{"id":90875,"date":"2021-03-12T22:10:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-13T03:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keriritenour.com\/grace\/wicca\/"},"modified":"2023-10-06T22:17:57","modified_gmt":"2023-10-07T02:17:57","slug":"wicca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/keriritenour.com\/grace\/wicca\/","title":{"rendered":"Wicca"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says, \u201cThere shall not be found among you any one that maketh his\nson or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an\nobserver of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. &nbsp;<strong><sup>11<\/sup><\/strong>Or a\ncharmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.\n&nbsp;<strong><sup>12<\/sup><\/strong>For all that do these things are an abomination unto\nthe LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them\nout from before thee.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">According to David Barrett of Encyclopedia Britannica, there are 19 major religious groupings in the world which are subdivided into a total of approximately 10,000 distinct religions. Of the latter, there were 270 religions and para-religions which had over a half million adherents in the year 2000.&nbsp;&nbsp; Probably the one area where religions differ the most is over the nature of deity. Perhaps the next greatest range of belief is about the fate of people after death: whether there is simple annihilation, reincarnation or some form of energy-less existence.&nbsp; There is also a great range of beliefs and practices among different religions over other beliefs ranging from conduct in this world to reward in the next and interplay (or lack thereof) between the two.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Wicca is a neo-pagan religion that has been growing in popularity and acceptance in the United States and Europe. There are many websites and books claiming to teach \u201creal\u201d Wicca, but the truth is, there is no consensus amongst Wiccans as to what the religion is all about. The reason for this is that Wicca, as it is practiced now, is only about 50 years old. Wicca is a belief system that Briton Gerald Gardner cobbled together in the 1940\u2019s and 1950\u2019s from a variety of religious traditions and beliefs as well as Freemason rituals. Given its eclectic nature, it lacks a firm orthodoxy or accepted standards of belief.&nbsp; Since Gardner published several books espousing his system of worship, many offshoots and variations of Wicca have sprung up.&nbsp; However, we are able to determine the essence and nature of Wicca from documented practices and individual belief statements.&nbsp; As an inclusive religion, is Wicca as harmless as proponents claim? &nbsp;To determine the Biblical answer, we look to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><li>Historical Context:&nbsp; Moses wrote the Book of Deuteronomy, which is\nin fact a collection of his sermons to Israel\njust before they crossed the Jordan.\n\u201cThese are the words which Moses spoke\u201d (1:1).&nbsp;\nThese sermons were given during the 40-day period prior to Israel\u2019s\nentering the Promised Land. The first sermon was delivered on the 1st day of\nthe 11th month (1:3), and the Israelites crossed the Jordan 70 days later, on the 10th\nday of the 1st month (Joshua 4:19). Subtract 30 days of mourning after Moses\u2019\ndeath (Deuteronomy 34:8), and we\u2019re left with 40 days. The year was 1410\nB.C.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A new generation of Israelites\nwas about to enter the Promised Land. This multitude had not experienced the\nmiracle at the Red Sea or heard the law given\nat Sinai, and they were about to enter a new land with many dangers and\ntemptations including the practice of pagan religion. The book of Deuteronomy\nwas given to remind them of God\u2019s law and God\u2019s power.&nbsp; It is\ninteresting to note that the key verse in Deuteronomy is 4:2 \u2013 \u201cDo not\nadd to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of\nthe LORD your God that I give you.\u201d&nbsp; The Israelites are commanded to\nremember four things: God\u2019s faithfulness, God\u2019s holiness, God\u2019s blessings, and\nGod\u2019s warnings.&nbsp; The book of Deuteronomy\nunderscores the importance of God\u2019s Word as a vital part of our lives,\nspecifically addressing all 4 key points. As a result, a conviction\ndemonstrated throughout the Word of God is: simple obedience brings its own blessing,\nwhile sin has its own consequences, underscoring the necessity of hiding God\u2019s\nWord in our hearts that we might not sin against Him (Psalm 119:11).