The Occult and People Poll
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I was born into a Hindu family, well frankly my dad's side is Hindu and my mother's side is Muslim. They believe in witchcraft and voodoo and all that nonsense. For a little while, I followed Hinduism as well and even attended a Hindu School for 5 years. I am the ONLY christian in my house- the result? Constant spiritual warfare. I have absolutely no interest in the occult but I have seen the effects of it both within my family and at school - demonic possessions; suicide; abuse..you name it I've seen it. Of course I've seen Harry Potter but I've shyed away from it because personally I was uncomfortable with all the dark imagery.
Do I have interest in the occult? no. Am I affected it because of family? YES.
Do I have interest in the occult? no. Am I affected it because of family? YES.
I can understand a bit of Troubledgirl's point of view because I've known a lot of people who try to "mix" aspects of all religions and mash them together. I think one of the temptations with spiritual beliefs, even Godly ones, is the knowledge that there IS another side but our own pain, fear, insecurities, etc. pushes us to seek it out in ways that God has forbidden. We all have longings to talk to loved ones who are no longer here, and we all have questions about our future ("Will I be successful?" "Will I meet The One?") and many people are tempted to seek out answers through ungodly means.
Some people just don't know any better. A lot of people I meet now days are raised in households where "anything goes"--how many Christians still read their "horoscope" every single day? I also knew a man at one of my former churches back home who was trying to combine Buddhist meditation with his Christian faith because he felt "it was all the same."
For whatever reasons, anything having to do with the occult or evil/questionable spirits has always given me the heeber jeebers and I am super sensitive to all of it. Even ads on TV for shows like Ghosthunters freak me out and when people have told me about their encounters (drawing a face on a faceless angel and having the face turn and snarl back), I have literally shouted out in fear and panic, as if the spirit is right there. My friends TOLD me the plot of The Blair Witch Project when it came out and I had to sleep with a night light for a week, even though I'd never even seen it.
Several years ago I was in a group for a school conference in New Orleans and one of the girls took us all to a Voodoo Shop because she wanted to have her palm read. Oddly enough, I didn't feel scared or horribly uncomfortable there--I felt empathy for the woman doing the reading because I just felt like she was sincere in wanting to help people.
When I was in college, I encountered a woman who was very open about her high position within the Wiccan belief system, but the reason behind it was, to me, heartbreaking. This woman had been repeatedly raped by her grandfather beginning at the age of just 5 years old. Her family was Catholic, and when she tried to tell them, they all told her she must be doing something to entice or seduce him to make him act that way. They told her that she must be dressing and acting in such ways that her "feminine wiles" were causing this poor, surely helpless-to-such-evil-womanly-ways man to react.
And she was just a child.
She told me that the Wiccan belief system appealed to her because it empowered her as a woman, gave her rights to her own body, and gave her the strength to defend and protect herself. Christianity, as she had known it, had done just the opposite and stripped her of any right to stand up for herself at all. I was heartbroken just listening to her. She was not an evil person who was trying to cast mysterious spells on people. She was someone who had been broken, had a kind and loving heart, and was trying to find her way.
Just like all of us. And, I would suspect that if more women than men truly do have more interest in the occult, stories such as hers are probably a major reason as to why.
As Christians we so often point a finger in condemnation of such people... But really--look at how many churches cover up sex abuse and so forth in order to protect their business and reputation... Is it any wonder that broken, hurting people get involved in such things? I probably would have, too.
I think as Christians we have to realize that in our witnessing to others, the bulk of our challenge, in all too many cases, is trying to undo what other "Christians" have already done to someone.
Some people just don't know any better. A lot of people I meet now days are raised in households where "anything goes"--how many Christians still read their "horoscope" every single day? I also knew a man at one of my former churches back home who was trying to combine Buddhist meditation with his Christian faith because he felt "it was all the same."
For whatever reasons, anything having to do with the occult or evil/questionable spirits has always given me the heeber jeebers and I am super sensitive to all of it. Even ads on TV for shows like Ghosthunters freak me out and when people have told me about their encounters (drawing a face on a faceless angel and having the face turn and snarl back), I have literally shouted out in fear and panic, as if the spirit is right there. My friends TOLD me the plot of The Blair Witch Project when it came out and I had to sleep with a night light for a week, even though I'd never even seen it.
Several years ago I was in a group for a school conference in New Orleans and one of the girls took us all to a Voodoo Shop because she wanted to have her palm read. Oddly enough, I didn't feel scared or horribly uncomfortable there--I felt empathy for the woman doing the reading because I just felt like she was sincere in wanting to help people.
