What do you think about clairvoyance?

lizaanne · #1 Feb 20, '07, 12:41 pm

I'm not talking about someone who deals in the occult or speaks to the dead, or anything else we know is forbidden for us Catholics.

But what about those people who seem to have an ability to solve crimes, knowing details about crimes that have never been revealed, and assisting police in solving unsolved mysteries? I don't think we can just deny that this takes place, it has been documented quite thoroughly that there are individuals who do have the ability to "know" things that normal people are not aware of.

Could this be a gift of the Holy Spirit?

I don't know, but it's something that came to me when watching an interview with a woman who has helped police solve many crimes (she was on Oprah recently). This particular woman does do things I take issue with such as "speaking with the dead", but the topic in general got me thinking, so I thought I'd throw it out there to see what others think about it.

~Liza

Asbestos Mango · #2 Feb 21, '07, 9:33 pm

Well, if someone's having conversations with dead people, I would have to say that an exorcism may be in order.

I think that if someone is naturally clairvoyant, it's a gift from God. Some people, though, put time and effort into developing psychic powers (it can be done) and when you seek it out in that way, you're opening yourself up to demonic influences.

lizaanne · #3 Feb 22, '07, 6:39 am

I agree with the whole talking to dead people, that's clearly wrong.

At what point does one draw the line between "naturally clarvoyant" and dabbling in the occult?

I guess the thing I'm thinking about is that we can't just deny that there are people out there who have these abilities, and have been able to discern things that others don't and can't know to assist with crime resolution. I don't believe that just pretending like it doesn't exist makes it not real. So if it is real, and people can in fact do this, how do we feel about this ability within the context of our Faith?

Not sure I'm saying this very well, hope this makes sense.

~Liza

thistle · #4 Feb 23, '07, 6:01 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizaanne

I agree with the whole talking to dead people, that's clearly wrong.

At what point does one draw the line between "naturally clarvoyant" and dabbling in the occult?

I guess the thing I'm thinking about is that we can't just deny that there are people out there who have these abilities, and have been able to discern things that others don't and can't know to assist with crime resolution. I don't believe that just pretending like it doesn't exist makes it not real. So if it is real, and people can in fact do this, how do we feel about this ability within the context of our Faith?

Not sure I'm saying this very well, hope this makes sense.

~Liza

Personally I do not believe there are such people. However even if you do, as you are unable to answer the question you pose to us its better to steer clear of anyone who makes such claims.

buzzcut · #5 Feb 23, '07, 2:04 pm

Padre Pio had many such powers.

I recommend you read one of the books about him.

He is a fascinating man, and is now a saint.

thistle · #6 Feb 23, '07, 7:31 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzcut

Padre Pio had many such powers.

I recommend you read one of the books about him.

He is a fascinating man, and is now a saint.

Padre Pio is one of the saints I pray to daily. He had many gifts but not clairvoyance in the sense its being discussed in this thread.

pbaylis · #7 Mar 25, '08, 4:19 am

People like Mia Dolan really have me confused. She obviously is a genuinely good soul and has a very special gift. She apparently has a genuine ability to send ghosts over to the other side. But, at the same time she does psychic reading and calls herself a clairvoyant, and it just smacks of spiritism. I for one am confused about what to believe.

glenaitken · #8 Mar 25, '08, 7:15 am

liza,
I do not think that the situation you are describing is either a gift from God, or does it indicate diabolical intervention. clarvoyance, or better termed "Psychic ability" as a predisposition is, in my opinion, a natural phenomena. Natural in the sense that it is not from a supernatural source, but rather is part of the human nature. most people talk about things like "women's intuition", or a "gut feeling" or just "knowing". my explaination for these things is that they are a matter of intuition. I think that some people are just better at picking up on the subconsious cues of others (and so appear to be able to read minds or empathize), I think that there is some kind of residue on the fabric of existance (this makes sense if einstien is right about space-time fabric) of different events that some people's bodies and minds more easily process than others. this would be why when three different people walk into a "haunted house", the first may not be effected at all (because his body and mind do not process the subtleties), the second may "feel wierd", or something, and the third may pick up on the residual "marks" left on space-time and process the information. This is my own opinion and theory, and if I'm wrong in the eyes of the Church I would gladly retract the theory, but it makes the most sense to me. It goes without saying, of course, that if the person is attempting to go beyond the natural order by any of the forebidden means, it is grave matter (pun intended) and can open the door to a variety of spiritual messes.
Does this theory make sense to anyone else?

GeorgiaPeach · #9 Mar 25, '08, 7:41 am

I don't watch Oprah but I just did a google and came up with a psychic crime solver named Allison DuBois. Is this the person you are referring to?

If you check out Allison's website you can purchase tickets to her "Life after Death Seminar" for $50 - $120. She even does a seminar called "Learning to Channel." She is so popular that she is no longer booking individual readings but offers referrals to several of her other psychic friends.

I see so many red flags on her site I cannot list them all.

I have no doubt that she may have a 'gift,' I just question where this 'gift' comes from.

Miserissima · #10 Mar 25, '08, 10:15 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asbestos Mango

I think that if someone is naturally clairvoyant, it's a gift from God. Some people, though, put time and effort into developing psychic powers (it can be done) and when you seek it out in that way, you're opening yourself up to demonic influences.

Well said.

MarieVeronica · #11 Mar 25, '08, 1:28 pm

The definition of clairvoyance is.. "the power of seeing in the mind events that are in the future or out of sight".

Doesn't this sound a little bit like fortune telling? Or am I misunderstanding. Because fortune telling (and the like) is a violation of the First Commandment.