Dangers of the Occult, New Age, and Paganism

[Zoness]

What tradition? How long did you practice? Solitary? Pantheon? Can you tell us about your former Wiccan beliefs (just so I can compare with my own path)?

This user cannot, mostly likely because that's a phrase every Christian uses when they make claims about the occult that they want people to believe.

 

[awitch]

This user cannot, mostly likely because that's a phrase every Christian uses when they make claims about the occult that they want people to believe.

I figured but I wanted to see how deep of a hole she would dig.

You see, Ave, the regulars here have already seen many times, the proselytizer's claim that they were formerly a Pagan of some sort but then either refuse to answer any questions about it or if they do, they can't even get Paganism 101 right. Another lesson for all Christians following along: the only seed you're planting when caught in a lie or exaggeration like that is one of distrust.

 

[LoAmmi]

I figured but I wanted to see how deep of a hole she would dig.

You see, Ave, the regulars here have already seen many times, the proselytizer's claim that they were formerly a Pagan of some sort but then either refuse to answer any questions about it or if they do, they can't even get Paganism 101 right. Another lesson for all Christians following along: the only seed you're planting when caught in a lie or exaggeration like that is one of distrust.

It could also be code for "that goth phase I went through in high school".

 

[Zoness]

It could also be code for "that goth phase I went through in high school".

Which to clarify for the thread; doesn't even remotely equate to the same thing so that hardly builds that users credentials to us actual Pagans.

 

[Rationalt]

Don't worry.Jesus will slay all of those lawless fellows.

 

[Rationalt]

I always have issues with people who feel the need to condemn other peoples beliefs or religions.

What if your belief system entail condemning them ?.

 

[GeminiMoon]

Imagine the uproar if we went to OBOB and said the exact same thing......

It really bugs me that some Christians think it's their god given right to slander other faiths because they believe theirs is the only true one.

Ave, I was a Catholic, I am now a Solitary Eclectic Pagan. I actually have my own reasoning as to why I left Catholicism and I have no bitterness towards my former religion as I believe all religions hold some truths.

Kindly take yourself and your bitter, narrow minded, authoritarian views back to OBOB.

May the Goddess Hecate bless you forever more....

(Now, time to sacrifice that goat in my yard)

 

[Zoness]

For the record I was Catholic for 14 years myself. My, how things change.

 

[GeminiMoon]

For the record I was Catholic for 14 years myself. My, how things change.

Haha, i'll say 18 years since I was raised in it from Birth

 

[Zoness]

Haha, i'll say 18 years since I was raised in it from Birth

I had about a 5 year adventure in Baptist/Pentecostal Protestantism before my eyes were opened. A friend of mine who practiced Kemetic Orthodoxy was the first person to open my eyes after years of spiritual longing had left me desiring much more than a church could offer. Now I identify as Gardnerian Wiccan though I wear an Agnostic icon on site, I feel that also vaguely identifies me.

 

[Illuminaughty]

What if your belief system entail condemning them ?.

Then it might be time to find a new belief system or to creatively reinterpret your current belief system so that it no longer requires it.

 

[r21c]

There are many dangers involved when a person practices the Occult, New Age, or Pagan religions. These religions are not true religions and those who practice them do not worship the true God. Instead, they worship Satan although they may not realize that is what they are doing. All Occult, New Age, and Pagan religions are to be outright condemned! Practicing these religions can lead to demonic possession, obsession, and other problems with the demonic realm.

But you don't have to be a member of one of these religions to put yourself in danger. People have encountered demonic problems simply by playing with a Ouija board which they thought was harmless. Some people think Seances are harmless as well but they most definitely are not.

If you are involved in any of these things or have been in the past, I would urge you to repent of your sins. If you are Catholic, go to Confession. If you're non-Catholic, become Catholic. If you have experienced demonic issues or other paranormal issues, contact a good orthodox Catholic priest. They can help you.

I want everyone to know that God is merciful. If you have practiced these things in the past or do so now and want to repent, God will forgive you if you sincerely repent for having offended Him. He loves you more than anything and does not want you to dabble in these demonic religions any longer. Please, come home to Christ and His Church.

I think this is going down the road of extremism. Here in my own country the law states anyone can believe in what they want, so long as they don't harm others.

Do these different or alternative religions mean anything if we were all on the Moon in Astronaut suits at Tranquility base or Touris Litro... with 1/6th of the Earth's gravity. I honestly cannot believe how these faiths can mean anything beyond the planet we live on

 

[Gardenia]

Do these different or alternative religions mean anything if we were all on the Moon in Astronaut suits at Tranquility base or Touris Litro... with 1/6th of the Earth's gravity. I honestly cannot believe how these faiths can mean anything beyond the planet we live on

I think it's pretty important to keep in mind that paganism is an umbrella term which covers a ton of different traditions, with all sorts of beliefs, so the answer to this could vary greatly from pagan to pagan... As a whole, paganism tends to be rather flexible, there are very few that take a "this is all written in stone" and "this is the one single truth" sorts of approaches.

