Is Being Interested in Witchcraft/Evil Things a Sin?
Alright so let me just start out by saying that I am a 15 year old Catholic, and I love God. I have even considered becoming a nun (decided I'd rather do something bigger with my life). I'm really interested in witchcraft. I don't actually want to practice witchcraft (well, actually I do but I won't because I believe it's going against God) but I'm really interested in reading and watching videos about it. I'm also really interested in the fall and the devil and demons and stuff. I obviously don't LIKE them, just very interested. Is this a sin? Will God be mad at me? Am I evil for liking these things?
If you are going to say my God doesn't exist, please don't answer at all. You are entitled to your opinions, but still, I'd rather not see any of that "go ahead and do it because He doesn't exist!" crap. It makes me very angry.
You can study witchcraft without practicing it. No harm in that, but be careful to not let anyone find out they will taunt you pretty harshly about it.
There are two sources of supernatural power in the world - the power of God, and the power of Satan. Whatever is not the power of GOd is the power of Satan. We can distinguish between the two by what God's word, the Bible says about the subject, and it says this:
" When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spirits or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so. The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me (Moses) from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. "
Deuteronomy 18:9-15
The "prophet" like Moses mentioned above is revealed to be in the New Testament the Lord Jesus Christ - who is a prophet; but so much more than a prophet.
I think what you are really looking for is the power of God in your life - and I want to tell you it available through faith in Jesus and the Baptism in the Holy Spirt - a personal encounter with God that brings you into an experience of the supernatural power of God. It must begin by being born again, because Jesus said unless someone is born again, they can neither see nor enter the Kingdom of God.
This is how you can invite the Lord into your life in a special way.....
http://www.campuscrusade.com/fourlawsflash.htm
Listen to the powerful stories of five men who experienced the realities of the spirit world......
God commands us to be loyal to him alone, not other "god's" or "sources of power"
1 cor 10:21,22 "YOU cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; YOU cannot be partaking of ?the table of Jehovah? and the table of demons. 22 Or ?are we inciting Jehovah to jealousy?? We are not stronger than he is, are we?"
witchcraft is a demonic practice.
the bible condemns witchcraft, most specifically in Deuteronomy
take your bible and read DEUTERONOMY 18:10,11 this should clear things up for you.
here's a link to bible gateway you can use it to view multiple translations. they all say the same thing on this one. NO WITCHCRAFT
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+18%3A10-11&version=NIV
*edit* an additional note it would be unwise to look into witchcraft, because as you said you like it...Psalms 97:10 is a good scripture for you, as i showed you in Deuteronomy, witchcraft is considered "bad" or "evil" go to this link to read psalm 97:10 http://bible.cc/psalms/97-10.htm
Just don't be around it or get into it. Once you invite satanic spirits you will have trouble getting rid of them. It is sin. Stay AWAY from it, for your own good.
Okay, you've made it clear where you're coming from, thanks for that. I wouldn't dream of arguing with you about the existence of God, even though my vision of God is really very different from yours. So just to be clear, when I talk about God in the rest of this answer, I mean your idea of God, not mine. Because my God wouldn't be mad at you at all!
First, you know that your God has made it perfectly clear through his word that he hates witchcraft. Okay, you say you don't *like* witchcraft, you're just very interested. Why are you so interested, have you asked yourself that? I believe that to know something, to understand something, is to forgive, to tolerate. So, your being interested is one step away from opening up your mind. I don't think your God is really up for that - you should know, you read the Bible more than I do, though goodness knows I read it enough times myself when I was a Christian.
My former pastor would have said, sister, guard your ear gate, guard your eye gate! Now if I was still Christian, I would say that Satan is tempting you with his wiles, whispering in your ear. As a Christian, your response might be that of Jesus, who told Satan to get behind him. As a Pagan, of course, I do not believe in Satan.
It really isn't for me to say. You know, your religion is your choice, and I am not going to judge your choice, that would be wrong of me. All I would say is, you are obviously a thinking person and not a bad person, so why would God condemn you for opening up your mind? Read your Bible. Enquire of God. Ask him if he is angry. Do you get an answer? Does he answer yes, I abhor the sin of witchcraft? If that be his answer, what do you think that tells you about God? My God isn't like that. Maybe you should ask your God and get to know him better, because really we can't tell you what is in his mind, we can only surmise. I don't think he approves of his people rebelling against him! Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft! Your God is not a God for the rebelliously inclined. He hates rebellion. He wants your total submission. He demands your heart, your soul, your all.
I think that showing an interest in something doesn't make it bad. I don't think you're sinning because you're learning. Knowledge isn't evil; what someone DOES with the knowledge, however can be considered bad. Knowledge is neutral. Besides there Christian mysticism from the early Church, so it's not like it was always free of magi ck. I think if that's a pursuit you want then go for it! Personally, I want to know all about religions and I will be teaching my children Catholicism as I was taught, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Wicca; I'm Wiccan but I will let them decide when they're older if they want to continue learning about Wicca or if they want to be another religion. It's up to them. Just like it's up to you to read and research about things that you're interested in; how many Christians do you know who are into Mythology? Those are all Pagan gods, are they not? So, if they study that, are they putting those gods before God? No, they're learning, like ALL humans do. I think that you're pursuing your interests. There's nothing wrong with that.
Witchcraft isn't "evil", its what the person does with the witchcraft that makes it "evil". If people have dark intentions, then things go wrong and people consider them "evil".
Also, I hate people that denounce other religions. I'm a Wiccan, so I don't follow catholic beliefs, but that is NO REASON to put other religions down. *huff*
But any who. witches don't summon demons and coincide with the devil. That's just something that other religions came up with to discourage people from practicing witchcraft. If you feel that you want to practice witchcraft, and its for the good of other people, I don't see why not! you're not evil for taking an interest in witchcraft; you're only evil if you use it to bring harm to others (which, I can tell, you won't be doing). As long as you're helping others and helping yourself, your God shouldn't be mad at you. I guess He'll embrace your interest (once again, don't follow your Gus's beliefs, so I'm rather clueless on that aspect).
Just do what you feel is right, is all I really gotta say. Blessed be~
Is Being Interested in Witchcraft/Evil Things a Sin?
