what does witchcraft mean?

Question

in some version of bible say that if you do witchcraft then assicoate with satan. But what is withcraft?

Answer 1

"Witchcraft" is simply another word for sorcery.

Here are the Biblical verses condemning witchcraft and other occult practices:

Genesis 35:2-4, Exodus. 20:3-5&23, 22:20, 32:8-29 (golden calf, Egyptian idol Aipis, god of nature) 34:13-14 Lev. 18:21, 19:4, 20:27, 26:1 Numbers 25:2-5 Deuteronomy 4:15-19, 4:23-29&35 4:7-9, 6:4-5, 6:14-15, 7:4-5&25-26, 8:18-20, 9:12&16, 9:20-21, 12:2-5&12, 13:30-31, 16:22, 13:6-9, 13:12-15, 17:3-5, 18:9-10 & 14(observers of times, astrologers), 27:15, 29:16-18, 26-27, 30:17-18, 31:16-17, 31:20-21, 32:12, Joshua 23:7-8 & 11 24:14-17 24:20-24, Judges 2:2-3, 2:10-15 & 19-20 3:7-8, 5:7-8 6:25-28, 8:33-34, 10:6-16, 1 Samuel 5:2-12 (Dagon) 7:3-4, 12:24, 15:23, 2Samuel 7:23-24 (Israel serves YHWH and not the gods of Egypt) 1 Kings 9:6-7(Israel punished for worshiping other gods) 11:1-10&33, 14:9&15, 14:23-24 (Pagan groves condemned), 15:12-13, 16:25-26 (vanities [KJV] = idols in Heb.) 16:31-34, 18:15-40 (Elijah defeats Pagan priests), 19:18 (Ba’al worshipers undesirable) 22:52-53 2 Kings 1:3 (consulting Pagan gods condemned) 5:13 (only YHWH is God), 10:18-28, (Ba’al worshipers condemned), 11:18 15:4 (offering incense in Pagan sacred sites condemned), 16:2-4 (Pagan practices & child sacrifice condemned), 17:7-23 (Israel punished for worshiping Pagan gods), 17:29-41 (serving both YHWH and Pagan gods condemned). 18:3-5 (turning away from Pagan gods), 19:33-35 (Pagan gods did not help Israel), 21:1-16 (Ba’al & idol worship) 21:19-22, 22:15, 23:4-20, 1 Chronicles 5:24-26, 14:12, 16:25-26, 17:20, 2Chronicles 7:19-20 13:7-10, 14:2-3, 15:16, 20:33, 21:13, 23:16-17, 24:7& 18-20, 25:14-15&20, 28:1-5, 28:22-25, 31:1, 32:13-22, 33:3-9&15, 34:3-7 & 25, Nehemiah 9:17-18, 13:1-2, Job 31:26-28 (worship of sun, moon, and stars condemned), Psalms 24:4 (vanity = idols), 31:6, 40:4 (lies =idols or false gods in Hebrew), 96:4 (YHWH comes before idols), 106:28-29 & 35-40 (their own inventions = idols), 115: 2-9, Isaiah 1:29-30, (oaks, Heb. = terebinth, places of Pagan worship), 2:18 & 20, 10:10-11, 19:3-4, 26:13-14 (idols are dead), 31:7, 36:19 (YHWH more powerful than Pagan gods) 37:19, 41:21-24 (cause = idols in Hebrew), idols are nothing, 41:29 idols are nothing, 42:8 & 17, 43:11, 44:5-6 & 9-10 & 17-22 & 24-25 (YHWH thwarts occult practices), 46:1 & 6-7 & 9, 47:9, 48:5, Jeremiah 1:16, 2:5 (vanity = idols), 2:11 (nothing gained by worshiping idols), 2:23 (Baalim pollutes)2:27-28 (idols cannot save), 4:1 (abominations = in Heb., idols) 5:7 (Pagan gods aren’t gods), 5:19, 7:6 & 9, 7:18, 7:30-32 (Tophet = a place of Pagan child sacrifice), 8:1 (worship of stars forbidden), 9:19 (vanities = idols) 10:3-5 & 8-11, 11:12-13 & 17, 13:10, 16:11 & 18-20, 18:15, 19:4-6, 19:13-15 (Tophet = place of Pagan child sacrifice)22:8-9, 25:6-7, 27:9-10 (sorcerers Heb = kashawf,people who practice magic,diviners Heb = kawsam, tells fortunes by lots or a scroll, enchanters Heb. = hawnan, a practitioner of magic), 27:18-20 (queen of heaven = Semiramis, goddess worship forbidden) 29:8, 32:28-30 & 34-35, 43:12-13, 44:3-8, &15-27 (goddess worship condemned!!) 48:6-8 & 35 (HIGH PLACES = Pagan places of worship), 50:2, 51:17-18, Lamentations 1:10 (Pagans cannot worship with followers of YHWH! ), Ezekiel 5:11, 6:3-6 & 9 & 13-14, 7:20 & 24, 8:3 & 5 8:13-17 (Tammuz worship an abomination), 11:18 & 21, 14:3-8, 16:-20 & 36, 18:12 & 15, 20:7-9, 20:16 & 18, 20:23-26 & 31-32 & 39 21:29 22:3-4 & 9(eat upon mountains = Pagan festivals), 30:13, 33:25, 37:23, 44:12-13, Daniel 3:17-18 & 28 (Daniel and his companions did not have to worship Pagan gods), Hosea 2:13, 3:1-4 (Israel’s worship of false gods likened to an unfaithful spouse) 4:12-18, 8:4-5, 10:5-8 (calves of Beth-aven = idols), 11:1-2, 13:1-4, 14:3 & 8 Amos 5:26-27, 8:14, Jonah 2:8 Micah 1:7 Nahum 1:14, Habakkuk 1:11 (Chaldean’s god is Marduk) 2:18-19, Zephaniah 1:3-5(stumbling blocks=idols), 2:11, Malachi 2:11 (Israel not to intermarry with idolaters), Matthew 4:10, Acts 15:19-20, 17:16-25, 19:24-40 (worship of Diana condemned), 17:16 & 29-30, 21:25 (Christians not to worship idols), Galatians 1:8-10 (no other path), 5:20, Colossians 3:5, Romans 11:4 1Corinthians 10 14 & 19-22 (Christians cannot worship Pagan gods and YHWH!) 10:6-7, 12:2 2Corinthians 6:14-18, (Christians not to worship with Pagans), Galatians 4:8, 1Thessalonians 1:9 2Timothy 2:20-21(idols), 1Peter 4:3 1 John 5:21, Revelations 2 14 & 20 & 24 (again, you cannot combine Paganism and worship YHVH!!!) 9:20-21 (idols & sorcery wrong)

