Witchcraft 101

Hidden In Him said:

Because if you don't believe the enemies of Christ and mankind are real, you are in spiritual terms essentially a sitting duck.

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Is it not written in St. John's first epistle,

"greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."? (1 John 4:4)

And has not St. Paul also said,

"for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."? (2 Timothy 1:7)

And if, therefore, as the Apostle says elsewhere, that we are "more than conquerors through Him who loves us" and continuing saying, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39) Why then should we fear that which has been defeated and has no power over us?

Has not Christ Himself crushed the skull of that old snake? Has He not crushed the gates of hell beneath His feet? Has He not liberated the captives? Has He not rose from the dead?

"Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling down death by death,
And to those in the tombs,
Bestowing life."


-CryptoLutheran

ViaCrucis said:

Is it not written in St. John's first epistle,

"greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."? (1 John 4:4)

And has not St. Paul also said,

"for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."? (2 Timothy 1:7)

And if, therefore, as the Apostle says elsewhere, that we are "more than conquerors through Him who loves us" and continuing saying, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39) Why then should we fear that which has been defeated and has no power over us?

Has not Christ Himself crushed the skull of that old snake? Has He not crushed the gates of hell beneath His feet? Has He not liberated the captives? Has He not rose from the dead?

"Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling down death by death,
And to those in the tombs,
Bestowing life."

-CryptoLutheran

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My friend, by these verses and quotes you think Satan and his demons are now buried in Hell somewhere?

Hidden In Him said:

LoL!!! You guys are incredible!! You are saying demons have no influence in the behavior of men? I can't believe you hold this position as if you are doing so with a straight face.

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A Mighty Fortress is Our God
A hymn by Martin Luther

"A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God's truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever."

We sing here that phrase, "one little word shall fell him".

What is that little word Luther speaks of? Luther himself tells us,

"For all such books written against me, even if there were as many as thousands of them written every day and every hour, are very easily refuted with the single word, 'Devil, you lie,' just as that haughty beggar Dr. Luther sings so proudly and boldly in those words of his hymn, 'One little word shall fell him.'"

"Liar" that is the little word.

Call him "liar" and he stops, he has nothing.

His quiver becomes empty.
His fiery arrows are nothing.

Stop praising that mangy toothless coward. The devil deserves no such praise or honor.

He's a liar.
He's done.

-CryptoLutheran

Hidden In Him said:

My friend, by these verses and quotes you think Satan and his demons are now buried in Hell somewhere?

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Crushed, defeated, robbed, empty.

Christ has won.

Why should I believe the devil's lies that he is strong, when he is a weak, damned coward?

-CryptoLutheran

ViaCrucis said:

His quiver becomes empty.
His fiery arrows are nothing.

Stop praising that mangy toothless coward. The devil deserves no such praise or honor.

He's a liar.
He's done.

-CryptoLutheran

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ViaCrucis said:

Crushed, defeated, robbed, empty.

Christ has won.

Why should I believe the devil's lies that he is strong, when he is a weak, damned coward?

-CryptoLutheran

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I can't believe this thread, LoL. Crypto, if the Devil is done and his quiver is empty, why is so much evil still going on on this earth. Too much caffeine or something?

I'd be aghast that they thought Cosmo was actual tasteful reading material. And I'd encourage them to not read online magazines and give them books that I think they would enjoy instead. I'd like to think at the point of the teen years and young adult yrs a child of mine would be able to read anything even if they disagree with the material and not be swayed by it or be able to discern their own reading material. By that age, I don't think I'd be censoring their reading material.

As for Cosmo having such articles......it's a secular magazine. It doesn't surprise me. I don't think I need to call for them to censor it, if you don't like it don't read it or buy it.

Hidden In Him said:

I can't believe this thread, LoL. Crypto, if the Devil is done and his quiver is empty, why is so much evil still going on on this earth. Too much caffeine or something?

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Read your Bible.

-CryptoLutheran

Hidden In Him said:

Good heavens, LoL. Who said anything about "the Devil made me do it" argument? You sound like you are going through standard arguments you use whenever this subject matter comes up, even if they aren't relevant to the present discussion.

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Remember, it was you who replied to my comment before you say, "I dont mean to offend.....I dont have time for this"

It seems that you are the one who is offended when others do not experience the fear you try to initiate with your words.

"I dont mean to offend", but there are some who know that God for them is more than the world against them and that they are more than conquerors.

If the devil still have such an high place in your thoughts and mind, why take some time to consider the words of the those who have overcome? Maybe try considering that you are the sitting duck, and not the ones you will not succumb to your desire to put the power of demons and devils above the power of God?

ViaCrucis said:

Read your Bible.

-CryptoLutheran

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Ok. That sounds like the best advice you've given me all day, LoL.

Hidden In Him said:

Because if you don't believe the enemies of Christ and mankind are real, you are in spiritual terms essentially a sitting duck.

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Tell me, with your in depth knowledge of satanism... Is it important to them, that all the followers of satan believe in Christ and the power of God? Are they mocked and shamed, if they say they dont believe in God? Or is it only Christians that, in your opinion, should reverence and respect the power of their enemy or be "sitting ducks?"

RaymondG said:

Remember, it was you who replied to my comment before you say, "I dont mean to offend.....I dont have time for this"

It seems that you are the one who is offended when others do not experience the fear you try to initiate with your words.

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Offended? I'm ok, trust me. When I'm posting smilies and LoLs all over the place, it generally means I'm finding something entertaining, and the biggest danger is me offending everyone else because I'm having a tough time taking the conversation seriously. So I don't mean to offend by doing so.

