BS write: “I read your article that stated the Vatican considers Chiropractic new age. You give the history of chiropractic treatment and it’s definitely a concern to me after reading it. Do you really consider Chiropractic dangerous? My Chiropractor is a practicing Christian and never talks about any energy fields or healing touch which would have definitely been a red flag for me. I have been helped so much by Chiropractic. But want to know if you really think I am playing with the occult.”
BS, I can put your mind at ease. The Vatican has never said chiropractics is New Age, nor did I. In my June 8, 2020 blog on chiropractics, I cite the paragraph from the Pontifical document Jesus Christ the Bearer of the Water of Life which lists chiropractics as being associated with the New Age.
“Advertising connected with New Age covers a wide range of practices as acupuncture, biofeedback, chiropractics, kinesiology, homeopathy, iridology, massage and various kinds of ‘bodywork’ (such as orgonomy, Feldenkrais, reflexology, Rolfing, polarity massage, therapeutic touch, etc.), meditation and visualization, nutritional therapies, psychic healing, various kinds of herbal medicine, healing by crystals, metals, music or colors, reincarnation therapies and, finally, twelve-step programs and self-help groups. The source of healing is said to be within ourselves, something we reach when we are in touch with our inner energy or cosmic energy.” (Sec. 2.2.3)
To be “associated with” means that you are liable to encounter New Age practitioners in these fields not because the practices are New Age (although most of those listed above are New Age), but because they have been “hijacked” by New Agers such as in the field of “body work,” for instance. Instead of being about legitimate massage such as deep-tissue and sports related techniques, this field has been inundated with therapists who base their practices on the existence of an alleged energy force that supposedly permeates the universe. While the body does consist of veritable forms of energy such as electromagnetic forces and monochromatic radiation, the kind of energy the New Age refers to are putative forms which go by names such as chi, ki, prana, universal life force, vital force, Innate Intelligence, and bioenergetics – none of which are scientifically substantiated. Even worse, belief in this fictitious energy belongs to a pantheistic belief system which is not compatible with Christianity.
I think the problem is that we all (including me) would love the Vatican to issue a “list” of New Age practices that we can check to be sure we’re not getting involved in something we ought not. But when you really think about it, they shouldn’t have to. If we read our bibles and catechisms, we can figure this stuff out on our own.
For instance, the Vatican document calls the energy force mentioned above to be “the New Age god” so we know right away to avoid anything that involves it. Wherever you see mention of the names listed above, or references to “balance” energy, avoid it regardless of the glowing testimonials that are typically found on these websites.
As for chiropractics, where many of these New Age “body work” treatments are offered by the practice, my June 2020 blog painstakingly lays out the history of this field and how it was split by a major disagreement among practitioners about the founder’s belief in an Innate Intelligence. “Straight” chiropractors believed in the existence of this Intelligence, but “mixers” did not. The latter chose to base their practice on more conventional physical therapy techniques and correctly dismissed the concept of Innate Intelligence.
I would like to suggest that you re-read this blog because I think a second “go through” will definitely put your mind at ease about the use of chiropractics.
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