Witchcraft has long been a subject of fascination and intrigue. From pop culture phenomena like Harry Potter to historical beliefs in witchcraft, the idea of magic and supernatural power has captivated human imagination for centuries. However, it is important to strive for more than witchcraft. While witchcraft may offer a sense of wonder and escape from reality, it ultimately relies on the belief in supernatural forces and the manipulation of energy that cannot be proven or scientifically explained. This reliance on the supernatural can limit our understanding of the world and hinder our ability to approach challenges and problems with critical thinking and rationality. Instead of relying on witchcraft, we should strive for knowledge and understanding based on scientific evidence and logical reasoning.
To answer those questions, we must consider the reasons people are attracted to witchcraft in the first place.
Today, the kids that are captivated by the witchcraft and wizardry of the fairly benign Harry Potter fiction series have all sort of options to graduate to when they get older in both fiction and nonfiction. If your church promotes a doctrine-centered faith that lacks any discernible experience of power, don t be surprised if your young people start jumping ship.
Instead of relying on witchcraft, we should strive for knowledge and understanding based on scientific evidence and logical reasoning. By pursuing education and learning, we can gain insight into the workings of the world and contribute to advancements in various fields. In addition to intellectual growth, striving for more than witchcraft also entails cultivating personal and emotional development.
Witchcraft and Christianity
I developed a fascination with witchcraft and magic when I was a little kid. Although the Harry Potter series wouldn’t come along for another generation, there were other works of fiction that certainly captured my imagination. I remember in second grade deciding that I was going figure out if witchcraft was real or not, and if it was, I was determined to learn how to do it. So I consulted what I thought was the authority on everything, the Encyclopedia Brittanica.
I was excited to find out that witches and warlocks really existed, although I was beginning to discover they weren’t as sanitized and innocuous as the ones portrayed on Bewitched and in Saturday morning cartoons. But one detail from that article scared the heck out of me—there was a historical reference about witches of earlier centuries selling their souls to the devil. Whoa, I thought, this was serious business.
Now I was brought up in a fairly middle of the road Christian household—nothing too radical, but we did believe in the existence of the devil. One of the first Bible passages I ever read on my own was Christ’s temptation by Satan in the wilderness, and it significantly affected my views of good and evil. I apparently had enough sense to know that if the devil was involved in witchcraft, I needed to stay away from it. I was an inquisitive child with the ability to read well above my grade level, so virtually nothing in the library would’ve been off limits to me. If I hadn’t discovered that red flag in the encyclopedia article early on, I wonder what kind of trouble I might’ve have gotten myself into.
It’s thirty-three years later and we’re living in a world that’s a lot more intense. Witchcraft is much more prevalent in pop culture now. It’s portrayed as darker, riskier, and dare I say —sexier—than the more “innocent” witchcraft of my youth. Today, the kids that are captivated by the witchcraft and wizardry of the fairly benign Harry Potter fiction series have all sort of options to graduate to when they get older— in both fiction and nonfiction. And some of it can actually get dangerous, especially when the line between fantasy and reality becomes blurred.
A statistic released by Barna Research a few years ago suggested that approximately three out of four American teenagers have had at least one significant experience with psychic phenomena or witchcraft beyond the reading of horoscopes. This is alarming for a number of reasons, a major one being that witchcraft and the occult are considered to be a huge potential gateway for demonic activity in the lives of those who participate in these kinds of activities.
So what’s with the rise of interest in witchcraft among youth? Is there a correlation between this and the much hyped trend of young people losing interest in Christianity and leaving the church? How should churches respond to witchcraft?
To answer those questions, we must consider the reasons people are attracted to witchcraft in the first place.
We like power. Some of us seem to want it more than others, but most of us do want power on some level: power over others, power over nature, power over what we perceive to be evil, even power over our circumstances. People like to feel empowered, and no one relishes the thought of being powerless, because that would make us vulnerable. Who wants to be a victim? Empowerment can take many forms, including the notion that witchcraft is an escape from the perceived “dos and don’ts” of Christianity. One of the primary tenets of Wicca, for example, essentially says to do what you want as long as you don’t hurt anyone else. Some people get involved with sorcery and witchcraft thinking they’re doing a good thing, believing that only “black magic” is truly evil. Many, however, who are initially attracted to the allegedly more “innocent” forms of witchcraft (like Wicca) may be more attracted to darker elements of witchcraft when they realize that more malevolent forms better feed their desire to control others.
Churches can counter this by teaching about the reality of supernatural power with an emphasis on the supremacy of God’s power over the power of evil. Christians who ignore the supernatural and write it off as superstition can’t easily reach people who have had legitimate supernatural experiences, because they’re essentially portraying the Christian faith as spiritually powerless and one-dimensional.
Rituals and tradition are cool. As much as American Christianity loves its rock worship bands, sermon series, and movie clips, we may be missing something when we lose all the traditional stuff. It turns out a lot of young people actually like feeling a connection with people of other eras. Rituals and rites that sometimes seem archaic and out of place in the 21st century have a certain amount of cachet (both spiritual and psychological) that plenty of well-meaning church leaders sometimes discount when they’re trying to be relevant and reach more people. Things like “Catholic style” communion, responsive readings, blessings, anointing people with oil, and traditional prayers from prayer books.