So, personally, if I'm suddenly living on the moon? That's not going to be a big deal to a lot of my core beliefs... belief in deity, afterlife beliefs, honoring of ancestors/those who came before, honoring natural cycles - none of that, to me, seems really limited to earth. Now, some of the context surrounding that may change, which is not a big deal to me - goes back to that flexibility.

Honestly, don't even have to go to the moon to see that. To give one example, I spent a few years living across the country, and a lot of my holidays and their symbolism shifted around a bit because the seasons were a lot different than where I had been living. The core ideas, why I was celebrating, the symbolism in what I was celebrating, those were all the same... just the context of how/when/etc became a little different. For many pagans it's the same, the core ideas can be adapted to what's going on locally. Others may not even need that, because there are also pagan traditions which could be seen as fairly 'universal' as they are.

Not sure how well I'm explaining that, but hopefully it makes some sense... and like I said, it can also differ from pagan to pagan, as well.

 

[awitch]

Do these different or alternative religions mean anything if we were all on the Moon in Astronaut suits at Tranquility base or Touris Litro... with 1/6th of the Earth's gravity. I honestly cannot believe how these faiths can mean anything beyond the planet we live on

The laws of nature still apply on other planets, so of course they mean something. I don't see any reason why they wouldn't apply throughout the universe, or multiverse, if you prefer. I think we just happen to concentrate on the cycles closest to our lives.

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

I suspect that any serious and non-hysterical discussion of this topic could be interpreted as "promotion" by the mods, but anyway...

There are many dangers involved when a person practices the Occult, New Age, or Pagan religions.

Care to enumerate them? What *are* these dangers, in your opinion? Judging by the rest of your post, this "danger" seems to boil down to: "They are not Christianianity, and therefore Satanic."

These religions are not true religions and those who practice them do not worship the true God.

I know that Christianity is an exclusivist religion that insists on its status as the One True Religion, but still... going by your "logic", the same would apply to basically any religion that is not Christianity. So why single out occultism, New Age spirituality, and paganism?

Instead, they worship Satan although they may not realize that is what they are doing.

See above. Given these beliefs of yours, the same applies to anybody who does not worship your god. Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Daoists, Parsi, Siberian shamen, Shintoists, traditional Native Americans: Satan worshippers, the lot of them!

All Occult, New Age, and Pagan religions are to be outright condemned! Practicing these religions can lead to demonic possession, obsession, and other problems with the demonic realm.

Look, I respect your beliefs, but this is just silly.
(Although yes, there *are* practices that can imperil your mental health, and careless dabbling can cause some serious harm. But so can driving a car without proper training.)

But you don't have to be a member of one of these religions to put yourself in danger. People have encountered demonic problems simply by playing with a Ouija board which they thought was harmless. Some people think Seances are harmless as well but they most definitely are not.

You *do* know how a Ouija board actually works, don't you? It's a parlour trick and has got nothing to do with the supernatural, let alone "demons".

If you are Catholic, go to Confession. If you're non-Catholic, become Catholic.

That is the weakest sales pitch I have ever heard.

 

[Rationalt]

Then it might be time to find a new belief system or to creatively reinterpret your current belief system so that it no longer requires it.

Would you tell that to me if am a Muslim ?.Just a rhetorical question.

 

[Rationalt]

So why single out occultism, New Age spirituality, and paganism?

That Buggers me.Obviously Islam is bigger and vicious and hence bettter be left alone.

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

That Buggers me.Obviously Islam is bigger and vicious and hence bettter be left alone.

Don't you mean: that BUGS you? "To bugger" means something else, at least in British English.

Oh, and stop being such a one-note character! Look here, I'm not a big fan of Islam, either. In fact, everything I dislike about Christianity is even MORE pronounced in Islam, and it's also pretty clear to me that Mohammed was a fraud. But I can talk and write about other things as well - and so can you.

Honestly, you DO remind me of a guy living in the early 20th century (prior to the Holocaust), always talking about how the Jews would take over the world and bring us all to ruin with their evil ways.

 

[awitch]

Oh, and stop being such a one-note character!... But I can talk and write about other things as well - and so can you."

Yeah, and besides, we're all possessed by demons, remember? That makes us totally more scary than Muslims hiding under your bed.

 

[Rationalt]

Don't you mean: that BUGS you? "To bugger" means something else, at least in British English.

I am ok with Bugger .

Oh, and stop being such a one-note character!

Believe me it really Bugs me to be such a one note fellow in this forum.