Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.
Looks like most people have give adequate answers already and the OP has most likely left.
But others may be reading this thread who may have a similar outlook or question.
I think it's important, not only to know the commands of Christ, as outlined in scripture (which directly and unambiguously forbid pagan practices, such as wicca, witchcraft, fortune telling, etc), but knowing "why" is important.
None of God's commands are arbitrary, but have purpose.
To the uninitiated, these things seem like arbitrary limitations, because they have no knowledge of the "Christian/Biblical paradigm".
To pagans and other religious groups, many believe it permissible to mix and match faith, religion, mysticism, etc, and this was common in the ancient world too, you had many polytheists and so on.
However, from a Christian point of view, there are only "two sources of power" in the universe, God, or Satan.
Anything that is "magical", "spiritual", or provides some kind of "immaterial power", or "supernaturalism" either has to be divine, or... not divine. The divine power, being from God through means of his Holy Spirit (that in itself being another topic, as there are different views of just what the "spirit" is, but I digress), whilst the alternative would be getting power from the Devil (or the demons who work with him).
There is no "middle ground" or "neutral source of power" in the scriptural view. It's either coming from a holy source, or from elsewhere. If God has not authorised it, or granted it, then the power is coming from somewhere Satanic.
This is why these practices are forbidden scripturally, because it's not just "calling upon some power" that's in the universe, but rather, it is attaching one's self to evil forces. When we are in Christ, God's spirit is within us, and it "seals us" in the promised salvation, but we can "grieve it" with unholy conduct.
If we practice things which are Satanic in nature (again, this is the Christian paradigm), then we are having that "evil power" or spirit come upon us and within us, and that invokes death and destruction. And is it something which God finds foul. His Spirit and the spirit of evil cannot coincide.
As scripture says "you cannot sit at the table of the Lord and the table of Demons".
It is both a matter of God's sovereignty, as well as a matter of real spiritual forces in conflict of one another.
It may seem very "black and white", but the Bible's view of supernatural/spiritual forces in itself, is a black and white paradigm. Therefore, one cannot be Christian, whilst calling upon the powers of what Christian scripture would define by nature as the powers of Satan.
Does that mean even the most relatively clean media like "Peanuts" (the series) is of Satan?
I’m sorry miss,but the answer is a strict no.Paganism is completely opposite to that of Christianity.As a matter of fact they’re so unbelievably different and incompatible that they cannot be combined.
Hi everyone, I am J and I am new to the forum.
I've decided to make an account and join this community because I have questions that need answers and am hoping to share my story as well as my woes here in confidence without fear of judgement in hopes that the people on this message board would be able to help me find my path, or maybe be able to relate and offer a hand of support?
To begin, I'd like to say that in recent months I've had a resolution of sorts. My entire life I was primarily non-religious, but as of August of this year I had a change of heart. I decided for the first time ever I wanted to give religion a fair chance and ever since converting from a non-religious lifestyle to a newly found religious lifestyle, I can honestly say that my life and perspectives have changed for the better!
There's one issue though...I'm confused and distressed over my religious identity.
I'd like to say that I am Christian, but Paganism (specifically Wicca) interests me far too much to simply be Christian. I'd like to incorporate both Christian and Wiccan traditions, rites, sacraments, beliefs, etc into one and have that (although I am not completely sure what "that" is) be my religious identity.
Christian-Pagan? Christian Witch? Pagan with Christian Interests? I'm not sure.
When trying to express these thoughts and interests to other Christians, I've been scorned, turned away from, and discriminated against. I've been told that what I'm interested in is "ungodly" and "the devil", and I feel like I'll never be accepted by other Christians.
Is it possible to be both? Does anyone else have this issue? Is anyone else a Christian-Pagan?
I’m sorry miss,but the answer is a strict no.Paganism is completely opposite to that of Christianity.As a matter of fact they’re so unbelievably different and incompatible that they cannot be combined.
Christians are strictly told to never have idols.Idolatary is very serious,it’s twice condemned in the 10 commandments,and breaking just one of the Ten Commandments makes you guilty of them all,so if you break the two condemning idolatry,your breaking all the commandments twice once.God actually hates idols.He resents idols and becomes very jealous when people he loves turn to worthless objects(Isaiah 45:20,Jonah 2:8,Revelation 9:20,Galatians 5 19-21,psalm 135:15-18,Isaiah 44:9-20).Paganism is a religion that practically revolves around idols and practices condemned by the Lord.Paganism centers around multiple Gods,worshipping nature,human sacrifices,flamboyant lust,witchcraft,etc.
Paganism is evil,and God states in John14:6 “I am the way,the truth,and the life,no one comes unto the father but through me” Jesus is the ONLY way to eternal life,not empty,powerless,carvings of gold or wood.
God had his fair share of destroying Idols that corrupted the Israelites,such as Dagon and Baal,one he especially hates is Baal.But if you want a clear example of how evil paganism is,watch the movie “The wicker man” from 1974.
You either choose Jesus,count the cost,repent of your sins and receive and place your faith in Jesus.Or you continue worshipping powerless objects that ultimatly cannot save you.
It doesn’t matter how wise paganism sounds. Paganism is apart from God and anything absent of God shouldn’t be in a Christian’s life.God says that the “wisdom of the world is foolishness to God” (1 Corinthians 3:19) Paganism is a dark evil false gospel.Every other religion of the world apart of Jesus and Christianity is false and of demons,wether it be Buddhism,Shintoism,Paganism,Zoroastrianism,Jainism,or Hinduism,they all are of demons and are false,leading millions astray down the path to destruction.Pagans killed Christian’s.They are barbaric idolaters that still are idolaters.You can’t choose paganism,that’s a truth I cannot stress enough friend.You can’t be a Christian and Buddhist,a Christian and a Muslim,a Christian and a Hindu,a Christian and a Sikh,etc.Jesus is the only way,there is no other name under heaven that can save(Acts 4:12).Now, I know that Paganism is no Christianity and I am not saying that Christ is not the only way to salvation.
I remember hearing "Paganism is the exact opposite of Christianity" and I am a little skeptical of the claim that it is the exact opposite. Yes, it had it's very dark side like you were describing, but there is also another side which principles and beliefs I wouldn't say are really evil and can be pretty noble. The Ancient Greeks and Roman civilizations at their peak natively adhered to Pagan religion, and they have the legacy of being one of the most advanced of mankind during the time. Even certain practices in Christianity arguably had legacy roots in Pagan culture.
All the above said however, I agree that it doesn't make sense to be Christian and Pagan at the same time like the OP has described.
I think you need to choose one or the other. But the Christian choice has many options within it that may appeal to you more. I suggest you look at Catholic and Orthodox options that are both more physical and at the same time contain aspects of ritual and mysticism. Maybe those Catholic or Orthodox options will work for you. Check them out.Is it possible to be both? Does anyone else have this issue? Is anyone else a Christian-Pagan?
Christian-Pagan? Christian Witch? Pagan with Christian Interests? I'm not sure.
When trying to express these thoughts and interests to other Christians, I've been scorned, turned away from, and discriminated against. I've been told that what I'm interested in is "ungodly" and "the devil", and I feel like I'll never be accepted by other Christians.
Is it possible to be both? Does anyone else have this issue? Is anyone else a Christian-Pagan?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?