Objections to Dream Meaning
Addressing the common objections to the science of dream meaning.
The necessity of sleep and dreams has been proven to be vital to our emotional, physical, and mental well being. Sleep is our bodies way of replenishing ourselves, releasing necessary hormones, and restoring broken down muscles. Our dreams have meaning, but there is a case out against them!
Throughout the centuries, people have come to negative conclusions about the significance of dreams. As Christians, we know that Satan’s tactics are to kill, steal, and destroy. It is my hope that we will redeem God’s design for dreams.
The Case Against Dream Meaning and Dream Interpretation
Humanistic Thinking
- Objection: The basis of humanism is that one can improve their lives through the use of reason and without relying on any supernatural influence. There is such a mantra associated with humanism that says “Good Without God.” Based on the hearts way of communicating through symbolism in dreams; our minds have a hard time reasoning them. Dreams tend to have a spiritual connotation of which humanism rejects.
- Answer: Although dream interpretation is a formula, very few know what that formula is. Dreams use symbolism, however, literal interpretations are often derived from dreams. Literal interpretations of symbolism will always render us confused. For instance, if one dreams of walking into the office naked, it wouldn’t make sense to interpret that literally. Therefore, the dream gets filed into a part of our minds as insignificant firings of the brain while sleeping. Although we can not change the core beliefs of humanism; we can strive to understand their objections and our own counter objections. As Christ followers, our lives are directly influenced by God. We do not live a life separate from his supernatural power. God has designed every part of us, including the healing power of dreams. God can and does communicate with us while we sleep.
- *Humanism Defined
The Age of Enlightenment 1685-1815
- Objection: The Age of Enlightenment played a role in desensitizing feelings and the supernatural to logic and thinking. “It was also a time of religious (and anti-religious) innovation, as Christians sought to reposition their faith along rational lines and deists and materialists argued that the universe seemed to determine its own course without God’s intervention.” http://www.history.com/topics/enlightenment
- Answer: The age of enlightenment was just another step on the ladder to evading the understanding of symbolism in exchange for rational, logical thinking. Exalting the mind inevitably destroys the unity of the language of the heart and mind coinciding together. Dreaming is the hearts language trying to council us on things that have gone ignored or has not been processed by our minds. The spirit and mind are intricately connected but when one is ignored, both suffer. Opening ourselves to the possibility of dreams having meaning and finding their interpretation would help heal stress on the mind and heart.
Influential Disbelievers
- Objections: People such as Sigmund Freud (founder of modern psychoanalysis) and Carl Jung (founder of analytical psychology) influenced many in the belief that dreams were sexual imbalances or sexual impulses. They believed that a mature person fully aware of himself would not be effected by dreams. Putting highly influential people who disregard dreams as an authority on dreams can often lead to a mass disregard of dreams. Even on a small scale; people that influence us that disregard dreams can make them feel small and insignificant.
- Answer: Science agrees that our bodies are healed while we are asleep. Dreaming is proven to stabilize emotional and mental health. Relegating dreams to sexual impulses removes the self healing power of dreams.
- * See the Article: The Science of Sleep for more information on how health science agrees with the need for dreaming.
New Age/Mystics/Psychic
- Objection: As Christians, we tend to view anything that is New Age or Psychic to be something to be steered clear of with the belief that they are demonically influenced. Unfortunately, the most popular regard for dreams comes from those that are mystically inclined.
- Answer: Dreams were created by God, not Satan. Satan has a reputation of counterfeiting the things of God. Satan knows that God speaks through dreams and he is aware of the healing their healing power. Satan will always try to steal and diminish the good things of God. Once we establish in our hearts and minds that God created dreams and that they are good, we can correct the belief that dreams are witchcraft. Take the time to search the scriptures and see what God has to say about dreams. Some quick scripture references to help you on your journey are: Job 33:14-16, Numbers 12:6 and Psalms 17:3, 16:7 – They all tell us that God speaks through dreams and in visions of the night!
Biblical Misinterpretation
- Objection: In Deuteronomy 18:10, Leviticus 19:26, and 2 Chronicles 33:6 translator Jerome in the Latin Vulgate mistranslates the Hebrew word for witchcraft to dreams. This serious mistranslation became standard in the Roman Catholic Church and greatly influenced the church as a whole.
- Answer: “God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds.
He whispers in their ears…” (Job 33:14-16 NLT)
Social Regard For Dreams
- Objection: Misunderstood Dreams tend to become a running joke among people.. Many times in social settings, online and publicly, some one will tell a joke about a dream that they had. This opens a long string of each person joking back in forth about their bizarre dreams. No one takes them seriously so the time continues.
- Answer: All dreams mean something. It could be as simple as being the way you feel about something. Dreams are our hearts way of communicating with us about things that have affected us throughout the day, months, and even years. If people would realize how intimately connected their dreams are to them, they would never share personal details in such a manner.
Dreams are highly significant. Interpreting your dreams is a fail safe way of counseling you through life. If you fall within one of these descriptions it may be time for a change. God created our bodies and he created dreaming. If you’d like to hear from God in the night, take time to work through these challenges.
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