WICCA & NEW AGE

Main Idea: Spiritual experience can bespiritual deception

1 Cor. 10:19-22Apologetics 11.06.13

Important distinctions

• Occult: supernatural, mystical, or magicalbeliefs, practices, or phenomena.

• Cult: a system of religious veneration anddevotion directed toward a particular figureor object.

What is Wicca?

• A miscellaneous collection of beliefs aboutspirits, gods, and goddesses.

• Belief in reincarnation.• Because of reincarnation, all life is sacred.• Ultimate life force (god & goddess).• Multiple ways to God.• Reject the use of violence and “imbalance” in

nature (high environmental awareness).• “Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfil, ‘An it

harm none, do what ye will.’”- http://www.wicca-spirituality.com/wiccan-rede.html

What is Wicca?• Wiccans deny:A. The concept of Heaven and Hell (Matt. 25:46).B. The existence of the Devil and the worship of the devil, Lucifer,

etc. (Matt. 4:1ff).C. The existence of absolute evil (Psalm 34:14; 35:10).D. The inspiration and authority of the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16).E. A need for salvation (Rom. 3:23).F. Moral absolutes (Exodus 20).G. That Jesus is the only way to salvation (John 14:6).H. The male headship presented by Christianity (Eph. 4:11; Eph. 5).I. A religious authoritative hierarchy (Eph. 4:11; Eph. 5).J. The concept that humanity is to subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28).

- http://carm.org/religious-movements/wicca/beliefs-wicca

Wiccan symbols

Witchcraft

Q: Is witchcraft real?A: The Bible teaches that Satan and demons exist and have

spiritual power. Those who reject God expose themselves toSatan’s influence.

*Slave girl had “the spirit of divination/fortune - Acts 16:16

Q: What if a person has had a spiritual experience such as a“spirit guide”?

A: Is it possible for you to be deceived? Could it be possiblethat your spiritual experience is a spiritual deception. What’syour standard of truth?

- http://carm.org/religious-movements/wicca/if-youre-wiccan-please-read

• Richard Cavendish, “The driving force behindblack magic is hunger for power. [It] is rootedin the darkest levels of the mind...but it is muchmore than a product of the love of evil or aliking for mysterious mumbo jumbo. It is atitanic attempt to exalt the stature of man, toput man in the place which religious thoughtreserves for God.”

- Richard Cavendish, The Black Arts: A concise history of witchcraft, demonology,astrology, alchemy, and other mystical practices throughout the ages (Penguin: NewYork), back cover-page.

Wicca & “White Magic”

• Wiccans claim to believe in and practice “whitemagic” as opposed to black magic.

• “Black magic attempts to produce evil resultsthrough such methods as curses, spells,destruction of models of one’s enemy andalliance with evil spirits. It often takes the formof witchcraft. White magic tries to undo cursesand spells, and to use occult forces for the goodof oneself and others.” - New Bible Dictionary

– Ellis, E. E. (1996). Magi. In D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer & D. J. Wiseman (Eds.), New Bible dictionary (D. R. W.Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer & D. J. Wiseman, Ed.) (3rd ed.) (713). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

• Question: What distinction does theBible give between black and whitemagic?

• There isn’t a distinction. If all attempts to channelthe supernatural, outside of God, are acts ofrebellion then “White” magic is more of a deceptionthan black magic because it looks good (Gen. 3:6).

Paganism in Virginia

http://www.witchvox.com/vn/gr/usva_gra.html?id=&offset=40

New Age

• Somewhat difficult to define except for twocharacteristics:

1) Evolutionary godhood: You can become your owngod!

2) Global unity: Let’s be one.• Very popular “New Age Music” movement.• Advocates “Christian” principles without the God

of Christianity.

Question: What are some of the problems with tryingto be a moral person without God?

Jesus & spiritual forces

• Jesus’ temptation by evil spiritual forces - Satan(Mark 4).

• Jesus didn’t have to resort to “white magic” toreverse spiritual diseases: He just healedpeople.

• Adam & Eve rebelled against God by believingthe lie of Satan.

• Witchcraft is seeking spiritual power outside ofGod.

Biblical teaching on witchcraft

• Unclean spiritual forces in occult practicesLeviticus 19:31 “Do not turn to mediums or

necromancers; do not seek them out, and somake yourselves unclean by them: I am theLord your God.”

Biblical teaching on witchcraft

• Saul’s disobedience to God1 Samuel 15:22-23 “And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great

delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying thevoice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as thesin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity andidolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,he has also rejected you from being king.”

• Rebellion is compared to witchcraft whichis disobedience to God & walking in one’sown way.

Biblical teaching on witchcraft

• King Manasseh’s rebellion against God2 Chronicles 33:1 “And he burned his sons as an offering in

the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-tellingand omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and withnecromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord,provoking him to anger.”

• Ancient paganism almost always combined two elements:1) Immorality 2) Human sacrifice

*Wicca denounces violence and does not require groupimmorality as within Satanism.

Biblical teaching on witchcraft

Witchcraft/Sorcery is a fruit of the flesh• Galatians 5:20 “idolatry, sorcery, enmity,

strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries,dissensions, divisions,”

• King Saul visits the Witch of Endor (anecromancer attempted to make contactwith the spirits of the dead) - 1 Samuel 28

Biblical teaching on witchcraft

Idols are connected to demons:• 1 Cor. 10:19-22 “What do I imply then? That food offered

to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, Iimply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons andnot to God. I do not want you to be participants withdemons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and thecup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lordand the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord tojealousy? Are we stronger than he?”

Witnessing to Wiccans

• Claim: “The Bible has been corrupted!”• Response: Are you aware of the manuscript

evidence supporting the Bible?• Claim: “The Church has persecuted and killed

pagans and witches in the past!”• Response: “True Christians obey Jesus who said

not to use violence against non-believers (John18:36). In fact, the Roman Catholic Church haspersecuted & burned many Christians.”

Witnessing to Wiccans

• Don’t call them Satanists• Don’t be afraid of them• Ask them questions about their beliefs• Talk about the Resurrection which

proves the Supernatural and theuniqueness of Jesus Christ.

• “Those in Wicca are unwittingly contactingdemonic forces and because of that, theygain a form of power. But, that power has acost. The cost is darkness.” - Matt Slick

http://carm.org/religious-movements/wicca/my-involvement-occult