Witchcraft....................?

Question

Why are so many people so against witchcraft and Wicca? I always thought that witchcraft was all about the celebration of the earth and that as far as black magic goes, it is only the user of magic that can sometimes be black, not the magic itself. I'm very interested in peoples' different views on this subject. Please feel free to be as honest as you wish!

Answer 1

People are afraid of what they do not understand and are too ignorant and close minded to find out!
Yes, witchcraft is very real and it has been noted that not all witches are Wiccan, but Wiccans are generally witches. It is real but NO it is not evil!
Those who claim to have been witches but have seen the light are full of it! They did not think about what they were getting in to and were not intelligent enough to do a little research before casting spells. That person put everything else ahead of her family. Those of us who have been practicing a long time know better than that! Any time that someone puts ANYTHING before their family must be aware that they are doing something wrong. They should blame themselves, not their inability to truly understand their reilgion.
People need to do a little research. If someone wants to pick the bible apart to point fingers (which they love to quote select scriptures) they would have a very long task ahead of them. I doubt that many (if any) of you would pass with flying colors! What you will get here is the typical Christian dribble, typical, I am afraid, by those who chose to condemn rather than understand (BTW Christians are not the only ones guilty of this, and I don't normally point fingers). I would like to see you get some open minded answers not just ones that will validate their own misconception perpetuated by the intolerant people who may be like minded (and just as clueless).
Yes, I am a Witch (not Wiccan)! We don't recognize the existance of demons or the devil, so how could we worship something that isn't? Evil exists, that is a given, but it is of MAN not of nature. Doing anything even remotely evil goes against our principles. We do our best for humanity and the environment. If we were being influenced or led by the devil, why would he teach us how to use healing herbs and why would he want us to advocate saving the earth? Why would he want us to use our very being to help others? Doesn't that sound more like of "God" than of "Satan"? Can we be so mislead that we spend our entire lives doing good things for people & nature and helping in any way that we can that we are actually doing the work of the "devil"?!? Get real.
It has been pointed out that unicorns are also mentioned in the bible so they must exist, but strange thing is that CATS are not to be found in the bible, therefore they must not exist?
I also suggest people stop using aspirin (willow bark), valium (valerian), digitalis (foxglove) plus inummerable other "drugs" because they are based on herbal knowledge (which is one of our specialties). And Please! Discourage the use of a mid-wife to bring you child into the world, because that is another practice attributed to witches! Oh! Don't forget aromatherapy! Don't forget that the field of medicine was also originated by witches if you want to get down to basics. The cadeuces (the medical symbol) is ancient Celtic in origin, it is 2 serpents entwined on a staff signifying knowledge & wisdom. I am sure that is not in the bible either!!! Especially since the actual symbol predates Christ.
Witchcraft is not evil and has absoloutly nothing to do with Satan, and if people would open their minds and hearts and books (other than the bible) they would see this.
Sorry for the ranting, I did not mean to go on like this, but sometimes the Religious Reich gets to me, and there is an overabundance of them who have answered.
BB
)O(

Answer 2

Throughout history witchcraft has meant a lot of different things. People who are hands down against witchcraft today are so, at least in part, out of assuming that all witchcraft participates in the historical worse case definition of witchcraft. This would be like lumping modern Christians with the ones that started the Crusades or the Inquisition. Everyone is so quick to think they know what something IS, because of what it WAS, which is entirely unfair. According to early English, a witch was an anti-Christian invoker of supernatural evils. Clearly, this is NOT what Wicca or witchcraft in general is TODAY, but it is the origin of the word 'witch'. Additionally, the average religious person has a prejudice against other religions, the further it is from their own, the worse that tends to be. This only makes it harder for a religion whose name has an etymological word origin like witchcraft, while existing in a Christian world. Lastly, there are still a lot of self-described witches, as well as media/entertainment outlets, that still portray witches in the pejorative sense, this prevents people from learning the NEW meaning of the word and increases its association to the OLD.

Answer 3

I find it entertaining when uniformed people go around criticizing others beliefs. I love it when some christians, like a few posts, think that witchcraft has something to do with the devil. First off, many witches do not believe in the Monotheistic concept of God, or Satan. People are scared of the unknown. To the OP, I hope you aren't insinuating that witchcraft and Wicca is the same. Not all witches are wiccans, all wiccans are witches. Also it depends on what kind of witchcraft you are referring to. There's shamanism, chaos, voodoo (not the correct spelling), to name a few. I'm happy that you noted that "black magic" is on the intent of the practitioner, however some witches do not see white or black magic.

Answer 4

Witchcraft(Black Magic) will attract to you a very bad Karma the next life. Witchcraft is earnest punished than suicide. It is against the Holy Spirit.

Magic(that can be White or Black, depending on what purpose you have,what instruments you use and how you make the prayer) is the manipulation of energies in nature.

Black Magic: Voodoo, Witchcraft, curses, Sorcery,....
White Magic: Shamanism, Teurgy, ...

White Magic uses: Normal cross,sanctified instruments, candle put in a normal position when lit, praying to Holy Spirit or Masters of Medicine, normal pentagram, etc.


Black Magic uses: all of the above but INVERTED.

