appointed you the arbiter of G-d's thoughts and words? Isn't it the height of arrogance to believe that one has the ear of the Almighty? That we are assured of G-d's blessing, because we know for a fact that we are the only ones who have the exact word of G-d?
How dare you proclaim that one or another way, will lead to "hell" and how dare you proclaim yourself the arbiter of something of which you have no knowledge.
You sir, are not and never will be the type of person that I would listen to for advice regarding the nature of a supreme being.

"...avoid things like the paranormal, which too easily fall into the realm of black magic." Exactamundo! Though I had a Roman Catholic upbringing - parochial schooling, etc. - I became a materialist-atheist as a pre-teen, because I did not see any concrete evidence of or reason to believe in any non-materialistic reality. About 12 years later, and about 18 months after beginning my study of tai chi, I began (surprisingly!) to have unsolicited and unexpected paranormal experiences - detailed dreams coming true, "hearing" what other people were thinking, knowing others' intentions before they acted without me having any material indcation as to what those actions would be. At that point - now having personal, strong, experiential evidence of a non-materialistic reality - I returned to my Roman Catholic faith "for the first time", knowing now that the non-materialistic world does exist, that Jesus Christ truly did rise from the dead (look at all His formerly-cowardly apostles willing to be killed for maintaining this truth) and that we human beings are most probably very weak players in its cosmic-combat arenas.

BUD: "Anonymous wrote: "Prove to me that they can't sit or that here is no throne of God. "
Well, prove to me that there is not a teapot orbiting the planet Jupiter, not little green men living on mars, etc. Check your logic here. Just because you can't prove that something does NOT exist is not proof that it DOES exist."

Precisely my point, I am glad that you agree.

Anonymous wrote:

"It does not matter what job he is functioning in, the whole premise of faith in Christ is based on forgiveness of one’s wrongs (sins) and to turn from your wrongs (sins) and to change your life."

I don't have any trouble forgiving a person. But
what has Chuck done since prison?

- Colson was one of the co-signers of the Land letter sent to President Bush. The letter outlined their theological support for a just war pre-emptive invasion of Iraq.

- Colson has opposed same-sex marriage.

- He has argued against Darwinism and in favor of intelligent design, saying Darwinism helped cause forced sterilizations by eugenicists.

- He claimed that the Enron accounting scandals were a consequence of secularism.

Sounds to me like he went from bad to worse.

If with his background Mr. Colson thinks that he has been somehow endowed with a superior authority to pronounce the "way, the right way and the only way" on the rest of us he is mistaken.

The notion that his path to the supernatural is the only one, is the basis upon which the havoc wreaked by religions throughout the world for so many centuries has been based.

Anonymous wrote: "Prove to me that they can't sit or that here is no throne of God. "

Well, prove to me that there is not a teapot orbiting the planet Jupiter, not little green men living on mars, etc. Check your logic here. Just because you can't prove that something does NOT exist is not proof that it DOES exist.

Better advice would be to explore it to its fullest extent, gain the knowledge that there is little of value to be gained by wasting anymore time on it, and then move on to more productive efforts. Ignoring or making something taboo preserves the mystique it does not deserve.

There is in the Didiache, a curious line to me Mr. Colson, that is instruction not to be the Prophet. And yet Prophets abound throughout the world. I think too many of them are false prophets whether they do so by free choice or not.

As the internet expands, I see more opportunities by preditors of any kind to exploit the weak and fearful. The game is old too. I was recently asked, "Why do you suffer" by someone pretending to be a practitioner and schooled of a certain Faith. My answer was really that it was none of this person's business. I had an intuitive feeling he/she was searching for my weaknesses online. And that the next step would be some sort of indoctrination into some of a cult system. I did what I thought was necessary a responsiblity to the young I think. And so are the perils of the information age, without adult or parental oversight.

