Is being Wiccan moral?

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

As long as us as Christians believe that Jesus is THE WAY and THE TRUTH - then who really cares what everyone else thinks?

Yes, He is the Way and Truth. So, we must believe that truth, especially as the verse continues:

John 14:6

14:6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

As for caring what everyone else thinks, if God's Spirit truly lives in us, we do. Take another look at those verses about being salt and light. Our purpose on earth is to do this repent of our sins and do the work of saving souls. If we truly love, we cannot bear to watch someone go to hell and we will do what we can to prevent that. But there's a greater love than that: our love for the Lord. Any false god is an affront to Him, and a challenge to His throne. Consider this: who is it that has tried to steal God's throne from the beginning? And that's what a false god is-an attempt to steal God's throne. If by trickery, then by trickery. So, if we love God, we can't stand to watch that affront, and we certainly don't affirm it and say there's nothing wrong with it, because that is treason against the highest King in the universe. Not a good thing to do.

Same with Wicca...they'll believe what they want regardless of outside opinions...same can be said for every belief. I have no problems with any belief that promotes the "do no harm" principle.

How can you not have problems with something that is an affront to God? Friend, may I say this as gently as possible: it's important to submit to the authority of Jesus Christ, especially if you're going to claim to be His follower. Again, it's the Savior and Lord principle. If you have no problems with a belief that will lead that person to eternal death, friend, this is not the Holy Spirit.

 

[Myah]

Exactly. And that's where we disagree.
Even if someone thinks doing what is right is too opressive, they should do it. That's what I think.

I was speaking of the "Harm none" rule. As in, if someone doesn't wish to believe as I do, then they should find their own path. Just as I believe that if someone does not wish to follow Christianity, Islam, Buddism, etc.. it isn't about being right or wrong. It's about finding your own spiritual base. If you find that in Christianity, good for you. If you find it in Wicca, good for you.

Christianity's precepts are what you believe are right, and I don't fault you for that. But that is what you believe. What is right for you, isn't necessarily right for me or everyone else.

So right and wrong do exist independent of our knowledge and opinion, don't they?

In my opinion, it depends a great deal on the culture in which you were raised. For example, I was raised in a Christian background. Because of this, I still hold many things I was taught as true to me. However, some one raised in a differing area, will probably have differing ideals.

If different shades of gray exist, that's because the absolutes black and white also exist.

Agreed.

Ultimately, you must make up your mind: is right and wrong a matter of personal opinion or do they exist regardless of personal opinion?

No "middle ground" exists between the two.

Agreed. You have to make up your own mind. No one else can do it for you.

 

[Myah]

How can you not have problems with something that is an affront to God?

Whitehorse, if I didn't like you so much, I'd be tempted to bonk you on the head with Thor's hammer

 

[transientlife]

<<How can you not have problems with something that is an affront to God? Friend, may I say this as gently as possible: it's important to submit to the authority of Jesus Christ, especially if you're going to claim to be His follower. Again, it's the Savior and Lord principle. If you have no problems with a belief that will lead that person to eternal death, friend, this is not the Holy Spirit.>>

I see your point, but it doesn't mean I won't pray that they find their way, but no one can force someone into a belief their heart is not into, no matter how hard you try. Like I said, it'd be great if everyone believed, but we can only do so much beyond introducing them to Jesus. Like they say, you can lead a horse to water...I've been introduced to Allah, but I'm not going to convert to Islam. I've been introduced to the Buddha, doesn't mean I'm going to become a Buddhist...It wouldn't be fair to any other religion or devoted practitioners if I was forced to believe their respective religion, because my heart is in Christianity and always will be.

and in reference to the caring part...I meant more like if you as a christian were told by a person of another religion that you were lost/believing in the wrong God/going to hell...would you care that that person thought that of your beliefs and let it effect your beliefs? I wouldn't think you would or else I'd be greatly disappointed

 

[Lifesaver]

I was speaking of the "Harm none" rule. As in, if someone doesn't wish to believe as I do, then they should find their own path. Just as I believe that if someone does not wish to follow Christianity, Islam, Buddism, etc.. it isn't about being right or wrong. It's about finding your own spiritual base. If you find that in Christianity, good for you. If you find it in Wicca, good for you.

And if I found that in killing babies as an offer to the gods? Good for me?

Christianity's precepts are what you believe are right, and I don't fault you for that. But that is what you believe. What is right for you, isn't necessarily right for me or everyone else.

Is this true for every single instance where morality is concerned?

In my opinion, it depends a great deal on the culture in which you were raised. For example, I was raised in a Christian background. Because of this, I still hold many things I was taught as true to me. However, some one raised in a differing area, will probably have differing ideals.

What do you think of someone raised in a Christian background who rejects it entirely and thinks killing others for fun is right?
What do you think of someone raised in a background that encourages killing others for fun?

Agreed. You have to make up your own mind. No one else can do it for you.

And where do you stand, if you don't mind sharing it?

 

[Myah]

And if I found that in killing babies as an offer to the gods? Good for me?

