Views on Paganism/witchcraft/the occult

[Kdtym10]

There’s been quite a few reports of Christian protesters at a large gathering of practitioners/followers/followers/scholars of paganism/witchcraft/the occult/magic in London recently. Apparently telling people (including children) they were going to hell. I wasn’t there, I’ve just heard this off quite a few different people.

Personally, I know many Christians (generally not that orthodox-with a small o) who practice magic and work with the occult sciences. I’ve never really come across anyone objecting to my practices.

But I know many in the US have met with quite a bit of opposition where there’s more fundamentalist mentality.

Im interested to hear what Christians really think of these things. Were these people just loons with megaphones or do they represent a general perception amongst Christians.

I can certainly recommend it. It’s probably some of the most beautiful language I’ve ever had the pleasure to read

in my view, is to worship creation rather than the Creator, which is offensive to God. It would be like giving someone a meal and a warm bed, and the person thanking the food and the bedsheets but completely ignoring the person who gave it to you.

I think this is a good analogy except that being grateful for the meal and bed and appreciating them in the moment is enough. The person that gave it to me only needs to know that I grateful for them surely?

I'm a hereditary witch, my mother was a witch.

I'm in a coven and I practice herbology, perform ritual and do spellwork and tarot. I've danced naked round fires under the light of the moon and howled with pure joy.

My dieties are nature and the creator in every women via the maiden mother - matriarch-/crone aspect of the goddess. I invoke the horned god and goddess to walk with me, dance with me and help me walk the path of highest good.

My womb is a cauldron where magic and creation takes place. And by creation I don't just mean creation of new life, but of ideas and inspiration.

Hel is the name of the Norse goddess and the place she lived, not evil or awful in any way, just an idea, warped and stolen by Christians.

Remember. Every time you blow out a birthday candle after making a wish, that's witchcraft.

When you put your child's teeth under a pillow to give to a fae creature in exchange for a coin, that's witchcraft.

Every time you bring a tree inside, place a 5 pointed star on top and decorate the tree with gifts and treats, you're warding off evil spirits.

That's witchcraft.

@SwordToFlamethrower

Really good post , and interesting , makes me want to find out more about green wicca,
Herbology ancient medicinal knowledge wisdom and practicse is definitely an intriguing subject.

Do you practice green wicca on your own or with just your family member or are you also part of a green wicca coven group?

Do you respect or appreaciate or have knowledge of other cultures faiths like Sharmanism, native American, Mexican festival of the dead, Druidism spiritualisism ect too?

If you do?

what a refreshing thinking change from conventional religions Christianity ect.

with green wicca or just wicca in general,

Is there more emphasis on feminist or feminine personal power that respects approaches this and even celebrates this ect?

is there appreciation of environmental and political Activision with green wicca or wicca practices then?

Is it possible to join a green wicca groups in the uk especially wales area then?

Do you have a regular infor or mag online to find out the nearest wicca or wicca groups are then?

Do you have online zoom/teams style meetings then as part of wicca or green wicca group then?

Intriguing thought provoking post
thanks

In wicca and green wicca do you do active active mediation then?

Do you listen explore what the meanings behind lucid vivid dreams messages meanings then?

How do you acknowledge celebrate life and death?

How does wicca and green wicca view death ?

How is a wicca or green wicca funeral rituals practised then,
that's different distinct from a conventional Christian burial for example?
what are the specific speacial unique characteristics of this then?

as a wiccan are you allowed to have cremations funerals too?

If not why ?

what are wicca or and green wicca rites of passage called and rituals to acknowledge and celebrate them too?

I’m not sure if @SwordToFlamethrower is Wiccan or not, not all witches are Wiccan which is a very specific take introduced by Gerald Gardner in 1954.

Wicca is generally seen as part of the western esoteric tradition and heavily influenced by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn with its ceremonial magic.
im not Wiccan but I am part of the Western Esoteric tradition. You asked about meditation. The type of meditation generally practiced in the western esoteric tradition is Discursive meditation . This type of meditation fits with the western mindset and lifestyle. It trains the mind to focus and explore in a controlled manner. It’s the meditation style which has been followed for millennia.

John Michael Greer is someone to look out for if you’re interested in any kind of ceremonial magic and nature.

Wiccans follow rules (rule of harm to none etc) and worship dieties. They follow the teachings of a man.

I am a witch and practice witchcraft. I make my own rules. Hope that clarifies.

At no point did I mention wicca. Wicca is entirely different. I am a witch, with no prefix to that. Just witch.

I forage, my my own tinctures for medicine and health. I believe in the power of female creative energy.

She is all powerful, she is my sister, my friend, my guide. The Goddess takes many forms. She lives within me and all of nature.

Sorry my response was to @cerisepanther73
just realised I didn’t tag.

what are you interested in and why? There’s an active long running thread on here for witches but not sure if many/any are Wiccan. But they might be able to point you in the right direction.

Thanks for your reply appreciate it @Kdtym10

sorry ive derailed your thread for you a bit too,

No worries. If I can help point you in the right direction feel free to DM me.

Out of interest, @Kdtym10 as a Christian Gnostic how do you interpret the 1st of the 10 Commandments? You mentioned working with other gods/goddesses earlier how would you reconcile this with the Christian basis/element of your belief?

I think there is some truth in all religions but I ultimately think it's all one. Just different interpretations.

Some are older than others, some have been twisted up with what certain things meant then and now and some have been twisted to suit men's benefit.