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><li>Grammatical Usage: \u201c<strong>Pass<\/strong>\u201d in the Hebrew is \u201cabar\u201d meaning \u201cforce, compel\u201d; \u201c<strong>Divination<\/strong>\u201d in the Hebrew is \u201cqesem,\u201d\nliterally meaning, \u201cto cut, decide\u201d and is used in the Hebrew as a catch-all\nterm relating to witchcraft, sorcery, fortune-telling, omen, lot, oracle and\nother spirit-related decision making processes; \u201c<strong>observer<\/strong>\u201d is \u201canan\u201d with the verb appearing only 11 times related\nto astrology, hepatoscopy (divination by inspecting the liver of animals), tea\nleaf and palm readers; \u201c<strong>enchanter<\/strong>\u201d\nis \u201cnahash\u201d in the Hebrew and is related to foretelling with an implied\nemphasis upon snake charming; \u201c<strong>witch<\/strong>\u201d\nis from the Hebrew \u201ckashshep\u201d referring to \u201c a group of sorcerer advisors,\npossibly female\u201d; \u201c<strong>charmer<\/strong>\u201d is\n\u201chabar,\u201d singularly used in our text to cite, \u201ccasting a spell or tying up a\nperson by magic\u201d; \u201c<strong>consulter<\/strong>\u201d is \u201cshaawa\u201d\nreferring to \u201crequesting, asking\u201d; \u201c<strong>wizard<\/strong>\u201d\nis \u201cmasculine sorcerer advisor\u201d; \u201c<strong>necromancer<\/strong>\u201d\nis \u201cmawet\u201d referring to the personification of death, \u201cthe realm of the dead\u201d\nor calling up the dead (s\u00e9ance);&nbsp;\nfinally, \u201c<strong>abomination<\/strong>\u201d is\n\u201ctoeba\u201d in the Hebrew meaning \u201ca thing of horror\u201d.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><li>Literal Application: Let no one be found\namong you who sacrifices, forcing his son or daughter in the fire, who\npractices evil consultation or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in\nwitchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults\nthe dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and\nbecause of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those\nnations before you.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><li>Contextual\nInterpretation: In the world of the Bible, exorcists (dream interpreters) and\nmagicians were advisors to Kings and Queens,\nthus the shapers of ancient society.&nbsp; In\nfact, magicians were prevalent.&nbsp; There\nwas no distinction between what we now classify as spiritualists and medical physicians,\nboth often utilizing the same potion ingredients and verbal rites.&nbsp; Western preoccupation with empirical science\nhas masked much of the magic of antiquity from the contemporary reader.&nbsp; In truth, for the inhabitants of the Biblical\nworld most confrontations between good and evil were simply manifestations of a\nlarger spiritual reality which was the domain of \u201cmagic\u201d.&nbsp; Magic in antiquity encompassed many aspects,\nincluding protection against evil spirits and other magic (spells, curses,\nbroken oaths, animosities &amp; jealousies), understanding and manipulating the\nhierarchies of angels and demons, exorcism, curing the spiritual causes of\nphysical disease, controlling nature (weather, crops, host of heaven) as well\nas divination and oracles.&nbsp; Magic,\nessentially an attempt to co-opt, control or gain insight from spirits, was\nconsidered an essential means to navigating life and all its challenges.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size has-medium-font-size\">While common in the\npagan realm, Hebrews were expressly forbidden such practices.&nbsp; Despite the warnings, Hebrews were guilty of\ndalliances.&nbsp; For example, 2 Kings 16:3\nrecords that King Ahaz scarified his son.&nbsp;\nKing Manasseh, his grandson, sacrificed his sons (2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chr.\n33:6).&nbsp; Witchcraft, or divination was a\nmeans for extracting information or guidance from a pagan god and included\nBalaam, a professional prophet, who was hired to curse Israel (Num.\n22:7; 23:23; Josh. 13:22).&nbsp; The list of\noffenses continues throughout the Biblical record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><li>Scriptural Comparison: Wicca is basically a\nreligion purporting that is about minding one\u2019s own business and living\npeaceably with neighbors and the environment. Wiccans are eager to draw\nparallels between themselves and biblical Christianity for the sake of earning\ncredibility, but what does the Bible have to say about this religion? You won\u2019t\nfind the word \u201cwicca\u201d in the Bible, so let\u2019s evaluate six core beliefs in light\nof what God says about them.