Why is witchcraft concidered evil?according to the Bible?

Question

can some more biblical literate people help on this issue''thx...

Answer 1

Here are the Biblical verses that condemn witchcraft, along with other similar 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 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) 22:15Verses that condemn Demons and evil spirits

Wiccans don’t believe Satan and the devils even exist. The Bible says otherwise. Gen.3:1, 14:15 (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 Crowley was obsessed with, even claiming he was!) 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, it's not possible to be a "Christian Witch" or "Christian Wiccan", it just doesn't work...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtTANjkauPp1cbZuyPO04TYjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20060922162423AAcU9lu

Answer 2

First: The Bible has been mis-interpretatated HOW many times in HOW many years by HOW many people, that were NOT there when these STORIES happened. So far, only one person got the word Witch right...it meant poisonor or murderer back then by the best translation. Wiccan WitchCraft is an EarthBased Religion...what exactly is so wrong with that? That means Earth, Water, Fire, Air & Spirit. It also means not harming others...hmm, sounds awfully horrible! Casting a spell is harnessing the energy to help you in the mundane world...it's not turning people into frogs and BTW, there is no drinking blood or sacrificing cats either! We are not devil-worshippers, in fact, we don't even believe in the devil. The devil is something that the Christians made up to scare everyone into being good. Yes, I do believe Jesus exisisted...he was a Holy man, but he may have been one of the world's most wonderful witches...turning water into wine, healing the sick, feeding 1000's with 1 loaf and 1 fish, and giving sight to the blind and the best one is rising from the dead....Let us not forget that God is a jealous God...doesn't it say that it in there??? He does not want others being able to do the exact same things that he can do....divination. If we do it, then we are like him and that does not make him happy. The Wiccans Gods/Goddess are not jealous and do not make you change who you are or how you were born. Why should we be ashamed if we are truly happy with who we are and it's not hurting anyone? Wiccan Witchcraft is not evil....get over yourselves....
Blessings to you and yours!

Answer 3

Joseph and Daniel interpreted dreams. Aaron, the brother of Moses, turned his staff into a serpent. Jesus turned water into wine and walked on water. The Bible is full of acts which might be called "witchcraft" by someone.
Perhaps what is condemned is the doing of such things by those who are not authorized by the dominant religion.

Answer 4

Kychick, it relies upon on what translation you're employing. a number of the words translated "witch" are destructive translations that quite ought to have study "poisoner." The admonition against consulting with the ineffective pronounced necromancy, which exchange into honestly elevating a ineffective physique to do one's bidding (like a zombie) or hectic a resting spirit to get information from it. it is what the witch of Endor did whilst she pronounced as up Samuel for King Saul. The question i think of you're asking is, can human beings quite do magic or disturb the ineffective? There quite have been people who theory they might do sorcery, and it exchange right into an excellent component to the religions in Canaan that drew the Israelites faraway from the worship of God. So whether it exchange into honestly being completed or the folk have been fooled into thinking it exchange into being completed, they have been drawn faraway from the worship of the God of Abraham. there is particularly some human beings understanding right this moment, like planting with the aid of the signs and indicators, that i do no longer in all likelihood evaluate the form of evil sorcery the Bible describes, yet it is only me. there are various human beings on R&S, as you recognize, who prepare some form of magic; a number of them are knowledgeable approximately what the Bible says on the situation. according to threat they are in a position to furnish you extra information.

Answer 5

I don't know about witchcraft, per se. I do know there is a line in the King James version of the Bible that was mistranslated as, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

However, the word 'witch' should have been 'poisoner.'

Answer 6

Simple answer:
God said doing such was sin.

Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Deut 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

There are other passages as well, but that should be direct enough.

Answer 7

I found a 1905 book about spirit guides. I prayed and asked God if it was ok if I tried it, that He seemed so far away to me.

Don't ask God this question.
I know a little how judgment feels because I got the fastest answer to my prayer ever. It devastated me. I knew the Bible said not to mess with the other side, witches , etc.

Basically I came away knowing that God wants us to come and talk with him.

Answer 8

It gives humans too much power. when we cast spells we are harnessing the power within ourselves to manipulate energy to bring about what we desire. This goes against bible teaching. Only God has the right to manipulate energy. Many Christians do practice witchcraft and do not even know it though.
BB

Answer 9

It's funny how they've twisted the words over the years especially considering dream interpretations, spirit encounters, etc were all used in the bible.

Answer 10

Dueteronomy 18: 10-
 There should not be found in you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer,
11 or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead.
12 For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah, and on account of these detestable things Jehovah your God is driving them away from before you.