I am still fascinated by early Judeo-Christians who practiced underground. Perhaps at one time they were thought to be a Cult too. The difference to me is that a cult is self-destructive and communities are life supporting. There is said to be an exodus by Judeo Christians from Jerusalem in the mid first century. In Jordon recently, a site has been unearthed that may have been an underground worship site for the earliest of Christians. In its underground system, there is a tunnel to a source of water. Am wondering if this is a "real" discovery into the early followers of John the Baptist and JC in that Didache itself contains a program including Baptism.

Fate wrote, “That is a good glimpse into the man's mind (soul for you). He paid his debt to society but that does not mean he's a good man any more than any other criminal becomes a good person when released from prison. Now if he was working as a checkout clerk in a store you could say his past has nothing to do with functioning as a clerk, and I'd agree, but providing religious teaching to prisoners?”

Chuck Colson paid his debt by your own admission. It does not matter what job he is functioning in, the whole premise of faith in Christ is based on forgiveness of one’s wrongs (sins) and to turn from your wrongs (sins) and to change your life.

I believe that Chuck has done just that. He has even gone a step beyond that and is helping others to “transform” their lives and be renewed in their thinking to become more Christ like.
After all isn’t that what prison is really about, reform? So what is it that you have against this man? He has paid his debt to society, reformed his life, became a productive citizen, and is now helping others to do the same.

According to scripture it says this about believers past,

Philippians 3:13-14, "(13) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (14)I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

No one that has truly repented and has committed their life to betterment should have to keep paying for the sins of their past. I want to emphasize that the operative word here is to “truly repent” of the wrongs one has done. In order for this to occur it means that one must “turn aside” from that wrong and not keep committing the sin over again.

I understand that you are upset over this but given the circumstances and what scripture says Chuck Colson is not under condemnation for his past.

Please understand something that I do not condone wrong and I am so very sorry that you are bothered y this. I meant no harm to towards you and did not mean to be negative. Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way. I truly am sorry.

Anonymous wrote: "My advice, if you do not like what Chuck writes then do not read it or post here. I am sure that the "many" Christians that support Chuck, I am one of them, will not miss your negativity and criticisms."

I'm sure you won't miss our comments, but ignorance needs to be pointed out, arrogance stood up to, and intimidation confronted.

And consider who is spouting negativity. Who is saying the other is wrong and who is saying the other is wrong *and* will spend eternity burning in hell?

And Colson's past is relevant. It wasn't a simple mistake. Colson's had many months to reconsider his actions, as John Dean did, but Colson did not do the right thing. That is a good glimpse into the man's mind (soul for you). He paid his debt to society but that does not mean he's a good man any more than any other criminal becomes a good person when released from prison. Now if he was working as a checkout clerk in a store you could say his past has nothing to do with functioning as a clerk, and I'd agree, but providing religious teaching to prisoners?

We all have pasts, but wow, this is not something that can just be ignored because he invokes God's words. His last column saying there are no atheists was more than ignorant. He knows better. I think he was working to get believers to believe that. More misinformation from a man who made it an art. His past is very relevant.

Man, who made god in his own image, then proceeded to use that image to aannoint kings for a fee and control the mindless and illiterate. The concept of "The One True God" IS supernatual nonsense.

If god is omnipotent, then she is capable of simultaneousl manifesting in any configuration that we might imagine, including witchcraft, voodoo and even christianity. The only difference is who is controlling the power and who is collecting the money.

Anonymous --

The burden of proof is not on me. I didn't make a ridiculous statement like that.

You, however, are the one that denounces everybody else's beliefs. How about you proof that none of the other religions can't possibly by the right ones. Were you fed wisdom with the silver spoon while in the cradle?

I love the name "David" its sound so manly and Christian. In fact I know someone name David, a Christian with a good heart.

Tall, dark, and handsome..........has a great as* in a wet suit, it is to die for, WOW!!

Clem "My advice: All Christians need to repent of the evil deeds of their ancestors done in the name of ridding the world of the paranormal and vow to never go down that path again. Colson is not helping in this regard."

My advice, if you do not like what Chuck writes then do not read it or post here. I am sure that the "many" Christians that support Chuck, I am one of them, will not miss your negativity and criticisms.

