On mageia and pharmakeia in the NT‏‏

I've been debating someone on this recently. I'd love your opinion.

I am defending practices like astral projection (which don't necessarily necessitate working with demons) and work with prana or vital energy which to me is a natural energy no different from gravity or nuclear energy.

I also use the fact that most of our sciences came from occult practices like alchemy and astrology. I say that if what the alchemists were doing was wrong, then we shouldn't use any of the fruits of modern science since it has an occult origin.

Another point I bring up is the Magi who brought gifts to Christ. We get the word magic from magi, soI would say that if those magicians were Godly, than one can be a Godly magician.

My argument: Magic and drugs are only wrong if:

1.) They are used to deceive someone.
2.) They hold a place above Christ in your heart (idolatry).
3.) They are used with the objective of colluding with or holding intercourse with demons (any spirit that doesn't acknowledge Christ). In other words, meditation, astral projection, or taking LSD is fine as long as you don't use it to attempt contact with Baal or whatever.

SUMMARY:

1.) What, specifically, is prohibited by the words mageia and pharmakeia in the NT?

Well, I could just say that these are your beliefs based on your religion. It may take you some unlearning :)

I don't want to be a wet blanket, but this is pretty much in violation of the "no drug talk" rule. Please see: http://www.astraldynamics.com.au/faq...#faq_drugrules

Sorry about that, but the rule has been in place for quite literally years, and it's Robert's own ruling (for liability purposes, mostly), so we do enforce it pretty strictly.

Please feel free to PM me or CFTraveler if you'd like more information on the reasoning behind the rule and so forth.

As to the magic stuff,

Quote:

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1.) What, specifically, is prohibited by the words mageia and pharmakeia in the NT?

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As far as I know anything that is labeled "Gifts of the spirit" (a long list, IIRC it's in Corinthians) is allowed- discerning of spirits, healing, gifts of tongues, and some other stuff that can be interpreted- and John speaks of AP as if it is not a bad thing, but an awesome thing, and he also says that anything you do "in Christ" is allowed. So IMO it's not the practice, but the intention that matters.
ps. For some reason, they specifically allow casting of lots by name in various places- I always wondered about that.

I think when it comes to prohibiting people from doing something, the psychology of the person doing the prohibiting says more than the prohibition itself.