Is Psychology Biblical?

[JaumeJ]

I do not believe it is, but common sense is given to us all. I like to thin that psychologists and psychiatrists are seeking common sense in their approach to individuals' problems.

Whil attending the U of Illinois my circle of friends turned out to be the graduate studenst of astrophysices and psychology. The doctor candidates of psychology all seemed to have deeply seated problems themselves, and they were not shy about admitting it.

Once in Parise at an outdoor cafe I found in a conversation with a French psychiatrist that previous to his studies he had a litany of obssessions. He wanted to kill hi girlfriend, his mother, a prostitute and a priest. Yes he had had these obsession,. Happily he never did, but he did have good psychiatric care, and he became a psychiatrist in order to know himself better and the problems of others.

Personally, I do not put any stock in any of that field unless common sense is guiding the approach to care........God bless all in Jesus Christ.

 

[FreeNChrist]

Why has the modern church opted to trust in clinical psychology?

Because it has failed to see and maintain the distinction between the psychological and the spiritual.

 

[Issachar92]

Why has the modern church opted to trust in clinical psychology? Can you mix psychology and the Word of God?

My opinion on this is very controversial, but I have a personal testimony for it, and have seen it in many other people as well.

I think a lot of the mental illnesses we've come up with are just fancy clinical terms for demons. I used to have a lot of panic attacks and depression.
However the moment I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ all of them vanished overnight! Praise God!
Was that a coincidence? Or was it not? Everyone decides on their own but as for me I cannot deny the personal experience me and many others I know have had.

I also had some problems with my heart and I had a brother pray for me and it went away in the snap of a finger.

Also on a side note, have you noticed how they never try to solve your problem, instead they just push pills on you, we got ourselves a population whose mind is clouded by mind altering drugs. They also gave me those, and boy was I glad to get rid of my anxiety meds PRAISE GOD!

 

[resurrection33]

Why has the modern church opted to trust in clinical psychology? Can you mix psychology and the Word of God?

Science is not a bad thing. You just have to remember that the Lord is greater than science - he created science, not the other way around. Psychologists who follow Jesus do good things, I am sure. Psychologists who don't follow Jesus might do more harm than good.

 

[PeterJens]

The problem is we are a bunch of emotional drives with a rational brain to make sense of it.

Frued is now thought as probably totally wrong or irrelevant.

Behavioural strategies do work like cbt. Jesus uses something similar in the sermon on the mount.
In prayer talking through people with their experiences and listening is how you show love.
Holding to sin damages people, hurt is real, it matters.

The more science shows the more Jesus is life. In church we need to learn God is the God of our
hearts, not just our minds. So many live their lives on the sand, not surprising when the storm comes
it all falls down. Jesus is health and His words light, amen.

If we do not look inside God is opium of the people.

 

[Dino246]

My opinion on this is very controversial, but I have a personal testimony for it, and have seen it in many other people as well.

I think a lot of the mental illnesses we've come up with are just fancy clinical terms for demons. I used to have a lot of panic attacks and depression.
However the moment I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ all of them vanished overnight! Praise God!
Was that a coincidence? Or was it not? Everyone decides on their own but as for me I cannot deny the personal experience me and many others I know have had.

I also had some problems with my heart and I had a brother pray for me and it went away in the snap of a finger.

Also on a side note, have you noticed how they never try to solve your problem, instead they just push pills on you, we got ourselves a population whose mind is clouded by mind altering drugs. They also gave me those, and boy was I glad to get rid of my anxiety meds PRAISE GOD!

That's a great testimony! I agree; some ailments are demonic and cannot be helped by medication or psychology.

I would like to correct one thing in your last paragraph: psychologists do not push pills (legally, at least in Canada). Psychologists are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medication; that is the realm of psychiatrists, who are medical doctors.

 

[jaybird88]

psychology is the study and development of the mind, i would want my mind fully developed to understand the teachings of Jesus for the best relationship.
however todays psychology is very wishy washy trying to make anything and everything a mental illness to sell maximum drugs.

its a good principle but anytime a bad person makes work of a good principle the good principle works the wrong way.

 

[Magenta]

Brain and mind are two separate things, for one is physical and the other is spiritual. If one has a problem with their brain, they might seek help from a neurologist, or a psychiatrist, the latter who very likely will prescribe drugs, to treat whatever the problem may be with medication, as has already been mentioned.

There is a huge multi billion dollar industry attached to the physical side of illness, and meds wreak a lot of havoc in some people's lives, and cause the end of life for many as well, which is sad, because we know that usually the person is looking for a way to have a more fulfilling life, by pinpointing what the problem is, where it originated, and chart the path of its manifestation and development, looking at how a person's life choices reflect their deepest held values... after discovering/establishing what those values are.

I don't see psychology itself as a harmful thing, for it is simply a tool, a language developed for looking at oneself and one's life and personal growth, and it often does have a spiritual element to it, as it attempts to define the deepest desires a person has, and trace the path of one's progress through life against this larger picture. The search for meaning and purpose has been present with humanity probably from the beginning. To seek meaning and purpose in life is to seek truth, real, fundamental, inescapable truth.

We as Christians know the source of this truth, but many others do not. God promises to reveal Himself to those who diligently seek Him, and since none seek Him, yet still they seek after truth, and He will reveal Himself, for Jesus Christ is the embodiment of Truth, the raison d'etre of our very existence.