Inverted Pentagram:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Inverted_Pentagram_circumscribed.svg/2000px-Inverted_Pentagram_circumscribed.svg.png

Inverted cross: http://i1.cpcache.com/product_zoom/264652497/inverted_cross_dog_tshirt.jpg?height=250&width=250&padToSquare=true

Inverted candle:
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121114214745/sonic/images/9/93/Inverted_Candle.png


Do not try something even if someone tells you it's white magic what he wants to teach you, because he might use black magic and trick you, it's risky. I am in an esoteric school and gained some experience that is why I know now what is good or bad.

Answer 5

Witchcraft is a religion that pre-dates Christianity by about 30,000 years. It was used by the cavemen who used rituals and prayers to the hunter God in order to feed their families.
Witchcraft is considered in some circles to be devil worship, nothing could be further from the truth. That just shows their ignorance. Before you criticize another persons religion a person should know a little about the history of it and what it entails. Good info at the link below.

Answer 6

Mostly its just folks having a bit of fun and an interesting hobby, but it may well open the door to Satan to oppress them. Some people use it for bad ends, like the Jezebel control-freak character in the bible.
I did meet a lady practicing witchcraft, of the nasty kind, she somehow assigned to me a spirit of depression. I was unbelievable depressed, with a heavy feeling in my chest and stomach, for 3 or so weeks. I tried to think of every reason that psychology etc might suggest. Ultimately out of persistence I had a go at a christian "spiritual warfare" prayer, since I knew the lady dabbled in witchcraft, and had hated me partly because of some christian things I said. The problem went almost immediately.

Answer 7

The United States is home to an estimated 50,000 to 300,000 witches, or “Wiccans,” as some call themselves.

Today the word “witch” is often used loosely and can mean different things to different people. The modern growth of witchcraft seems to be primarily related to a strain of goddess-worshiping, nature-based religion with a strong belief in psychic powers. Some witches are solitary—they practice their rituals alone, observing the change of seasons, phases of the moon, and other natural phenomena. Others worship and cast their spells in a coven, a group usually of 13 witches.

It is true that in the West, public perception of witchcraft today is radically different from the attitudes that fostered the witch-burning of the Middle Ages. Sporadically, however, there are still outbursts of wanton violence against witches. For example, in early October 1998 in Indonesia, machete-wielding gangs lynched more than 150 people suspected of being witches. In South Africa more than 2,000 cases of violence against witches, including 577 killings, were reported between 1990 and 1998. In the face of such extremes—ranging from interest in witchcraft to hatred of witches—how should Christians view the matter?
God’s Word warns against a malicious source of evil spirituality. (1 John 4:1) It identifies Satan the Devil, the archenemy of Jehovah, and his demons as the source of much of the misguided spirituality prevalent today. According to the Bible, Satan “has blinded the minds” of many. He actually is “misleading the entire inhabited earth,” including those who are involved in witchcraft—whether they claim to worship the Devil or not. 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9.
The Bible condemns divination, sorcery, the practice of magic, the casting of spells, and any attempts to communicate with the dead. It clearly states: “Everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) Of course, Christians are determined to “work what is good toward all,” and in their ministry they have helped many to break free from all forms of spiritism. (Galatians 6:10; Acts 16:14-18) Nevertheless, true Christians shun any involvement with false worship, including any form of witchcraft.—2 Corinthians 6:15-17.

Answer 8

Well, the Christian church has a lot to do with it. Half-truths and outright lies (like calling Witches "Satanists" which we are not) passed down through the ages.

Wicca, as you said, IS about the celebration of the earth. We worship a goddess and a god which we give them different names and attributes according to our particular beliefs. Some of us also worship incarnations of the goddess(Maiden, Mother, and Crone) and the god (the Green Man and the Oak King). Our main rule is similar to the "Golden Rule" which we call The Wiccan Rede: "'An it harm none, do what thou wilt."

I know "black" magic spells, but would never use them partially because of the law of three: "Whatever you do comes back to you threefold." Most importantly, using any magic to hurt someone is just plain wrong.

We have to keep a low profile, even in a "freedom of religion" country because so many people think such horrible things about us. I'm fortunate in that my co-workers are accepting (even ask for card-readings at times) but some employers have fired employees -- legally at that -- for being witches.

Hmm. I sorta rambled there, didn't I? Hope I answered your question anyway.

Answer 9

Fifteen hundred years of bad press, with the most ridiculous lies are a bit of a problem still , Helen. There are still people in the Hebraic churches who condemn us out of hand, but we survive and thrive by helping anyone who genuinely needs it and asks. We grow in numbers because we don't try to convert anyone. As you say, magic, like electricity, isn't of any colour, it's the worker whose intent is either positive or negative. Any Witch who curses or works negatively very quickly realised that it all comes back to you, and fairly swiftly at that. That's why you never see an unhappy real witch. Some people like to pretend to be witches, but most of us you wouldn't lick out of a croud. I, for instance, have no tatts, and I don't wear jewellery or rings, and the holes in my nose are only the natural ones.
Our rede is -
"An it harm none, do what you will".
Read that, and then give a definition of harm. Discuss it with your friends, and you'll see how deep that statement is.
We have no Devil, or Satan. That image only appeared in the middle ages when the churches downgraded Women. Incidentally, thank you for putting the question.

Answer 10

witchcraft and wicca are about understanding ourselves and nature. worshiping what is here on earth, what we can see and feel, rather than a heavenly deity that to many of us is absent (although to most wiccans there is a god and goddess). it's about having respect for all living things (including the earth itself).
there is no 'black' and 'white' magic, magic in itself is neither and both at the same time. it is the person who it trying to do the magic and doing the worshipping that puts her own 'spin' on it