Fate, "My what a hard heart YOU have to ignore the truths people found in these gods and prophets. Or, do we both agree, they are not gods and prophets? Does not believing in any of them make your heart any harder?"

It is in the "presentation" of why I perceived the hardness of the hear twith this person, more like "bitterness" noted.

whm99: "Hey Chuck,

Is spewing this crap part of your pardon agreement with Jeb Bush for your felony convictions related to Watergate?"

What does your past have to portray?

Gaby, "First it implies that both god and Jesus have bodies with which they can sit, secondly it implies they are sitting on something. What exactly would that be? A cloud in the shape of a throne?"

Prove to me that they can't sit or that here is no throne of God.

>>Mr Mark:
>>Chuck -

>>You may currently be in touch with a paranormal spirit, and from the tenor of your column, it is that of a fearful four-year-old with a learning disability.

Two words:

cynical & twisted

I beg your pardon, I meant three words:

cynical, twisted and not-terribly-smart

(Is hyphenated ok?)

Keep on schmoozin, marky.

Merry meet,

Lepi, Terra, Pagan, Wiccan, etal.

I see you are still alive and kicking. Good for you!

"Delusion comes in many forms and you are deluded to being "void" of the truth of God because of the hardness of your heart."

Anonymous, you are a pompous, bigoted moron. Read your own posts and then tell me who has hardness of the heart. I am quite content with my very own brand of belief which I am convinced is true and I do not need to believe in your bible and your god to be a decent human being. Look at your statement about Jesus sitting at the right hand of god. What an utterly ridiculous statement. First it implies that both god and Jesus have bodies with which they can sit, secondly it implies they are sitting on something. What exactly would that be? A cloud in the shape of a throne?

Talk about superstitions!!!! Holy Cow!!!

Ah, just what I need - a rant about the paranormal from the subnormal.

I am always amazed when a Christian warns about superstition and the paranormal.

Christianity as a whole, and Catholicism is particular, REQUIRES a belief in demons and angels and seems to be the primary source of most superstitions, from the horror-film monsters to the mundane, such as saying "God bless you" when someone sneezes.

Without superstitions, devils and demons, there would be nothing to "save" you from.

Hey Chuck,

Is spewing this crap part of your pardon agreement with Jeb Bush for your felony convictions related to Watergate?

But what do I know. I made Thor my "personal savior". (Jesus was out of town at the RNC Convention and Santa Claus was too busy, with Christmas was right around the corner.)

Yeah, let's believe the convicted felon who speaks English to invisible beings that live in the sky.

You're a grown-up, right?

billm

We all know what paranormal is - it is anything a preacher/priest wants it to be. That is why it was impossible to prove that one was not a witch at Salem or in the church courts of the Spanish inquisition.

Luckily, Christians cannot burn people at the stake for "paranormal" activities today. They certainly have done so in the past and I wonder if they will find a way to do it in the future.

My advice: All Christians need to repent of the evil deeds of their ancestors done in the name of ridding the world of the paranormal and vow to never go down that path again. Colson is not helping in this regard.

Is it just me, or has Chuck Colson seemed a lot more superstitious and vindictive since he lost the court case against Prison Fellowship?

So, if you are supposed to avoid the paranormal and you also avoid reality (evolution, miracles, virgin births) then what exactly is left?

Personally, it seems that the stories you make up in your head are all that's left.

As Sarah Silverman said, "Jesus is magic". Kind of sums it all up.

In other words, Mr. Colson, there is only one way to God--your way. You cite that 25% of Americans claim to believe in reincarnation and that astrologist do a thriving business. I suggest that, if true, those things are so because Christianity, particularly fundamental Christianity, is now in the business of politics and has separated people into "us" vs "them". People flock to astrology and new age themes because they offer hope without allegiance to the whims of political leaders seeking votes.

Anonymous: "Delusion comes in many forms and you are deluded to being "void" of the truth of God because of the hardness of your heart."

