Expert: Brenda Martin - 3/6/2005

Question
Woah, woah, woah, Brenda, who said anything about devil worship?  Wow, I knew Christians did not understand us but to think we are devil worshipers is just horrifically insulting and hurtful.

Wicca does not even recognize Satan.  Satan is purely a Christian and Islam thing issue.

What I do believe in is love and respect for the earth.  I recognize many gods and goddesses.

The Wiccan Rede is "An it harm none, do what thou wilt." (If it harms nobody, Do what you want to.)

OK, back to the subject at hand.  My goal is to leave her knowing it is not a phase.  For twelve years I felt discontented with Christianity.  I was miserable because I knew I didn’t believe or fit in.  When I discovered Wicca everything just suddenly clicked.  I understood it.  Everything finally made sense.  I was at peace with the earth and had found what I was searching for.  The past three years have been great for my faith.

I still go to church every for Sunday morning and evening service.  I do this for mom.  Lately though I feel like I am betraying my own faith.  I could be using that time to practice my own faith, but instead I am serving a deity I don’t even recognize.

This is where the problem lies.  I want mom to understand Wicca.  I want her to be happy for me.  I do not want to hurt her but I know it will at least a little.   

I do not want to leave mom with hope of me returning to Christianity because honestly there is not any.  I feel it would be wrong of me to do that to her.  

After reading your message I am both thankful and fearful.  I am thankful for your advice, but honestly if my mom thinks like that I am very afraid.  Yes Wicca does revolve around witchcraft.  It’s earth magic not dark magic.  We do not worship the devil.  

I now know if and when I do talk to mom I will start with.  Ã¢â‚¬Å“Mom, I am not into devil worship.�  I will not mention witchcraft either because it typically has a bad connotation to it around here.

As a Christian mom what would be your views on the subject of Wicca knowing it is not devil worship?  

Is it something you would be happy for your child and could accept?

Would you take the time to sit with your child and learn about the religion or reject it out right?

I am just trying not to jeopardize my relationship with mom.  I want to worship my own way instead of going to church every Sunday.  I want mom to respect my decision and open up communication with me like we had years ago.


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Followup To
Question -
Since your Christian I thought I would pose this question to you.

I'm fifteen years old, female, and live in Mississippi.  My mom is a somewhat crazy fundamentalist southern Baptist.  Right now we are going through some other matters so it would not be the best time.  Eventually though I want to tell mom I've converted to Wicca.  

The reason I want to do this is because in the past we had a really honest relationship and I want that to continue.   My question comes in three parts.

Part A) After the whole other issue blows over should I talk to mom about the fact I have converted to Wicca?  (I have been for three years, but I keep it very well hidden.  I wear my pentacle under my shirt and have never mentioned it.  Lately though hiding it's been bugging me)

Part B) If the answer is yes, what would be the gentlest way of going about it.  She's a somewhat fundamentalist southern Baptist.

Part C) If the answer to Part A is yes, what reaction can I expect given that she is a somewhat strict southern Baptist?

Answer -
"SHOULD I TALK TO MOM ABOUT THE FACT I HAVE CONVERTED TO WICCA? WHAT WOULD BE THE GENTLEST WAY OF GOING ABOUT IT?"

As a mum, yes I would want to know if my kids were involved with Wicca, I wouldn't be happy in the least, but at least I would now be in a position to give advice on the subject.

There's no "gentle" way of telling a Christian parent that their child is now involved with the Devil, but try not to tell her you have been involved for years as she will feel betrayed and excluded, at least let her think it is a new thing, a passing faze.



"WHAT REACTION CAN I EXPECT GIVEN THAT SHE IS A SOMEWHAT STRICT SOUTHERN BAPTIST?"

I dont think it matters which religion she is, I am not a Baptist and I would be horrified and scared to think any of my kids getting  involved in such dangerous stuff. I don't know your mum, but I think her reaction will all depend on how much you tell her, and how you say it.

If you leave her with some hope of you returning to God and Christianity, she may find comfort in that idea and not go totally off the deep end.

But I really wonder if YOU know what you are getting involved in, I quote�

"Satan Worship in Our Time"

There is no doubt that Satan wants to be worshiped. When tempting Jesus, he offered to give him a huge reward on just one condition: “If you fall down and do an act of worship to me.� (Matthew 4:9) Jesus, of course, refused, but not everyone has followed his example. Satan worship is widespread in our modern world.