 

[Grace777x70]

Well said Magenta ( it says I can't rep but I owe you one ).

We as Christians have now the mind of Christ. The brain houses our belief system from our past experiences and ways of trying to find life and meaning. This is why we need the "renewing of the mind" - in the sense of our thoughts and beliefs that are still resident in our fleshly brains that are trying to get life from our own ways and thinking that is contrary to the life of God.

As the belief system in our brains ( which is also called mind in scripture because it houses the thoughts) becomes transformed by the beholding the glory/goodness of the Lord as in a mirror and we then reflect outwardly in our behavior what we are already are in Christ - in the new creation - created in righteousness and holiness.

This is why James said that we can be "double-minded" - which literally means " of two minds " and not receive from God.

Out fleshly brains are not going to be following us when we die physically on this earth.

 

[Issachar92]

That's a great testimony! I agree; some ailments are demonic and cannot be helped by medication or psychology.

I would like to correct one thing in your last paragraph: psychologists do not push pills (legally, at least in Canada). Psychologists are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medication; that is the realm of psychiatrists, who are medical doctors.

Ah yes my bad, my mind didnt make a distinction since the words sounded so similar. (Not a native english speaker here)

 

[Magenta]

Thank you, Bruce. I also meant to say that "psyche" is a Biblical word (Strong's 5590) simply meaning soul. Our soul is our life. Psychology is a language developed to help us look at all the ways we have been wounded and broken in life, the interesting thing of course being that we are often wounded through our own life choices as we live separated from God's ways in the flesh before coming to Christ. Through the condemnation of the law, whose job it is to show us the presence and power of sin in our lives, we are lead to acknowledge our need of redemption which is found in Christ alone. The humility required to see ourselves as we truly are before a holy God should bring us to our knees before Him Who is our sovereign Lord

psuché: breath, the soul​

Original Word: ψυχή, ῆς, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: psuché
Phonetic Spelling: (psoo-khay')
Short Definition: the soul, life, self

Definition: (a) the vital breath, breath of life, (b) the human soul, (c) the soul
as the seat of affections and will, (d) the self, (e) a human person, an individual.

HELPS Word-studies
5590 psyxḗ (from psyxō, "to breathe, blow" which is the root of the English words "psyche," "psychology") – soul (psyche); a person's distinct identity (unique personhood), i.e. individual personality.

5590 (psyxē) corresponds exactly to the OT 5315 /phágō ("soul"). The soul is the direct aftermath of God breathing (blowing) His gift of life into a person, making them an ensouled being.

 

[Laish]

Well here is my two cents .
Psychology is about as biblical as a hammer,printing press,or the internet. It's the person using these tools that can be biblical or unbiblical.All are tools a hammer can help Build church building or used to violently assault someone .a printing press can produce Bibles or porn .The internet can stream a church service or stream a sex site . It all depends on how we use it . Seeking help from a psychologist that helps others in a biblical manner is nothing to be feared.
Blessings
Bill

 

[Blain]

Firstly I will say that sometimes what we think is mental illness is actually a spiritual matter, for instance I sometimes when i am not focusing on God as much as i should my depression really kicks in and I get this abnormal scary anger that just isn't me. I mean seriously i have this monster inside me that when it arises my anger boils to the point that imagine beating the living day lights out of my room mate and get such joy thinking about it.

This scares me because I am not an angry person I am by nature calm kind loving an patient, now psychology might say it's due to my depression and how depression can alter ones state of thinking in abnormal ways except I believe this is not true in my case as this anger is not only not like me but the depth and severity of it is scary so much so I myself am terrified to be around anyone.

I believe this to be demonic activity and it only goes away when i run to god and sometimes it keeps popping up which makes me have to pray to god a lot more and spend a lot more time with him to be free from the horrible chains. however I also have known many who blame all kinds of things on the devil when in fact it is either mental problem or they are putting themselves in to much negativity. We have to consider the persons character before we try to discern if it's a psychology issue demonic or if it's themselves

 

[psalm6819]

That's a great testimony! I agree; some ailments are demonic and cannot be helped by medication or psychology.

I would like to correct one thing in your last paragraph: psychologists do not push pills (legally, at least in Canada). Psychologists are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medication; that is the realm of psychiatrists, who are medical doctors.

In the US any primary care doctor can and does prescribe.

School age children are routinely medicated for hyperactivity, depression, anxiety, attention deficit.

20% of US advertisements are fr pysch drugs.

 

[Denadii]

How can you Christianize that which is nonChristian? How can you Christianize paganism? You cannot!

 

[Denadii]

Science is not a bad thing as you say. But pseudo-science is a bad thing

 

[Denadii]

Friend The best way to develop your mind is to fill your time in reading and meditating on the Word.

 

[pottersclay]

I find it strange that some here don't find it possible for God to use men and women in this profession as well as others. To give wisdom and direction to help others.
Putting God in a box never worked. Wonder if these same people think if prayer didn't work it must be a lack of faith?

 

[Blain]

I find it strange that some here don't find it possible for God to use men and women in this profession as well as others. To give wisdom and direction to help others.
Putting God in a box never worked. Wonder if these same people think if prayer didn't work it must be a lack of faith?

Wait let me just make sure I am understanding this correctly... You came to the bdf and actually expected to find logically sound minded people? JK everyone please don't throw your stones lol

 

[Denadii]

Well Obviously God does use men and women, but does He use the devils tools? I think not.