About the "don't have time for this," my actual statement was that I needed to log off, because I needed to fix something to eat. But I took care of it.

RaymondG said:

"I dont mean to offend", but there are some who know that God for them is more that the world against them and that they are more than conquerors.

If the devil still have such an high place in your thoughts and mind, why take some time to consider the words of the those who have overcome? Maybe try considering that you are the sitting duck, and not the ones you will not succumb to your desire to put the power of demons and devils above the power of God?

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Ok, I think we are resorting to intellectual dishonesty at this point. I can't account for comments like I have a "desire to put the power of demons and devils above the power of God" any other way.

RaymondG said:

Tell me, with your in depth knowledge of satanism... Is it important to them, that all the followers of satan believe in Christ and the power of God? Are they mocked and shamed, if they say they dont believe in God?

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You think Satanists don't believe in God? You're kidding. Maybe some lower ranking novices that call themselves Satanists do, yes. But the real ones very much believe in Him.

As a Christian, you do believe that Satan exists, yes?

Hidden In Him said:

You think Satanists don't believe in God? You're kidding. Maybe some lower ranking novices that call themselves Satanists do, yes. But the real ones very much believe in Him.

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Ok.......do you think they tell these novices that they are lame ducks out to be snatched up by Christ if they dont start believing in him and watching out for his tactics? Do you believe that they tell the novices that it would be a mistake if they chose not to believe in Christ? Is it as important for them to believe in Christ and it is to you, for us to believe in the power of demons?

Hidden In Him said:

As a Christian, you do believe that Satan exists, yes?

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Are you talking about Peter?....or the accuser?".....Do you have a name to give me, or are you asking if I believe there are people or a single entity who holds the title "The Satan?"

RaymondG said:

Ok.......do you think the tell these novices that they are lame duck out to be snatched up by Christ if they dont start believing in him and watching out for his tactics? Do you believe that tell the novices that it would be a mistake if they chose not to believe in Christ? Is it as important for them to believe in Christ and it is to you, for us to believe in the power of demons?

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How about if we put it this way: I think it is not only just as important for each side that they know their enemy is real as for two armies in the physical world to know they are, and MORE so.

RaymondG said:

Are you talking about Peter?....or the accuser?".....Do you have a name to give me, or are you asking if I believe there are people or a single entity who holds the title "The Satan?"

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A single entity, Raymond.

Hidden In Him said:

As a Christian, you do believe that Satan exists, yes?

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As a Christian, no I do not. Nor do I believe in demons or in witchcraft or in magick however you wish to spell it. Certainly, there are misguided people who do believe in and/or try to practice those things. A spell being cast or an incantation is nothing more than a ritualized form of prayer and has about the same efficacy.

Hidden In Him said:

Offended? I'm ok, trust me. When I'm posting smilies and LoLs all over the place, it generally means I'm finding something entertaining, and the biggest danger is me offending everyone else because I'm having a thought time taking the conversation seriously. So I don't mean to offend by doing so.

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Actually I figured you were getting offended because of the multitude of "I dont mean to offend" statements that you were writing. In my experience, people who do not get offended easily, assume that others will not as well.....

Hidden In Him said:

I'm having a thought time taking the conversation seriously.

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Be careful, when you choose to "capitalize" on the grammatical errors of others, that you are extra careful not to make them yourself.

Thanks be to God that we can be forgiven and past mistakes erased........with the edit button.

Hidden In Him said:

Ok, I think we are resorting to intellectual dishonesty at this point. I can't account for comments like I have a "desire to put the power of demons and devils above the power of God" any other way.

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It is understandable that you would have no answer for this. It was meant more rhetorically for the "reader"

JackRT said:

As a Christian, no I do not. Nor do I believe in demons or in witchcraft or in magick however you wish to spell it. Certainly, there are misguided people who do believe in and/or try to practice those things. A spell being cast or an incantation is nothing more than a ritualized form of prayer and has about the same efficacy.

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Without being denigrating, I can see why your avatar looks like it does, JackRT. I would think not believing in the power of prayer would be a very depressing way to go through life.

I wish you the best.
Sincerely,
- H

RaymondG said:

Actually I figured you were getting offended because of the multitude of "I dont mean to offend" statements that you were writing. In my experience, people who do not get offended easily, assume that others will not as well.....

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Hey! This is a good point! I will admit that I can get offended yes. But I'm not atm. Just astounded.

RaymondG said:

Be careful, when you choose to "capitalize" on the grammatical errors of others, that you are extra careful not to make them yourself.

Thanks be to God that we can be forgiven and past mistakes erased........with the edit button.

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Yes, and no problems, LoL. I laugh at myself just as often. I have a thread at another forum that's dedicated exclusively to typos ; )

RaymondG said:

It is understandable that you would have no answer for this. It was meant more rhetorically for the "reader"

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Glad to hear it.

Hidden In Him said:

Without being denigrating, I can see why your avatar looks like it does, JackRT. I would think not believing in the power of prayer would be a very depressing way to go through life.

I wish you the best.
Sincerely,
- H

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My avatar is actually a photo of a gargoyle on a college building at Oxford University. I think that he is aghast at the strange things that people believe. I sincerely wish you the best as well.

Hidden In Him said:

Who said anything about "scare tactics"? Raymond, no offense, but I don't have a lot of time for frivolous debate, and there's a lot of it going around these days.

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@RaymondG.

Ah. I did say I didn't have time for it. I think that was before I realized so many here were not big believers in the enemy playing a part in human affairs anymore. My apologies. I did say that.