Is there a difference between a psychic and a prophet?

[Queenj1737]

I grew up in the church and of course, there are some things that most Christians do not believe in and psychics are one of them. I once asked someone what was the difference between a prophet and a psychic and their response was, "Psychics get their information from the devil and prophets get their information from the Lord," but could not answer when I asked how would you be able to differentiate what word is coming from whom.

I seen the scriptures that warns against mediums, but I've always wondered what the real difference was. Does anyone have any insight on this?

[eye_of_tiger]

there are some things that most Christians do not believe in and psychics are one of them.

Which is really strange as if we are to accept the accounts in the Bible of what Jesus was supposed to have done like change water into wine, walk on water, or heal people from their leprosy (act as a healer medium channelling God's healing energies) as historical fact, then the Lord was probably amongst one of the most powerful psychics, mediums and prophets who has ever walked on this Earth. Some churches get around this uncomfortable truth by saying that Jesus was the only true psychic because as you mentioned only his abilities came from God. But to say that Christians do not believe in any psychics or psychic abilities, cannot be right.

In the Bible they refer to psychic abilities as spiritual gifts or gifts of the Spirit. Are they saying that the people who have the following mentioned spiritual gifts got them from the Devil?

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

[1 Corinthians 12  New International Version (NIV)]

But to answer your question what is the difference between a psychic and prophet, all prophets (people who can foretell or predict the future) are psychic and possess psychic abilities (spiritual gifts), but not all psychic are equally gifted in the psychic ability of prophecy. Just as all mediums are psychics, but not all psychics are able to effectively function as mediums (people who can communicate with the departed).

In other words a person who is psychic often has more than one psychic ability or gift. One or more of their abilities is often much more advanced or developed at birth when compared to the rest, although their not so strong psychic abilities can frequently be strengthened and developed, if they want to also use them in their spiritual/psychic work.

It is my opinion that every person has some degree of psychic ability (highly variable), and that every psychic has some degree of the gift of prophecy (also highly variable).

But psychics who are born already naturally strong in the psychic gift of prophecy are frequently called psychic prophets, or just prophets for short.

In the Bible mediums are often equated with necromancers and witches who in turn must according to their religious dogma be agents of Satan.

http://www.openbible.info/topics/psychi ... witchcraft

The 65 biblical quotes on the above web page have been used in the past to validate or support the mass torturing, drowning and burning alive of psychics and mediums and prophets. Even elderly women who used simple healing herbs and plants to replace exorcism (carried out by the Church) as a medical treatment, were according to this twisted logic in league with Lucifer/Satan.

In the 21st century in most places in the world physical torturing, drowning, burning alive of psychics, mediums and prophets is no longer condoned nor carried out.

Now many so called religious people, some of whom call themselves Christian do their best to psychologically torture and destroy the reputation anyone who is different from them, which includes psychics, mediums and prophets.

This is called being more civilised.

Most of this discrimination and persecution against psychics comes from these people's fears of what they do not understand (and they do not want to understand).

The first step to understanding a person is to accept that that person exists, and that they have the right to exist. How can you begin to understand what it is like for another person to be psychic (or a psychic), and therefore judge if they are or are not working with the Light, if you have been taught by the Bible that there are no psychics?

------------------------DISCLAIMER-----------------------------

Please note that there are also many people both inside and outside churches and religions who do NOT discriminate against or wish to psychologically destroy a psychic, medium or prophet. Some psychics, mediums and prophets are themselves very religious people and regular church goers. In some churches psychic gifts are both recognised and practised as God's work in front of the congregation. In the religion of Spiritualism, psychics, mediums and prophets can be ministers. Just as religious people should not prejudge that all psychics, mediums and prophets get their abilities from Satan, psychics , mediums and prophets should not assume that every person who is religious, a Christian or a regular church goer hates and wants to destroy psychics.

----------------------END OF DISCLAIMER----------------------

Love and Light,

EoT

[Rohiniranjan]

I grew up in the church and of course, there are some things that most Christians do not believe in and psychics are one of them. I once asked someone what was the difference between a prophet and a psychic and their response was, "Psychics get their information from the devil and prophets get their information from the Lord," but could not answer when I asked how would you be able to differentiate what word is coming from whom.

