As I am taking classes to prepare for a career in counseling, the topic of whether a Christian can Biblically use Psychology is truly burdensome for various reasons. I can't hope to answer all questions but I think that I can show it was used by Satan for evil and used by God for good.
I asked myself where is the first account of psychology demonstrated? I find it in Genesis 2. After God makes Adam He (they?) declare it is not good him to be alone. There are no threats to his physical well being, sin is not present so his spirit is not in danger, that leaves his emotional/mental state. Without putting man on the couch or smoking a cigar, Jehovah gives His analysis that Adam has issues (no sibling rivalry, no unresolved conflicts...), just needs a help-meet.
God brings the animals by, Adam names them, not that hard, except he can remember the names.
I can see it now. Adam says, "Cow, come here," animal replies, "Dude, I'm like a horse, you are so totally lame". It was a California horse.
Anyway, God brings the dog by and Adam says, "Cool, it can fetch my slippers, always glad to see me when I come home, doesn't talk much, but it can't make coffee, Lord, what else you got?".
God brought all the animals to Adam so that Adam could see that they were deficient as his partner. God could have made Eve without the animal parade but He allowed Adam to see for himself, first hand the others could not compare.
Speaking of compare, When Adam says of Eve, "bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh...", the english translation sounds like he is reading the option list on a Ford Pinto, but I'm told the Hebrew reads more like he was getting a Dodge Viper.
Genesis 3 opens with Satan taking a psychological swipe at Eve. He asks a coy question that begs her to brag about what she knows. It is not a direct enemy attack, but a sneaky indirect sideways one. God has declared all creation Good! Taking from the tree, bad. The serpent says, things are bad, taking from the tree, will make it good. It is a question of definitions (that is psychology for you).
God comes after sin has irrevocably changed everything, enters the garden, and guess what, He uses psychology. To get the picture, let me tell you what He didn't do. He did NOT kick the doors down like it was a drug-raid, grab A&E by the collar, slam them to the wall, and righteously put an accusing finger in their face. He did NOT sneak up behind them and demand an explanation. He did NOT make all the garden disappear with the snap of His finger, tapping His foot till someone fess'd up.
What He did do was ask a series of questions (that He already knew) which allowed the possibility for Adam to own up for what he did. (Much like He did for Cain a few chapters later, but prior to killing Abel).
When we sin, don't we expect the "drug-raid" response rather than the patient questioner seeking our return in love? A little voice tries to tell us (as the accuser of the brethren has done ever since the garden), the Devil wants us to believe if we confess our sins, heaven will hit us with lightening!
Now tell me, are we not told to be wise to the Satan's devices? If God carefully sculpts phrases and questions to reach the heart and mind, what then is foolishness and what is wisdom? (Such as Jesus with the woman at the well.)
In parting, when you see a snake crawling on its belly, when a woman has labor pain, when a man sweats, what does it make you think?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
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