I think they are all inter linked in some way but ultimately they all say to be kind to each other I think.

I do believe in voodoo and black magic though. No first hand experience but I have had first hand accounts of things my friend has experienced and for that reason I believe in the occult etc.

@Kdtym10 out of curiosity I looked up the etymology of the word spell here:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/spell#etymonlinevv_23998

Interesting reading. 🙂

And the way the word 'gospel' relates.

Well first of all I’m a perennialist really. But that also makes me Christian as I find that language/myth the easiest to navigate as with most westerners you grow up knowing the back story, you’re familiar with the concepts. I’m probably more aligned to the Gnostic interpretation of Christianity than that of the most widely practiced forms. Of course the term Gnostic Christian is complicated (and anachronistic, so when I say Gnostic Christian I’m really talking about a generalisation of early Christian practices, beliefs and texts which have not made it into the core of established Christianity. Like I said earlier my interpretation of being a Christian would not meet the approval of any parish priest 😂. I believe we all have the ability to reach Christ Consciousness, that was Jesus’s true message.

That being said how would I interpret the first commandment in Exodus 20:2-3?

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”

Here I shall defer to the commonly held understanding of what Gnostics were talking about when they mention Eygpt. This means the material world (rather than geographical location). It is a place where we can become trapped and asleep to our true nature (see Hymn of the Pearl).

Therefore Egypt is our lower self one concerned with earthly things. So who is this God? Well the Gnostic God of the Old Testament Is the demiurge Yaldaboath not the God of the New Testament, but that’s not really my thing - but we could discuss it in that context if you would like separately. But God to me in this context is my higher spiritual self the part of the source of everything which resides within, my connection to the spirit, the source, the All. This Source can go by many names God,Yahweh, Ra, Odin, Zeus, Osiris etc My higher spiritual self can free me from my material chains.

Who are the other gods? They are all the things which are valued but on a material level, money, belongings etc. this makes sense as it moves into verse 4 Saying to not make any sculptures of creation because if you abide by the first instruction you should not be trying up create more material things.

Does that make sense?

Yes it is interesting (although my particular practice generally wouldn’t use the world spell) what do you find interesting about it in particular?

You see, the thing I dislike about organised religion (and which deters me from going to church or to any other faith-based gathering) is the continued persistence of the practitioners of almost all faiths to insist that they are right and other faiths are wrong.

I don't much care for being told what to think, and I certainly don't like being told I have to think a certain way because they say so. I will not accept that.

I am technically an Anglican by the way and do feel a certain kind of spirituality, especially when surrounded by the natural world, but I cannot put my faith in Christianity. The more I find out about it, the less I like it.

Yes it is interesting (although my particular practice generally wouldn’t use the world spell) what do you find interesting about it in particular?

@Kdtym10, my approach is not as studious as your's I don't think. It caught my attention and I recognised it as relating to things I had read in the Bible, for example the discussion of 'the Word' in John. The significance of utterances and how language expresses and communicates (s)Spirit. Also how we communicate through narrative and themes of time and eternity. Plus how it relates to the more understanding of the word, the power again in utterance.

Well the Gnostic God of the Old Testament Is the demiurge Yaldaboath not the God of the New Testament, but that’s not really my thing - but we could discuss it in that context if you would like separately. But God to me in this context is my higher spiritual self the part of the source of everything which resides within, my connection to the spirit, the source, the All. This Source can go by many names God,Yahweh, Ra, Odin, Zeus, Osiris etc My higher spiritual self can free me from my material chains.

So is it the 'demiurge' or your 'higher self' that issued the commandments according to your belief system? And which do you believe Moses worshipped and was lead by? If the demiurge what significance do you think the commandments or the narrative concerning Moses has?

'...more modern understanding of the word.', that should read.

Well I think it’s important to look at the Language of the Old Testament- Hebrew. A language whose letters are sacred https://daniantman.com/sacred-letters-of-the-hebrew-alphabet/

Genesis 1 talks about God speaking the world into being “God said….”

Language is the means by which the internal becomes external. Language is creation in the material world.

so who guided Moses/gave the 10 commandments- the general Gnostic interpretation would be the demiurge - blindly trying to keep order in the chaos it created.

But who was Moses? I would say he was Christ, our enlightened selves. He spoke with God because he was the one in touch with his higher self he recognised god in himself he was the guide to those not yet enlightened. The 40 years in the wilderness signified a change, transformation

@Kdtym10, I see. Takes some unpicking, which is what I have thought before from what I have read of the Gnostic gospels. My solution has been to concentrate on Christ's teachings and the New Testament more and to pray the prayers I posted earlier. And I can believe in faith they will be answered since I am essentially praying for God's will to be done and seeking unity with Him in Christ. 🙂

Language is creation in the material world.

@Kdtym10, indeed! That bought "Make it so!" (Of Star Trek fame) to my remembrance! 😁 But also a lecture I attended during my English degree. But yes, language is creative. Have you read the studies on The Piraha tribe undertaken by Dr Everett? Their language is very interesting. No recursion, no historical narrative, referring to the past is taboo IIRC.

@Kdtym10,

I would say he was Christ, our enlightened selves. He spoke with God because he was the one in touch with his higher self he recognised god in himself he was the guide to those not yet enlightened.

According to my Christian belief, Christ abiding in me and I in Him through faith in Him, means I can be in unity with God.

Oh I’ve not come across that, I’ll take a look thanks for the recommendation. It sounds very interesting- what’s their perspective on time?