I could say the same for you when it comes to the void in you for the truth of:
-Ganesha
-Mohammed
-Budda
-Amaterasu and other Shinto gods
-Vāhigurū
-Mahavira and the other 23 Tirthankars
-Writings of the Tao Te Ching
-Zoroaster
-Brahman
-Krishna
-Mawu
-Confucius
-Jah Rastafari
-Multiple Native American gods
-Ancient Nordic gods
-Ancient Greek gods
-Ancient Roman gods
-Ancient Egyptian gods
-The thousands of other gods from many places around the world current and past.

My what a hard heart YOU have to ignore the truths people found in these gods and prophets. Or, do we both agree, they are not gods and prophets? Does not believing in any of them make your heart any harder?

"Paranormal is not the path to God, it notes the path to God", i must take this to my notepad.

Fate, "Once you are told you can channel magic and you have a support group to maintain the delusion (church), its pretty simple to see how anyone can fall into the delusion, but not all"

Delusion comes in many forms and you are deluded to being "void" of the truth of God because of the hardness of your heart.

Fate wrote, "
Anonymous wrote: "yes, witches and their practices according to scripture are evil based. So go do you dances with your chants and your charms let's see what your power can yeild"

But yet you go into a church and are met by a figure, hanging by nails from a cross, a spear wound in his side, with a crown of thorns on his head with blood. Then you say (chant) the lords prayer in unison while holding a cross (charm), hear about how some miracle (magical power) happened in the gospel, then hear your sick relative's name read from a list of those who are sick while the whole church prays for their recovery (see what power you can yield from God for the sick). Not a big difference really, except the usual "us versus them" mentality of all religions."

Your post shows how little you know about the practices of certain churches. The practice you speak of is done in a Catholic church. I am not Catholic nor do I practice the Catholic way.

I am a Christian that believes the bible is the word of God, written by men called of God and inspired by God (God breath) to write scripture. I am not of any denomination. The church that I attend is a non-denominational church where all are welcomed that believe that Christ died for our sins and was resurrected on the third day and now sits at the right hand of God .

No chant, charms, or dances and I have yet to see anyone rolling on the floor.
We do not do repetitive prayers, each prays on their own directly to God.

How tragic that someone would be so consumed with their own personal spiritual rebellion that they would impose it upon a small defenseless child,telling them upon the death of a cherished,and loved grandparent,parent,brother,sister,etc,etc,,, that they are no more.
Never will you see them again.
So selfishly consumed are they in their rage and rebellion that they would rub salt of their own personal complexes into the wound of a small child.

I always love the dueling imaginary friends routine. This essay can be distilled down to this - "The only true path to Lollipop Land is through Santa Claus! The Tooth Fairy is a fraud!"

Brambleton: "Fate, What about persons brought up in a home essentially devoid of faith? What about those persons who are not exposed to the Gospel until they are free thinking adults?"

No one in America is brought up devoid of delusion. Kids hear it from their christian or jewish or muslim or hindu or wiccan friends, if not the TV or movies (reminds me, the X-Files movie is about to hit the screen!).

Ghosts are a favorite children's delusion of the faithful of all religions as well as those who practice no religion. Its cultural. So when these children grow up and the imaginary friends, and feared ghosts, are gone, they may seek something else supernatural, sure. Our culture makes it hard to not consider the supernatural. Then add some sort of hardship and a friendly priest or pastor, and the person is hooked. Once you are told you can channel magic and you have a support group to maintain the delusion (church), its pretty simple to see how anyone can fall into the delusion, but not all.

Fate,

What about persons brought up in a home essentially devoid of faith? What about those persons who are not exposed to the Gospel until they are free thinking adults?

"Paranormal Not the Path to God",
with "e"?

this title is to be put on the door,
this is the guide.

Anonymous wrote: "yes, witches and their practices according to scripture are evil based. So go do you dances with your chants and your charms let's see what your power can yeild"

But yet you go into a church and are met by a figure, hanging by nails from a cross, a spear wound in his side, with a crown of thorns on his head with blood. Then you say (chant) the lords prayer in unison while holding a cross (charm), hear about how some miracle (magical power) happened in the gospel, then hear your sick relative's name read from a list of those who are sick while the whole church prays for their recovery (see what power you can yield from God for the sick). Not a big difference really, except the usual "us versus them" mentality of all religions.