And also these verses from the Duterocannon:

1 Maccabees 2:15-25( High Priest Matthias kills Pagan priest and "universalist" Jew rather than worship a Zeus idol!)

Verses that condemn occult practices

Exod.. 22:18 (witch = kawshawf Heb. Lierally, he who whispers a spell, a sorcerer, witchcraft condemned ) Num 23:23 Duet. 4:19 (astrology) 13:1-3 (psychics) 18:10-13 & 20-22 (psychics) Joshua 13:22, 1 Samuel 15:23 (witchcraft and idolatry compared to other sins) 1 Samuel 28:3-14 1 Kings 13:33 (first ordination mill, not unlike the Universal Life Church) 2 Kings 9:22 (witchcraft wrong) 4:24 (wizards, idols, familiar spirits) 1 Chronicles 10:13 Isaiah 2:6-8 (fortune tellers, idol worship condemned), 8:19-22, 29:14, 47:11-15 (astrology), Jeremiah 10:9 (work of "cunning men" condemned) Jeremiah 14:14, 23:13, 29:26-27 (people like Crowley and L. Ron Hubbard would have been put in prison) , Ezekiel 12:24, 13:7 & 9, 13:18-24 (condemns talismans; pillows and kerchiefs = amulets), 21:21-23 (false divination) 22:28, 23:7, Micah 5:12-14 (witchcraft and soothsayers) Daniel 2:7-12 (astrologers, psychics failed) Nahum 3:3-4 (witchcraft = sorcery), Zechariah 10:2 13:2 Malachi 3:5 (sorcerers) Acts 16:16-18, 19:11-19 (not everyone who calls on Jesus’ name has authority) 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (Christians not to eat things offered to idols), 10:28, Galatians 5:20 Ephesians 5:5, James 2:19 (simply claiming to believe in a god is not enough) Rev. 21:8 (sorcerers) 22:15 Verses that condemn Demons and evil spirits

