religion / praying a type of witchcraft?

[Notanumber]

Well the video points out valid issues - such as languages changing with time and people having issues with understanding older texts in their fullest light, but the problem is in humans not the book itself - don't you agree? I myself am a beginner in Arabic so I can't progress with this topic much but there are enough sources you can check out.

All the best

The problem is in humans because they wrote the book.

The videos that David Wood produces are very good sources of information along with these Websites and many others that I have referenced in the past.

Dr. Bill Warner, Author - Political Islam

Islam: The Politically Incorrect Truth

 

[whirlingmerc]

According to Wikipedia, "Witchcraft broadly means the practice of, and belief in, magical skills and abilities that are able to be exercised by individuals and certain social groups."

Isn't this exactly what a prayer and beliefs in supernatural means?

depends

In Christianity it is 'Thy will be done'
In witchcraft, It is 'My will be done'

depends on who you love and glorify
yourself or God

 

[InChrist]

Let's say christian bible really works. Your objective is to cure someone's illness. You read the book, believe every single thing, speak some words, and the illness is cured. And the same if you wish to harm someone.. Isn't that considered witchcraft?

No. because witchcraft involves the idea of manipulating reality or others through one's own effort..speaking words, spells, etc. Biblical prayer is speaking to the Creator about concerns and trusting the outcome to Him... His wisdom, His power, His understanding about the situation and what is best, not one's own self interest in controlling the circumstances of life.

 

[confused453]

No. because witchcraft involves the idea of manipulating reality or others through one's own effort..speaking words, spells, etc. Biblical prayer is speaking to the Creator about concerns and trusting the outcome to Him... His wisdom, His power, His understanding about the situation and what is best, not one's own self interest in controlling the circumstances of life.

So basically if you use magic and spells to accomplish a goal, you'll be designated as a witch, and will be burned by a religious group such as bunch of Christians. But if you pray to God and get exactly the same outcome, you will be considered as a good Christian.

 

[SpiritQuest]

Prayer is a form of communication, aka communion with the Universe, which is the Totality of Existence. Jesus said not to build your house on the sand but build your house on the Rock which means you must dig down deep and pull up all the shallow roots(shallow thoughts). The source of all Being is within every-one. As Jesus said in the gospel of Thomas, "when you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father."

 

[InChrist]

So basically if you use magic and spells to accomplish a goal, you'll be designated as a witch, and will be burned by a religious group such as bunch of Christians. But if you pray to God and get exactly the same outcome, you will be considered as a good Christian.

Is that what you think?

 

[confused453]

Is that what you think?

I think that using supernatural path to accomplish a goal should be considered as a witchcraft.

 

[InChrist]

I think that using supernatural path to accomplish a goal should be considered as a witchcraft.

Why do think the God of the Bible condemns witchcraft, yet desires people to pray?

 

[confused453]

Why do think the God of the Bible condemns witchcraft, yet desires people to pray?

Maybe because he thinks that humans are not responsible enough to handle it? But weak enough to pray? I have no idea really..

 

[Quintessence]

I think that using supernatural path to accomplish a goal should be considered as a witchcraft.

Why?

What is this "supernatural" thing you are talking about?

Contemporary folks who self-identify as practicing witchcraft or Witchcraft often reject the notion of a "supernatural vs natural" dualism. Thus we end up with a situation where the people who self-identify as practitioners wouldn't be considered practitioners to you. That gets a little strange, don't you think?

 

[Nakosis]

According to Wikipedia, "Witchcraft broadly means the practice of, and belief in, magical skills and abilities that are able to be exercised by individuals and certain social groups."

Isn't this exactly what a prayer and beliefs in supernatural means?

An Wiccan once told me that magic was prayer with props.

 

[ronandcarol]

According to Wikipedia, "Witchcraft broadly means the practice of, and belief in, magical skills and abilities that are able to be exercised by individuals and certain social groups."
Isn't this exactly what a prayer and beliefs in supernatural means?

Some one told me once that everything you read on the internet is TRUE!
BUT, if I have the choice of believing either Wikipedia as truth or the Words of God as truth, I would take the Bible. And there is nothing supernatural about praying to a LIVING God. He is not a magic genie that will grant you every wish but He will fulfill your every need that will help you live a Godly life.
ronandcarol

 

[confused453]

Some one told me once that everything you read on the internet is TRUE!
BUT, if I have the choice of believing either Wikipedia as truth or the Words of God as truth, I would take the Bible. And there is nothing supernatural about praying to a LIVING God. He is not a magic genie that will grant you every wish but He will fulfill your every need that will help you live a Godly life.
ronandcarol

Wikipedia is a better Bible than the Bible, created by smarter people than the ones who created the Bible, and still being maintained. Nobody is maintaining the Bible.

 

[confused453]

Why?

What is this "supernatural" thing you are talking about?

Contemporary folks who self-identify as practicing witchcraft or Witchcraft often reject the notion of a "supernatural vs natural" dualism. Thus we end up with a situation where the people who self-identify as practitioners wouldn't be considered practitioners to you. That gets a little strange, don't you think?

Could you describe witchcraft in your own words?

 

[Quintessence]

Could you describe witchcraft in your own words?

For both witchcraft and Witchcraft, broadly speaking, it simply means the craft of the Witch. Crafts are practices, and their exact nature depends on the tradition. The practices could generally be called esoteric, occult, or mystical in nature - witchcraft to the practice of spellcraft, or magic. And like any spellcraft, the emphasis is on utilizing personal power to accomplish some goal, not relying on others to get things done. Put another way, it is the Witch that does the work. This understanding is at odds with supplicatory prayer in particular: prayer is to witchcraft as beggars are to entrepreneurs.

That, to me, is the more important point to make. Supernaturalism is a red herring in the argument.

 

[Muffled]

According to Wikipedia, "Witchcraft broadly means the practice of, and belief in, magical skills and abilities that are able to be exercised by individuals and certain social groups."

Isn't this exactly what a prayer and beliefs in supernatural means?

I believe their definition is deficient. Here is Webster's:

1. 1a : the use of sorcery or magic
2. b : communication with the devil or with a familiar

I believe prayer communicates with God and there is no magic or craft involved. All outcomes depend on God and nothing the supplicant can do will alter that.

I believe belief in the supernatural may be common to both but one may not reason that it makes them the same.

 

[Muffled]

Magic is the manipulation of energy to create change. Prayer is speaking to or with some supernatural being, usually in hopes that they will do something for you, but not always. Prayer can be involved in magic for sure, and magic can be involved in prayer, but they aren't the same thing.

I believe that it is only considered prayer if it is directed to God. Otherwise it is known a meditation.

I believe prayer should not be involved in magic but that does not prevent people from doing it.

 

[Muffled]

It's hard to believe that you actually thought out this question before posting it.

There are many kinds of prayer. Even those serving as requests are precisely that, requests rather than instructions, and belief in preternatural agency in no way implies the belief that you or I can manipulate that agency.

If you wish to denigrate religion, try harder.

I believe in witchcraft as posed by fiction one might attempt to manage a demon by saying the right incantations but I see it as starting a fire and trying to manage the fire by sticking your hands in it.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I believe in witchcraft as posed by fiction one might attempt to manage a demon by saying the right incantations ...

People entertain all manner of absurd beliefs.

 

[Muffled]

People entertain all manner of absurd beliefs.

I believe you only think it is absurd because you don't believe in it. I believe witchcraft is all about having power over people and things. So it isn't so far fetched that a person might seek power over a spirit. I suppose the questionable part would be whether an incantation could do that. I would not rule it out.