Colson wrote: "Throughout recorded history human beings, made in the image of God, have instinctively probed the unknown realms beyond; people are curious because they know in their hearts that life is more than just what we can see, feel, hear, taste, and touch."

No, they are TAUGHT from early childhood of such nonsense, whether it be Santa, tooth fairies or boogiemen. Children do not make this up, adults do, then pass it on to children. It is trust in parents who lie that is the root of this problem. It is not natural at all.

Colson wrote: "We are made for contact with an unseen, spiritual realm.

No, we are conditioned for such contact. Once you have broken off belief in anything supernatural, as true atheists have, belief in any of this nonsense, from God to ghosts, devils to monsters, angels to leprechans, goes away. When an atheist hears a bump in the night, the only things imagined are the house settling or possibly a burgler, but not ghosts, boogiemen or monsters. But christians will imagine these things, they are conditioned every Sunday to accept the supernatural world as real.

Colson wrote: "But if there are not responsible religious guidelines, this curiosity often leads into darker realms. That’s why necromancy—that is, communicating with the dead—was prohibited in the ancient Jewish scriptures."

So you are saying that once you condition children to believe in ghosts and goblins, fairies and Gods, YOU must step in to control their wild imaginations. That is not surprising.

Colson wrote: "There is a path to the supernatural, to an understanding of God and even a relationship with Him, through the Christian faith."

So once you open up these delusions in people and their imaginations start running wild, you step in with the christian faith to make it all better. Well, it just continues the delusion Chuck.

Colson wrote: "But those who ignore that continue to probe and search in misguided ways."

The Jews are misguided? You christians hijacked their religion for crying out loud. Are Hindu's misguided?

Colson wrote: "In the early part of the 19th century, for example, people were caught up with the idea of the transfer of souls from one body to another. Even today, 25 percent of the American people claim to believe in reincarnation. And astrologists do a thriving business."

Yes, and among christians especially since they have been conditioned from birth to believe in any spiritual nonsense. Belief in the supernatural is a direct result of teaching about the supernatural in christian churches, where not just God is taught, but angels that can fly and sit on your shoulder to protect you, demons who enter your body or whisper in your ear, etc. Belief in boogiemen, ghosts and reincarnation are a direct result of deluding children into believing there is a supernatural world.

Colson wrote: "The Christian teaching is that we can understand the supernatural only through the One who created both nature and that which is beyond nature, that we will one day understand it completely when we live in God’s presence."

No, christian teachings say that the supernatural is well understood. God sits on top with Jesus at his right hand, then the angels lead by Michael, and the demons lead by Satan. Heaven is described in detail and hell in even more detail. To say you do not understand the supernatural goes against everything you hear in a church, synagague or mosque.

Colson wrote: "We are taught in the meantime to avoid things like the paranormal, which too easily fall into the realm of black magic."

Ha, "avoid things like the paranormal", yet you pray for a sick person to get well. Christians continually ask for devine intervention through prayer. Christians see "the devil" in people. Christians see Christ's face in a piece of burnt toast. And lets not forget this era's christian fad, the near death experience where someone who goes unconscious but is saved by medical intervention claims to have seen heaven, floated over their bodies, visited people miles away, etc.

Delusion is delusion Chuck. You cannot teach one form of delusion and expect other delusions not to be imagined. Teach about devils and monsters are imagined. Teach about your dead relatives becoming angels and ghosts are now imagined. Teach about heaven and people claim to have seen it. Funny though how no one claims to have had a near death experience and got a glimpse of hell though.

Anon writes: "es, witches and their practices according to scripture are evil based. So go do you dances with your chants and your charms let's see what your power can yeild,"

And you go to your church services with your dances (sitting, standing, and maybe kneeling), chants (like the Lord's Prayer for example), and charms (every see a cross or crucifix in church).

