Do YOU think witchcraft should be made illegal?

[setitstraight]

Yes, I do believe that such things as witchcraft should be made illegal.

Then why not make all religion illegal…save the debate over whose right and whose wrong. I could debate forever on this one…but in a nutshell…

1. If you can make witchcraft illegal, then ’ they ’ could just as easily make Christianity or Judaism illegal.
2. It would never withstand a constitutional challenge.

 

[Syele]

Placing curses and the like on someone should be considered assalt. Other than that…

You can’t outlaw someone’s beliefs, if you try you will just make the persecuted into heros/martyrs and the beliefs people hold deeper (but perhaps quieter.)

 

[Kristopher]

As Christians, do you feel witchcraft should be made a punishable crime again? … I don’t think it should be, 'cos if it was, I would have been jailed A LONG time ago.

You must be speaking about Christianity in the US, and witchcraft once having been illegal; made legal in the 70’s, or 80’s.

This is and has been a Protestant nation ever since the beginning; though, not without significant influences from Catholics in Maryland, etc.

What I understand about other religions with respect to Catholicism is this: God wants people to come to Him by their own choice as opposed to being coerced, forced, by such things as brute force, legislation, etc.

Making witchcraft illegal would make only a portion of religions likely to be practiced, right? What choice is there in this?

God said, go and baptise all nations: he never denied us the opportunity to make use of our own freewill, and intelligence on the matter.

This being essentially a yes or no question, with some room for thought: I will not go into questioning you about your practice of witchcraft, but I would like to do so at some point. May I contact you sometime through private messages?

 

[setitstraight]

Placing curses and the like on someone should be considered assalt.

You can’t be serious? A special Spell Prosecutor? A Spell Detective? The F.B.O.S, the Federal Bureau of Spells.

 

[jmcrae]

As Christians, do you feel witchcraft should be made a punishable crime again?

No - I don’t care what they do - I think everyone needs to be free to relate to God or their deity of choice in the way that makes the most sense to them.

A lot of witches end up Catholic because they figure out through personal experience that we need real priests and real Sacraments. God uses the false religion (and all false religions contain some element of truth, merely twisted or distorted) to teach them about the true religion.

Obviously I would expect Witches to respect my religion, too, and that they should refrain from any action that would desecrate our church or insult our beliefs, as well as any actions that could harm others.

 

[setitstraight]

God uses the false religion (and all false religions contain some element of truth, merely twisted or distorted) to teach them about the true religion.

That’s a pretty tough statement to prove.

 

[setitstraight]

As a general rule, no. However, if it can be proven, according to our modern legal standard, “beyond a reasonable doubt” that a person’s witchcraft has injured someone else, then an appropriate punishment should be applied.

Ok, then couldn’t anyone be slapped with a law suit from any deranged person who insists that you’ve prayed for their ill will or you’ve cast a spell on them.

So, your suggesting that it would be up to you to prove that your not a witch or a warlock in court?

If so, lets roll back the clock 200 years and all move to Salem.

 

[Le_Cracquere]

As Christians, do you feel witchcraft should be made a punishable crime again? Standpoints from other religions appreciated to.
For the record, I don’t think it should be, 'cos if it was, I would have been jailed A LONG time ago.

Of course it shouldn’t be illegal. Public nose-picking shouldn’t be illegal, either. But practitioners of either lifestyle will quickly find that “not illegal” needn’t translate into “sought out and respected.”

 

[CatholicNick]

To answer the thread - Yes, I do think it should be made illegal - Its false, Satanic and only serves to damage people’s Souls.

 

[setitstraight]

To answer the thread - Yes, I do think it should be made illegal - Its false, Satanic and only serves to damage people’s Souls.

So couldn’t the same thing be said about certain types of music, art and literature? Should we outlaw books that are written about the Devil? If someone wants to damage their soul worshiping the Devil, try to convert them, but don’t expect the government to create legislation to prosecute them.

If someone wants to worship the Devil in the privacy of his own home or church, it is not up to the State to prevent him from doing so.

Should the State create a special Thought Police to make sure that people aren’t having evil religious thoughts?

What punishment would you like to place upon Satanists? Would you stick them in Jail until they renounce their belief and cry out for the Lord?

What would you do if a person refused to stop worshiping the Devil? Would you send them away to a Gulag, to be banished forever?

Would the State create a list of religions that are legal and list of religions that are illegal?

Freedom of Religion is a fundamental freedom, one that should not be treated so flippantly. Realize that by outlawing a religion that you disagree with, you could end up having your own faith outlawed by someone who disagrees with your belief system.

If a Religion does not fall outside of our standard legal system and is entered freely and willingly by the participants…then that religion has just as much right to be practiced as Christianity…in a free, open and democratic society.

 

[Other_Eric]

Are you suggesting that it be made illegal because you don’t believe it’s a real belief or a belief that fits into your moral sphere?

