Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site reed.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!decwrl!pyramid!hplabs!tektronix!reed!purtell From: purtell@reed.UUCP (Lady Godiva) Newsgroups: net.religion.christian Subject: "spiritual gifts" (Taken from "Hearing God's Voice") Message-ID: <2744@reed.UUCP> Date: Tue, 11-Mar-86 02:27:10 EST Article-I.D.: reed.2744 Posted: Tue Mar 11 02:27:10 1986 Date-Received: Wed, 12-Mar-86 23:49:49 EST References: <2322@burdvax.UUCP> Reply-To: purtell@reed.UUCP (Lady Godiva) Distribution: na Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon Lines: 63 First, I'd like to say that I think this was a good article, Mike. I'm not disagreeing with you at all, it just brought to mind something that I find very interesting. I'll also probably be very sorry that I did this, but here goes. In article <26@cal-asd.fluke.UUCP> ptl@fluke.UUCP (Mike Andrews) writes: > > just look at the Fruits of the Spirit >today. I've witnessed people using the Gifts of the Spirit to help others >really experience God's Love, and share it. I've been present at physical >healings. Also seen people healed of mental torments brought on by >unforgiveness or resentment. Listened to people give a word of knowledge >which God later proved true. Over the years I've met people who God gave >knowledge about me that they couldn't possibly know on their own. >I've also seen the Gifts abused - used by people who like to be known for >what God has chosen them to do. And we've all seen or heard of people >who have what appear to be gifts from God when in reality they bind others >up to dependency on the `giver of the gift'. I'm curious to know what people think about "spiritual abilities". By that term I mean the ability that some people have to know the future (whether by using cards, or some other medium, or just through uncontrollable "visions"), to heal people (physically or emotionally), to know things (we're not talking scam games "Sir, I can tell that you are very perceptive and often view the world in a different way from those around you", but people who really do know things about certain people like Mike mentioned above) people who know when someone is in trouble even though they're far away (anywhere from out of eyesight to thousands of miles), empaths (people who can feel others physical and emotional states as if they were their own), psychics, and other related things. Do you think they are all entirely phoney? (Only the physical world exists.) Some are phoney, some are true? Are they all from God, all from Satan or a mix? Are they just natural parts of people that we choose to use as we please, for God, Satan, or ourselves? And if so, are some people just naturally (meaning genetically or through how they were raised as a child) better at some of these things than others? I guess that I should say what I believe about all of this since I'm asking for what others think. I believe that some are true, some are not. (For instance, I don't believe in astrology, but I'd defend empathy as strongly as I'd defend my belief in God.) I also think that they are a natural part of being human, and that some people are better at certain things than others. (I think I'll test the water out there before saying what I think my strengths are and what experiences I've had with this sort of thing.) The only scripture that I can offer to defend my position at the moment (and this is paraphrased since I don't have my Bible with me) is the one where Christ says that many will have driven out demons and healed people, and I don't remember what else, in his name but will not enter the kingdom of heaven. There are more than this (I studied this somewhat a few years ago) but my mind isn't recalling them right now. It took me a little while to really believe in the things like this that I now believe in because I was raised in the midwest with a lot of "common sense" values. I still have those, and sometimes I have conflicts between these two things. Anyway, anyone else have any thoughts on this? Share and enjoy - elizabeth g. purtell (Lady Godiva)