The more you cretins try to pretend that you're different, the more you look the same.

What kind of sadistic deity would put us through this garbage filter twice?

Terra Gazelle:
Anonymous,
"What Wiccans beleive has no bearing on others, end of story!"
Look at the sign on the door...it says "On Faith". So exactly where does it say that any faith is excluded in the conversation?
Modern bigotry...?

NO COMMON SENSE, OF WHICH YOU HAVE NONE.

athena, "Why? I'm a Wiccan. So are many other posters? Are our beliefs less valid than yours? "

yes, witches and their practices according to scripture are evil based. So go do you dances with your chants and your charms let's see what your power can yeild,

BTW be sure to invite your neighbors/friends/family over so they can see you practicing your witchcraft.

terra, " Maybe you need to know that prayer is related to magick...Magick is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will. "

Wrong, prayer is directly related to faith and faith through God is the cancellation of natural laws. That is how God spoke the world into existance.

Like it or not that type of supernatural power only comes from God; wiccans are "powerless"

mr mark, "self delusion. Nothing more, nothing less."

self delusion comes in all forms, such as a reprobate.

Get it!

Mr. Mark,

Perhaps I used a poor choice of words.

I did not intend to imply that the way I see some things now is BETTER, I meant that the way I see some things now is DIFFERENT. As the music lyrics I quoted suggest, I "perceive" the sunset differently now because of the transforming power of Christ.

Anonymous,

"What Wiccans beleive has no bearing on others, end of story!"

Look at the sign on the door...it says "On Faith". So exactly where does it say that any faith is excluded in the conversation?

Modern bigotry...?

Molly,
Just exactly is "preistcraft"? I can only guess that you meant Priestcraft. Wow, how Henry the Eighth of you. If priestcraft is bad...I guess I am ok since I practice Wicce-cræft. Maybe you need to know that prayer is related to magick...“Magick is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will”.

Black magick is not something I am familiar with...we do not have colored magick..it is in the intent of the practitioner. If I cast a spell(pray) to heal or protect is that "black" magic?

Would you want people to go to your enemy to define you? I would try and find out the truth, not go by what others say.

terra

Brambleton writes:

"It's not that I see a flower, so there must be a God. It's I can see the flower differently now because I know God.

But unless you've given your heart to Jesus, you won't have any idea what that means. You will continue to see the flower the same way you always have."

Your implication is that there is something wrong/incomplete/lacking in wonderment in the way non-believers view a flower, and by extension, reality. How ego-centric. How snide.

I - for one - am overwhelmed by what I see in a flower. In fact, I'm more overwhelmed now that I disbelieve in gods than I was when I believed in the old genocidal fart and his self-aggrandizing son.

BTW - having once firmly believed in Jesus, I know EXACTLY "what it means" to see a flower differently because you "know god." It's called, self delusion. Nothing more, nothing less.

"What Wiccans beleive has no bearing on others, end of story!"

Why? I'm a Wiccan. So are many other posters? Are our beliefs less valid than yours?

Gods vs. black magic.

The tooth fairy vs. the leprechauns.

YOYO,

You don't get it.

It's not that I see a flower, so there must be a God. It's I can see the flower differently now because I know God.

But unless you've given your heart to Jesus, you won't have any idea what that means. You will continue to see the flower the same way you always have.

Wiccans believe that whatever you send out comes back to you three times over. So, it's in our own best interests not to do anything that would do harm.)

What Wiccans beleive has no bearing on others, end of story!

Okay... what about Kabbalah? It's Jewish in origin, but can be applied to Christian and Islamic beliefs as well. I'm not talking about Madonna and her trendoid Kabbalah garbage, here. I'm talking about the serious scholarship done by Eliaphas Levi, Johan Kemper, etc. Is that considered to be "Black Magic" as well?

(BTW, there is no such thing. Magic is the manipulation of metaphysical forces to produce a desired result. The intent can be used for positive or negative results. It's all in the intent and the definition. Wiccans believe that whatever you send out comes back to you three times over. So, it's in our own best interests not to do anything that would do harm.)

