Isn't praying the same as a magick spell or incantation?

Question

seriously i see christians bashing pagans and saying that they'll go to hell for saying a spell incantation when its pretty much the same with prayer (i'll add additional details later)

yeah praying is the same as a spell or incantation or chant because your using it to get the desires your want by and look into a christian prayer book the prayers sound an awful like spells only without the tools

and also most of christiany originated from the pagans their beliefs sound the same like in the bible

Answer 1

yep cause your asking for something from an entity and they both come from books

Answer 2

I see spell casting very much similiar to prayers.

Unless you are someone who watch too much Charmed and think spells can grant you anything you want instantly, I do think spells are just a special form of prayers for the Pagans.

Spells ask for something from a higher power that they believe exist (in this case, they can be Gods or spirits), just like a Taoist who uses incantations to tap powers from Taoist deities/immortals, or a Buddhist who chant sutras to seek assistance from the Buddhas.

Do you go bash a Buddhist who chant sutras in hope that he can deliver the dead? If not, will you bash a Pagan for incanting a spell for the same purpose?

Before anyone start saying the "spells" get their powers from demons or devils or whatsoever, can anyone prove for every other form of religion, that their prayers get their powers from a true divine being rather than an infernal being?

For this case, scriptures are not evidence, for these are works of Man. It may be they originated from a divine source, but Man are known to manipulate things to their ends. Or the "divine source" could be an infernal being in disguise. Who knows?

I think it is best to allow everyone to follow any religion, so long as the faith promotes good. I believe the God(s) will have an answer to everything when we finally meet Him/Her/Them in afterlife.

Answer 3

Yes, I think they serve similar functions, at least as I do spells and incantations. But then, I may have a unique perspective, since I am a witch that was brought up by a Methodist Sunday school teacher.

My mother came to appreciate that we had much more in common than we had differences in the last few months of her life. When I was willing to talk with her about death and dying, her minister was not. He went on doing the "Oh, you'll be up and around in no time" to a woman in her seventies in a cancer ward! It was dereliction of his duty, in my opinion, and I said so to her. I would have said it to his face if I had been there in person.

Of course, Christians would not like to think that there is any validity whatever to our chants and magick spells, so you will get a lot of people denying the similarities. I wouldn't mind those, but beware those that may say "yes, it's like a prayer TO THE DEVIL." They are wrongly assuming that witches are devil-worshipers, because they have been taught that. Don't believe it.

Answer 4

Technically it can be the same. It all depends on what you are praying for and the way in which you pray.

What or whom you pray to has no bearing on whether or not it is a spell or incantation.

If you repeatedly say a prayer over and over, then it's an incantation. EG: Saying the Hail Mary ex amount of times.

It is a Christian myth that praying to God is different. (And yes, I am a Christian)

Answer 5

Sort of. There are a lot of similarities between the rituals of both religions (and a lot of components that have jumped from one to the other and back). Wiccans do pray, as well as practice magic. By "pray" I mean "I have private conversations with my Deities, in which I sometimes ask them for help or guidance or assistance." When I say "magic" I mean more of "a dedicated ritual in which I focus my will in an attempt to bring about change" - it may or may not include a petition to the Gods, though usually it does, at least in Wicca. I don't know if any of this makes any sense, I'm probably not wording it very well.

Answer 6

I don't use a book when I pray. I pray to God for guidance. There all kinds of prayers that you can pray. You believe what you believe and I'll believe what I believe. We'll see who's happier after death!

Answer 7

No, Praying is an individual who may just be asking for the safe return of a loved one.

Answer 8

Try asking under Religion & Spirituality. We'll tackle your question there with the vigor of an expectant buffalo in labor pains!

Answer 9

Basically, yes. It's about concentrating and driving yourself non-physically towards something. The difference is laying on this 'something', it can be God, it can be anything else.

Answer 10

praying is.....talking to GOD, pouring out your heart to HIM and hoping, wishing that your desire will come true, in HIS own time