Wiccans and pantheists don’t believe Satan and the devils even exist. The Bible says otherwise. Gen.3:1, 14:15 (devil as a serpent,) 4:7 (sin as a personification) 6:1-2&4 (Watchers = fallen agels, demons, the "gods of Modern Wicca") 10:8-9 (Nimrod before [Heb = against] the Lord. Babylonians thought Nimrod was a god) Lev. 17:7 (devils, satyrs Heb.="hairy demons") Deuteronomy 32:17 (devil Heb. shade, evil spirit) Judges 19:22 (wicked men compared to as sons of Belial), 2:12, 1 Samuel 10:26, 12:10, 2Chronicles 11:15 (devils = Heb saweer, literally hairy demons) Psalms Psalm 91 names several demons by name. 91:3 (terror by night = Dever), 91:5 (Hez = arrow head), v. 6 (Reshepth = pestilence, Kitev = noonday devil), 106:37 (devils= Heb. shade, evil spirit) Isaiah 13:21, 14:12-15 (Lucifer, however you chose to interpret it, is clearly against God, and an evil thing) 28:15 & 18 (death=Movet, Canaanite god of the underworld) 34:14 (screech owl=Lilith satyr, Heb. = literally hairy demon), Habakkuk 3:4-5 (pestilence = Dever, name of a demon burning coals Resheb = name of a demon) Matthew 8:16 (demons powerless against Jesus), 6:28-34 , 9;32-33, 12:24-29 (black magic cannot work against devils) 17:17-21, 25:41 (devils condemned to Hell), Mark 1:13, 1:21-34, 3:11 (even the devils fear Christ), 315 (Christians empowered to cast out devils) 3:22-27, 5:2-20 (exorcism) 7:26-30(even Pagans sought Jesus for exorcism),9:14-29, Mark 16:9 (casts 7 devils out of Mary Magdelene), Luke 4:2-13 (Satan fails to tempt Christ), 4:33-36 & 41, 7:21, 8:2, 8:27-40, 9:38-42, 10:17-20 (demons are powerless against Christians), Luke 10:18 (Satan did eventually fall. He too is a demon now) 11:14-28, 13:32 (Jesus gives authority), 22:3 (Judas demonically possessed), 22:31-32 (Satan wants to destroy humankind), John 8:44 (devil is the father of lies), John 10:20, 12:31, 13:27 (Judas demonically possessed), 16:11 (Devil will be judged), Acts 5:3-11 (Satan causes people to sin), 7:40-43, 8:7 (devils cause sickness), 8:9-24 (power of Christ cannot be bought. Simon Magus condemned). 10:38 (devil represses people), 13:6-12 (Paul more powerful than sorcerers). Romans 16:20 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 (Christians cannot keep company with idolaters) 6:9, 2Corinthians 2:11, 4:4, 11:14 (Satan can deceive), Ephesians 2:2, 4:27, 6:11-12, 2Thessalonians 2:8-9 1Timothy 4:1, 5:15 (carnal life is evil), 2Timothy 2:26, Hebrews 2:14 (devils are destroyers) James 3:15 (sins are "devilish" Gr. =daimonodes , "demon like") 1Peter 5:8 2Peter 2:4 1 John 2:13 (devil must be overcome) 2:18 & 22 (Antichrists are evil. Wicca based on Crowley’s writings) 3:8-10, 4:3-4 (Antichrists), 2John v.7, Jude v.6 & 9, Revelations 9:11, 12:3-4 & 7-17 (accuser=Satan) Chapter 13 (final Antichrist, whom AMORC Co-founder Crowley was obsessed with, even claiming he was "The Beast 666"!) 14:9-11 (Beast’s followers condemned!) 18:2, 19:2 (Beast’s followers condemned) 20:1-3, (demons condemned) 20:7-10 (deceiver)