I seen the scriptures that warns against mediums, but I've always wondered what the real difference was. Does anyone have any insight on this?

Why go looking deep into accounts of Yore?

Where would you or they classify Edgar Cayce?

[Pravin Kumar]

In India we have the Tantriks and the Saints who can see what will happen in the future and what has happened in the past. There are those who can only intuitively tell things like if you have lost something where it can be found and if you are heal they can heal through their psychic powers and many other things. In all cases the powers are used for positive results without any thought of harming humanity.

There are Tantriks who work to destroy others too. They work negatively and sometimes even the positive Tantriks and Prophets are affected through the powers of these Tantriks.

This is not asked but I am explaining a theory which a spiritual teacher told me. Draw a Square and divide it into three parts almost equally. The lower part is occupied by humans at large. In the second layer above are the psychics, tantriks and spiritual persons (all who do work for the betterment of humanity) and in the topmost layer are those who become one with everyone. They see themselves in everyone and hence they love every Human Being. Such Prophets or whatever you may call them are able to go in the past, in the future and live in the present as the Situation demands. They work for God. Their work is to take human towards God.

I have known a Great Saint whose Samadhi now lies in Aurangabad. HE even talks to us, I mean I can feel HIM talking to me at certain times giving some information and advise, even though HE is not there in body. This information has always turned to be correct conditions being I have to interpret them correctly. Such persons are next to God and know everything there is to know in this Earth. I have heard this Saint (originally HE spoke in Marathi a local language) speak even in English/German and HE can speak any language and understand anything there is to understand.

Goodness and Truth always defeats the Negative Tantriks but it is a slow process. The energy of a Negative Tantriks is tremendous but for only a short period whereas the positive energy of Truth and Goodness lasts continuously but at a lower energy. It goes on and on and hence wins in the end.

P.K.

[Rohiniranjan]

Though he passed away in 1918, his powerful benign influence still continues in the hearts and lives of many, Pravin dada! For sure!!

[Queenj1737]

there are some things that most Christians do not believe in and psychics are one of them.

Which is really strange as if we are to accept the accounts in the Bible of what Jesus was supposed to have done like change water into wine, walk on water, or heal people from their leprosy (act as a healer medium channelling God's healing energies) as historical fact, then the Lord was probably amongst one of the most powerful psychics, mediums and prophets who has ever walked on this Earth. Some churches get around this uncomfortable truth by saying that Jesus was the only true psychic because as you mentioned only his abilities came from God. But to say that Christians do not believe in any psychics or psychic abilities, cannot be right.

In the Bible they refer to psychic abilities as spiritual gifts or gifts of the Spirit. Are they saying that the people who have the following mentioned spiritual gifts got them from the Devil?

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

[1 Corinthians 12  New International Version (NIV)]

But to answer your question what is the difference between a psychic and prophet, all prophets (people who can foretell or predict the future) are psychic and possess psychic abilities (spiritual gifts), but not all psychic are equally gifted in the psychic ability of prophecy. Just as all mediums are psychics, but not all psychics are able to effectively function as mediums (people who can communicate with the departed).

In other words a person who is psychic often has more than one psychic ability or gift. One or more of their abilities is often much more advanced or developed at birth when compared to the rest, although their not so strong psychic abilities can frequently be strengthened and developed, if they want to also use them in their spiritual/psychic work.

It is my opinion that every person has some degree of psychic ability (highly variable), and that every psychic has some degree of the gift of prophecy (also highly variable).

But psychics who are born already naturally strong in the psychic gift of prophecy are frequently called psychic prophets, or just prophets for short.

In the Bible mediums are often equated with necromancers and witches who in turn must according to their religious dogma be agents of Satan.

http://www.openbible.info/topics/psychi ... witchcraft

The 65 biblical quotes on the above web page have been used in the past to validate or support the mass torturing, drowning and burning alive of psychics and mediums and prophets. Even elderly women who used simple healing herbs and plants to replace exorcism (carried out by the Church) as a medical treatment, were according to this twisted logic in league with Lucifer/Satan.

In the 21st century in most places in the world physical torturing, drowning, burning alive of psychics, mediums and prophets is no longer condoned nor carried out.

Now many so called religious people, some of whom call themselves Christian do their best to psychologically torture and destroy the reputation anyone who is different from them, which includes psychics, mediums and prophets.

