Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
Well, one wouldn't know its contents without picking up the book. Would you pick it up to see (if interest wasn't a factor here)?
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Would an abrahamic believer pick up a book with "witchcraft" as its title?
- Thread starter Unveiled Artist
- Start date
Well, one wouldn't know its contents without picking up the book. Would you pick it up to see (if interest wasn't a factor here)?
Samantha Rinne
Resident Genderfluid Writer/Artist
Dude, you're making Middle Age assumptions about Abrahamic believers. Sure, the person from my father's generation or especially my grandfather's generation would cringe at the sight of this. But my generation grew up where Tolkien (who we later found out was a fairly devout Christian) had Gandalf using magic, and tales of Merlin and the like in the same breath as a sort of glorious kingdom of Camelot. The average Christian today watches Charmed and sees stories about ethical witches.
A more common reaction wound be to pick it up, leaf through it, conclude witchcraft to be superstitious, and instead read about meditation and faith healing and reiki.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
Why should it not make sense? Christian pastors and priests have long indulged in the world hyst enough to slander it (such as Zeppelin, Judas Priest, or the Beatles). As for the one with the Satanic Bible, she desired to have that knowledge about what it really is rather than be wrong about it.... That makes sense ... { Sarcastic }
dybmh
ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים
Yeah... maybe, sarcastic wasn't the right word...
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I had to go back and re-read my question and comment. I did have one christian friend who took a stick to shove the Quiji Board toy away from her. I guess she thought that by touching it demons or so have you will pop out.
I don't know where you're from but we have a lot of "middle age" mindsets over here and online. If there "is" a punishment for disobeying god's law, that's not up-to-date thinking. People got killed for doing and believing things that's contrary to god's law. We're not so far removed from that (though, some may be in denial or think they aren't a result of their history) But of course it depends on the area. I'm up north part the tip of the heart of christianity in the US; so, I kinda get a gist here and there. Believe me. People are more superstitious than we (and who is we?) think.
dybmh
ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים
If I may, I hope other readers will not judge this behavior in a negative manner?
Some people are sensitive... it could be to gluten, it could be to bullying, it could be to occult practices and their source texts...
To keep it in perceptive, I like to imagine the aversion like it is an allergy. Example: Your Christian friend with the stick is concerned that they are allergic in some way to the Ouija board. And while it sounds ridiculous to many, is it really for any of us to judge whether or not your friend will or will not be negatively effected by touching a Ouija board?
However, I do have question for you @Unveiled Artist:
After your friend used the stick to push away the Ouija board; did they start trying to convince you to avoid touching the Ouija board as well? Were scare tactics employed? Peer Pressure? Power of Suggestion? If the answer is yes to any of these, then I think that your friend's aversion to a Ouija board shifted from simple concerns about their own "spiritual inflammation" and became something which is immoral and potentially harmful for themselves, you, or others. This is because under theright conditions, the aversion can be the beginning of "epidemic hysteria" if your friend is able to exert their influence successfully on too many other people.
Mass psychogenic illness - Wikipedia
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Yes. I read, watch, listen to, etc. whatever I please. It doesn't have to be something I agree with. I'm not that fragile.
firedragon
Veteran Member
If an atheist can pick up a bible, i say "why not".
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I wouldn't say atheist have a problem with it, but what about abrahamic believers?
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I know of a few adults if the subject where brought up they'd have that mindset as if to "save the world" from satan's influence. My friend and I were 12 at the time. She must have gotten it from her family. Her father was abusive.
Mother had a couple witchcraft books, the Ouija board, of course, rings she had been given, and things like that. I guess now that she's gotten older, she gets more involvement without external harmless objects.
Last time I talked with my friend she had children. I honestly don't know if her abusive life had to do with religion or not, though.
Alea iacta est
Pretend that I wrote something cool.
I would. I like to collect books about many different topics. I don't necessarily agree with the books but I still want to understand it.
firedragon
Veteran Member
What i meant is brother, for the same reason an atheist would pick up a bible or a quran, an "abrahamic believer" also may pick up a book of magic or witchcraft.
For academic purposes. We dont have statistics to prove who does more, but what i am saying is that they may.
The academic inclination and broadminded, scientific mind of theists have ups and downs through ages. So does everyone elses.
dianaiad
Well-Known Member
Because it's a fun and entertaining read?
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
Well, I can see that. I was more assuming religious beliefs prevent one from "picking up" a book one feels is contrary to their faith. Academic and interest reasons, as with any other book, of course would be included but in this case, not.
I do think atheist have more of a chance of picking up the bible (suttas, whatever) than a abrahamic (any) would a book that says witchcraft though.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
Hmm. In theory, yes. In actuality, no one knows what's in the book. Some christians thought of satan automatically. When you mentioned Harry Potter, that made me chuckle. I read the first two books but never did the third cause they kept getting bigger and bigger (at the time). I don't know how many are out now. I kind of liked it when he was just a kid.
McBell
Unbound
No need to imagine it.
Post #31
dianaiad
Well-Known Member
Well, part of the problem (and remember that I AM an English teacher and a literature major) is that the overriding arc of the series is messianic....kinda like the Matrix series is. So it hauled me in.
So did the Lord of the Rings, for the same reason...thinly disguised, and very Christian, dang close to being allegories.
Too true. Sometimes I forget the bell curve.
That would depend on whether the book was promoting witchcraft or warning about it. Having the word in the title wouldn’t mean much.
The Bible speaks about spiritistic practices and identifies who is behind them. If they were harmless, God would not call them an ‘abomination’.....that is a bit more than something he merely dislikes. (Deuteronomy 18:9-12)
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
Well, in this case it's just about the title. I know christians dislike witchcraft in the content and context; that's a given. Not really a big issue. I was curious whether these beliefs would pop up from the word itself.
To tell you honestly, I don't know what witchcraft is. Everything we do and believe is part of the natural world whether it's external or internal (beliefs included). So, when someone says "I am closing my eyes, praying, while soaking salt in a glass with the symbol of the cross to satan that this person will have a happy ending" what does that really mean?
Like the word witchcraft, how do you derive any biblical fact from this if not solely based on content at face value?