What Christians Do Not Understand About Neopaganism

A LITTLE LESS MISUNDERSTANDING

(what Christians don't understand about Neopaganism)

by J. Brad Hicks

Q: Are you a witch?
A: That's actually a tricky question to answer, so let me go about
it in a round-about way: what I am is a Neopagan. Neopaganism is a
beautiful, complex religion that is not in opposition to Christianity
in any way - just different. However, some of the people that the
Catholic church burned as "witches" were people who practiced
something essentially the same as what I do. In identification with
them and the suffering that they went through, some of us (Neopagans)
call ourselves witches.
One expert, P.E.I. Bonewits, says that there are actually several
kinds of groups that are called "witches." Some are people whose
ancestors were village healers, herbalists, midwives, and such - many
of whom had (or were ascribed to have) mental, or psychic, or magic
powers, which were passed down through the family in the form of oral
tradition, and Bonewits calls them "Traditional Witches." Some are
people who have deliberately used the term to oppose themselves to
Christianity, are practicing "Satanists," and practice (deliberately)
most of the practices invented by the Inquisition, and Bonewits calls
them "Gothic Witches" or "Neo-Gothic Witches." Some belong to radical
feminist groups, who use the term because they believe that the
original Inquisition was primarily anti-women; some of them practice
magic, many of them do not - Bonewits calls them "Feminist Witches."
But the vast majority (these days) are harmless people who worship God
in many forms, including the Lord and the Lady and Mother Earth.
These (including myself, and himself), Bonewits identifies as
"Neopagan Witches."
I hope that this helps more than it confuses.

Q: Are you a devil worshipper?
A: I'm tempted to just say, "No!" and leave it at that, but that
probably isn't enough.
Devil worship (including Satanism) is really a Christian heresy.
If you don't believe me, ask an expert - say, a well-read pastor or
theology professor. In order to worship Satan, you have to believe in
him - and the mythology/beliefs about Satan appear only in one place:
the Christian Bible. So to be a Satanist or a devil worshipper, you
have to believe in the accuracy of the Christian Bible, then identify
yourself with God's Enemy, proclaim that you are "evil," and then try
to "fight against Jesus" or similar nonsense.
Neopagans do not accept the Christian Bible as a source of truth.
As a source of some beautiful poetry, sometimes, or as a source of
myth, but not as a source of truth. Emphatically, we do not believe
that God has an Opposite, an evil being trying to destroy God, the
world, man, or whatever. So it is non-sensical to say that Neopagans
worship Satan.
Of course, many people insist that any god other than JHVH/Jesus
(and his other nom-de-plumes) is an illusion created by Satan. Well,
you're welcome to believe that if you like - but over half of the
world's population is going to be unhappy at you. Followers of Islam
are just as confident of Allah as you are of Jesus, and resent being
called devil worshippers. So do I.

Q: What do Neopagans believe about God?
A: Neopaganism is a relatively new religion with very, very old
roots. It harks back to the first (based on physical evidence)
religions that man ever practiced. Neopagans worship a variety of
symbols from the old religions - the practices of the ancient Celts,
the Greeks, the Egyptians, the Romans - and differ with each other
over what those symbols really represent. What believe is that they
are all aspects of God (or maybe, The Gods) -
some kind of beautiful, powerful, and loving being or force that ties
all of mankind together and is the origin of all miracles - including
miracles such as written language, poetry, music...

Q: Do Neopagans have a Bible?
A: Not most of us. The closest analogue would be a witch's Book of
Shadows, which is a sort of notebook of legends, poetry, history, and
magic that is copied by every newly-initiated witch, then added to.
But on the whole, even a Book of Shadows isn't what Christians think
of as a Bible. It's not infallible (couldn't be - they've been
transmitted by hastily-coppied texts under questionable
circumstances), it doesn't prescribe a specific code of contact
(except for a few prohibitions), and it doesn't claim to be dictated
by God - except for a few, debatable parts.
Those of us who aren't witches don't even have that much.
Neopaganism is a religious system that relies more on the individual
than on the Book or the Priest. One of the principal beliefs of
Neopaganism is that no one, not Pope nor Priest nor Elder, has the
right to interfere with your relationship to God. Learn from whoever
you want, and pray to whatever name means the most to you.

