Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquila
My grandmother was raised in the hills of West Virginia. She taught me most of what I know about witches because it runs in our family. There are a number of close friends of that side of the family who are also witches. Here’s my understanding based on what I’ve personally seen and been told by them.
Many don’t realize that there are several types of witches, but only one is a true “witch”.
For example, you have people who are just eccentric and claim to be a witch, but are actually, well, nothing but searching souls trying to carve out their spiritual niche.
You also have what most today might call a “wiccan”. These are relatively harmless folk who frequent occult stores, buy occult books, practice learned and read occult practices, wear the crystals, often dress “earthy”, and honestly - they are relatively harmless. These folks are searching and just need Jesus. They call themselves witches and want to be seen as witches, but real witches often call them “dabblers”.
And lastly there are true “witches”. These individuals have it in their blood. It’s a family trait (or curse) that’s passed down through their generations. Often in childhood they begin to show signs that they are indeed “witches”. For example, when my grandmother was a young child she saw spirits and they often told her things that no one could know. She’d blurt it out or share it and embarrass people or shock people. Sometimes she’d play with her dolls (each representing a member of the family) and play out an event with the dolls, days before it happened in real life. She would also talk to trees and animals. She also regularly spoke to the dead. These children are often spotted by the older adults with the “gift” or who know of the gift. They refer to this as having the “anointing”. Much of their lingo sounds Christian on the surface but their spiritual power isn’t generated from Christ. They often engage in “folk magic”. For example my grandmother would cut a tomato and sit it on the kitchen window sill to ward off bad luck. Often these “folk magic” customs are personalized or localized. This type of witch can be of any “religion” but their power doesn’t originate from that religion. Many embrace wicca today, but most are “spiritualists”. These individuals find it natural to read the leaves on trees to issue proclamations regarding the future or the current status of people from vast distances. They may ask you to be still and quiet while they listen to the trees or the wind. There isn’t a “science” behind their “magic”. It’s not something you can learn from a book from the occult section of the book store. It’s also not something they “practice”, it’s more just “what they are”. Their magic is powerful, more powerful than that learned by wiccans from a book. In fact this kind of witch can be completely illiterate yet still powerful. These are the ones who have perfected the “evil eye” and other such things. Their witchcraft is based more in the deepest feelings of their soul and they don’t “dabble” with the power, they wield it. They interpret dreams, without needing the aid of any study or reference materials like “dream meaning encyclopedias”. These are the real deal. They are also far knowledgeable about the spirit world seeing that they have lived interacting with it naturally all their lives. Often they are more knowledgeable than “book worm Christians” who know only commentary or what their pastor tells them. In more recent times they’ve often billed themselves as “psychics”…but it is actually witchcraft. These often don’t “choose” to be witches, again, it’s just “what they are”. Only the power of God can set them free. And even after they are free, the trees whisper, and “impressions” from the spirit realm beckon. However, once converted, they make very powerful and dynamic Christians because of their extensive familiarity with the spirit world. Often fellow Christians who are just “book worm Christians” will never understand them or their understandings because what they know is learned from experience not the writings or surmising of theologians or commentators.
That’s my understanding based on my personal experience.
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Not too bad, except that it doesn't necessarily run in our families.
It is a trait of who we are though, created by our Lord to interact with
the things of the spirit rather easily, then split off into other paths
either prior to knowing Jesus, or driven there afterwords by the church.
Then we have to deal with the scars of that experience while those who
drove us out go blissfully along, ignorant of the pain that has been wrought.
The good thing is... Jesus welcomes us back when we turn back to Him.
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