I believe that religion has to do with spirituality and having faith. On the other hand, magic is a practice and is sometimes used for good like healing people and bad, causing someone harm. Whether or not people believe in it is there choice but to me, one wouldn’t exist with out the other. Religion and magic are both very similar in some aspects but they differ in other ways too. Some people may argue that they are more similar than different since they rely on one another so much and sometimes religion can act as the foundation of magic. Magic is the practice of a religion. The “hands on” part of the religion one example is when Buddhist meditates otherwise known as yoga. Where one performs body movements in order to separate the body from the soul and connect with Mother Nature. Another example is a person becoming possessed by a spirit that can be good or a demonic spirit. In some cultures, people become possessed by animals and act like the animal such as a horse or a hen. In the western culture we always hear about these films about demonic possessions and even though Holl...
Witchcraft is the most illogical and despised practice involving the supernatural power. “It implies the ability to injure others”. A witch usually acquires his power through an inherent physical factor, or through the power of another witch. Witch possess a special organ called mangu, located somewhere behind the sternum or attached to the liver. ”[11]
First, Wicca, the formal organization of witchcraft, is a mystery religion. Each practitioner is considered a witch, and practitioner of The Craft, which contains several different beliefs concerning theology and divinity depending on an individual because of their freedom to study what they seek. Members may choose to be solitary, or part of a coven, which is a group of Wiccans that share beliefs and conduct rituals together. Though different groups of Wicca may differ in certain viewpoints, there are few unambiguous attributes of the religion. These explain that “deity is inspiring, and immanent; Humans are a part of nature; Divinity is manifested in all things and is the central part of nature; God and Goddess images are recognized as higher forms of divinity.” (Church and School of Wicca). The main rule that the Wiccans abide by is the Wiccan Rede, which preaches: “An ye harm none, do what ye will.” (Church and School of Wicca). Magic plays a huge part in the Wiccan religion, with spells, rituals, ceremonies, healings, and divination, etc., among the fundamental practices.
Mythology has been present throughout human civilization to provide a sense of awe, wonder, and fear. According to Joseph Campbell’s The Need for New Myths, a myth offers gratitude or rapture to reveal a comprehensive image of man’s universe and his place within the world. In the novel Fifth Business by Robertson Davies, magic and religion reassemble human struggles into a relatable, yet awe inducing myth. The sensation of wonder, surprise, or fear induces a feeling of self-insignificance at the vastness of the universe. To accommodate for this overwhelming experience, a person undergoes catharsis where their mental schemata is reset. In this release of emotions, one accepts their place in the universe and becomes a better self. Dunstan and Paul rely on religion and magic for the mending of a traumatized childhood. The reenactment of the Christian Faust legend in the magic act portrays the eternal struggle of good versus evil in humanity. Eisengrim, as an allusion to Jesus, provides wonder and release to his audience. In Fifth Business, Magic and religion both reconstruct everyday experiences to provide catharsis in wonder.
In Western culture magic has been traditionally viewed negatively. The word often conjures up images of witches, spells, cults, and dark rituals. As Malidoma displays, in Dagara culture, along with most traditional African culture, magic is viewed positively and is at the core of religion.
Their dependence on magic is similar to very religion-like. It is akin to how a pious group of people consider their faith as sort of a protection. But the Trobriander magic extends to more realms than most religions. Malinowski mentions the varied aspects of their lives that magic plays a part in. It is used to explain death. Physical ailments and illness can be attributed to magic. There is a team of human sorcerers, the bwaga’u, who induce the “deepest dread and most constant concern of the natives” because of how magic can extinguish human life (393). Health is closely tied to magic as it can ruin or improve one’s health. Magic also plays a part in social events such as “ambition in gardening, ambition in successful Kula, vanity and display of personal charms in dancing” (394). Individuals can perform magic to improve the chances of success for their gardens while also casting black magic on the gardens of their rivals. Magic governs the weather. One of the more interesting aspects of
When one thinks of witchcraft they typically think of a woman who is ugly, old and grotesque. Someone that perhaps brews potions with unearthly matter in a cauldron or someone that shoots out spells with a wand. The media shows us that these witches can talk to animals, most specifically cats and wolves. They also portray them as evildoers that consort with the Devil, steal children, and kill others. Although having such beings that could create such feats of magic would be astonishing, they are largely false rumors created by the Catholic Church to promote Christianity and punish those who held on those beliefs that did not align with the church. The history of witchcraft, the implausible and impossible feats that were associated with witches, and the modern day practices of witchcraft reflect a lie that caused tremendous tragedy, which destroyed thousands upon thousands of lives worldwide due to a silly hoax.
