Empaths and Christianity

[TemporaryCircumstances]

Don't most people experience empathy of some sort. I know that I am an empathetic person. Sometimes it's draining, there have times in my life that I've been taken advantage of, so I guess I have more of a guard up now.

I never thought of empathy as being unchristian.

I never did either, but it recently came to my attention that something about being an Empath is phscycic? It caught my attention

 

[TemporaryCircumstances]

this sounds like a big grey area.
sensitive to other people, animals and their feelings. not a big deal
sensitive to the spiritual world and channeling beings outside this world. probably not a good idea

Jesus and John the baptist both fasted in the desert. many of the early church fathers did this as well, they were known as desert fathers. they would go out in the wilderness, pray, fast and meditate to get a more deep spiritual experience. and they would stay out there for as long as it takes. few do it today as it takes a great deal of self sacrifice.

Thank you for your answer!

 

[SteelToedKodiak]

Well after reading all the post here I think we have to establish something.

Is it a quality.....a gift....or a curse. Is it controllable.......constant.....chaotic... was it prayed for ....hope for....or a life awareness.

Maybe considering what makes a person an apath would put things into perspective. At either rate, these are merely words used to categorize. It's not an on/off switch imo.

 

[pottersclay]

Well after reading all the post here I think we have to establish something.

Is it a quality.....a gift....or a curse. Is it controllable.......constant.....chaotic... was it prayed for ....hope for....or a life awareness.

I think your missing the point....Jesus had empathy for people, also a pure agape love, put to the test of modern day worldly interpreters how would they classify him with his many gifts.
Now we know he is Devine....he is God .... but to the world showing only his ability how do they classify him....a physic....a empath...a sorcerer, witch, the perspective I was trying to make comes from the teachings of Paul about the holy spirit and how he work if a gift or ability is not prayed for...is chaotic... etc then it is not from God.

 

[Ugly]

Don't most people experience empathy of some sort. I know that I am an empathetic person. Sometimes it's draining, there have times in my life that I've been taken advantage of, so I guess I have more of a guard up now.

I never thought of empathy as being unchristian.

That's because being empathetic and being an empath are not the same thing, as i stated above. So empathy is quite Christian, but being an empath, taking empathy and pushing it into a level of new age spiritualism and having it be something akin to a spiritual/emotional psychic, is not Christian.

Don't see the gray area in this. Empath is a term for new age spiritualism. An empathetic person is just simply that. It's two separate things, that just have similarities.

 

[jaybird88]

That's because being empathetic and being an empath are not the same thing, as i stated above. So empathy is quite Christian, but being an empath, taking empathy and pushing it into a level of new age spiritualism and having it be something akin to a spiritual/emotional psychic, is not Christian.

Don't see the gray area in this. Empath is a term for new age spiritualism. An empathetic person is just simply that. It's two separate things, that just have similarities.

i really dont get it. sounds as if it is a person that is more tuned in to other people.
Solomon could look into peoples hearts, would that not be the same thing?

 

[SteelToedKodiak]

i really dont get it. sounds as if it is a person that is more tuned in to other people.
Solomon could look into peoples hearts, would that not be the same thing?

-Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.
-But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew all men.
-At once Jesus knew in His spirit that they were considering this within themselves. “Why do you question these things in your hearts?

Empath. Not new age or occultic, supernatural discernment from the Holy Spirit.

 

[Katy-follower]

"Being an empath is when you are affected by other people's energies, and have an innate ability to intuitively feel and perceive others. Your life is unconsciously influenced by others' desires, wishes, thoughts, and moods. Being an empath is much more than being highly sensitive and it's not just limited to emotions."

Sounds a little like auras to me right out of the text of Edgar Cayce an occultist from yesteryear,

Crossnote

Sorry, but hyper sensitivity to others' emotions has nothing to do with auras or occults.

Someone may try to associate it with something dark and evil, but it's not.

 

[Katy-follower]

Well by your definition Im an empath. lol I don't like anything that lends itself to new age belief. This is actually called "discernment" and there are people who have this and can seem to read people. As someone who was in ministry,I believe that it made me even more attuned in discernment. My family was amazed at the things I knew about people. I could often see a fake a mile away.

I know one pastor in a church we were at invited us to his house after the service. After we ate he began to talk about his church and a woman that was enamored with him. He held his wifes hand as he told of how this woman was throwing herself at him and how he was avoiding her advances. I never said a thing to my family but something in my spirit said something was wrong. Several years later my father called that church to book it again. The pastor was no longer there. He got off the phone and said "you wont believe this!" I said " the pastor left his wife and took off with his secretary". Everyone in the room looked at me. How did I know? Discernment. Its happened many times over the years. People think Im being mean or judgmental but I have yet to be proven wrong when I feel that in my spirit. As yes,I too wish I could turn it off at times.

