Commenting on false Pagan religions and magic recently:

Want to know why the Judeo-Christian faiths think witchcraft and pagan religions are evil? I should have put “evil” in quotes, as I am quite aware there are “white” and “black” sides of the coin.

Response to my question:

I understand why the Judeo-Christian faiths believe that witchcraft and pagan religions are evil. But that is what the Church had to do to demonize pagan beliefs in order to convert people. Yet they could not completely euthanized the beliefs that people had passed on to for thousands of years though…and I am glad we have people out there willing to keep the older beliefs alive. It is all about caring for the Earth, to heal people, to do good works. There might be some who fall into the “black” of the coin, but in Hinduism it is believed that some people must acknowledge to dark side of humanity and keep a balance in the world.

My Answer:

I’m not really referring to what the “Church” has done in the past concerning pagan beliefs. The worst thing that ever happened to the Church was when Emperor Constantine in 313 AD announced toleration of Christianity in the Edict of Milan, which removed penalties for professing Christianity.

After that it became about power and wealth as the Church began to grow in political power, and evil men who never knew or loved Jesus got control. Thankfully we had the Reformation. But really that is a different subject.

In regard to witches, wiccans, and pagan religions, from a Biblical perspective, its very simple really.

People had a knowledge of God as they received it from our first father and mother, and after the flood, Noah and his family passed on the knowledge of God. People are evil and rejected God, they suppressed the knowledge of God, forgot about God, and made up false religions and mystical powers. They were lost in the darkness.

Magic is false, there is no such mystical power.

Pagan religions are false.

Therefore, magic and false religions are a lie.

One thing that God does not like are lies and false gods. I would feel the same if I was God and the beings I created went about worshiping false gods. Or practicing false magic.

If you look at pagan religions around the world, in ancient times, many included all kinds of evil practices such as child murder and sexual depravity. Probably one reason why people rejected those false faiths and followed Christ. There was a reason people did so.

The first 300 years of Christianity, most of the time it was a crime to be a Christian.

Many of the pagan religions persecuted Christianity first. All the disciples of Jesus were murdered for their faith, accept John. He died as an old man, but he was tortured for his testimony about Jesus.

Though, I do understand that modern witches, wiccans, and pagans make it what you said, caring about the earth, to heal people, to do good works etc. Its still a lie and rejecting God at the end of it all.

God had to reveal himself to human beings because in their rejection of Him, so many were ignorant of their Creator. There are two very specific events in the history of the world that are very powerful.

1) At Mt. Sinai when God revealed His commandments and laws to Moses and the children of Israel, He did so openly, audibly, and visibly to them. There were over a million people present to witness that.

Note: the law and commandments are summed up as love God and love your neighbor.

2) The resurrection of Jesus. His resurrection proves everything He said is true.

Rebuttal Against:

Thanks for that perspective, I have nothing against Christianity – I just don’t like to judge anyone for the path they follow. I respect all religions and all sacred beliefs. I love to study them, and I see how when I pick up on Hindusim, my how all the pieces came together. The Indian philosophy makes sense to me. Of course the Hebrew God wouldn’t want any competition… but the Hebrews came out of Persia after being inslaved and so I believe that some of the Persian and Egyptian beliefs heavily influenced not only ppl in the old testament, but also in the new testament. Jesus was a wonderful man who was mystical and he perfomed miracles (these could also be seen as casting spells) for many pagans and witches do the same. Fasting is another form of magic, and speaking in tongues is definitely mystical. The Kabbla the Jews go by is mystical. Magic is real as long as we energy pumping through our veins. Anyway, why should anyone have to convert to another religion if the one they were following was their true inheritence from their loved ones. Past down passionately to generation to generation. Christianity is just not where some ppl find enlightenment. I feel it is too much dualism, believe in God, follow Jesus or you will be damned. What kind of God turns his back for eternity on certain souls when all souls belong and birthed from the Great Spirit that started all of creation. The God I follow is compassionate, and even if you mess up in this life, through reincarnation and the blessing of the human birth God – Govinda gives us hope, we may slip into a deeper darkness but the God I believe in never forgets one single soul. There is no hell except the ones humans create. Anyway that is IMHO.

My Answer:

1) you deleted our post? wow… didn’t know I would would get censored. guess what I wrote too inflammatory or something? How is that supposed to work for open minded people who respect all religions and enjoy the discussion?

I was just explaining why Christians think witches, wicca, and pagan religions are evil from a Biblical perspective. Don’t you think its important for the witches, wiccans, and pagans to know? After all, they don’t want us Christians to think they are evil.

2) The Hebrew God isn’t about “competition.” He doesn’t like people rejecting the truth and following false gods. gods who don’t exist and had no hand in creation or anything else.

3) The Hebrews were not enslaved in Persia. Abraham lived in Ur in Sumeria (Iraq near Persian gulf) before he traveled west to Canaan. Though, I’m sure he probably was familiar with all the local gods including those from the Persian side of the rivers.

4) Its not about “converting” from one religion to another.

You have to understand, the original sin was not believing God’s Word and disobeying Him. He is God, and its ok for Him to require that those He creates believe and obey Him.

The destruction of that first sin, destroyed the life of our first parents and they reproduced children in their own likeness. Spiritually dead and cursed.

All of us sinners are under the power of the evil one. Jesus said, that whoever you give yourself to obey becomes your master. Adam and Eve obeyed the word of the evil one rather than God. Therefore they and us became enslaved to him and sin. Naturally we reject and hate God.

Following Jesus is about being set free from the power of the evil one, set free from sin, and set free from rejecting and hating the true God.

For those who reject Jesus, being eternal creatures, God puts evil eternal creatures into an eternal prison.

We put criminals into prison? Why is it wrong for God to do so?

5) God doesn’t turn His back on souls. Those souls reject and turn their back on God.

What else can God do than create a way to have an eternal, loving relationship with God through Jesus forever?

There is nothing wrong with God. There is something wrong with those who reject Him.

6) This is an interesting text, “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?” 2 Corinthians 2:15-16

So those who are being saved, Paul and those who share the Good News of Jesus, Christians, are the aroma of life. To those who are perishing, the aroma of death.

7) The message of Christ is simple. Repent of sin, meaning to reject evil. Believe in Him to be saved. Saved from what? God’s wrath against those who hate and reject Him and eternal prison.

I don’t see how that can be so terrible when God has done everything to keep anyone out of Hell (to use the northern European term for the underworld) who doesn’t want to go there.

8) The God I follow is pure compassion. He is everything good and beautiful in life and in the universe.

Only those who hate, rebel, and reject Him can’t see that.

9) I will pray that He opens your eyes and heart. Its only because I see Jesus for who He really is, the wonderful, beautiful, Creator of all things, that I follow Him.

If He didn’t open my eyes and heart, I would never have followed Him.