This is called being more civilised.

Most of this discrimination and persecution against psychics comes from these people's fears of what they do not understand (and they do not want to understand).

The first step to understanding a person is to accept that that person exists, and that they have the right to exist. How can you begin to understand what it is like for another person to be psychic (or a psychic), and therefore judge if they are or are not working with the Light, if you have been taught by the Bible that there are no psychics?

------------------------DISCLAIMER-----------------------------

Please note that there are also many people both inside and outside churches and religions who do NOT discriminate against or wish to psychologically destroy a psychic, medium or prophet. Some psychics, mediums and prophets are themselves very religious people and regular church goers. In some churches psychic gifts are both recognised and practised as God's work in front of the congregation. In the religion of Spiritualism, psychics, mediums and prophets can be ministers. Just as religious people should not prejudge that all psychics, mediums and prophets get their abilities from Satan, psychics , mediums and prophets should not assume that every person who is religious, a Christian or a regular church goer hates and wants to destroy psychics.

----------------------END OF DISCLAIMER----------------------

Love and Light,

EoT

Okay, that was easy to understand (thank you for that). But I have another question, what is the difference between the gift of prophecy & being psychic?

[Queenj1737]

I grew up in the church and of course, there are some things that most Christians do not believe in and psychics are one of them. I once asked someone what was the difference between a prophet and a psychic and their response was, "Psychics get their information from the devil and prophets get their information from the Lord," but could not answer when I asked how would you be able to differentiate what word is coming from whom.

I seen the scriptures that warns against mediums, but I've always wondered what the real difference was. Does anyone have any insight on this?

Why go looking deep into accounts of Yore?

Where would you or they classify Edgar Cayce?

I've never heard of Yore or Edgar Cayce

[Rohiniranjan]

I grew up in the church and of course, there are some things that most Christians do not believe in and psychics are one of them. I once asked someone what was the difference between a prophet and a psychic and their response was, "Psychics get their information from the devil and prophets get their information from the Lord," but could not answer when I asked how would you be able to differentiate what word is coming from whom.

I seen the scriptures that warns against mediums, but I've always wondered what the real difference was. Does anyone have any insight on this?

Why go looking deep into accounts of Yore?

Where would you or they classify Edgar Cayce?

I've never heard of Yore or Edgar Cayce

Haha! Yore just means what came before (now), way way before and long ago (mentions in scripture about mental and spiritual giants!)

Cayce is a more recent person also known as the sleeping prophet. Very interesting individual. Google should lead you to details about him. Oh, and as far as I recall, he was a very devout Christian!

[Rohiniranjan]

Chefs are gourmets (as applied to persons) but not all gourmet (person; foodie) are gifted to be chefs.

[eye_of_tiger]

Chefs are gourmets (as applied to persons) but not all gourmet (person; foodie) are gifted to be chefs.

Excuse me, for asking, but what do chefs and gourmets have to do with the topic currently under discussion?

Please explain.

Thanks,

EoT  :smt017

[Rohiniranjan]

Chefs are gourmets (as applied to persons) but not all gourmet (person; foodie) are gifted to be chefs.

Excuse me, for asking, but what do chefs and gourmets have to do with the topic currently under discussion?

Please explain.

Thanks,

EoT  :smt017

Elementary my Dear Watson!

Gourmets have evolved a taste and appreciation (awareness) for an expanded palate (taste).
Chefs have worked on the ability and can prepare delicacies that others (even non-gourmets) can appreciate and enjoy!

Everyone is psychic and though degrees may vary, they can tune into (taste) the realms beyond the physical and can sense (as in taste, also a sense!) the wider realm of possibilities (spiritual beyond just physical). They are akin to gourmets who have an expanded ability to taste.

OTOH, EoT, like chefs, those with gift of prophecy (although it is more than just a gift and demands practice, honing of the skills etc) can transform the *taste* from just remaining a sense, an intangible, into a reading that can benefit others who do not have the ability! There are fewer chefs than gourmets, generally!!

Concept to a product!

Love and Light,

Rohiniranjan

[eye_of_tiger]

That is brilliant; Holmes.