I'm the same, I don't like how a new age movement will take certain characteristics and claim them to be paranormal, it just looks like you're dabbling in something evil, lol.

Yeah, I learnt a few years ago that I have the gift of discernment. This hypersensitivity seems connected to that same discernment. Yes, you have it too. It's exhausting at times (especially busy places) and I wish I could switch it off so I don't have to see all that negativity. To be so in tune with another's thoughts and emotions, you know things without them saying a word (just like that feeling you got with the pastor). My mother is also.

 

[Katy-follower]

this is not as easy a question as you might imagine...a lot of it has to do with the worldview of the person considering the case...

there are people who are simply much more perceptive and have a much higher interpersonal intelligence...this is nothing supernatural about it... a person like this can most certainly be a christian...and in fact they may be a blessing to the church...

on the other hand...if a person supernaturalizes this...as many new agers have done...and makes it to be a kind of 'psychic power'...either to elevate themselves as having supernatural powers...or setting it as a goal of supernatural power for them to strive for...then that is at odds with the biblical christian worldview...

Love your post. Rep point to you

 

[Katy-follower]

this sounds like a big grey area.
sensitive to other people, animals and their feelings. not a big deal
sensitive to the spiritual world and channeling beings outside this world. probably not a good idea

Jesus and John the baptist both fasted in the desert. many of the early church fathers did this as well, they were known as desert fathers. they would go out in the wilderness, pray, fast and meditate to get a more deep spiritual experience. and they would stay out there for as long as it takes. few do it today as it takes a great deal of self sacrifice.

Yeah, it's a controversial one. I don't agree with the occult or any new age views, and I only follow the word of God.

Hyper sensitivity to people and animals. Nothing paranormal about that. It is different from empathy. Pretty much everyone has empathy, but the characteristics of this are more in tune than regular empathy.

Maybe the best name to give it is "hypersensitive empathy" rather than empath since if you look up the word empath it will come up with a load of new age nonsense where they claim psychic powers of some kind. I like Rachel's post in relation to this.

Nothing paranormal about this. No auras, no psychic ability. Nothing evil about this.

Its a blessing but is a burden at times.

 

[Katy-follower]

I wish there was an off switch. Kayla - if you find it tell me

 

[jaybird88]

Yeah, it's a controversial one. I don't agree with the occult or any new age views, and I only follow the word of God.

Hyper sensitivity to people and animals. Nothing paranormal about that. It is different from empathy. Pretty much everyone has empathy, but the characteristics of this are more in tune than regular empathy.

Maybe the best name to give it is "hypersensitive empathy" rather than empath since if you look up the word empath it will come up with a load of new age nonsense where they claim psychic powers of some kind. I like Rachel's post in relation to this.

Nothing paranormal about this. No auras, no psychic ability. Nothing evil about this.

Its a blessing but is a burden at times.

the OP made it sound like a mystical area of Christianity. most today dont like the word mysticism, because it makes people think of channeling, occult and simon the magician. but some of us just view it as a deeper understanding of Christianity.
is it required for salvation, i dont think so.
does your Christian progression end with salvation (not go any further), i dont think so.
thats how i see it.

 

[Depleted]

Sorry, but there's nothing evil about seeing that the person over on the next table has hidden pain that no one else can see, and needs comforting.

Being in tune with others' emotions (in the same room) is not evil. Neither is it a paranormal or psychic ability. Some may say it is, but I disagree. Counselors are able to help others as a result.

That's empathetic, not an empath. BIG difference.

Do some folks recognize emotions in others and connect with the person? Sure. Its a combination of sensitivity and reading microexpressions and sometimes words in ways most don't catch.

But is it paranormally sensing another's emotions? Only in fiction!

I'm empathetic. I can tell you how I was conditioned to become that, although I never tried and don't particularly like it sometimes. I am not an empath. I can no more read an emotion mind to mind than I can read a thought.

Given the two choices, I'd rather read thoughts. That would come in handy driving and in doctor's offices.

 

[Depleted]

I think the gift of discernment is a gift of the Holy Spirit, but there are counterfeits vvhere a person that isn't a born-again Christian (temple of the Holy Spirit) sees these things and "auras" and vvhat not. The counterfeit is not of God, but the enemy. It is not sourced from God. They mess vvith nevv age things and crystals. Say they've had the gift since they vvere a baby.

If they aren't a Christian, born again, and are operating in areas of the Spirit, you can be assured that their source should be in question. The glory doesn't go to God, but to self, as some innate ability. VVhere the gift of discernment is used by God through a person for the edification of others, the counterfeit gift exalts self. "I have this ability", more like some spirit does, just like palm readers and so on. Fortune tellers, all the same. A counterfeit of the reality that is found in God's Kingdom.

You as a believer operating in this gift gives credence to the idea that you have the gift of discernment, vvhich is a vvonderful tool in exhorting others and revealing things to others about themselves. Comforting and even discussing things for healing, emotionally or spiritually. As a non-believer operating in this area, that is sketchy area.