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>1<\/strong>) In keeping with its eclectic nature, some Wiccans are\npolytheistic, worshipping more than one deity, while others worship only a \u201cgod\u201d\nor \u201cgoddess.\u201d Still other Wiccans worship nature, calling it Gaea, after the\nGreek earth goddess. Some Wiccans pick and choose parts of Christian doctrine\nto embrace, while others totally reject Christianity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Scripture is very specific as to identity of\nthe true God.&nbsp; Exodus 3:15 clearly\nstates: \u201cGod also said to Moses, &#8220;Say to the Israelites, &#8216;The LORD, the God of your fathers\u2014the God\nof Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob\u2014has sent me to you.&#8217; This is My name forever, the name by which I am to be\nremembered from generation to generation.\u201d&nbsp;\nThis statement precludes any other definition or identity of the true\nGod.&nbsp; To believe in any other god (spiritually\nspeaking) or form of god (materially speaking, i.e., nature, idol, etc.,) is\nconsidered blasphemy <strong>as it results in\nthe denial of the essence and primacy of the true God<\/strong>.&nbsp; Blasphemy in the OT is translated from\n\u201cnaqab\u201d in Lev. 24:11 meaning \u201cto utter a curse against\u201d while in another use\nis \u201cgadap\u201d meaning to revile (Nu. 15:30; 2 Ki 19:6, 22; Ps 44:16; Isa 37:6, 23;\nEze 20:27).&nbsp; But the word that is closest\nto the meaning of the NT term and captures the fullest sense of the Biblical\nconcept is \u201cn asah\u201d which means \u201cto spurn or treat with contempt.\u201d&nbsp; In short, from OT to NT to blaspheme is to\nspeak of God with contempt (question His power, authority, jest regarding,\nverbally abuse His name) or to act in ways (ignore, deny, redefine) that show\none views God as irrelevant to the issues of life.&nbsp; At the core is a failure to recognize <em>the<\/em> God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>2<\/strong>) One point of\nunanimity is that most practitioners of Wicca believe in reincarnation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Wicca postulates false hope. Hebrews 9:27\nsays, \u201c\u2026Man is destined to die once, after that, to face judgment.\u201d God says we\nget one chance at life, and that is it. There are no repeats.&nbsp; If we don\u2019t accept God\u2019s gift of Jesus in our\nlifetime, He judges us as unwilling to be in His presence, and we are sent to\nhell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The concept of reincarnation is completely without foundation in the Bible.\u00a0 The Bible never mentions people having a second chance at physical life or coming back as different people or animals. Jesus told the criminal on the cross, &#8220;Today you will be with me in paradise&#8221; (Luke 23:43), not &#8220;You will have another chance to live a life on this earth.&#8221; Matthew 25:46 specifically tells us that believers go on to eternal life while unbelievers go onto eternal punishment. Reincarnation has been a popular belief for thousands of years, but it has never been accepted by Christians or followers of Judaism because it is contradictory to Scripture.<br> The one passage that some point to as evidence for reincarnation is Matthew 17:10-12 which links John the Baptist with Elijah. However, the passage does not say that John the Baptist was Elijah reincarnated but that he would have fulfilled the prophecy of Elijah&#8217;s coming if the people had believed his words and thereby believed in Jesus as the Messiah (Matthew 17:12). The people specifically asked John the Baptist if he was Elijah, and he said, &#8220;No, I am not&#8221; (John 1:21).<br> Belief in reincarnation is an ancient phenomenon and is a central tenet within the majority of Indian religious traditions, such as Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Many modern pagans, including Wiccans, also believe in reincarnation as do some New Age movements, along with followers of spiritism. For the Christian, however, there can be no doubt: reincarnation is unbiblical and must be rejected as false.<br> <strong>3<\/strong>) Generally Wiccans will vehemently deny that Satan is part of their pantheon, citing major doctrinal differences between themselves and Satanists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Although he has persuaded many people that he doesn&#8217;t even exist, Satan very definitely is a real, personal being, the fountainhead of all unbelief and of every kind of moral and spiritual evil in the world. He is called by various names in the Bible, including Satan (meaning, \u201cadversary\u201d\u2014Job 1:6; Romans 16:20; etc.), the devil (i.e., \u201cslanderer\u201d\u2014Matthew 4:1; 1 Peter 5:8; etc.), Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12), the serpent (2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 12:9; etc.), and many others.