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Abrahamics: Witches, Demons etc.
- Thread starter Rival
- Start date
The Sum of Awe
Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
I'd like to ask a bonus question, if that's acceptable: If so for witchcraft, what are they able to do with magic?
Whatever the user in question believes. I'm leaving it open so as to include as many views and opinions as possible.
Psalm23
Well-Known Member
I would like to know whether you believe in witchcraft, demons, curses, spirits etc. and why or why not.
Poll aimed at Jews, Christians, Muslims and Bahai's.
I believe in these things except I don’t know if magic curses can have impact on another’s person life or not. I don’t believe in the practice of witchcraft or curses.
So, in your opinion, how would you interpret this Biblical passage:
You shall not allow a sorceress to live.
I'm not here to debate you or your opinion on this. I just would appreciate knowing how you personally see this. As well, the belief in Mediaeval Christendom was that witches don't exist, so you're in good company there.
What follows are opinions not arguments, and these opinions are my reasons. I'm doing this to keep the answer short:
In scripture I see these:
Divination: fooling people into following you.
Witchcraft: pushing drugs and otherwise controlling people, often related to divination in political situations.
Witchcraft: pushing drugs and otherwise controlling people, often related to divination in political situations.
Examples: Pimps, People who misuse statistical information, the 'High places' mentioned in ancient Jewish scripture, people who manipulate with propaganda, people who slander in order to bring leaders down and replace them.
Demons: Demons are the word used to describe misfortunes that are not brought on by pure luck but by some invisible power. Demon refers to anything invisible, anything which seems contagious, anything which happens to a person for apparently no reason or because they associated with someone else. In other words there are different kinds of demons, and the point is that its not known what is the cause of some problem or other. It can refer to the spirits of the dead but is not tied to belief in that. They might be considered the cause of something, but a person doesn't have to believe in ghosts or spirits to say demon. Its a broad term.
Examples: Covid 19, colds, allergies, premonitions, inexplicable emotions, contagious laughter, mental problems.
"There is some kind of demon in the lighting system. You fix one, and another blows out because of it."
"Every time I catch a break, something pops up to stop me, to prevent me from making progress!"
Exceptions: menstrual problems and other discomforts that can be explained in some way, such as by the influence of the moon, for medical reasons or through reasoning. If you breath in smoke you are hurt by the smoke, and there is no need to use the term demon. On the other hand if there is invisible smoke that comes from nowhere and hurts you, then you will use the term demon. It is unknown and with a mysterious cause.
Curses: Rumors and accusations"There is some kind of demon in the lighting system. You fix one, and another blows out because of it."
"Every time I catch a break, something pops up to stop me, to prevent me from making progress!"
Exceptions: menstrual problems and other discomforts that can be explained in some way, such as by the influence of the moon, for medical reasons or through reasoning. If you breath in smoke you are hurt by the smoke, and there is no need to use the term demon. On the other hand if there is invisible smoke that comes from nowhere and hurts you, then you will use the term demon. It is unknown and with a mysterious cause.
Examples:
"Have you stopped beating your wife, yet?"
"She's a ****."
"He's a pervert."
"You are to report to the Municipal Court room 7A at 8am for court proceedings pursuant to case#22341 City of Youlose vs. You"
Spirits: Invisible beings, teachings, ideas, principles. Sometimes it refers to the breath of life and the fact that living things require air to breath. Sometimes it refers to the ideas that are transferred by the breath which then become part of another person. They go into the heart which is considered the seat of thinking, located with the lungs. Anything, even an invisible being, supposedly must breath; but being invisible perhaps consists only of breath and nothing else."Have you stopped beating your wife, yet?"
"She's a ****."
"He's a pervert."
"You are to report to the Municipal Court room 7A at 8am for court proceedings pursuant to case#22341 City of Youlose vs. You"
Spiderman
Veteran Member
Just an interesting but not totally relevant fact is my next thread was going to ask people if they ever experienced the power of the giver or recipient of a curse or if they believe curses actually exist.
Perfect timing.
Yeah I believe in them but it is questionable whether my faith is "Abrahamic".
Perfect timing.
Yeah I believe in them but it is questionable whether my faith is "Abrahamic".
I would like to know whether you believe in witchcraft, demons, curses, spirits etc. and why or why not.
