Pastor Kevin,
Sticking pins in their elbow and earlobe is certainly not something a person would normally do, except they were mentally sick. OTOH, if it could be shown that sticking pins in odd parts of your body somehow promoted simultaneous healing in corns and hemorrhoids because of electrical stimulation, that's fine. Just don't tell me that such problems exist because my chi is out of whack.
For whatever its worth I do not use acupuncture nor do I have any desire to do so. However what I have been saying all along is this: I see no reason not to believe acupuncture works in a manner similar to the ‘electrical stimulation’ you describe. Again, the fact that pagans may ascribe the practice to ‘chi’ or other superstitious beliefs does not of itself make the practice wrong. Surely then it would boil down to the individual practitioner and how he described what he was doing instead of the blanket condemnation you seem to be making?
As an additional comment, the fact that sticking pins into your elbow and earlobe is a symptom of mental illness may well be a reasonable opinion, but it is still merely an opinion. I see nothing in the bible that would paint the act of sticking pins into your body for medicinal reasons as either sinful or foolish. If by trial and error or some other process one were to discern that there was a genuine positive effect on health, how would we condemn it with the bible? The issue simply seems to be proving it can be done without pagan trappings. Proving its validity by modern western science might be nice, but is hardly necessary for a christian to partake in good conscience.
Radiation, magnetism, electricity are part of God's creation. They are reality. If it can be shown that chi is real, then I will resort to Taoism (I never liked Confucius). But the Word of God stands firm. Hence chi is a false religious belief and acupuncture works by the power of suggestion. Or perhaps acupuncture works due to nerve paths in the body. Either way the truth is known and the Christian can glorify God.
Firstly, I do not see that you have proven that a belief in ‘chi’ is in and itself contrary to the word of God. Is there anything in the bible that says it is pagan to believe that there are energies that operate in the human body? No, there is no need to believe these energies are a ‘life force’, but why would it not be possible that invisible energies that exist similar to radiation, magnetism, electricity etc operate within the body and can affect its health?
Eating meat from the Corinthian market was simply a way of showing that the idols to whom such meat was sacrificed, didn't really exist. The only reason to refrain from engaging in such practice was to keep from offending a less-mature brother's conscience.
I guess I do not see the difference you draw between the use of acupuncture and eating idol meat. Both were physical actions (eating meat vs putting needles in your body) that had become overlaid with pagan philosophy. Paul said that unless you were in a situation where you were being identified with the pagan philosophy (ie eating in the temple itself or other situations) you were free to partake.
Then one must ask: Are there superior ways to restore damaged function than sticking needles in people? If so, why not use them instead? Why would one want to stick with acupuncture ... other than it's hip, counter-cultural, and different? It's much easier, cheaper, and more effective for me to take a baby aspirin and an allopurinal than to regularly visit a quack who'll chant mumbo-jumbo, stick me with needles, light cigars and wave them around claiming the smoke enhances the chi.
Instead of magic, give me a pill. Or an injection. Or do surgery if necessary.
But with respect, isn’t that just your bias against acupuncture that makes you condemn it as ‘stupid’ in comparison to western medicine? If someone wants to stick needles into his body because of a sober belief that it will help his health, the bible does not condemn that anywhere that I can think of. And I do not feel you have proven that such a practice
must always be linked to paganism.