Also, Enchanted Gypsy is incorrect. Wicca gets this idea of "no evil" from Aleister Crowley. Islam also believes in Satan (Shaitan). Almost every religion has a concept of Demons and Devils. Hinduism, Taoism, Bhuddism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism, and Judaism all believe in evil spirits, and all are older than Christianity. They also have a concept of evil, and most have some sort of evil spirit realm similar to the Christian idea of Hell. Anyone who has ever had a class on comparative religion (or read a book on the subject) knows this. The idea Christianity invented the concept of evil is pure lunacy.

Answer 2

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 3

Are you referring to the book that mentions UNICORNS 9 times? Must be factual them eh?
All joking aside (which is what I find the bible to be) "Witchcraft" is the manipulation of NATURAL (not supernatural) forces to produce a desired outcome. I still can't understand why everyone thinks we are dabbling with the supernatural when what we deal with is inter-natural. There is dark and light in nature and there can not be one without the other, however the only EVIL I have found is MAN made not Mother Nature. There is no Satan he is a fictitious character devised by early Christians to frighten the ignorant into converting. It still works today too! LMAO!!
BB
)O(

Answer 4

What you have to understand is that you can't really take a book seriously if it says eating shellfish is an abomination.

I practice witchcraft (mostly protective spells). And guess what? I don't even believe in Satan. Witchcraft, generally, is a set of practices, including divination, spellwork, etc.

Answer 5

Witchcraft - the study and art of the craft of being a witch. This can include use of psychic abilities (which even Christains can have), healing, medical, herbal, spiritual, emotional, and basically trying to help keep balance inthe world.

Most witches believe in using natural energy to make things happen; for some, this is the exact same thing as "The Power of Positive Thinking" Or that new book, "The Secret".

For most, this is a life-long course of study and practice; a skill set learned just like any other, like sewing, cooking, cabinet making.

Doesn't have to involve gods, or religion, and certainly doesn't involve devil worship and being evil.

Answer 6

lesson? interesting! wicca is a modern (1950s onward) "neopagan " ( off shot of the pagan faith) nature religion incorproating ideas of the god(s) and goddess(es) in varied forms but still ultimately as one Witchcraft is an ancient practice that is non religious. among other things it involves the raising of and manipulation of energies directed toward a cretain goal or intent. many wiccans practice witchcraft, many do not just as many witches are wiccan but many have no faith also jaqueeta: we cant worship what we do not even believe in -Satan is a CHRISTIAN concept.

Answer 7

Best site on Witchcraft ever: http://usminc.org/

Answer 8

Witchcraft is an ancient form of spiritualism in which a person attempts to manipulate reality through the use of supernatural forces. The danger come in in that manipulation is a two way street. Just use logic. The spirits you are attempting to manipulate are much older and more experienced at this than you. You may think you are in control but they will eventually control you. And I cannot stress enough, you do not want to be controlled by this kind of spirit.

As far as the Biblical definition, It includes such practices as divination, use of spells and potions, and spiritism, or the contacting of the dead.

They are not necessarily Satanic, but Satan is not the only evil in the world.

Answer 9

Witchcraft or magic of any kind (white or black) is forbidden because it calls on a power other than god. Don't use it. It is mainly used for harmful or dark reasons like to hurt someone or blackmail them. If you have used it I would suggest you start praying for forgiveness and doing things to earn your spot in heaven back.

Answer 10

Lessee.. the literal definition of "occult" is "secret"; "satan" is the hebrew 'variation' on a different deity/force altogether; demon comes from the greek (and correct me if wrong) 'daemon' which is/was a positive influence (i.e. genius, inspirational force; muse-like within the arts and sciences), but I digress...

What does "witchcraft" mean? I would place it in the category of the broadly used term "pagan" - non-judeo-christian, although theistic practice of magic. (There enlies a a bit of a contradiction.)

"Magic" I would define as the application of one's will to acheive a specific outcome.

Chris