Herself is slightly outraged, having encountered yesterday one of those find out what the children are doing and tell them not to Christians who maintain that anything that was ever done in the context of a nonChristian religion or a denomination other than narrowly defined Midwest Evangelicalism is of the devil, damnable and corrupting. Where is my Salem ancestor when he is needed?
Clap your hands? Demonic. Bow to the crucifix? Damnable. Contemplative prayer? Devilish. Acupuncture session? Hellish. Herbal medicine? Smell the sulphur. Hand candy to kids at Halloween? Satanic.
Leave us face it:
There are practices - some Eastern, some Western - that may open one up to the wrong kind o spirit. There are practices - some Eastern, some Western - that foster a magical mindset. But it is not so simple as they think. They would be perturbed by a lot of the practices of the Book of Acts church, could they but see them.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
And not by rote "discernment"