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The Discussion on: How do you appeal to the Supernatural for...?

mystic64

nolonger active
For the purposes of this topic the term "Supernatural" is defined as: Of or relating to existence outside the natural world.

The one thing that all religions have in common from primative times to the present time is that they all contain ways to appeal to the "Supernatural" for some individual or group gain.

The questions presented for discussion and debate :) are: "What is your way or ways of making an appeal to the "Supernatural", why do you use that way or those ways, and is it possible that your way is better than the way or ways of others?"

Examples would be, Pagans have different approaches to appealing to the "Supernatural"; Christians have different approaches to appealing to the "Supernatural" (as represented by their God); or even the things that you do or wear that bring you "luck".
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
I'm going to substitute your definition with something a bit different, because in my mind, everything is part of the "natural" world, be it this world or the otherworlds. Thus I'm going to regard the "supernatural" as the otherworldly instead, because that is probably what you mean anyway?

It sounds to me that you're proposing that magic (what I prefer to call spellcraft) is an inevitable facet of all (or most) religions. Petitions for otherworldly aid certainly fall within the realm of humans attempting to manipulate reality for their own purposes, and that's spellcraft especially given the occult/supernaturalistic flavor here. Some religions wouldn't frame what they do that way, granted, but this is the parallel I see in the question you ask.

To go into all the nuances of how this can operate within contemporary Paganism would take quite a long time. I would remark that such folks tend to be pretty practical. They use a particular method because it works and gets results (coupled, of course, with the usual "this is what I was taught or what I learned" and "I like this particular style" that everybody is subjected to). I don't know of many that claim their way is the way of doing spellcraft properly. A way can be better for a certain person, but there are few that claim some method is universally better than some other method. Many complex factors are involved.
 

Penumbra

Veteran Member
Premium Member
For the purposes of this topic the term "Supernatural" is defined as: Of or relating to existence outside the natural world.

The one thing that all religions have in common from primative times to the present time is that they all contain ways to appeal to the "Supernatural" for some individual or group gain.

The questions presented for discussion and debate :) are: "What is your way or ways of making an appeal to the "Supernatural", why do you use that way or those ways, and is it possible that your way is better than the way or ways of others?"

Examples would be, Pagans have different approaches to appealing to the "Supernatural"; Christians have different approaches to appealing to the "Supernatural" (as represented by their God); or even the things that you do or wear that bring you "luck".
When I was a kid and a theist, I'd generally pray for help with things, or for guidance at least. I was taught that it's a reasonable thing to do, and I needed a lot of it.

But when I became a bit more aware of the world, and seeing how so many people suffer so greatly around it, it felt selfish to ask for anything or to expect some divine personality to help me out when these other people are apparently not being helped and are instead starving to death or dying in war. Plus the things I prayed for always turned out terribly.

So I let that whole idea go, the idea of trying to appeal the universe to work for my personal benefit rather than expecting it to follow the laws it always does without concern for individuals.
 
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