<br> <br> Jesus also told us of some of the characteristics of Satan. Christ said he was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him, and that when he speaks he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).\u00a0 To the Christian, the existence of Satan as a real person is proved by the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ recognized him as such. He referred to him frequently by name (e.g., Luke 10:18; Matthew 4:10; etc.) and indeed called him \u201cthe prince of this world\u201d (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).<br> <br> The Apostle Paul called him the \u201cgod of this world\u201d (2 Corinthians 4:4) and the \u201cprince of the power of the air\u201d (Ephesians 2:2). The Apostle John said, \u201cThe whole world is under the control of the evil one\u201d (1 John 5:19) and that he is the one \u201cthat leads the whole world astray\u201d (Revelation 12:9). These could hardly be the descriptions of a force or a mere personification of evil \u2013 much less a reality to be ignored or denied (an attempt also made in point. 4 below). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It\u2019s hard to imagine a being who was as close to God as Lucifer (Satan) coming to believe that he could even do battle with God, much less defeat Him. Even the most depraved mind should be able to see that the creature cannot possibly contend with the Creator. And yet Satan attempted to dethrone God and strives to this day to defy His authority, thwart His plans and harass His people while deceiving as many as possible.<br><br> Perhaps part of the explanation is that pride has blinded Satan to reality as well as those who, too, deny God\u2019s authority. Two Old Testament passages (Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:11-19) furnish a picture of Satan&#8217;s original position and the reasons for his loss of that position. They tell of an exalted angelic being, one of God&#8217;s creatures, who became too proud and ambitious. He determined to take the throne of God for himself. But God removed him from his position of great dignity and honor. As a result of his original status and authority, Satan had great power and dignity. So great is his strength that Michael the archangel viewed him as a foe too powerful to oppose (Jude 9). <br> Satan&#8217;s influence in worldly affairs is also clearly revealed (John 12:31). Satan is also extremely intelligent. Through his intelligence he deceived Adam and Eve and took over their rule of the world for himself (Genesis 1:26; 3:1-7; 2 Corinthians 11:3). His cleverness enables him to carry out his deceptive work almost at will, although his power is subject to God&#8217;s restrictions (Job 1:12; Luke 4:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8). But he does have certain victories\u2014although within the boundaries God has set for him\u2014and perhaps these victories allow him to continue the illusion that he can have victory over God Himself. <br><br> The reins of God on his activities are illustrated by Satan&#8217;s request to God for permission to afflict Job (Job 1:7-12). Satan is permitted to afflict God&#8217;s people (Luke 13:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; Hebrews 2:14), but he is never permitted to win an ultimate victory over them (John 14:30-31; 16:33). A part of Satan&#8217;s continuing ambition to replace God is his passionate yearning to have others worship him (Matthew 4:8-9; Revelation 13:4,12). Satan is &#8220;the wicked one\u201d (Matthew 13:19,38), while God is &#8220;the Holy One\u201d (Isaiah 1:4). <br> Satan&#8217;s nature is malicious. His efforts in opposing God, His people, and His truth are tireless (Job 1:7; 2:2; Matthew 13:28). He is always opposed to man&#8217;s best interests (1 Chronicles 21:1; Zechariah 3:1-2). Through his role in introducing sin into the human family (Genesis 3), Satan has gained the power of death\u2014a power which Christ has broken through His crucifixion and resurrection (Hebrews 2:14-15). He tempted Christ directly, trying to lead Him into compromise by promising Him worldly authority and power (Luke 4:5-8).  <br><br> Along with his work of tempting mankind, Satan also delights in deception (1 Timothy 3:6-7; 2 Timothy 2:26). His lying nature stands in bold contrast to the truth for which Christ stands (John 8:32, 44). The great falsehood which he uses so frequently is that good can be attained by doing wrong. This lie is apparent in practically all his temptations (Genesis 3:4-5). As the great deceiver, Satan is an expert at falsifying truth (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). <br><br> He brings disorder into the physical world by afflicting human beings (Job 1-2; 2 Corinthians 12:7; Hebrews 2:14). Sometimes God allows him to afflict His people for purposes of correction (1 Timothy 1:20). Not to worry, Satan is destined to fail in his continuing rebellion against God. His final defeat is predicted in the New Testament (Luke 10:18; John 12:31; Revelation 12:9; 20:10). <br><br> The death of Christ on the cross is the basis for Satan&#8217;s final defeat (Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 Peter 3:18, 22). This event was the grand climax to a sinless life during which Jesus triumphed over the enemy repeatedly (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Here again, Satan probably rejoiced in the death of Christ, believing this to be a victory for him, but like all his victories, this one, too, was short-lived. When Jesus rose from the grave, Satan was once again defeated.<br> <br> The final victory will come when Jesus returns and Satan is cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:1-15). Strength for a Christian&#8217;s victory over sin has also been provided through the death of Christ. We have assurance that &#8220;the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet\u201d (Romans 16:20). But such personal victory depends on God\u2019s grace and power in our lives and our will to offer resistance to Satan&#8217;s temptations (Ephesians 4:25-27; 1 Peter 5:8-9). To help Christians win this battle against Satan, God has provided the power of Christ&#8217;s blood (Revelation 12:11), the continuing prayer of Christ in heaven for believers (Hebrews 7:25), the leading of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16), and various weapons for spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:13-18).<br> <br> Some people have trouble admitting the existence of such an enemy as Satan, others like Wiccans categorically deny his existence. But his presence and activity do explain the problems of evil and suffering. The Bible makes it plain that Satan exists and that his main work is to oppose the rule of God in the affairs of man. Many wonder why God would allow Satan, this great embodiment of evil, to exist in His creation. No completely satisfying answer to this question has been found. Perhaps He allows it to show that evil and wrongdoing do not provide the key to the ultimate meaning of life which man so desperately desires. Or perhaps He allows it to spiritually build a Christian\u2019s wisdom and knowledge drawing him or her closer to God and away from Satan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A rational given by Wiccans as to why they do not believe in a personal entity called \u201cSatan\u201d or the Devil is that this being is simply something that the Christian Church has invented in order to control people with fear. However, well before the birth of the Christian Church, the Jews also believed in the existence of Satan. He first appears in the form of a serpent in the book of Genesis. Another Jewish source where Satan is seen as a personal being is in the book of Job. In its opening chapters, there is dialogue occurring between Satan and God, implying, of course, that both are personal beings.\u00a0 <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>4<\/strong>) Wiccans generally\npromote moral relativity, disdaining labels like \u201cgood\u201d and \u201cevil\u201d and \u201cright\u201d\nor \u201cwrong.\u201d Wicca has one law or rule, called the Rede: \u201cDo what ye will, harm\nye none.\u201d At first blush, the Rede seems like complete, uninhibited personal\nlicense. You can do whatever you want, as long as no one gets hurt; however,\nWiccans are quick to point out the ripple effect of one\u2019s actions can carry\nfar-reaching consequences. They articulate this principle in the Three-fold\nLaw, which says: &#8220;All good that a person does to another returns\nthree-fold in this life; harm is also returned three-fold.