I am suggesting it be made illegal because it is a false doctrine that has no systematic morality, will destabilize society and lead its adherents to eternal death.

 

[setitstraight]

I am suggesting it be made illegal because it is a false doctrine that has no systematic morality, will destabilize society and lead its adherents to eternal death.

There is no evidence that it will destabilize society and therefor this issue is of no concern to the State.

It is legal now and society is not being destabilized by the handful of people who follow it.

The State has no business approving or rejecting which religion it deems moral, so long as its practice does not contravene the current legal system.

I also don’t think the State is in the business of saving souls and certainly, I can’t see how passing legislation banning witchcraft would save anyone.

Prostitution is illegal and people still use them…why would witchcraft be any different?

What do you propose the Criminal Justice System should do when presented with a person accused of practicing witchcraft?

Freedom of Religion is a fundamental freedom, one that should not be treated so flippantly. Realize that by outlawing a religion that you disagree with, you could end up having your own faith outlawed by someone who disagrees with your belief system.

 

[cheese_sdc]

As Christians, do you feel witchcraft should be made a punishable crime again?

Nope. Knock yourself out.

 

[Other_Eric]

There is no evidence that it will destabilize society and therefor this issue is of no concern to the State.

It is legal now and society is not being destabilized by the handful of people who follow it.

The State has no business approving or rejecting which religion it deems moral, so long as its practice does not contravene the current legal system.

I also don’t think the State is in the business of saving souls and certainly, I can’t see how passing legislation banning witchcraft would save anyone.

Prostitution is illegal and people still use them…why would witchcraft be any different?

What do you propose the Criminal Justice System should do when presented with a person accused of practicing witchcraft?

Freedom of Religion is a fundamental freedom, one that should not be treated so flippantly. Realize that by outlawing a religion that you disagree with, you could end up having your own faith outlawed by someone who disagrees with your belief system.

In the first place, I do not think that outlawing witchcraft or Wicca does anything to inhibit freedom of religion. They have no systematic theology, no universally accepted sacred texts, no standardized rituals and no morality beyond one’s own personal intuition. This is no religion. It is a philosophy of hedonism with a spiritual veneer. Were it to be practiced by a number any greater than the psychologically frail twenty-somethings it tends to attract, the result would be anarchy. It contributes absolutely nothing to society save for discord. I would have no problem resigning it to the dustbin of history.

As I said before, I tend to think this “freedom of religion” absolutism is moral relativism. In actuality, what you are arguing for is not freedom, but license. Light a flame under a cauldron in your own back yard and dance naked around it chanting to whatever tree spirit happens to be de rigueur at the moment but don’t suppose there won’t be any consequences for it. Like the Johns who are regularly picked up for soliciting prostitutes, these sorts of individuals should expect to be dealt with effectively by the law.

 

[pagan_soul]

Guess you’d have to define witchcraft.

Setting up an alter, lighting a few candles and mumbling words to a god is called religious ceremony. So no.

Using various techniques to influence human behaviour in ourselves and others is normal, especially in marketing and politics. So no.

Thinking that you can enforce your will on another human being through the use of some ‘power’ or ‘magic’ or ritualized technique…I don’t believe thats more then wishful thinking. So again, no.

Defrauding someone out of money by making them believe you can change their fate or luck is against the law, So yes, in that case.

 

[Other_Eric]

Guess you’d have to define witchcraft.

Setting up an alter, lighting a few candles and mumbling words to a god is called religious ceremony. So no.

Using various techniques to influence human behaviour in ourselves and others is normal, especially in marketing and politics. So no.

Thinking that you can enforce your will on another human being through the use of some ‘power’ or ‘magic’ or ritualized technique…I don’t believe thats more then wishful thinking. So again, no.

Defrauding someone out of money by making them believe you can change their fate or luck is against the law, So yes, in that case.

I think this post wonderfully illustrates the moral relativism I was talking about. To reduce religious ceremonies to their mere outward manifestations and then imply equivalence is deeply hostile to those of us who have real faith. Posts like these demonstrate why witchcraft and the like ought to be rendered illegal. It’s reduced otherwise intelligent men and women into cynical fools.

 

[mommyof4]

Nope. Only should be in trouble if they harm (or try to harm someone).

 

[rtconstant]

Only if they show a direct correlation to the TV show “Charmed”.

 

[eleonardo]

:nope:

 

[setitstraight]

I think this post wonderfully illustrates the moral relativism I was talking about. To reduce religious ceremonies to their mere outward manifestations and then imply equivalence is deeply hostile to those of us who have real faith. Posts like these demonstrate why witchcraft and the like ought to be rendered illegal. It’s reduced otherwise intelligent men and women into cynical fools.

I challenge you to answer these three simple questions:

1. What punishment / rehabilitation do you propose for those found guilty of practicing witchcraft.
2. What does the State do with a person who refuses to renounce their Faith in witchcraft and continues to practice it?
3. Would one be guilty of an offense if they were found to have practiced witchcraft alone in their home?