Chuck, "The Christian teaching is that we can understand the supernatural only through the One who created both nature and that which is beyond nature, that we will one day understand it completely when we live in God’s presence. We are taught in the meantime to avoid things like the paranormal, which too easily fall into the realm of black magic."

That you for being that voice of reason for the Christian believers.

My Christian mother taught me that curiosity was a gift from God. Then again, she knew her God was awesome, so other people's beliefs didn't scare her. I'm glad I wasn't raised in the insecure, fearful and guilty tradition that this contributor represents.

"We are taught in the meantime to avoid things like the paranormal, which too easily fall into the realm of black magic."

Censorship and avoidance of existing realities whether it takes us into the "realm of black magic" or not, is a denial of "what is". Isn't a part of man's journey about the fullness of experience?
Fear is a huge obstacle to self awareness and lastly, choosing to delve into the realm of Black magic (whatever that is) makes no difference as it is the individual's beliefs and intentions that will take him in that direction.... and even if he/she does not embark on that path, those very same thought processes are still within his consciousness.... so what's the difference.?

Chuck Colson, the man who says he's never met an atheist, even though he spent years in prison.

Jails are full of believers of one stripe or another. It figures.

It's good that we (the people) discuss these things. Time was when we blindly accepted what the so-called Holy Men told us. Some still do. But not all of us. You gotta be skeptical and ask questions, and don't believe everything you're told, otherwise they fill our heads with all sorts of supernatural claptrap so we go to church every Sunday and give them money for pretending to be close to someone they call god.

Gotta be the oldest scam in the world.

Remember Jonestown....

Brambleton

What logic...

A flower is beautiful, ergo there is a God.

How profound! Why couldn't Einstein get it? Or Darwin? or Stephen Hawking?

Aarrghh...

To quote from the song "Heaven" by the music group Live . . .

I don't need no one to tell me about heaven,
I look at my daughter and I believe.
I don't need no proof when it comes to God and truth,
I can see the sunset and I perceive.

Anyone with common sense knows that psychics, astrologers, and those who dabble in Black Magic do so for entertainment value only. There is no such thing as real magic or supernatural realms.

The real danger is surrendering your brain to those who practice preistcraft. It's the one area of supernatural muck-muck that claims to have your soul and afterlife at stake.

A charlatan is a charlatan, no matter what color his collar.

I think it is silly to think the God of most infinite wisdom and power could not say "oh, let's recycle this one and give him another chance to make things better." God is all powerful and the lack of reincarnation in the Bible does not mean it is not possible. It simply means it was not discussed. Freiman talks about this concept in Current Events, Conservative Outcomes. You can see some of it at www.gafreiman.com

Black magic?

Oh no! The vague and unspecified beast that threatens us all!

Charles Colson, grow up.

Anonymous sounds like a perfect description of the modern American Welfare state to me.

If there are in deed good spirits then it follows as does the night the day that there are also evil spirits. In christianity we call the bad ones Demons and the Good ones Angels which are led by God. To be sure that is very great oversimplification but that is pretty much it in a Nutshell.

Chuck -

You may currently be in touch with a paranormal spirit, and from the tenor of your column, it is that of a fearful four-year-old with a learning disability.

Chuck Chuck Chuck. Give me a break. Either you believe in magic or you don't. Religion is all about magic and the supernatural and pie-in-the-sky, and has no more and no less credibility than palm reading or witchcraft.
Just because your pastor tells you there's a god, don't make it necessarily so.
Coz it ain't.

if we study the norms? and if para-normal is based on the language of norms? and if Goodness is after norms? isnt it?

this is faith that within norms, on EArth, we behave and talk.

'Darker realms,' he says.

Trust me, it don't get any darker than the torture some Christians do to mentally-ill kids and call it an 'exorcism.'

Fundie 'Occult experts' populating peoples' worlds with 'demons' and ever escallating 'spiritual warfare.'

