The occult has been a passion of mine for over 20 years now...I don't feel comfortable enough to let most people know that because its always seen in such a negative light.
I'm ok with who I am...so no need to bolster me....but why is the occult so persecuted???
Is it just another case of people don't understand it so they persecute it??? Why do they think it's so EVIL????
2007-03-20 08:17:50 · 24 answers · asked by ste.phunny 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Its funny about the christian people not being into the occult...because so many are, but are afraid to let others know.
By being into the occult...I'm not even saying practicing voodoo/magik....I'm just saying they go to palm readers or tarot card readings..such things.
2007-03-20 08:27:13 · update #1
To Geof... Its not only supernatural...basically its the unexplainable....Ghosts/spirits/gods/goddesses/esp/telekinisis/voodoo/witchcraft/magik/healing......and on and on and on. I get people being afraid of the unknown...but well isn't their idea of GOD kinda unknown too??? Aren't we all just people searching for some type of truth...viable truth.
2007-03-20 08:52:41 · update #2
People have been studying the occult since the early days of mankind. The Bible is an ancient text, and discusses it, and I'm sure it was being discussed long before that. In other words, it's nothing new. Personally, I don't see occultists as evil, but that's because I've known so many of them all my life, and don't see evil in their everyday intentions. Evil is tied up in intent. Do you intend evil, harm and malice? Then you're engaging in evil, regardless of what philosophy or deity's name you're doing it under.
2007-03-20 08:24:48 · answer #1 · answered by solarius 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, my friend. It is because people do not understand and thus they persecute. As for non-Christians, I think a lot of them ridicule it because it doesn't make sense or fit in with their natural worldview. The supernatural is something they can not see and hold, so they decide that it does not exist (much in the same way as their view of God). Rather than admit that it may exist but they just do not understand, they may choose to mock it as that puts them on top, at least in their eyes.
As for Christians, the occult is seen in a negative light because the Bible teaches against it (or so the interpretations go). They want to believe that on the side of good, only God has power, and that any other power is demonic. According to Christianity, praying for God to do something is the only way in which supernatural powers should be worked.. Trying to tap into power in any other way is not putting faith in God, so is evil.
I don't see it that way, though. I am a Christian Heretic and I view supernatural power as a creation and gift of God. A creation which we can tap into if we know how. It is not evil, per se, but how it is used determines whether or not it is evil.
Be well in the blessing of Christ's Light.
2007-03-20 15:43:16 · answer #2 · answered by Guvo 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You wrote, "Is it just another case of people don't understand it so they persecute it???" That is exactly it. Case in point, look at some of the answers that have been posted to your question.
Most people are very nice, open minded & non-judgemental.
Unfortunately it is always the loud wacko that first comes to mind.
For example -a lot of people think the Occult is scary, evil stuff. This is just like assuming that most hardcore Christians are like Brown here -who was the first to respond w/a bunch of nonsense that doesn't really answer your question.
People just have a tendancy to remember whatever sounds craziest, you know?
And, unfortunately for you we are living in a time when Conservative Christians get a lot of media attention because the play on peoples fears.
2007-03-20 15:33:52 · answer #3 · answered by march_hare_in_june 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm non denominational christian (basically i don't have a specific set of beliefs that would tie me to one religion) & i still have interest in the "occult". I find some stuff kinda fascinating actually. A few friends of mine & I were for quite some time....but of course we never tried anything that would be considered bad or that would harm anyone or anything. Nooooo we wouldn't dream of that at all! That would be horrible. (We tried little things...example: I have brown eyes & turned them blue for a few minutes.) I wouldn't mind getting back in & dabbling a little here & there but I just don't know of anywhere in my area that would have anything (books, etc.) to help. Nobody that knew has considered myself or them strange or evil. Granted, my dad would but he's catholic & has got a big stick up his @$$. He even considers something as minor as that movie 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' to be "satanic". How freakin funny!! The whole evil aspect is just due to the influence of the church brainwashing everyone to think anything other than what they believe is "evil". People are always afraid of what they don't know......don't knock it til you tried it!
2007-03-20 15:28:36 · answer #4 · answered by §uper ®ose 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I don't study the occult much but I do find it interesting. Christianity and other religions that believe in supernatural forces are bound to find supernatural powers not from God to be from the devil. The occult is usually concerned with supernatural phenomenon. Or am I over generalising?
2007-03-20 15:23:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You're a 90% spot on - most people don't understand the occult and so are automatically afriad of it. I know some people that express an interest and then are immediately afriad because of years of 'programming' that anything to do with the occult is bad.
Those of us that study these things know that it's intent that matters and that the occult or anything else isn't inherently evil.
Food for thought: Isn't a radically fundamental (insert religion x here) person just as much a danger as someone who's implicitely into dark arts?
Blessings,
Zimmi
2007-03-20 15:23:05 · answer #6 · answered by Zimmia 5 · 5⤊ 2⤋
I myself have studied the occult, though I am no expert. My kids had gotten involved with it. I figured I should know something about it. The concern in the Christian community is that involvement with the occult might open one up to forces they aren't prepared to handle. So, we warn against it.
2007-03-20 15:41:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
People have always been afraid of what they do not know. Once you are afriad of something you tend to shy away from it. The occult is still a mystery even to those that practice it. I have been practicing various occult practices for many years and there are still many many things I do not know. No one can know all there is to know. It is a mystery and will remain a mystery and that is the scary part for some. I alsways say education is the best. Read and try to get a basic understanding and people will not be so scared. We know it is not evil and we are just waiting for the rest to caught up.
EDIT: For the christians out there please read 1 corinthians 12:1-13 here is the excert fro mthe bible.
Spiritual Gifts
1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
2007-03-20 17:45:30 · answer #8 · answered by Nelly 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Too many horror stories have come out through the media. People are afraid of what they do not know. By making the occult out to sound so strange or scary or sinister keeps the masses from being interested in it and making it main stream.
2007-03-20 15:21:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 1⤋
Anything that goes against their religious belief is considered evil, or dangerous.
Happens with many things, music, literature and has been that way for centuries.
If it's not from "god" it's from the devil
It's their way of scaring you.
Just look at Brown's answer, see what I mean ?
2007-03-20 15:21:27 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 9⤊ 0⤋