What is Witchcraft and other modern occult practices?

So first off ,what is witchcraft in general would be the first question.I think that Derek Prince said it best as that witchcraft is the use of a spirit to gain power that is not the Holy Spirit.This can run a spectrum of clever incantations or spells used to control or manipulate to complex religions such as Wicca or Voo Doo or Santeria.The English word witch comes from the Old English word wicce which meant cunning or wise and also the word wicked from this also.Wicked would have meant very cunning or clever or shrewed until in a Christinized English it had evolved to mean evil.

There is today a whole resurgence in interest in the occult today and in the US and Europe Wicca is the most popular.

“Wicca is typically duotheistic, venerating both a Goddess and a God, traditionally conceived as the Triple Goddess and the Horned God, respectively. These deities may be regarded in a henotheistic way, as having many different divine aspects which can be identified with various pagan deities from different historical pantheons. For this reason, they are sometimes referred to as the “Great Goddess” and the “Great Horned God”, with the honorific “great” connoting a personification containing many other deities within their own nature. Some Wiccans refer to the goddess as “Lady” and the god as “Lord” to invoke their divinity. These two deities are sometimes viewed as facets of a universal pantheistic divinity, regarded as an impersonal force rather than a personal deity. Other traditions of Wicca embrace polytheism, pantheism, monism, and Goddess monotheism.”

Like most types of sorcery or divination this is based on spells and incantation and is primarily an earth worship based religion.Also things like Voo Doo and Santeria are also very popular which is a mixture of traditional West African sorcery and Catholic saint worship.

Is there such thing as “black magick”? In my mind no because it is irrelevant ,all witchcraft and magick is from demonic sources because no witchcraft comes from the Holy Spirit.Even if witchraft is used for healing there will be a curse that will go with that to which people may deeply regret.

Deuteronomy 18.10-12

” ¹⁰ Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, ¹¹ or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. ¹² Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.”

First here Forbidden is human sacrifice and this was most common in the valley of Hinom where children were sacrificed to the god Molekh at Hinnom and the word for valley of Hinom was Geihinnom which is a common Hebrew word for hell.Often children were sacrificed to the gods in the spring for a good fall harvest.If you know the Ballet “Rite of Spring” by Stravinsky ,the right of spring was that in pre Christian Romania. And a farmers daughter would dance herself to death as a offering for a good fall harvest.Or sometimes pagan parents would sacrifice to Molekh children they did not think they could afford to raise.

Next it speaks of divination or sorcery or in general witchcraft which basically means casting spells and general occult practice.And interestingly the word used for interpreter of omans is from the same root as the word used in the Garden of Eden account for serpent which is nachash or the shining one נחש

The word used for soothsayer comes from the verb answer so it implies a person who give explanation of dreams or omans or uses tarot cards or such things for fortune telling or horoscopes or any prediction of the future.The for spiritist the word used is יִדְּעֹנִ֔י or yidoni meaning a “knowledgeable one” ,so maybe a person with secret knowledge.And it also strictly forbids all mediums or any attempt to contact the dead.We see in the book of Samuel the curse that came upon Saul for consulting the dead.(Read 1 Samuel 28-31)

Many know of course also that in the Greek scriptures a word often used for sorcery is pharmakeia which means drugs or narcotics but can also mean hallucinogens like LSD or Peyote (mescalito) or psybicilin which can be found in certain mushrooms.Sort of like the Doors of Perception where a new world is opened giving secret or hidden knowledge.Which is what the word occult means ,concealed or hidden.The arcane secret knowledge only a few can posses.

That brings us to the next point ,secret societies which comes to mind most cliche is the Masons! However and secret fraternity or society to which members are given arcane knowledge is a occult society and it does not matter if their intentions are good and benevolent and kind ,these secret societies with them bring curses on their members.So what defines a secret society ,this is not a simple question and I guess one must know their own groups they are involved with.Does a group have secret rites that you must not disclose and knowledge you must not disclose.Does a group use statues or symbols that are not Christian.Even if a society promotes the highest good if it is not Christian or Biblically centered it is likely not good to be involved with.

Music ,yes music can contain witchcraft ,for instance just think of how the Psychedelic music of the 1960’s so strongly influenced the youth of that era ,they were literally hypnotized by the music.Anything from Jimi Hendrix ,the Grateful Dead,Pink Floyd,Led Zeppelin,Black Sabbath,Metallica etc…

Any of these hypnotic music bands that often have lyrics that have clear occult references.Or poetry music like Joan Baez,Dylan or Bruce Springteen where the inspiration of the lyrics has people mesmerized.I was listening to Bob Dylan on spotify that week and the words to the song were virtually hypnotic and it’s no surprise that young people get sucked into this stuff.I had a friend who was obsessed with Springsteen ,he quoted his song lyrics like he was quoting scripture or reciting a magical ritual and called Bruce Springteen his favorite person alive.You can see this is occult because of the power of the influence of the spiritual lyrics and the idol worship of a person.Any music lyrics that are intensely spiritual and are not about Jesus or the Holy Spirit then it is occult music.

Also if you consider the heavy drum beats in African music often associated with African pagan rites and ceremony.It is important to not get sucked into the wrong music and I don’t think putting on pop radio while driving down the grocery store for short entertainment is a problem.So so much of pop culture today is laced with occult suggestion and so many people make music whether it maybe Hip Hop R&B or Rock or Indie a part of their spiritual life and this becomes a form of witchcraft.Should one take all rock albums or whatever and destroy them.Yes some I would say but it’s a judgement call ,how do you feel about the music’s influence on you.I myself compose music and after i was saved I destroyed a lot of music I had written.Make a choice you can live with.I listen to Bruce Springsteen once in a while and I enjoy his music but I do not venerate it like my friend did I don’t make it an idol! And also classical music to it is not as occult laced as blues or rock or Heavy Metal Music but so much of classical is so dark and so sad.There is a lot of classical music I no longer listen because it is so dark and sad and angst filled.

Occult objects or art work?

Here is Genesis 31:32

“32The one with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our brothers, recognize for yourself what is with me, and take [it] for yourself.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.”

Of course we know Rachel later died and maybe because of the curse Jacob pronounced.

So how dangerous is it to keep occult objects and what are occult objects?

Tarot cards,Ouija boards, statues of idol gods,things like dream catchers(a type of Native American religious item) certain types of masks used by pagans or Shamans to scare evil spirits,certain types of chrystals designed for magical purposes,occult books or books on magick. Or even books of poetry that have very spiritual meanings not of Jesus or the Holy Spirit.Like for example Edgar Allen Poe or modern things like patti Smith or Anne Sexton or anything of that nature. Also religious books outside of a Christian gospel worldview unless you are studying them to refute them.Any object with any known occult association should be destroyed as soon as possible.Any of these objects could bring a curse ,what the curse may be I do not know exactly but it could vary but what is sure is that curses follow these objects.

Thank you all and God bless !