Discernment is somewhat different than empathetic. (I already explained why I dismiss the noun of that adjective -- empath.) I'm both.

Empathizing is being in tune with another's emotional state and taking it on as our own emotional state. (The Prayer Forum is tough for me. I'll get downright giddy when God does something wonderful for someone else, but also exceedingly depressed when someone is having a very hard time.)

Discerning is being able to tell the truthfulness of what someone is portraying as a belief or an emotion. I've seen people try to be forlorn and sad about a behavior they say they cannot control when in reality what they're doing is lapping up sympathy like it is chocolate or trying to justify themselves and hoping others will tell them their deranged beliefs are acceptable or, better yet, good. Which, yeah, can be part of being empathetic, but it goes a bit beyond that to judging the reality. It's also being able to pick apart half truths, (or mostly truth with a little nudging in there.) I can do that too, but it doesn't mean I can read the emotion of the person telling these things.

Sometimes people do it because they heard it from someone else and take it on as their own. Sometimes they know they're selling a lie. I usually can't tell for that one. I wish I could. It would make election time much easier. I've been trying for decades to figure out if POTUS is really that stupid or really is that big of a liar. lol

 

[Depleted]

Yes Sir, Empaths as in those who are hypersensitive in empathy.

But that's not what the word means, otherwise it would be the same word.

 

[Depleted]

If you would like I could go more into what I specifically mean in PM I would rather not get grilled for saying if on here haha

If you mean your empathetic. Too late. I already figured that out about you back in May. (I read your first few post, even if I didn't respond.) You're the best of what empathetic means. I know the pain of having that, but it's also such a relief to the person we empathize with that we know it helps them.

The worst thing people can tell us is to "be careful to protect yourself." Honestly, we can't protect ourselves with this trait past shutting ourselves off completely. What I do sometimes is shut myself off from the person who drains me constantly by coming to me as their sounding board. Some people do take and take and take from us without ever giving in return. From one empathetic person to another, when you see that happening, you'll need to learn how to shut yourself off. And, in your case, since you are helping a friend going through some truly tough things and that friend will be stuck in that situation for years to come, do know you may well need to be the sounding board for years -- decades sometimes -- but the friendship will have to change when the danger is over.

I just lost a friend of 20 years because even when her circumstance finally changed, she still used me to get rid of all negative emotions. And she kept right on doing that despite knowing I'm going through some tough times myself.

It's tough being empathetic, but I'd rather be this than never connect to anyone past talking about the weather.

 

[HisHolly]

I see a connection to the law of entanglement in Quantum physics.. on a deeper level of course.. manipulation in the spiritual realm..

 

[Depleted]

Trouble with emotional projection and picking up on people is if they are aware of
it they can manipulate you.

A lot of what people call empathy is simple picking up of signals, and in the case of mental illness
projections on the most minor of inflections. I have to say most behaviour patterns of people
are fairly predictable, it is just we are not interested in picking up the queues.

I would focus your energies on seeing the good in people and encouraging them to follow that
which builds up.

That's a recipe for being manipulated. See only the good? Exactly what a conman wants us to do.

 

[Stephen63]

1.There is a general empathy which everyone has, except maybe psychopaths.
2.There is a stronger trait of empathy, physical in nature, that notices the least characteristic in a mood. Some seem to have been born with it, others have developed it over time due to environment.
3. There is a spiritual empathy, where one feels the needs of others to minister to them. (rejoice with them that rejoice, weep with them that weep)
4. There is spiritual discernment, given by the Holy Spirit to "know" a situation/need that's physically & emotionally unseen, sometimes by even the person with it. This is not empathy, though compassion will be present in the believer making it look so.
5. There is a supernatural (psychic) ability to "know" things about others with or without empathy. This ability is demonic, for the people possessing this ability usually aren't saved. God won't put His spirit on an sinner, though He did it at least twice in the Bible. It's not the norm.

This being said, how can one tell the difference? IF the ability is a supernatural one, long before salvation, it is demonic. I've read of several people having psychic abilities after salvation, & when they prayed about it to leave it would, never to return.

Many thought to be empaths are merely "good readers" of a person's mannerisms. (fake psychics & magicians)

I agree with Ugly totally on this one..... NEVER use the word "empath" as the title of a christian with a spiritual gift! Already worldly, demonic techniques are used in the church today such as yoga, meditation, & out of body experiences. Then there's the kundalini experience in charismatic circles. These have been accepted with open arms because some "leader" in the church taught it as acceptable doctrine. Using such names & phrases will make it acceptable to the church, allowing demons access to the body of Christ.

It is very easy to pray, "Lord, if this isn't of you, take it away, & if it is, multiply it on me to be a greater blessing. Because of the complications of discerning which is which, my advice is to let the Head of the Church have the last word on it thru prayer.