For example, in Canada The Calgary Herald ran a series of articles under the title “Devil's Disciples.� The paper quoted a police investigator's report, saying: “Through interviews I have learned that Satanism is not exclusive to any particular group in society. Intelligence gathered by the Calgary Police Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police reveals that in Calgary alone there are supposedly 5,000 practising Satanists.�

Other press reports show that the Satan cult, in different forms, is surfacing across the United States and Europe. Even the police show an interest in Satanism. Why? Because in many cases they are finding links between crimes and satanic cults. Just recently, a police detective was quoted as saying: “What we are dealing with is a religion and people who believe in it as others believe in Christianity, Judaism or Islam. What you are seeing are not crimes for crime's sake, but crimes for the sake of a religion.�

One outstanding example was the murders by the Manson clan in California back in 1969. According to history professor Jeffrey Russell, “Manson claimed to be both Christ and Satan. . . . Manson's follower Tex Watson announced, when he came to murder Sharon Tate, ‘I am the devil; I'm here to do the devil's work.'� But Satanism is not always as overt as this.

Witchcraft, Spiritism, and Sorcery

Indeed, Satan worship is not limited to direct worship of Satan by name. The apostle Paul warned: “The things which the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to demons.� (1 Corinthians 10:20) And demon worship is really the same as Satan worship, since Satan is called “the ruler of the demons.� (Mark 3:22) What practices of “the nations� can be identified as demon worship, or worship of Satan? God's words to Israel give us some examples: “There should not be found in you . . . anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. For everybody doing these things is something detestable to God.��Deuteronomy 18:10-12.

Thus, we are warned against the blood sacrifice and spirit communion practiced by the voodoo priests in Brazil or by the houngans and the mambos of Haiti. And we are warned against the very similar practices of Santeria, observed by some exiled Cubans in the United States. We are warned, too, against sorcerers who claim to communicate with dead souls to inspire fear in the living.�Compare 1 Samuel 28:3-20.

Witchcraft is prevalent in different parts of Africa. In South Africa, for example, witch doctors exert great power, and people take them very seriously. Recent cases reported in the press were of mobs burning alive people who were accused of causing lightning to strike fellow villagers! The local witch doctors accused innocent victims of these “unnatural� acts and then tied them to a tree to be burned. Such belief in sorcery or magic is likewise a worship of demons.

***However, witchcraft is not confined to Africa. In 1985, Herbert D. Dettmer, serving a prison sentence at a correctional center in Virginia, U.S.A., was granted the right by the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to have access to clothing and articles so that he could practice his religion in prison. And what was his religion? According to the court record, he was a member of “the Church of Wicca (more commonly known as witchcraft).�

Consequently, Dettmer had the legal right to use in his worship sulfur, sea salt, or uniodized salt; candles; incense; a clock with an alarm; and a white robe. Yes, according to the indications, witchcraft is widespread in the West. "

As a mum who is well informed on the subjects of both God and the Devil, I would do everything in my power to stop any of my kids falling prey to its influence. The Devil gives nothing for nothing, believe me.

I worry and fear for you.
Brenda  

Answer
Hi Kathy, you said--"WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT DEVIL WORSHIP? WICCA DOES NOT EVEN RECOGNIZE SATAN" (HOWEVER) "WICCA DOES REVOLVE AROUND WITCHCRAFT"

Think about it this way; there are only 2 superhuman forces that exist today, 1 is the Creator of all things, and the other is the Devil, so if we are not following God in the way HE says, who are we following, although perhaps unknowingly?

You say "Wicca doesn't recognise the devil" but it is based on "witchcraft" and who do you think is behind witchcraft, God most certainly isn't, he warns against it, so whether people realise it or not, they are "worshipping the devil" because he wants people to practice witchcraft and disobey God.

Genuine spirituality can be attained ONLY by taking in accurate knowledge of the true God. This can be accomplished by studying his Word, the Holy Bible. (James 4:8.)

God's Word warns against a malicious source of evil spirituality. (1 John 4:1) It identifies Satan the Devil, the archenemy of God, and his demons as the source of much of the misguided spirituality prevalent today. According to the Bible, Satan “has blinded the minds” of many. He actually is “misleading the entire inhabited earth,” including those who are involved in witchcraft—whether they claim to worship the Devil or not.—2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9.

