Witchcraft

Although I have thought about and discussed this many times before, I don't think I ever got to the bottom of it.

I was just reading Harry Potter and just like all those other times, I found a sudden intrest in magic, I never realy looked into or tryed wicca or alchemy or any of that stuff, but I personaly think it's all real, and although I would never concider any of the black magic type things, I dont understand why God does not give anyone these powers if Satan will.
If God gives us other talents, I don't see why people don't use these for whatever appropriate reasons they could use God-given-talents.

Basically, what I'm askingis, does anyone know why witchcraft is "evil"?

Witchcraft is a form of "cult magic." "Cult" in this way means "religious." Basically, it is using spiritual means not of God or of God's blessing.

Since the "magic" in Harry Potter isn't religious in any nature, it isn't the same kind of witchcraft that is condemned. It is a fictional "witchcraft" anyway; it has no real basis in any historical witchcraft practice.

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For You are the Lord Most High, of great compassion, long-suffering, and very merciful, and You relent at human suffering. O Lord, according to Your great goodness You have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against You, and in the multitude of Your mercies You have appointed repentance for sinners so that they may be saved.

-Prayer of Manasseh verse 7 (NRSV)
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The funny part about this thread is that the ADs posted by googleon this thread have links to Dragons, and Voodoo and Spell Kits, its really funny.

I guess google or whatever checks for key words on each thread and makes Advertisements for those key words.

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Greetings Salulos,

I have heard many times that the problem with the Harry Potter series is that it "entices" people to delve into the "mystery" or mystical arts. Many try to compare it with C. S. Lewis's Narnia series or The Lord of the Rings, but these use a lot of symbology that reflect the Christian world view, whereas the Harry Potter series glorifies self and delves into the "dark" spiritual forces. Consider:

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

There are basically 3 forces in this creation that "rule":

1) God who is sovereign who allows the following two to have a certain amount of power/authority

2) Satan and His minions who use their "power" to attempt to defeat or win over men and women through the use of that power.

3) Man, an essentially spiritually powerless creature, who has no "spiritual power" other than the authority God gave to Adam in the Garden of Eden.

So we see two SUPER beings (spiritual darkness and the Heavenly Light) that allow their "power" to be used by man. If you were to read your Bible, you would find that God has allowed men to use His "spiritual power" in hundreds of instances from the OT through the entire NT and on into the future.

Just to name a few:
1) An axe that floated
2) Bears that came out of the wood and mauled some no good men
3) Stopping up the rain
4) Causing it to rain, thunder and lightening
5) Healing
6) Running faster than a horse by a man
7) Turning water into wine
8) Multiplying bread and fishes
9) A shadow falling upon someone and healing them
10) Striking a rock and bringing forth water

and on and on and on.

Now with God's power, He releases it to those who use it to honor Him and bring glory to His Son and to be a blessing to the body of Christ.

Satan's power is given to those who ultimately will bow down and worship him. But he gives it to boost the ego of the individual and you will never see him honoring God with it.

Even today, if you were to run in the right circles, you would see some awesome things that God is doing through His people, just like in the NT with raising of the dead, healings and other powerful miracles.

As I have stated above, any of the "dark" power serves to glorify self and eventually to cause the person to bow down to Satan as his lord and master.

Whatever you are putting into your mind, that is what will determine WHO you are. Just like the saying about computors: "Garbage in, garbage out". So if you are "feeding" upon Harry Potter and the like, then you will grow in the area of darkness, but if you were to study the Bible for all its worth, you would grow in a multitude of ways, and not the least of which is "right standing with God" (righteousness).

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

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2 Chron 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Hi Salulos,

I agree with Ernie's post above.

Witchcraft is a real thing. Our 'enlightened' world scoffs at such things, but then, it also scoffs at a Christian's faith. There are many in the Church who also think that it is not real, but to be honest, I would rather someone be ignorant of these things, rather than fall into the snare that they are.