Hint: Someone who's got 'good medicine' doesn't make it ever-more *worse.*

Whatever the spirit world can be said to *be,* it isn't some alien invader disrupting a Biblically-ordered world: if it's there, it's *always* been there. And is *part* of the world.

It's not entirely safe, but neither is crossing the street. Closing your eyes or declaring war on traffic isn't going to bring safety.

There's a fair bit of good, a little bit of bad, and a *whole lot of indifferent* to it. That indifferent part will tend to take the shapes you *bring with you.*

Don't let anyone make you afraid and helpless, or dependent on magic charms in an ever more fearful world.

You got a spirit, too. It's just part of life.

Many people erroneously equate "paranormal" and "supernatural." As a Pagan, I believe that those things we call "spiritual" are all within the realm of the Natural - there is no such thing as "supernatural."

Paranormal simply refers to that which is beyond the average person's ability to fully, consciously, deliberately perceive. An event or phenomenon can be "paranormal" AND perfectly natural.

Myths, whether from family oral traditions or leather-bound books and tools, whether Tarot cards or crucifixes, help us to focus and connect to that nuiminous part of existence.

"Athena:

Why is it that prophecying (if that's a word) and speaking in tongues is considered "okay", but astrology and Tarot are not?"

Good question, my dear, and this is why: because that's the Christian supernatural, and it's all good (although I did have one insistant Christian witness who warned me that the "charismatic movement was from the devil".) When religions compete in the "one with the most souls wins" game, the "supernatural" of other religions must become evil.

"curiosity often leads into darker realms"

Mr. Colson, I am very glad I do not live in a world as fearsome as yours. It also concerns me that someone with an outlook as narrow and ignorant as yours would be given preferential access to present your views to the public. These ideas breed fear and distrust in others who may share your ignorance. I spend a lot of energy fending off these kinds of influences in my world. You should realize you can choose to live in a much happier and brighter world just by believing something different. This is your responsibility, in order to make the world for all of us a little brighter

What Pentecostals call the "gifts of the Holy Spirit", others call the paranormal. Why is it that prophecying (if that's a word) and speaking in tongues is considered "okay", but astrology and Tarot are not?

"But if there are not responsible religious guidelines, this curiosity often leads into darker realms. That’s why necromancy—that is, communicating with the dead—was prohibited in the ancient Jewish scriptures."

Oh man, where to begin?

First off, if people like Mr. Colson didn't encourage people to "believe" in the supernatural, we'd have a lot less of this nonsense going on.

You see, when you create an invisible patriarch that lives in the sky and ask people to set aside their common sense and personal dignity to sign onto that myth, all manner of invisible goblins are then conceivable.

It is this supplication before the supernatural (nee imagination) that's the main problem with society as we know it. If we were without it, there is no question that the world would be a far better, less scary place for everyone.

Finally, I don't care how old the scriptures are.
The older they are, the more ridiculously uninformed they are -- yet you seem to offer them credibility just for being "ancient," as is the wont of the supernaturalist. If you believe for one second, Mr. Colson, that communicating with the dead is possible based on the age of some dusty text that refers to such a superstition, you are more hopelessly lost in fantasy than I ever gave you credit for being.

Question: "Astrologers do a thriving buisness."

Why?

Answer: Because there are very few manufacturing jobs left.

I doubt if anyone can improve on Kenneth's trucky remark. But using it as a platform I will add: What exactly, if not advocating the divine paranormal, does being a Priest entail?

But this, perhaps, is pretty much saying the same thing as Kenneth. Respect to Kenneth.

If black magic were actually real, I have absolutely no doubt that some wizard would have cursed you by now, Chuck.

The fact that you have not been turned into a toad or tortured with wax dolls is, I think, compelling evidence that no such powers exist. Since you're wrong about black magic, it stands to reason that you're wrong about your little god, too.

Chuck,

Most Christians believe in angels, spirits, and heaven, and that's not considered believing in the paranormal?

Chuck, by the way, if your spirit somehow makes it to heaven, I'd happily burn in hell forever.