Christian vs Pagan - and a playing field where the two can't play together

 Good Evening,

Today's topic comes to me from some recent consultations I've given regarding spirit possession and other creepy things that may go bump in your head!

Let me explain.  You know I'm a witch, yes? I also work in a world that is filled with magick, possibilities and many exciting things.  Yet, there are darker things in our world, I freely admit that. Yet some people tend towards the belief that when things go wrong in their life, they believe something else, usually malevolent, has caused the disarray.  I firmly respect anyone's beliefs, but .  .  .  BUT .  .  . if you're going to come to me for help, I will not feed into the beliefs that others over time have created to generate fear and to build their own power.

As far as an 'entity', 'spirit', demon'  crazy, weird little Chucky doll, or what have you, overtaking your body and mind and causing havoc in your life. I can't, .  .  .  NO  .  .  . I won't go there.  The discussion this evening goes into exactly why I won't play into those beliefs.

What we have when discussing the magickal world, my world,  that has Goddesses, Gods, spells, magick, and deep spiritual gifts to bestow, is one world. A world that was created long before a devil or adversary first was introduced in the ancient Hebrew texts approximately 7,000 years ago.  My world of magick works on basic ancient scientific principles that derives its foundation from nature and the natural world we live in.The other world is the world of Judeo/Christian beliefs that include a Satan, evil, spirit possession and malevolent entities. Ooooh!

For the first world, as an example, may I present to the court, the concept that there is no evil in nature.   Again, no evil inherent in the natural world. Of course I speak of a natural world without human kind.  But I don't want to give the ending away!!  Yes, animals hunt and kill one another for food, survival, mating rights, territoriality, all that can be better understood by watching Animal Planet. Most will understand what I'm saying, I believe. Even the cat that plays with the mouse before killing it, does not do so out of a desire to torture or harm, but out of curiosity and a sense of play. Most animals that kill, do so swiftly.  I will not include human-trained animals that are trained to harm other animals for the cruel, twisted enjoyment of the human animal. 

In the natural world, human kind has come up with a phrase to describe natural events like hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes. Natural disasters.  Disaster for whom? Humans and the animals domesticated and made to rely on us.  Hurricane Catrina would have been simply another of the Earth's storms if not for the people who put themselves in the way.  Now, understand, I am not discounting or trivializing the tragic human toll these disasters have taken.  Yet, believe it or not, there were many people, ministers of the church amongst others who have claimed that a hurricane like Katrina was 'punishment' for human kinds misdeeds. Really? I have such a hard time believing that, anymore than a world wide flood was sent to destroy all of human kind. Oh, I believe there was a flood, scientists have proven this. But, there are thousands of floods throughout history.  Evil, no. Nature at her most powerful, yes. Nature doesn't pass any judgment, nature just is.

Then we present the case of the Christian belief system. Again, I will say as I have often, Christianity has worked for millions of people for thousands of years, and that's just fine.  I personally don't believe it needs to work for everyone, as I firmly discount that there is anything as restrictive as a religion on the other side. As a belief system, it is said, if one follows Christianity and does all that's expected, follows the rules, well then things are supposed to turn out great.  I for one assume they do  for those that do all of that.

The trouble begins to brew when one comes from a Christian belief system, wants to firmly keep the beliefs they have, and then wishes to toddle into the world of the magickal.  If a magickal person believes in ghosts, that's just fine. But a devote Christian, by teachings, will have to believe that all ghosts are evil and malevolent.  Even great grandma! A person who beliefs in the world of devils, evil entities and demons must realize they are coming at the world from a very Christian, very old Christian, understanding.  If this is you, do not call on the local witch, High Priestess or psychic to help you.  Oh, you'll find the disreputable that will charge you plenty and do little for you. Why? Again, these two worlds cannot interact on the same playing field. Because to fundamentally understand and believe in one worlds principles is to not be able to believe in the other worlds principles. Christianity demands complete exclusivity.  

For me to help someone who believes they are possessed by something evil, that exists outside of them, yet has taken over or entered their body and mind, I would need to:

1.) Believe in a Judeo/Christian theology.
2.) Believe in a Satan, demons, or evil entities that exist purely on their own.
3.) Have no understanding of how the human/mind psychology really works. Though I do not practice, I have studied human psychology for over 20 years, including abnormal psychology and psychiatry.
4.) Believe every  horror movie, scary or ghost movie I've ever seen, scary book I've ever read.
5.) Have a victim mentality, that other things or people are capable of causing mischief and harm by manipulating the magickal world. That I have or had nothing to do with it. That I am a victim,.  Of this I do teach and practice and it just ain't so!!!

Truly, if spirits and evil entities could overtake us, and possess us. Well, .  .  .  .  think about it .  .  .  wouldn't they. Every moment of every day, why wouldn't they? 

I will make a direct comment to the modern Catholic Church about the topic of possession and how they view it today. Shame on you! If you follow the Catholic church's breadcrumb trail concerning this topic over the past thousand plus years,  you will see  that originally the church, during the burning times especially, created a mythology to shore up their new teachings and beliefs. This was primarily a belief that evil spirits existed everywhere and humans were weak and incapable of resisting spirits from possessing them. Therefore they needed the church and the priests to save them. Humans lived at this time, in a world where it was believed  evil, darkness and death was around every corner. A fearful, hysteria filled belief where no rational thought was allowed to exist.

The church then exited the burning times and entered a modern world where the understanding was, those things did not exist. There were no such things as witches, ghosts or evil spirits. Just the light of the Church. This was a predominant belief throughout the twentieth century.  Even the mention of an exorcism would most likely get you kicked out of church, and treated as if you were less than sane.

Then today. In the midst of the most recent maladies suffered by the Catholic church and the predominance of the priests that were accused of pedophilia around the world, the Church has taken a new stand in regards to spirit possession. In November of 2010, a two day conference attended by over 100 Catholic priests in Baltimore, MD was to focus on the church's new agenda. Spirit possession. They have now taken a stance that spirit possession is real and you really need the priests to help exorcise the demons out of you.

I would have much more regard for the Catholic church if they sent their priests to study psychology and psychiatry for those who really believe this can happen.  But then, that would take an awful lot of power away from the priests who the church says you need to save your soul. I find it disturbing that so many people are pulled and turned in different ways by the whims of the church and the need to create a better media image.  Truly we are no longer the ignorant souls that education and knowledge was withheld from for centuries, expected to blindly follow the teachings of the church. Yet so many still live in fear of the promised eternal damnation, should they question or turn away from some teachings.

I recently counseled a woman who believes she is possessed. She had gone to a priest, and they had her drink holy water, and hold a crucifix at night when she sleeps, and all the while she was getting more and more disturbed and was receiving no help. All I could do for her was refer her to a professional that can work with people with these mental illnesses. There are no magic potions to help you when internal demons demand to be addressed and dealt with.  (Oh, yes, don't ever drink holy water!!!  It's not made to be safely ingested and is far from sanitary. I have this on excellent authority) There are no magick spells either. The Goddess will help you, but first you must realize the work is to be done within. And sometimes its just hard work to get where you wish to be.

Believe me my lovely reader, if I could wave my magick wand and make everything better, you better believe I would.  For you, for me, for everyone.  It just doesn't work that way.

If you are looking for evil, we have only to look within. Demons, they're ours also. Just another facet of who we are, or who we believe ourselves to be.  It is a journey of self discovery, that so many choose to make in one lifetime. To find ourselves and learn to love ourselves. Yet, to blame it on an outside source or influence, I believe, just slows the journey down. For truly, when one discards the outside influences, where else can one go. But within. 

Peace and Happiness













© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website. 

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