Is Witchcraft real?

[corydoras]

I'm sorry mate but I don't believe in your chi crud either. More magical thinking. My son is a black belt in judo and he doesn't believe in your 'chi' either. I don't think his tutor ever mentioned it, he did mention hard work and dedication, not wishful thinking.

 

I too have an open mind, just not open enough so that my brains are in danger of falling out.

Edited March 2, 2012 by corydoras

[kirisute]

I'm sorry mate but I don't believe in your chi crud either. More magical thinking. My son is a black belt in judo and he doesn't believe in your 'chi' either. I don't think his tutor ever mentioned it, he did mention hard work and dedication, not wishful thinking.

 

I too have an open mind, just not open enough so that my brains are in danger of falling out.

Fair enough.

I've also seen countless 12 year old black belts who are about as deserving of the grade as chimps in pyjamas!

an open mind is a good thing....blindly following a fool because he says he is enlightened is not. We all have our own paths to tread and walk....some foster beliefs some do not.

It's when your beliefs make you the fool that you need to worry! If a belief fosters only good things and acts and deeds then it's a good thing regardless of its foundation in common sense!

[The Flying Tench]

Well you won't be surprised that, like Azrael, I believe some of it is real. That's not to deny that a lot of it is hocus pocus, auto suggestion etc. But some of the stuff I have read from authors I trust, and to a lesser extent things I have experienced personally, convince me that some of it is real.

 

But no, i don't believe in vampires or werewolves!

[corydoras]

Fair enough.

I've also seen countless 12 year old black belts who are about as deserving of the grade as chimps in pyjamas!

an open mind is a good thing....blindly following a fool because he says he is enlightened is not. We all have our own paths to tread and walk....some foster beliefs some do not.

It's when your beliefs make you the fool that you need to worry! If a belief fosters only good things and acts and deeds then it's a good thing regardless of its foundation in common sense!

I don't understand in how believing in something without empirical evidence is a good thing.

[azrael]

not everything needs to be prooved by science and labeled and put in the boxs

[corydoras]

Well you won't be surprised that, like Azrael, I believe some of it is real. That's not to deny that a lot of it is hocus pocus, auto suggestion etc. But some of the stuff I have read from authors I trust, and to a lesser extent things I have experienced personally, convince me that some of it is real.

 

But no, i don't believe in vampires or werewolves!

So what's your take on those so called "charismatic pastors" that peddle this "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" crap? Why as a disbelieving atheist is the soul that I don't believe I have not absolutely riddled with evil spirits?

[corydoras]

not everything needs to be prooved by science and labeled and put in the boxs

Science doesn't seek to prove anything. Science is a tool we use to explain the natural world.

[The Flying Tench]

If a belief fosters only good things and acts and deeds then it's a good thing regardless of its foundation in common sense!

One thing not everyone realises is that deliverance ministry (or exorcism) frequently results in physical or emotional healing. I remember reading an account by a social anthropologist who analysed the results of a christian healing conference similar to one I had attended about 20 years ago. The 3 types of prayer involved were physical healing, emotional healing and deliverance. Deliverance had the highest success rate.

 

I visited Mozambique a couple of years ago, partly because of the remarkable spiritual healings that were taking place. I was talking to a missionary who had led a mission to a rural village. She was standing in for someone else, and was quite scared about whether the usual miracles would happen. But the day after the villagers were encouraged to burn their witchcraft charms a wonderful wave of healing took place right through the congregation, with many blind people receiving their sight and, deaf people hearing, and lame people walking. Burning the witchcraft fetishes, and I believe thereby breaking the power of the black magic, enabled the healings to take place.

 

I have only a little experience of this kind of thing personally, but my limited experience ties in with the more dramatic stories I have read about and been told of by others.

[kirisute]

I don't understand in how believing in something without empirical evidence is a good thing.

If a belief, evidenced or not, supports the better nature of mankind or an individual then surely it can be said to good?

The end result being a better persn or society...regardless of how that result comes about.

The basis of most religions are basic tenets in living a good life....one does not require a godhead to do such, but there are many that deem it a need to believe in one to aid in their tasks of upholding a way of living with the set of tenets.

You follow your path, by your rules to a code of honour or set of tenets you deem suitable for your life...and in doing so have created a belief system for your own existence that you follow, and have no doubt instilled in your child/ children. Within the constraints of societies laws, give or take, depending on how your code allows your way of life to go.

Some don't have the willpower to stand alone and forge their own paths but would rather be guided and have such values placed before them to follow.

That's all is.....

[corydoras]

One thing not everyone realises is that deliverance ministry (or exorcism) frequently results in physical or emotional healing. I remember reading an account by a social anthropologist who analysed the results of a christian healing conference similar to one I had attended about 20 years ago. The 3 types of prayer involved were physical healing, emotional healing and deliverance. Deliverance had the highest success rate.

 

I visited Mozambique a couple of years ago, partly because of the remarkable spiritual healings that were taking place. I was talking to a missionary who had led a mission to a rural village. She was standing in for someone else, and was quite scared about whether the usual miracles would happen. But the day after the villagers were encouraged to burn their witchcraft charms a wonderful wave of healing took place right through the congregation, with many blind people receiving their sight and, deaf people hearing, and lame people walking. Burning the witchcraft fetishes, and I believe thereby breaking the power of the black magic, enabled the healings to take place.

 

I have only a little experience of this kind of thing personally, but my limited experience ties in with the more dramatic stories I have read about and been told of by others.

I thought miracles were supposed to be highly unusual, not every day occurrences. Were those blind deaf and lame people who were healed checked by someone with medical qualifications before and after the ceremony to show that they were indeed I'll and were indeed healed afterwards. Were there any amputees there? If so did any sprout new limbs.