Sometimes, a person involved in these things (say a psychic, or a new ager) has no idea that they are walking hand in hand with Satan when they practice such things. Satan is good at sugar coating his affairs, to make them look attractive.

But as Ernie pointed out, there are two spiritual forces in this world. God and Satan. Satan has his own agenda, and tries to thwart God's will at all times. He would allow some good to happen, so that more evil is produced.

I have a friend who believes that he is a white witch. I say believes, for though he is a sorcerer, there is no such thing as white, or good witchcraft. No matter the intentions of a person's heart, the power that they utilize has no good intention, and so it will twist the good that they desired, and cause more harm than good. My friend is blinded by this fact, and so he is fooled into believing that he is doing good.

There is only one way to do good. Follow and obey God. God is the only source of truly good spiritual things. I too, had a question similar to yours, when Christ entered my heart 12 years ago. I was a fool who followed such pathways, walked hand in hand with Satan, though I did not even believe in Satan or God at the time.

These were the passages that helped me understand that witchcraft, sorcery, and new age things are bad. The why may not be overly evident, but the fact that God does not want His children to practice them is clear.

Deut. 18:9-14 "When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things,the Lord your God will drive them out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For these nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the Lord you God has not allowed you to do so."

Ex. 22:18 "You shall not allow a sorceress to live."

Lev. 19:31 "Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God."

Lev. 20:6,27 "As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people."
"Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them."

This last one really spoke to me, and what I was involved in, showing me God's will about such things:

Deut. 13:1-5 "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you, to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you."

And about this world now:

Rev. 9:20-21 "And the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts."

And the end result of those who cling to their witchcraft/sorceries:

Rev. 21:8 "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

Satan can make witchcraft and sorcery to appear really attractive. To have powers that others do not, to delve into mysteries that others know little of, it can be really appealing. But as the words harlotry suggest in the above passages, you are worshipping a false God when you follow these ways. It is designed to throw you off the path of following the One true God, and so, there is no good that comes from it. It is entirely evil. It is like telling God that He is not enough for you, and that you need more. God is sufficient, and all you will ever need.

When someone follows these ways, they follow a lie. How hard it was for me, when I discovered that I had spent ten years of my life, following a lie, and Satan's deception. But instead of being stoned, or killed, God showed me His mercy through His Son, Jesus Christ, and has forgiven me of my iniquities, though my grief was great when I realized the lie that I followed. You have a chance to avoid such grief.

Please do not fall into the trap of Satan, and please avoid the temptations of His lies. He is the great deceiver.

John

P.S. I know little about the Harry Potter books. I hear they are good stories, just let them stay that way, good stories. The Bible, as Ernie mentioned, is the book that you want to base your life on.

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Romans 14:4 "Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand for the Lord is able to make him stand."

Here's an excellent article outlining the differences between Harry Potter, the Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings. Harry Potter vs. Gandalf

Witchcraft is the enemies equivilant of prophecy, just as lust is the perversion of love.

wow
i cant thank you all enough
that was basicaly the exact type of answer i needed, and now that i know it is acaully straight out said:

Ex. 22:18 "You shall not allow a sorceress to live."

Lev. 19:31 "Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God."

i dont think ill have mixed thoughts on this anymore,
thanks

That is music to my ears! I am impressed with your desire to follow God's will for your life. May God richly bless you, and when you are ready, give you power greater than anything that the enemy can drum up, so that you can further His kingdom.

John

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Romans 14:4 "Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand for the Lord is able to make him stand."

I was just about to post that link but then noticed someone already had. I would highly recommend it to any Christian who is concerned about magic or witchcraft in literature.

That article has some issues with it, although I'm glad the author was able to remain neutral throughout it, even in conclusion.

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For You are the Lord Most High, of great compassion, long-suffering, and very merciful, and You relent at human suffering. O Lord, according to Your great goodness You have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against You, and in the multitude of Your mercies You have appointed repentance for sinners so that they may be saved.

-Prayer of Manasseh verse 7 (NRSV)
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.