Why Does the Bible Dislike Witchcraft?

2 years ago
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So, as God gives the law to Moses, he explains how to get spiritual insight and truth. Specifically he says that using witchcraft is weak and or incompetent.

Gotta start in the Old Testament (if you don't like this, not sure what to say... sorry?):

Don't worship other gods:

God doesn't need your worship, he desires it though. However, for a person to to worship another god is like someone thanking WalMart bakery for a cake you personally baked. Its either super stupid, or possibly intended just to piss you off. In any case, worship God if you want, but don't worship the creation. If you worship, worship the Creator.

If you need to understand my laws, God set up a group of teachers:

He set aside about 10% of the population to teach his laws and how they interact and how they apply. Of that 10% there is a small group that also spent all their time "cleaning" the iniquity from the people.

As an aside, God required that 10% of increase each year (not income... our current system is a slave state, but you know that, right?) to be dedicated to the teachers of the law (originally, the bloodline of Levi).

If there is an unresolvable dispute, take it to the temple

The high priest is cleaned daily, and offers incense daily right in front of the "Mercy Seat" where God says He sits. He can make inquiry of God for you. Whatever is said from this inquiry must be followed on pain of death. In other words, try to work it out at a lower court...

God promises to send prophets that will give insight

There will always be prophets that speak to God and then communicate God's words to the people. God says don't worry about the ones that say they are prophets and are not... God will kill them. But the ones that say they are prophets and their prophecies come true... these listen to and do what they say.

Witchcraft is weak, don't do these specific things

First, witchcraft is weak. I (God) completely destroyed the Egyptians, their witchcraft was ineffective. I am also destroying the people in the land I promised to your granddad. Their witchcraft is weak as well. Use the methods I gave you to get spiritual understanding.

Complete list from Deuteronomy 18 of what God says not to do:

1) someone that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire --> to dedicate or sacrifice of a child for personal gain or blessing. The priest of Molok would set to pyres with a path between. The parent would give the child to the priest to carry between the pyres as a dedication, much like infant baptism today.

2) someone that uses divination (who is an augur) → like the act of reading tea leaves, rolling bones, observing bird patterns to foretell future, etc

3) an observer of times (soothsayer) → this is the act of looking for the auspicious moment, like in astrology, tarot, etc

4) an enchanter (diviner) → this is one who follows superstitious signs, omens. Like broken mirror, salt over the shoulder, etc

5) a witch (sorcerer) → this is someone that speaks a spell, or sings / chants an enchantment, creates a sigil, writes a character or letters intended to establish spiritual power or presence.

6) a charmer (one who casts spells) → the idea of crossing fingers while lying, other types of "charmed" communication

7) one who consults with "familiar spirits" (Hebrew: ov) → this was a practice of listening to ones armpit (arm over head) to discern voices in responce to questions, maybe like seashell listening.

8) a wizard (Hebrew: yid’oni) → a practice of exhaling with a broken bird bone in ones mouth in order to create voices by which on might have spiritual insight. I believe this is very similar to Ouija today. Asking a spirit to speak and providing a method.

9) a necromancer → a person that summons and communicates with the dead.

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