Outdating Christianity and Judaism, Paganism and witchcraft are a few of the oldest religions known to man. Although many people use Paganism as an umbrella term for any other religions other than Christian or Judaic, witchcraft and Paganism are not the same thing (Lokken). Wicca and witchcraft has been practiced by many cultures in many different parts of the world. The people who practice some of the magick that Wicca has to offer may not define themselves as witches, but it has been practiced. Evidence of Africans using witchcraft has been found; however, it is not the witchcraft that follows the Wiccan Rede, or the Three-fold Law (“What). The Wiccan Rede is summed up in just a few words “an it harm none, do what ye will” (Zimmerman 63). Furthermore, the Thrice Fold Law is the law of karma; where whatever someone does, good or bad, it comes back to them thrice fold. Due to this Thrice Fold Law and the Wiccan Rede, most witches do not want to harm anyone because they know it will come back to them
Beginning in the Middle Ages and through the seventeenth centuries, an infiltration of witchcraft persevered throughout Europe. The witch craze resulted in the torture and persecution of witches. More than 100,000 of witches who were tried were centered in the area of southwestern Europe. The mass hysteria of witches was denounced because of their rejection of God and their pact with the devil, which resulted in harsh punishments and accusations. One reason for the persecution of witches was they were thought to be the cause of bad harvests, epidemics, natural disasters, and personal tragedies. Witches also had a part in the religious aspect of Europe. The witches were persecuted because of the lack of a main religion, which was significant to life during the Protestant and Catholic Reformations. At this time of the witch phenomena, Europe was in a state of instability and people in Europe looked to benefit from the persecution of witches in the form of goods and money. The persecution of individuals as witches in Europe was mainly a repercussion of economic circumstances, strong religious beliefs, and prejudices of the people.
Druid magic comes from an intimate relationship with nature and the gods. A druid senses and understands the pattern between all living things and uses this knowledge to communicate with the gods. Druidic magic is actually the giving up of an offering to the gods in return for some gift. Some examples of druidic magic are aisl...
The Islamic faith also believes in witchcraft but believe in two separate kinds. The belief that an individual practices witchcraft for the good of society to rid of evil and reverse any evil doings is one.
Over the centuries, the concept of Witchcraft, as it presented within religion and society, evoked a variety of responses and attitudes that permeated throughout the cultures of the world. Christianity incited wars, hysteria, and chaos in the name of extinguishing the practice of Witchcraft. Today, there are prominent religions within many cultures that uphold the practice of witchcraft as a feasible manifestation of spirituality. The term conjures up a variety of images for a diverse range of people. To the Azande, witchcraft, oracles and magic existed in everyday life as permeation of the Zande culture.
Lehmann A. C. & Myers J. E. Magic, Witchcraft and Religion – An anthropological Study of the Supernatural (Fourth Edition) (Mayfield Publishing Company, 1997)
In general witchcraft is sorcery, the magical manipulation of the supernormal forces through the use of spells, and the conjuring or invoking of spirits. Wicca is the most common witchcraft. During the middle ages and the renaissance, it was defined as evil magic. This is the very reason Joan of Arc was burned at the stake; she was accused of being a witch. Although many think that it is a religion that worships the devil, Wicca does not have anything to do with worshiping the devil or Christianity. The most common form of witchcraft is done with the use of spells. To set a spell, the person doing it will set up an altar/table in which to place the candles and symbols on. The spells consist of words that can either be chanted or inscribed in something. The candles are used to direct the spell towards a specific purpose, such as: pink-love, white-healing and peace, and black-death. These colors can be used for different meanings; however, these are the standard meanings. There are many other colors out there with their own unique meanings, like if a spell was being set on a person; a candle that was their favorite color could be used. The symbols used consist of charms, pictures, flowers and belongings depending on the spell being set. These symbols must represent the spell and they cannot just be anything done quickly without thought. For example, if the person were trying to make their friend heal from a sickness a picture of the person or something that represents them would work.
Pope John Paul II once said, “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth – in a word, to know himself – so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves.” (Fallible Blogma) Based on this significant and powerful quote, one can infer that faith and reason are directly associated and related. It can also be implied that the combination of faith and reason allows one to seek information and knowledge about truth and God; based on various class discussions and past academic teachings, it is understood that both faith and reason are the instruments that diverse parties are supposed to use on this search for truth and God. There are many stances and viewpoints on the issues of faith and reason. Some believe that both of these ideas cannot and should not be combined; these parties deem that faith and reason must be taken as merely separate entities. However, this writer does not understand why both entities cannot be combined; both terms are so closely compatible that it would make sense to combine the two for a common task. Based on various class discussions and readings, there are many philosophers and theologians who have certain opinions regarding faith, reason and their compatibility; these philosophers include Hildegard of Bingen, Ibn Rushd, Moses Maimonides, and St. Thomas Aquinas. The following essay will examine each of the previously stated philosopher’s viewpoints on faith and reason, and will essentially try to determine whether or not faith and reason are ultimately one in the same.
Have you ever felt so emotional and passionate about something that you felt your passion would overwhelm you? Often times we find ourselves battling and suppressing our passions; yet the longer we fight them the stronger they become. We are constantly trying to destroy our passions because we feel that they are wrong, but we cannot destroy them. Therefore, we need to learn how to control and regulate our passions lest they control and consume us.