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Moral relativism is more easily understood in\ncomparison to moral absolutism. Absolutism claims that morality relies on\nuniversal principles (natural law, conscience). Christian absolutists believe\nthat God is the ultimate source of our common morality, and that it is,\ntherefore, as unchanging as He is. Moral relativism asserts that morality is\nnot based on any absolute standard. Rather, ethical \u201ctruths\u201d, actions and\nreactions depend on variables such as the situation, culture, one&#8217;s feelings,\netc., which is consistent with Wiccan thought.&nbsp;\nRelativists may argue that different values among different cultures show\nthat morals are relative to different people. But this argument confuses the\nactions of individuals (what they do) with absolute standards (whether they\nshould do it) which is the catch-22 for Wiccans.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The main argument relativists appeal to is\nthat of tolerance. They claim that telling someone their morality is wrong is\nintolerant, and relativism tolerates all views. But this is misleading. First\nof all, evil should never be tolerated. Should we tolerate a rapist&#8217;s view that\nwomen are objects of gratification to be abused? Second, it is self-defeating\nbecause relativists do not tolerate intolerance or absolutism. Third,\nrelativism cannot explain why anyone should be tolerant in the first place. The\nvery fact that we should tolerate people (even when we disagree) is based on\nthe absolute moral rule that we should always treat people fairly\u2014but that is\nabsolutism again! In fact, without universal moral principles there can be no\ngoodness.&nbsp; Hence the realty of the pervasiveness\nof Jesus\u2019 words in Luke 4:4: \u201cAnd Jesus answered him, saying, It is written,\nThat man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God,\u201d and Proverbs\n14:6: \u201cThere is a way which seemeth right unto a man,\nbut the end thereof are the ways of death.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>5<\/strong>) One major factor\nthat contributes to the abiding fascination with Wicca is the purported use of\nspells and Magick (a deliberate misspelling intended to separate Wiccans from\nmagicians and illusionists). Curiosity seekers, as well as spiritual neophytes,\nare most eager to delve into these mysteries. Not all Wiccans practice\nwitchcraft, but those that do claim Magick is to them what prayer is to a\nChristian. The difference between the two is that Wiccans claim magick is\nsimply using their minds to control matter, or they are appealing to their\nfavorite deity to do them a favor, while Christians call upon an omnipotent,\nomnipresent God to heal people and to intervene and work in their lives.\nBecause the Rede disallows witches from hurting others and the Three-fold Law\nspells out the consequences for Rede-breakers, witches who practice magick\nprefer to call themselves \u201cnature witches\u201d or \u201cwhite witches\u201d to further\ndistance themselves from Satanists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Although\nmany Wiccans do steer away from applying curses, there are others who will become\ninvolved in the cursing of an enemy.&nbsp; The\ntruth, despite the denials of some of those who practice white witchcraft, is\nthat the practice of cursing one&#8217;s enemies is prevalent in the craft. For\nexample, Witchcraft author, Susan Greenwood, explains: &#8220;Witchcraft rituals\nmay be performed for healing\u2026, or, as one wiccan explained to me, they may be\nenacted for &#8216;the grey area of magic&#8217; &#8211; &#8216;hexing&#8217;, &#8216;sending&#8217; and &#8216;fetching&#8217;\nenergy for a specific purpose, or &#8216;binding'&#8221; <em>(Susan Greenwood, Magic,\nWitchcraft and the Otherworld: An Anthropology, p. 200).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The\npractice of cursing one&#8217;s enemies in Wicca, if admitted, is usually qualified\nwith the explanation that it is only ever performed on those who deserve it,\nsuch as against a violent offender, etc. However, this is a definite grey area,\nas individual Wiccans have different views on when they have been wronged and\nexactly who should be hexed. Again, Greenwood\nexplains: &#8220;The Dianic Witch, Z. Budapest in <em>The Holy Book of Women&#8217;s\nMysteries<\/em> says that if women hex rapists or others who &#8216;commit crimes of\npatriarchy&#8217;, there is no divine retribution. She gives instructions on how to\nperform a &#8216;Righteous Hex&#8217;, for &#8216;violent criminals only&#8217; and when you &#8216;know, not\njust think&#8217; that someone has harmed you&#8217; (1990). But I have heard mention of\nhexing being done between witches for more mundane reasons, over quarrels about\nmoney for example, or to gain retribution against an employer who was\nunsympathetic.