A few years ago, I read the story of a person who led Bible studies in a juvenile detention center. He brought in paperback Bibles with appealing full-cover colors only to find out that many youth wanted a Bible that looked like their grandmother’s Bible. Go figure. Those who practice witchcraft often recognize the spiritual power in ritual more than some Christians do. The trend in many Christian churches has unfortunately been to strip Christian practice of elements that are perceived as being ancient, out of touch, or rote. Those who are drawn to witchcraft, on the other hand, seem to embrace rituals and ancient elements.
We want legitimate experiences, and we’re attracted to mystery. If your church promotes a doctrine-centered faith that lacks any discernible experience of power, don’t be surprised if your young people start jumping ship. Flawed as it is, witchcraft is experience-based and it recognizes the existence of a spiritual dimension beyond what we can see. And it doesn’t feel the need to try to explain everything, become super-relevant to today’s culture, or even to “fit in”. There are elements of secrecy and rebellion in the practice of witchcraft that likely attract people too. Although Christianity should avoid promoting rebellion and secrecy in general, one has to wonder if we haven’t gotten so caught up in our desire to be accepted by mainstream society and viewed as respectable that we’ve lost that subversive, counter-cultural edge that made the early church grow so quickly in the first place.
There will probably always be some kids who rebel against the faith of their upbringing, and wander off into the dark territory of witchcraft and the occult. But there’s no need for the church to give them reasons to leave. Christianity that’s too domesticated, too predictable, and too safe is also going to be seen by many as too boring. These are some of the problems we need to address if we’re going to capture the imagination and ignite the wonder of this generation.
Supernatural October Series: For the rest of the month, I’ll be blogging about topics like ghosts, demons, exorcism, spiritual warfare, death, hell, witchcraft, Satanism, the occult, psychics, vampires, and Halloween. If you have any ideas or experiences you’d like to share, send a message to [email protected].
Read additional posts from this series.
God takes witchcraft very seriously. The penalty for practicing witchcraft under the Mosaic Law was death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:27). First Chronicles 10:13 tells us that “Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance.” In the New Testament, “sorcery” is translated from the Greek word pharmakeia, from which we get our word pharmacy (Galatians 5:20; Revelation 18:23). Witchcraft and spiritism often involve the ritualistic use of magic potions and mind-controlling drugs. Using illicit drugs can open ourselves up to the invasion of demonic spirits. Engaging in a practice or taking a substance to achieve an altered state of consciousness is a form of witchcraft.
Rather than seeking external solutions to our problems through magic or wishful thinking, we should focus on developing inner strength, resilience, and healthy coping mechanisms. Striving for more means recognizing that we have agency and the ability to shape our own lives through conscious choices and actions. We must take responsibility for our own well-being and actively work towards our goals and aspirations. This requires hard work, perseverance, and a commitment to personal growth. Ultimately, striving for more than witchcraft means embracing a mindset of empowerment and self-improvement. It means valuing critical thinking, scientific knowledge, personal development, and taking charge of our own lives. By doing so, we can achieve meaningful and lasting fulfillment that goes beyond the fleeting allure of supernatural beliefs..
Reviews for "Breaking the Chains: Striving for More than Witchcraft"
1. John - 2/5 - I found "Strive for more than witchcraft" to be a disappointing read. The writing felt disjointed and lacked a cohesive storyline. The characters were underdeveloped, and I had a hard time connecting with any of them. Additionally, the book's attempt to tackle deeper themes felt forced and fell flat. Overall, it fell short of my expectations and I wouldn't recommend it.
2. Sarah - 2/5 - I was excited to read "Strive for more than witchcraft" based on the summary, but it ultimately left me dissatisfied. The plot felt convoluted and hard to follow, with unnecessary twists and turns that didn't add anything substantial to the story. The protagonist, who was supposed to be the driving force, lacked depth and came across as one-dimensional. The dialogue felt stilted and unnatural, making it difficult to fully engage with the characters. I was hoping for a more captivating and immersive experience, but unfortunately, this book didn't deliver.
3. Alex - 1/5 - I regret picking up "Strive for more than witchcraft". The writing style was incredibly dull and lacked any sort of creativity or originality. The pacing was off, with too much time spent on insignificant details, while important plot points were rushed through. The world-building was shallow and didn't make the magical elements believable or intriguing. Overall, it was a forgettable read that I wouldn't recommend to anyone looking for a captivating fantasy novel.
4. Emily - 2/5 - "Strive for more than witchcraft" was a letdown for me. The characters felt flat and lacked any real growth throughout the story. The author relied on tired clichés and predictable tropes rather than bringing something fresh to the genre. The plot was predictable and lacked any real surprises or twists. I was hoping for a more engaging and immersive reading experience, but unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations.
5. Mark - 2/5 - I had high hopes for "Strive for more than witchcraft", but it failed to deliver. The writing was mediocre, with dialogue that felt forced and unrealistic. The pacing was inconsistent, making it hard to stay engaged. The main character lacked depth, and I found it difficult to connect with her journey. The plot lacked cohesion, and the resolution felt rushed and unsatisfying. Overall, it was a disappointing read that didn't live up to its potential.