When I was in college, I encountered a woman who was very open about her high position within the Wiccan belief system, but the reason behind it was, to me, heartbreaking. This woman had been repeatedly raped by her grandfather beginning at the age of just 5 years old. Her family was Catholic, and when she tried to tell them, they all told her she must be doing something to entice or seduce him to make him act that way. They told her that she must be dressing and acting in such ways that her "feminine wiles" were causing this poor, surely helpless-to-such-evil-womanly-ways man to react.
And she was just a child.
She told me that the Wiccan belief system appealed to her because it empowered her as a woman, gave her rights to her own body, and gave her the strength to defend and protect herself. Christianity, as she had known it, had done just the opposite and stripped her of any right to stand up for herself at all. I was heartbroken just listening to her. She was not an evil person who was trying to cast mysterious spells on people. She was someone who had been broken, had a kind and loving heart, and was trying to find her way.
Just like all of us. And, I would suspect that if more women than men truly do have more interest in the occult, stories such as hers are probably a major reason as to why.
As Christians we so often point a finger in condemnation of such people... But really--look at how many churches cover up sex abuse and so forth in order to protect their business and reputation... Is it any wonder that broken, hurting people get involved in such things? I probably would have, too.
I think as Christians we have to realize that in our witnessing to others, the bulk of our challenge, in all too many cases, is trying to undo what other "Christians" have already done to someone.
R
I completely agree. It amazes me that children learn language by being around it, they learn to walk, they learn fine muscle control, they learn. What could we learn that we have forgotten in our fallen state, or perhaps just never knew because of it? I don't for a second believe that God made us this physical brain, by our perception the most complex thing in the universe, and only ever intended us to use 10%. Fallen biology has screwed us, and I can't wait to understand and explore what having a glorified brain looks like 
Imagine, we can figure out how to go to mars on 10%, we split the atom at 10%, we can clone and genetically alter at 10%; the things we can do at 10% are astounding, earth shattering.... now imagine 100%..... woof!
Imagine, we can figure out how to go to mars on 10%, we split the atom at 10%, we can clone and genetically alter at 10%; the things we can do at 10% are astounding, earth shattering.... now imagine 100%..... woof!
I come from a very long line of witches. About 16 generations worth, actually. I spend 12 years of my life as a witch, and my specialty was divination. I've participated in many rituals, looking into the future, visions, and the like.
A lot of what I've read in this thread is truly how things work in the occult, but a fair portion of what I've read (as to the whys and hows) of witchcraft is just flat out wrong. Some of what y'all are talking about is based on movies, books, or assumptions. Whether you're comfortable with the notion witchcraft, rituals, divination, spells or whatever, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. And it certainly doesn't mean there aren't practitioners out there who you like or even love. There are levels to witchcraft, and most of what y'all have spoken about is very surface.
A lot of what I've read in this thread is truly how things work in the occult, but a fair portion of what I've read (as to the whys and hows) of witchcraft is just flat out wrong. Some of what y'all are talking about is based on movies, books, or assumptions. Whether you're comfortable with the notion witchcraft, rituals, divination, spells or whatever, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. And it certainly doesn't mean there aren't practitioners out there who you like or even love. There are levels to witchcraft, and most of what y'all have spoken about is very surface.
King Saul used a witch diviner to contact the prophet Samuel. Pretty sure it's in 1st Kings.
(Yes, I could look it up, but I go back to work on Saturday, so I'm in full-on lazy mode today. Biiiiiiiiiida! )
(Yes, I could look it up, but I go back to work on Saturday, so I'm in full-on lazy mode today. Biiiiiiiiiida!
)
Yes, the witch of Endor. But Christians have a problem with believing in some things. Honestly, most people have no clue what the occult and witchcraft actually is.
There is a place about an hour from me called Lillydale, you may have heard of it, it's pretty much a town full of spiritualist and psychics. There is this beautiful outdoor worship or whatever area in the woods, years ago I went to a wedding there. It wasn't a spiritualist wedding, it was just like a justice of the peace type wedding. I've also just walked around there, mostly because it's a neat little place but also curiosity.
I was interested in the occult without being in the least aware of it. I thought it was seeing how God worked in the world. We were commercial fishermen for about seven years, living mostly on the ocean. It made me so aware of how the moon and seasons affected the sea, so I looked into astrology. The idea of Psychic thought projection fascinated me so it dipped into the occult side of that. I had no idea that I was not giving God the power for my life but accepting other powers that weren't of God.