&#8221; <em>(Susan Greenwood, Magic, Witchcraft and the Otherworld:\nAn Anthropology, p. 201).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Deuteronomy 18:11 is clear with respect to this Wiccan practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>6<\/strong>) Wiccans, as pagans of all persuasions,\nrevere nature. In fact, many individuals are attracted to Paganism as a direct\nresult of a connection that they feel with the world around them and the beauty\nof the world they see. This reverence for nature leads many Pagans to the\nconclusion that the world itself must be divine.&nbsp; &#8220;Our religion\nis about the sacredness of this life on this Earth, here and now. We are\n&#8216;Nature worshipers&#8217; so Nature is a sacred study for us. To paraphrase, we want\nto see Her more clearly, love Her more dearly, and follow her more nearly. Any\necological study, any bird watching, or other such activities, help us to\nunderstand Mother Gaia.&#8221; (Chas S. Clifton (ed.), <em>Modern Rites of\nPassage: Witchcraft Today, Book Two<\/em>, 1994, p. 99).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In\ntruth, the Bible speaks of the wonder of the created realm in which we live,\nbut goes on to reveal that this has been put in place so that people would go\nfurther and reach out for the Person who created it: &#8220;\u2026that which is known\nabout God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since\nthe creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and\ndivine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood by what has been made,\nso that they are without excuse.&#8221; (Romans 1:19-20).&nbsp; In short, Pagans and Wiccans look at the\nworld around them, see the work of God, but then stop short of going further\nand looking for the Creator, and instead look to the creation itself. This is\nsomewhat like commending a sculpture rather than the one who sculpted it. The\nBible also comments on this by stating the following: &#8220;\u2026they exchanged the\ntruth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the\nCreator\u2026&#8221; (Romans 1:25)\n\nConclusion: Sin\nisn\u2019t just a socially disagreeable action. Sin is our decision to disagree with\nGod on any topic\u2014to rebel against Him, rebellion equated in the OT to\nwitchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23: \u201cFor rebellion\nis as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because\nthou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee\u2026.\u201d).&nbsp; According to Deuteronomy 18, Wicca is a sinful\nlifestyle and God hates it. Why? Because it is an attempt to cut off our\ndependence on God and get answers apart from Him. Romans 3:23 says, \u201cFor all have sinned and fallen short of the\nglory of God.\u201d Romans 6:23 says, \u201cFor the wages of sin is death\u2026\u201d This isn\u2019t\nbodily death, this is spiritual death: eternal separation from God and all the\nblessings that His presence brings. Thankfully, Romans 6:23 doesn\u2019t end there.\nIt goes on to say, \u201c\u2026but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our\nLord.\u201d God knew that we would all rebel in one way or another, and he provided\na way for us to avoid that separation\u2014through faith in Jesus Christ. Wicca is\nnothing more than another lie from Satan, the enemy of our souls, who \u201cprowls\naround like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour\u201d (1 Peter 5:8).&nbsp; An aspect of Dt. 18:10-12 often lost is the\ninitial command of v. 10a, \u201cThere shall not be found among you\u2026.\u201d&nbsp; God is aware of the influence of such\npractices, especially those which do not have an outward heinous appearance but\nnonetheless poison the soul by association.&nbsp;\nDue to such an insidious, destructive influence, tolerance for this\nbehavior is not a virtue in the eyes of God.&nbsp;\nIn fact, God commands intolerance for such a worldview necessitating no\nassociation whatsoever thereby reducing if not eliminating the possibility of\ninfluence upon you, your family or your fellowship.&nbsp; To be sure, a witness is one thing but a\nsustained association, even of a casual nature, is something else.&nbsp; Dt. 18:10a is as valid today as the moment\nissued from God.\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says, \u201cThere shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. &nbsp;11Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. &nbsp;12For [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[535],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.3 - 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