Many of the practices and rituals associated with modern witchcraft are strikingly similar to the uncanny aspects of Satanism. Hence, even so-called innocent curiosity can easily lead to occultism. Indeed, many have fallen prey to Satan's evil influence in this way.

Some may deny the existence of such evil spirit beings, but this makes them even more vulnerable to their deceptions.—Compare 1 Corinthians 10:20, 21.

The Bible condemns divination, sorcery, the practice of magic, the casting of spells, and any attempts to communicate with the dead. It clearly states: “Everybody doing these things is something detestable to God.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)

Sorry if this is not what you want to hear but, Satan worship is not limited to direct worship of Satan by name. The scriptures shows that Satan is capable of powerful works, it mentions that Satan is also the author of “lying signs and portents,” as well as “unrighteous deception.” Consistently, the Bible shows Satan to be the archdeceiver who is “misleading the entire inhabited earth.” (Revelation 12:9) He is a master at making people believe things that are not true.

"I FELT DISCONTENTED WITH CHRISTIANITY,I WAS MISERABLE"

Now that, I understand, but have you ever thought that the type of "Christianity" you were exposed to was wrong?  I too went to church for years with my mother, but I had loads of questions that just were not answered at church, plus I saw hypocrisy in the churches and that disturbed me. For instance I saw people going to church on the Sunday but the rest of the week they did what THEY wanted, whether that be gambling, stealing, lying, or whatever, so it was just a sham.

In time I left what was called "Christianity" and went in search of answers to my many questions. So I can see what your saying about Christianity, but you were only "miserable and discontentented" because it was FALSE Christianity. True Christianity brings contentment and happiness.

"I AM SERVING A DEITY I DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE"

How true, I too remember sitting in church listening to the minister speak about God being a Trinity (3 persons in one) and I could never get my head round it, and church doesn't encourage people to get to know God or develop a relationship with him, and yet that is exactly what the bible says we must do.

If you are a person seeking answers to life's questions then its no wonder you felt like that when attending church, as it does not provide what people need, answers.
 
"AS A CHRISTIAN MOM WHAT WOULD BE YOUR VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT OF WICCA KNOWING IT IS NOT DEVIL WORSHIP?"

But I KNOW it is you see, as I have studied the subject for over 30 years now, I know who Satan is, what he is capable of and what things he uses to mislead people and witchcraft is definitely one of them.

"WOULD YOU TAKE THE TIME TO SIT WITH YOUR CHILD AND LEARN ABOUT THE RELIGION OR REJECT IT OUT RIGHT?"

I have 4 kids and I taught all of them the bible from a young age, they are all adults now and armed with knowledge about many different religions, all of them would tell you where witchcraft gets its power from.

So yes I did sit with them and take the time, not only to teach them the bible but also to teach them about other religions. I am not a person who "rejects anything outright" without studying the subject in depth.

I believe the bible to be God's word, his letter to mankind, and so in my eyes there is no higher source to look to for answers, it tells us what things God approves of and why, and what things he hates and why.

"I WANT TO WORSHIP MY OWN WAY INSTEAD OF GOING TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY".

I can understand you not wanting to go to church, but the mistake you've made is (if you'll forgive me for saying), you have left one WRONG way of serving God and replaced it with another WRONG way.  

God tells us in his word; HOW he wants to be worshipped, and it's not by going to church, or by witchcraft. Do you think it is unreasonable that the Creator of the universe should be the one to state how HE wants to be worshipped and that decision not left up to the individual? I don't.

I want to worship God in HIS WAY, because logically it is the only way to please him.

I wish you all the best and if you would like to discuss what God's way is,  I will be happy to help.

Brenda
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Kathy, you say--"If God wants me to believe in his righteousness, he must prove his power. He must destroy disease, stop war and hunger. If the Christian God existed and deserved worship he would do these things."


that is exasctly what he intends to do very shortly now--


WAR--"He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth." )PSALMS 46;9)


HUNGER--"There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; On the top of the mountains there will be an overflow." (PSALMS 72;16)

Rev. 11:18: "bring to ruin those ruining the earth"

Ps. 37:29: "The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it."

Ps. 37:34: "Hope in Jehovah and keep his way, and he will exalt you to take possession of the earth. When the wicked ones are cut off, you will see it."

There is only 1 Creator and he deserves our worship because he loves mankind and will bring about an end to all the wickedness we see at present.


all the best

Brenda