Thank you for clarifying the up until now obscure and perplexing meaning behind your use of chefs and gourmets as symbolic metaphors to draw a comparison between those who are particularly strong in a specific psychic gift or have an expanded awareness in that psychic sense (the gourmets), in contrast to an individual who is not so advanced with regards to this same psychic sensory channel.

Does that mean that you are representing beings from higher spiritual planes as the ones who are serving up the psychic experiences (your chefs) to the gourmets and non gourmets alike?

Incredible! lol

EoT  :smt005

[Rohiniranjan]

No EoT, in the analogical comparison, I was using the gourmet designation for psychic ability. While the chef can move that ability to the next stage namely a tangible product of sorts.

There are many with psychic abilities (according to some pretty much everybody has these to some extent, expressed or remaining dormant) and like gourmets they are aware of the extended realm of possibilities beyond just the physical one!

Prophets or those with gifts of prophesy are in a sense a bit more advanced (mature?) and have the ability to see the future probabilities and in certain instances the crystallized future. A finer explanation would require going into the different karmas and outcomes as per sanatana dharma tenets and might be overkill in this instance, so will prudently refrain from going there

I do not see psychic abilities as icons of strength, necessarily happiness, or props for ego strength (utilizing psychological definition and not the tabloid version). More times than not, increased psychic abilities leads to pain, confusion and at times some lack of balance (balancing the worldly with the other-worldly!). Such individuals should be supported and receive compassion. Some of these have slightly more developed abilities and control over the abilities and can utilize those alongwith other training etc (important!) and be helpful to others as counsellors etc. Constant practice and keeping the inner self pure is important and rather than an achievement, it should be considered a talent to be developed through spiritual means. Many energy healers fall in this category as well and can serve humanity in positive ways.

As far as other worldly spirits etc are concerned, and how they get involved in the 'kitchen' (since we are using a culinary, gastronomical analogy!) is something where we would begin risking the situation seen a few times recently! I think that would be counterproductive and since my original thought and analogy did not specifically include spirits and angels and similar beings, we better not go there. Perhaps some other time, some other thread when we meet again?

Your kindred spirit,

Rohiniranjan

[Rohiniranjan]

Most of us, are more towards the gourmet end of the spectrum, as opposed to being accomplished chefs!
That said, kudos to all of us, though, who keep on working on our abilities with gratitude and humility and striving to get better and better and continue to serve humanity.
There is no short-cuts, as far as I see.
Those who do not have faith in reincarnation and karma may have other justifications and rationalizations etc. I can only respect their views and always have for their personal life-plans.

Wishing ALL a Happy cooking (and tending to other kitchen-duties)!

Rohiniranjan

[Queenj1737]

No EoT, in the analogical comparison, I was using the gourmet designation for psychic ability. While the chef can move that ability to the next stage namely a tangible product of sorts.

There are many with psychic abilities (according to some pretty much everybody has these to some extent, expressed or remaining dormant) and like gourmets they are aware of the extended realm of possibilities beyond just the physical one!

Prophets or those with gifts of prophesy are in a sense a bit more advanced (mature?) and have the ability to see the future probabilities and in certain instances the crystallized future. A finer explanation would require going into the different karmas and outcomes as per sanatana dharma tenets and might be overkill in this instance, so will prudently refrain from going there

I do not see psychic abilities as icons of strength, necessarily happiness, or props for ego strength (utilizing psychological definition and not the tabloid version). More times than not, increased psychic abilities leads to pain, confusion and at times some lack of balance (balancing the worldly with the other-worldly!). Such individuals should be supported and receive compassion. Some of these have slightly more developed abilities and control over the abilities and can utilize those alongwith other training etc (important!) and be helpful to others as counsellors etc. Constant practice and keeping the inner self pure is important and rather than an achievement, it should be considered a talent to be developed through spiritual means. Many energy healers fall in this category as well and can serve humanity in positive ways.

As far as other worldly spirits etc are concerned, and how they get involved in the 'kitchen' (since we are using a culinary, gastronomical analogy!) is something where we would begin risking the situation seen a few times recently! I think that would be counterproductive and since my original thought and analogy did not specifically include spirits and angels and similar beings, we better not go there. Perhaps some other time, some other thread when we meet again?

Your kindred spirit,

Rohiniranjan

I was starting to get a tad confused, but I think you kinda helped reel me back in with this explanation.