Ouch.. To be quite honest, while I personally would find that abhorrent and terrible, if it was your belief system, then it's what you do. I would definately not agree with it and because of the legal system you would have to face the consequences of those actions.
That actually isn't far-fetched..just think of the Aztec religion...

Is this true for every single instance where morality is concerned?

Yes.

What do you think of someone raised in a Christian background who rejects it entirely and thinks killing others for fun is right?

Well...first off, I wouldn't equate rejecting Christianity with the sudden desire to kill. If that person thought killing others was fun...then well..he or she would have to face the legal system and pay the penalties.

What do you think of someone raised in a background that encourages killing others for fun?

If they were raised in that background, then they wouldn't see killing as wrong. There was an instance, in the 1800's where a cannibal family was captured. The two parents had taught their children that eating human flesh was a good thing. The whole family was executed. Now, tell me, was executing the children for doing what they believed to be right and good the proper thing to do?

And where do you stand, if you don't mind sharing it?

I believe the concept of right and wrong is purely the result of your surroundings and background.


((Waits for the flames to come forth ))

 

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

Whitehorse, if I didn't like you so much, I'd be tempted to bonk you on the head with Thor's hammer

Well, that's okay-it wouldn't do much!

Besides! If I didn't like you so much, I'd...I'd...I'd...pray about it! So THARE!

 

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

posting problems...

 

[Myah]

Well, that's okay-it wouldn't do much!

Besides! If I didn't like you so much, I'd...I'd...I'd...pray about it! So THARE!

*Gasp..choke..* GAH! Not that!

 

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

*Gasp..choke..* GAH! Not that!

And then some, I tell ya!

 

[Myah]

And then some, I tell ya!

I'm going to end up bursting into flame if you're not careful

Oh..btw..you need to clean out your PMs...I tried answering and it wouldn't send

 

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

<<How can you not have problems with something that is an affront to God? Friend, may I say this as gently as possible: it's important to submit to the authority of Jesus Christ, especially if you're going to claim to be His follower. Again, it's the Savior and Lord principle. If you have no problems with a belief that will lead that person to eternal death, friend, this is not the Holy Spirit.>>

I see your point, but it doesn't mean I won't pray that they find their way, but no one can force someone into a belief their heart is not into, no matter how hard you try. Like I said, it'd be great if everyone believed, but we can only do so much beyond introducing them to Jesus. Like they say, you can lead a horse to water...I've been introduced to Allah, but I'm not going to convert to Islam. I've been introduced to the Buddha, doesn't mean I'm going to become a Buddhist...It wouldn't be fair to any other religion or devoted practitioners if I was forced to believe their respective religion, because my heart is in Christianity and always will be.

Yes. The most we can do is be what God calls us to be, and to avoid all compromise. Again, while we do want to see everyone saved, more importantly, it's God we need to worry about. We need to be right before Him and stand by His interests. As it is written:

2 Timothy 2:4

2:4No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

And if that priority is in place, then the rest will flow and we will love mankind more effectively as well.

and in reference to the caring part...I meant more like if you as a christian were told by a person of another religion that you were lost/believing in the wrong God/going to hell...would you care that that person thought that of your beliefs and let it effect your beliefs? I wouldn't think you would or else I'd be greatly disappointed

That's exactly it. It's can be tempting sometimes to want to please man and tell people what they want to hear. especially in this deceptive fad of postmodernism. But we can't-we have to love the things God loves and hate the things God hates. Not people, for we are called to love, but we hate the things that war against those people's souls.

 

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

here we go again with the posting problems. Hmmm...

 

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

I'm going to end up bursting into flame if you're not careful

Not if I can help it!

Oh..btw..you need to clean out your PMs...I tried answering and it wouldn't send

Oops! There-I fixed it.

 

[Lifesaver]

Well...first off, I wouldn't equate rejecting Christianity with the sudden desire to kill. If that person thought killing others was fun...then well..he or she would have to face the legal system and pay the penalties.

Do you think it right to impose one's moral system (usually that of the majority) on individuals who do not agree with it, given that no moral code is more correct than the next?

If they were raised in that background, then they wouldn't see killing as wrong. There was an instance, in the 1800's where a cannibal family was captured. The two parents had taught their children that eating human flesh was a good thing. The whole family was executed. Now, tell me, was executing the children for doing what they believed to be right and good the proper thing to do?

No.
Was eating human flesh right and good?

I believe the concept of right and wrong is purely the result of your surroundings and background.

So, right and wrong don't exist, do they?
It's not a matter of different shades of gray; it is denying different shades exist at all outside the beholder's mind.

 

[Rae]

How can you not have problems with something that is an affront to God?

Wicca and Paganism aren't affronts to God. Next?

 

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

Rae, if you're really interested in debating this, I'd be pleased to discuss it with you.

 

[Arikay]

Wicca may be an afront to the christian god, but probably not to god in general.

Then again, im sure god is just bitter that the goddess left him after he wouldn't stop smitting people.

 

[Rae]

I don't think any true God is offended by someone following a different path than hers/his.

 

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

I don't think any true God is offended by someone following a different path than hers/his.

By what authority are you saying this? You're saying you don't think so, but wouldn't that be making yourself the authority?

Arikay, by what authority do you make this determination?