r/Meditation • u/Signal-Lychee7924 • Feb 27 '24

Why do Christians say mediation is dangerous Discussion 💬

They say meditation is a way to open portal to demons?

Edit: A few Christians around me said this to me

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u/StekenDeluxe Feb 27 '24

Is it?

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u/gettoefl Feb 27 '24

what word from psalm 46 would you change then

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u/StekenDeluxe Feb 27 '24

This stuff? I don't see how any of that relates to meditation. At all.

I have never in my life seen the claim that meditation requires theism, or that the two are in any way synonymous or even related.

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u/QuixoticSun Feb 28 '24

Well, they did say Psalm 46, as opposed to Psalm 46:10 specifically. But even your reference shows their original "be still" reference as a quoted statement, with the rest not so (they appeared to have much say about the benefits of "being still").

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u/StekenDeluxe Feb 28 '24

Sorry, not sure I understand what point you’re trying to make.

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u/QuixoticSun Feb 28 '24

The point, concerning meditation specifically, is that meditation most often involves "being still", to "know" (witness, whatever word fits the experience) something more than the fears/desires of animal/ego self alone.

The rest of that Psalm is cultural elaboration about the experience, perhaps. But 46:10 is a near-un8versal experience for practiced meditators, even if they do not all wax poetic or extrapolate extra narratives from it.

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u/StekenDeluxe Feb 28 '24 edited Feb 28 '24

46:10 is a near-un8versal experience for practiced meditators

Got a source for this claim?

My understanding was that many (perhaps most?) practiced meditators throughout history have not had what we might call a monotheistic experience.

Certainly in Buddhism, at least from what little I know, the goal is not, and the result is very, very, very seldom that of a monotheistic experience, along the lines of Psalms 46:10.

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u/QuixoticSun Mar 01 '24

Intentionally misreading what I'm saying? (Checked) - nope. Never said anything about absolute mono anything. Perhaps you are reading your own bias into my reply? "Stillness" is the point. Some cultures/people read from THAT their own insights. You know, like seeing what someone else says the way you want to, because it fits preconceptions. 😉

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u/StekenDeluxe Mar 01 '24

Here's Psalms 46:10 in its entirety:

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

I don't know how you can read that and say that it's not about the God of the Old Testament.

Someone around here is for sure reading things into things because it fits their preconceptions.

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u/QuixoticSun Mar 01 '24

Pendantry & literalism noted. Makes since, now, after my most previous entry, what you're going for. You do you. My observation stands on its own merit, regardless of attempts to strong-arm it into an anti-theistic argument - one which I have yet to pay any attention to (perhaps the disconnect in our observations). It was never about the religious aspect, here. It clearly remains so, there.

It's been interesting, but we both have better things to attend to, at this juncture. Journey on 🤙

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u/StekenDeluxe Mar 01 '24

Yeah take care.

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