Witchcraft, wizardry, demons

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NextElement

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Sorry if this is in the wrong forum:

Today in class we were studying the Salem Witch Trials from Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600’s. Long story short, several women were convicted as witches and executed. My first reaction was, “Woah, those people are crazy.” But as I started thinking about it, I was wondering the “official” Catholic view on things like witchcraft and sorcery. Are they legitimate issues? Is it possible that the devil uses humans to hurt others, or that others can make pacts with the Devil?

Or is this all stuff from fairy tales?
 
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2117 All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another’s credulity.
 
NextElement said:
Sorry if this is in the wrong forum:

Today in class we were studying the Salem Witch Trials from Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600’s. Long story short, several women were convicted as witches and executed. My first reaction was, “Woah, those people are crazy.” But as I started thinking about it, I was wondering the “official” Catholic view on things like witchcraft and sorcery. Are they legitimate issues? Is it possible that the devil uses humans to hurt others, or that others can make pacts with the Devil?

Or is this all stuff from fairy tales?
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Yes, it is true and very real. Read Ephesians 6:10-20. St Paul talks about the reality of our fight as Christians.

Remember, too, that Jesus is already victorious, so we can turn to Him and with great confidence say “Jesus I trust in You”.

While the truth is that there is the reality of the above in the world, dwelling and seeking out such knowledge for the sake of it, or curiosity, only does what Satan wants - to glorify himself. In reality, he is subject to the lowest of the Holy Angels (see the writings of St Thomas Aquinas) and we are better off seeking after Him Who gives us life and Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

The great saint Saint Anthony who was well renown for being a giant in the practice of spiritual warfare one day had his eyes open to the reality of the warfare going on about him (in the lonely desert if I recall correctly) and he begged the Lord to close his eyes again it was so terrifying.

Yet he never wavered in his trust in the Lord and was ever victorious - having completely trusted in Jesus. It is well worth reading his story, not only for the holiness of his life which inspired me, but also for the practical advice he gave in living the spiritual life and the truth about the deceptions of the evil one.

Hope this helps
B.
 
Yes, witches can and do hurt people and the devil is no one’s friend. It isn’t mythology or fairy tales although both are used to hide what that stuff is really all about - hurting people and destroying your relationship with God.

If they are teaching stuff in school, study what you have to to get the grade you need. No one says you have to agree with it or accept it though. That would be a temptation so don’t imagine sin where there is none.

The best way to derail the devil in your life is to make use of the Sacramentals Holy Water Relics, Blessed Salt, etc,. And get accurate authentic information about things such as that. The best job the devil ever did was to convince mankind he wasn’t real. Same is true for witches. They are the devils instruments and don’t ever believe there is anything like “good” or “white” magic.

Let us know what happens.

Glenda
 
Most of the “witches” were really just political opponents of the high-ranking Puritans.
 
There is no devil in the Craft. “Satan worship” is a Christian invention.

Witches, those of Neo-Pagan traditions do not cause harm to others…that too is a Christian invention.

I am amazed at the “superstitious” nonsense so many Christians embrace.
 
Publisher said:
There is no devil in the Craft. “Satan worship” is a Christian invention.

Witches, those of Neo-Pagan traditions do not cause harm to others…that too is a Christian invention.

I am amazed at the “superstitious” nonsense so many Christians embrace.
Click to expand...
 
Publisher said:
There is no devil in the Craft. “Satan worship” is a Christian invention.

Witches, those of Neo-Pagan traditions do not cause harm to others…that too is a Christian invention.

I am amazed at the “superstitious” nonsense so many Christians embrace.
Click to expand...
The concern isn’t so much “harm to others” as it is that when you open your soul up to any form of ‘magic’ other than the grace of God, you put your soul in peril of possession, among other things. There are two types of spiritual beings other than God: angels and demons. If you aren’t calling on angels or God, consider who you are calling upon/who would be answering your requests during any form of witchcraft. Same for if you are seeking powers God has not granted us.
 
NextElement said:
Sorry if this is in the wrong forum:

Today in class we were studying the Salem Witch Trials from Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600’s. Long story short, several women were convicted as witches and executed. My first reaction was, “Woah, those people are crazy.” But as I started thinking about it, I was wondering the “official” Catholic view on things like witchcraft and sorcery. Are they legitimate issues? Is it possible that the devil uses humans to hurt others, or that others can make pacts with the Devil?

Or is this all stuff from fairy tales?
Click to expand...
Catholics reject all forms of the occult.
However in the case of the Puritans what they called
witchcraft was at times Catholicism. There is good
historical evidence that the Puritans were in fact obsessed
with witch hunts due to their own ant Catholic bigotry.
So while the Church does condemn witchcraft we
can’t always let other groups define a witch.
Here is an interesting article about the Catholic
who so frightened the Puritans into witch hunts.
unamsanctamcatholicam.com/component/content/article/79-history/279-anti-catholicism-in-the-salem-witch-trials.html
 
glendab said:
Yes, witches can and do hurt people and the devil is no one’s friend. It isn’t mythology or fairy tales although both are used to hide what that stuff is really all about - hurting people and destroying your relationship with God.

If they are teaching stuff in school, study what you have to to get the grade you need. No one says you have to agree with it or accept it though. That would be a temptation so don’t imagine sin where there is none.

The best way to derail the devil in your life is to make use of the Sacramentals Holy Water Relics, Blessed Salt, etc,. And get accurate authentic information about things such as that. The best job the devil ever did was to convince mankind he wasn’t real. Same is true for witches. They are the devils instruments and don’t ever believe there is anything like “good” or “white” magic.