Poll aimed at Jews, Christians, Muslims and Bahai's.
Demons and a literal Satan are part of my worldview as a Baha'i. I believe we have a spirit or soul that passes from this world to the next. Our ancestors who pass on can positively influence us in the next world and we can positively influence them through prayer. Someone can put a curse on me but I don't believe that has any power or influence unless I allow it to. The practice of witchcraft is not encouraged.
an anarchist
Your local anarchist.
You’re kemetic so I’ll use this example. The Bible records that Moses had an encounter with the Pharaohs court mages. Moses turned his staff into a snake, and the Bible says that Pharaoh ordered his mages to do likewise. They did so, the Bible says. Moses’s snake ate up their snakes, but nonetheless they performed sorcery to conjure the snakes.I would like to know whether you believe in witchcraft, demons, curses, spirits etc. and why or why not.
Poll aimed at Jews, Christians, Muslims and Bahai's.
In my Baptist church where I spent my teens, the pastor was preaching on this encounter. He said that the court mages hid the snakes up their sleeves and only pretended. That’s not what the Bible says, though.
Plus, can’t you feel the spirits? In your spiritual practice, you feel them, don’t you?
I'm not really sure what you mean, could you elaborate?
an anarchist
Your local anarchist.
I’m not informed on kemetic monotheism. I assume you have a relationship with the deity you venerate. Perhaps there are other spirits affiliated with your worship practices.
For me, the feeling I have inside my heart when I practice is a feeling of connection with the Great Spirit I’m venerating. I suppose a sixth sense feeling that someone is at the receiving end of my prayers.
What I meant was, do you feel this connection with the spirit(s) you worship? I assume so, that’s why your in your religion, it’s what you feel connected to. It’s abstract what I’m getting at I guess I’m sorry if I’m not being clear
I don't worship spirits, I worship the One God through various Aspects.I’m not informed on kemetic monotheism. I assume you have a relationship with the deity you venerate. Perhaps there are other spirits affiliated with your worship practices.
For me, the feeling I have inside my heart when I practice is a feeling of connection with the Great Spirit I’m venerating. I suppose a sixth sense feeling that someone is at the receiving end of my prayers.
What I meant was, do you feel this connection with the spirit(s) you worship? I assume so, that’s why your in your religion, it’s what you feel connected to. It’s abstract what I’m getting at I guess I’m sorry if I’m not being clear
But I'm still basically a Noahide at heart.
I would like to know whether you believe in witchcraft, demons, curses, spirits etc. and why or why not.
Poll aimed at Jews, Christians, Muslims and Bahai's.
The question as presented is an awkward one. As a Baha'i I believe in the soul therefore in one form or another I believe in spirits, but beyond that it is an open question without objective resolution.
Do you believe it is possible, for example, to perform real necromancy?
I don't believe in these things.
People can claim to be a witches, but I have never seen someone cast a spell or turn someone into a newt.
I believe in the soul and that may be a spirit in a sense, but it is not a disembodied one that wanders around or haunts anyplace. I suppose my spirit haunts my body.
I see demons as a metaphor of human evil and misfortune.
People can claim to be a witches, but I have never seen someone cast a spell or turn someone into a newt.
I believe in the soul and that may be a spirit in a sense, but it is not a disembodied one that wanders around or haunts anyplace. I suppose my spirit haunts my body.
I see demons as a metaphor of human evil and misfortune.
IndigoChild5559
Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Exactly. Wiccans and Neo-Pagans exist who do magic spells, but their spells don't work in the slightest.
So I'd ask you the same as I asked Psalm23, how would you interpret, 'Not suffer a sorceress to live'?
filthyrottendirty
Member
Yes I believe in all of that. That verse means exactly what it says and as a Christian I agree with whatever God says
IndigoChild5559
Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Two possible interpretations that I can see.So I'd ask you the same as I asked Psalm23, how would you interpret, 'Not suffer a sorceress to live'?
1. Witchcraft is forbidden because it is essentially a very dangerous con that takes advantage of people, especially in that it gives the power to manipulate others to the practitioner through fear.
2. The Torah simply reflects the views of those who wrote it, which hopefully line up with what God is wanting to tell us, but in some cases they get it wrong.