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Do you think people that belong to jesus can be hurt by witchcraft?

Brickjectivity

Brickjectivity

wind and rain touch not this brain
Staff member
Premium Member
Frank Goad said:
Do you think people that belong to jesus can be hurt by witchcraft?I think no.What about you?:)
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What is witchcraft in the canon? Maybe it has something to do with Pharoah's magicians, but is a magician a witch? In one passage a witch appears to be someone who contacts the dead, but that is not what Pharoahs magicians do. The closest other word similar to 'Witch' is 'Sorceror' which only appears in the NT, and there are also problems tracking down what it means to the writers. Some say it is a drug pusher, but this is not clear to everyone. But suppose that sorcerers are drug pushers (such as hookers and druglords). They also don't fit the profile of a witch, because the punishment for drug pushers (pushing drugs to get sex or to sell it) is specified in the law. They are 'Cursed'. Witches are not cursed but are sentenced to death. So then this term 'Sorceror' in the NT does not immediately help track down the meaning for 'Witch' even if it is referring to use of narcotics. If it is the same as witch we glean no additional information, and if it is different we also glean no new information about 'witch' from it.

The canon says is that rebellion is somehow like witchcraft; but it doesn't specify in what way it is like witchcraft! Pharoah's magicians also don't seem to be related to a rebellion, so then magicians may not be related to what witches are. So we are left (using the canon by itself) to interpolate what witchcraft actually is, but it doesn't seem to be a means of doing harm to individuals.

Nothing (that I am aware of) in the canon alleges that witchcraft harms anyone, and so it is problematic specifying what witchcraft is. Only later Christian people (several centuries C.E. long after Christianity appears) allege that witches hurt people. The scripture says that thieves hurt people, but it doesn't say this about witchcraft. That silence is strange if witchcraft is some kind of weapon. There is also no remuneration (in The Law) for damages specifically done by witchcraft, which is also strange if witchcraft can actually do damage. If it could do damage than something in the law would (I think) mention some kind of remuneration either by the community or the individual, because pains are taken to list the kinds of remuneration required for various crimes. The offender must do something to be restored or their community must, but witchcraft is simply answered with death. No damages are accounted.
 
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Sirona

Sirona

Hindu Wannabe
Maybe it's a pelicularity of Catholicism, but I think in a certain sense people who are afraid of witchcraft can be the most devout Christians. In the absence of God acting, they cling to the next best thing they can use as a "proof" of God - the striking existence of "Evil" "proven" by imaginary or actual witchcraft, Black Masses etc. I think a rationalist may just laugh at the idea at the idea of being threatened by the "dangers" of occultism because he doesn't believe in any kind of supernatural stuff at all.
 
VoidCat

VoidCat

Pronouns: he/him/they/them
Guitar's Cry said:
I think these folks get hurt by it more than most, and that's even without the witches trying.
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That nocebo effect strong. Even if i don't hex anybody all I got to say I did. For the nocebo effect to work you got to say it to someone who believes. So a christian would be effected strongly but not an atheist if I just tell them i did and didn't hex them.

Just look at Greg Locke. Folk were leaving tarot cards in his tent. He was mad about it. But I doubt any witches actually left any. Look at how negatively he was affected. Just the mere suggestion got him riled up.
 
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