Let us know what happens.

Glenda
Click to expand...
Have you met witches (I’m sure you haven’t) or are you regurgitating Satanic Panic here?
And how do you, oh Glenda, read the hearts of witches?
 
marywarfield said:
Catholics reject all forms of the occult.
However in the case of the Puritans what they called
witchcraft was at times Catholicism. There is good
historical evidence that the Puritans were in fact obsessed
with witch hunts due to their own ant Catholic bigotry.
So while the Church does condemn witchcraft we
can’t always let other groups define a witch.
Here is an interesting article about the Catholic
who so frightened the Puritans into witch hunts.
unamsanctamcatholicam.com/component/content/article/79-history/279-anti-catholicism-in-the-salem-witch-trials.html
Click to expand...
To be fair to the puritans your Mass is the spitting image of ritualistic magic.
 
Publisher said:
There is no devil in the Craft. “Satan worship” is a Christian invention.

Witches, those of Neo-Pagan traditions do not cause harm to others…that too is a Christian invention.

I am amazed at the “superstitious” nonsense so many Christians embrace.
Click to expand...
It’s official. I love Quakers!
Thank you. Thank you for being loving and seeking to understand rather than to fear.
 
NextElement said:
Sorry if this is in the wrong forum:

Today in class we were studying the Salem Witch Trials from Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600’s. Long story short, several women were convicted as witches and executed. My first reaction was, “Woah, those people are crazy.” But as I started thinking about it, I was wondering the “official” Catholic view on things like witchcraft and sorcery. Are they legitimate issues? Is it possible that the devil uses humans to hurt others, or that others can make pacts with the Devil?

Or is this all stuff from fairy tales?
Click to expand...
The CC has teachings on witchcraft and the occult but the Salem Trials were an atrocity which did not come about because of Catholic teachings. Puritans were responsible for the trails and executions because of their irrational beliefs and ignorance.

A major cause of the Salem Witchcraft trials was superstition, an “irrational [belief] … resulting from ignorance or fear of the unknown” (Saliba). A lack of scientific reasoning led many people to believe that, for instance, walking under a ladder would bring seven years of bad luck. The Puritans in Salem had even more reasons to be superstitious. Cotton Mather’s “Memorable Providences, Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions,” with its inaccurate accounts of witchcraft, terrified. In addition, crude medical techniques, constant food poisoning, and unsanitary conditions killed many Puritans. (In the Trials, dead people and dead livestock were used as evidence of witchcraft.) More importantly, war with a nearby Indian tribe was imminent (Schlect 1); when livestock died, the Puritans thought their village was cursed, vulnerable to Indian attack. With several factions vying for control of the Village, and a series of legislative and property disputes with the nearby Salem Town, which controlled Salem Village, it is easy to see how the people of Salem were so vulnerable to the notion of witches taking over their town.

Source: Essay on Causes of The Salem Witchcraft Trials
 
SMGS127 said:
The concern isn’t so much “harm to others” as it is that when you open your soul up to any form of ‘magic’ other than the grace of God, you put your soul in peril of possession, among other things. There are two types of spiritual beings other than God: angels and demons. If you aren’t calling on angels or God, consider who you are calling upon/who would be answering your requests during any form of witchcraft. Same for if you are seeking powers God has not granted us.
Click to expand...
“Any form of magic OTHER than the grace of God”???!!! Is the face of God now “magic”? White magic and black magic!!! Pagan/Wicca magic as opposed to Christian magic?

Amazing to me. This is the “end outcome” of such beliefs I guess. To see the world in such a way is beyond my reason and capability. I knew some Christians, especially those in Cuba, Jamaica Mexico and South America have their shrines decorated with Santeria and Voodoo ritual items and appeal to the saints and Loa using chants, gestures and believe in their magic of white and dark…wasn’t expecting it here.

I am personally acquainted with some Wiccans. We’ve we’ve been friends for years and have shared many hours discussing such topics. However they view their “spells” as nothing more than the Christian equivalent of prayer and meditation all chants to bring them into union with the Eternal which they believe is the same Eternal Presence that Christians seek…they just view their religious constructs of deity as God and Goddess instead of an all male populated Godhead…we disagree of course on many points but the one thing we do agree upon…there is no magic devil waiting to lead them astray and lurking under every rock to pounce on the unwary.

I live in the 21at century not the 12th.

I am amazed at the responses in this thread! Jim wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I had such a world view.
 
Lokadottir said:
To be fair to the puritans your Mass is the spitting image of ritualistic magic.
Click to expand...
That is the very understanding my Wiccan friends hold. Both cleanse or dedicate a “sacred space” with water and incense along with salt and “ritual gestures” and “ritual words” invoking deity. Both use bread and wine which both claim is the body a d blood of their deity/deities…for Wiccans the bread is the bountiful gift and body of the Goddess and the wine is the “blood of the vine, the blood of the God”, both safe a ritual meal, both believe the celebrant “becomes” or “is” their Deity in personna…the High Priestess “becomes” the Goddess.

The similarities continue in their beliefs in sacred objects and tools that can only be used or touched by the “priest/priestess”

Ritual cleansing of I divi duals by water or anointed with oils…the list could go on and on.
 
Lokadottir said:
Robes, candles, incense, ritualistic words and a sacrificial offering? It isn’t the biggest stretch I’ve ever seen on the “satanic” label.
Click to expand...
Those features were copied by Satanists, not the other way around (though I’d disagree with your classification of them as ritualistic). The Mass came before the Black Mass.
 
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