Spiritualism and "Negative Energy"

[Bill Angel]

I came across the following posting at another website, a posting that I wished to respond to.

An atheist or agnostic would just laugh at this person's thinking. But besides being unscientific it could be exploited by unscrupulous individuals (and perhaps has been) who couple such thinking with the idea that certain individuals (or members of some minority group in the community) spread or are a source of "negative energy".

Here is the statement:

I would not let ANYONE I know mess with any of this spiritism without first praying for spiritual connection and protection. Or praying after you have been exposed to negative energy. It is deceptively manipulative and I don't recommend that to people because it is unpredicable and can cause rashes of deaths or sudden disruptions in relationships for no foreseen reason. So it is best to be safe and pray with someone who knows how to pray to remove that kind of energy and influence from your mental and spiritual space!

Please do not dabble with this stuff, even a little bit has messed some of my friends up. One friend had about 9 people die around him within a year and people told him to stop whatever he was into because it became obvious negative energy was circulating. Please be careful to avoid this kind of energy, and don't hesitate to call my friend and ask for help to clear your mind and emotions of any confused or mixed thoughts.

[Phi for All]

The only "energy" involved is whatever thought and effort you invest in it. If you think something is true, or that something can be done, you're much more likely to search for ways to make it happen. If you don't think something is true or can't be done, you don't invest and move on to something else.

 

That's plenty powerful without believing in any kind of external, supernatural influence. That bit about "confused or mixed thoughts" is simply rational learning through deliberation, and it's a good thing if you get more than a single other perspective. I would hesitate a lot to call that guy's friend. It sounds like he wants confused people with mixed feelings so he can tell them some kind of Truth. Fertile fields for planting, I think the Bible calls it.

[Bill Angel]

A a point of clarification, the writer of that quote is a woman.

[Phi for All]

A a point of clarification, the writer of that quote is a woman.

 

That really changes nothing, but thanks.

[John Cuthber]

"But besides being unscientific it could be exploited by unscrupulous individuals (and perhaps has been) who couple such thinking with the idea that certain individuals (or members of some minority group in the community) spread or are a source of "negative energy"."

 

It has.