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Theology => Apologetics => Topic started by: mattistheman on December 06, 2004, 08:58:40 PM



Title: Cults
Post by: mattistheman on December 06, 2004, 08:58:40 PM
Do you think that people like Satanists and Wiccans are misguided and foolish, or are actually contacted and empowered by Satan?


Title: Re:Cults
Post by: felix102 on December 07, 2004, 02:13:10 AM
Greetings!

What lead you to ask this question?
BTW, sorry this isn't answering your question


Title: Re:Cults
Post by: Shammu on December 07, 2004, 02:30:55 AM
Do you think that people like Satanists and Wiccans are misguided and foolish, or are actually contacted and empowered by Satan?
The term occult means "hidden" or those things or teachings that are "unknown" or secret. So, the occult is the seeking after knowledge of unknown information, knowledge that is gained beyond the five senses. Therefore, knowledge is received by some supernatural involvement or connection.

Satanism challenges the biblical teaching regarding man's relationship to others. We are to esteem others better than ourselves, and we are to be team players. In 1 Corinthians we read about being a part of the body of Christ, whereas, Satanism esteems the "self" over others.

Young satanists believe that the strong will rule with Satan, (but us Christians know better.) Once they are sufficiently involved, they often make a pact with Satan. They commit themselves to a future date when they will take their own lives by suicide. They believe that if they submit themselves to Satan in death, they will come back in another life as a stronger being and rule with him forever.

The modern religion of Wicca, otherwise known as Old Religion, Magick, Witchcraft, the Craft, and the Mysteries, is part of the neo-pagan movement.

Wicca shares many similarities with the ancient fertility religions of Canaan, religions specifically condemned by God in the Bible. For instance, the Wiccan Goddess is revered by some as the Queen of Heaven, by others as Astarte. But in the Bible, the worship of Ishtar, the queen of heaven, and Astarte, or Ashtoreth, is repeatedly condemned, as is the worship of her consort, known sometimes as Baal, sometimes as Tammuz. Thus in Judges 2:11-13 "Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord . . . they provoked the Lord to anger . . . they forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreth." But if the only true God rejected the ancient Canaanite religions and their practices, would His reaction to Wicca likely be any different, I think they are tricked by satan.

Resting in the Lord's arms.
Bob


Title: Re:Cults
Post by: mattistheman on December 07, 2004, 07:20:51 AM
Thanks, and I was merely curios, please don't think I am considering becoming a Satan worshiper or anything like it.


Glory be to God


Title: Re:Cults
Post by: felix102 on December 08, 2004, 02:37:04 AM
Thanks, and I was merely curios, please don't think I am considering becoming a Satan worshiper or anything like it.


Glory be to God

I never in my mind would have considered you were thinking about becoming a Satan worshipper!  ;D

I was just asking because sometimes if you know what thought or experience produced a question, you can know how to effectively approach the question. There's a lot to be said about the origins of Satanism and Wicca and how they are being practiced today. There are many different conceptions about these things so it's more difficult to be absolute and exact. But that's why I asked so I can target a more specific area to answer the question.

In the context of your question:

1) Are Satanists and Wiccans misguided and foolish? Some are...if you are talking about how they do not understand what Satanism or Wiccan is really about. Primarily, these are teenagers and young adults in most cases.

I have meet some teenagers in school that claimed to be Satanists and Wiccans. They usually dabbled with Satanism and witchcraft out of spite, not for a belief. For the most part, the 'Satanists' were kids who were angry with the world and felt that being on the darkside gave them power to intimidate their peers. And 'Wiccans' thought witchcraft was cool cause they could get powers to cast spells.

This is just from what I've seen. I am sure that there are teenagers and young adults that would fit the following.

2) Are Satanists or Wiccans really contacted and empowered by Satan? Yes, that depends on how you are looking at it. Satanists and Wiccans do not actually believe in the Christian Satan -a real living spirit. However, they definetely are contacted and empowered by Satan in much the same way as We are contacted and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Satanism and Wicca have pagan roots. Satanism focuses on a Satan archetype from pagan religions. This focuses on sensuality, lust, money, and power. They apply this archetype to everything in life. It is about self-indulgence and ignoring so-called immoralities to please oneself. They seek vengeance instead of forgiveness. It centers around Individualism. To settle common perception, it is not by any means "chaotically evil" or law-breaking.

Satanists do not believe in the Christian Satan, but it is very apparent that Satan has a great influence and there is no doubt Satan is empowering them. For any Christian knowledgable in Christ, you will see how the precepts of Satanism are the complete and exact opposites of the precepts we follow! It is the complete inverse of even the most profound (I emphasize PROFOUND) precepts we find in Chirst. This is the work of Satan; it is black and white. For people called Satanists who dont even believe in a supernatural entity (God or Satan), there is no doubt that we can see empowerment from the Satan we know.

Wiccans do not believe in demons or God. They believe in the nature of this world. They believe in a spirituality to the earth. In this way, they are giving reign to Satan who roams the earth. I would say that they are empowered by Satan also.

Neither, however, know that they are being contacted by Satan. Satanists worship themselves and believe in their own voice; Wiccans worship nature and believe in the voices of the spiritual entities that govern the earth. As Christians, we know that both these voices are from Satan himself.


Title: Re:Cults
Post by: felix102 on December 08, 2004, 04:38:15 PM
The Satanism I talked about was only established since 1966. They call their establishment the Church of Satan. I am sure there were different forms of Satanism before this time but I am not sure of its theology. I can nevertheless gaurentee the work of Satan in them.