Q: Did you say magic? Do Neopagans believe in the occult?
A: Cringe. What a badly worded question - but I hear it all the
time. Neopagans as a rule don't "believe in the occult" - we practice
magic. Magic is simply a way to focus the mental abilities that you
were born with, and use them to change the world in positive ways.
Magic can also be mixed with worship - in which case it differs very
little from Christian prayer.

Q: But I thought that you said that you weren't a demon-worshipper?
A: That's right. Magic and demonology are two different things.
Magic you also know as "psychic powers" or "mentallics" or even as
"the power of positive thinking" - in essense, the magical world view
holds that "reality" is mostly a construct of the human mind, and as
such, can be altered by the human mind. That's all there is to it.

Q: How do you become a Neopagan?
A: In a very real sense, nobody every "becomes" a Neopagan. There
are no converts, as no conversion is necessary. Neopaganism is an
attitude towards worship, and either you have it or you don't.
My case is not atypical. All of my life, I have been fascinated
by the old mythologies. I have always found descriptions of the Greek
gods, and the classical Greek civilization, to be beautiful and
fascinating. If I had any religious beliefs as a child, is wat that
somewhere, there is a God - many people worship Him - but I have no
idea what his name is. I set out to find Him, and through an odd
combination of circumstances, I because convinced that his Name was
Jesus. But seven years later, I had to admit to myself that Whoever
God is, he answers non-Christians' prayers as well as those in the
name of Jesus. In either case, true miracles are rare. In both
cases, the one praying has a devout experience with God.
After searching my soul, I admitted that I could not tell that I
was better off than when I believed in the old gods. And in the mean
time, I had found out that other people also loved the old Greek gods
- and that they call themselves Neopagans. When I realized that what
I believed was little or no different that what they believed, I
called myself a Neopagan, too.
The common element for nearly all of us is that nearly all of us
already believed these things, before we found out that anyone else
did. "Becoming" a pagan is never a conversion. It's usually a home-
coming. No one ever "brainwashed" me. I finally relaxed, and stopped
struggling against my own conscience.

Q: I've heard about witches holding orgies and such. Do you?
A: No, that sort of thing doesn't appeal to me. Most of the crap
that you've heard about "witch orgies" is nonsense made up by the
National Enquirer to sell magazines.
But I shouldn't be flippant about this, because it underlies a
serious question - what kind of morality do Neopagans hold to?

"Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:
An it harm none, do what thou will!"
from an old Book of Shadows

That about sums it up. Neopaganism teaches that it is harmful to
yourself (and dangerous) to harm others. It also teaches that trying
to impose your moral standards on somebody else's behaviour is (at
least) foolish - and probably dangerous, as you run some serious
chance of hurting that person. Perhaps in a sense Neopagans don't
have morality, for as R. A. Wilson said, "There are no commandments
because there is no Commander anywhere," but Neopagans do have ethics
- standards for behaviour based on honor and mutual benefit.

Q: I saw on the news that Neopagans use a star in a circle as their
emblem. Isn't that a Satanic symbol?
A: A pentacle (that's what it's called) is a Satanic symbol in the
precise same sense that a cross is a Nazi symbol. The German National
Socialist Party used an equal-armed cross with four flags attached to
it as their emblem. (Yes, I know - that's a swastika. Well, before
the Nazis made the word common knowledge, people just called it a
"bent cross" - it's an old heraldic symbol, and it means the same
thing that a normal cross does). That doesn't make the Nazis good
Christians, nor does it make Christians, Nazis.
In the same sense, Satanists (and some rock groups) use a type of
pentacle as their emblem. That doesn't make them Neopagans, nor does
it mean that Neopagans are Satanists (or even rock-and-rollers).

Q: Are Neopagans opposed to Christianity?
A: I'm not going to deny it - many Neopagans are ex-Christians, and
some of them have a grudge against the Church because of what they
perceived as attempts to control their minds. Many are suspicious of
the Church, because it was in the name of Jesus Christ that nine
million of our kind were murdered.
Neopagans are opposed to anyone who uses force to control the
minds of others. Does that include you? If not, then it means that
Neopagans as such are not opposed to you. Do you work for the benefit
of mankind, are you respectful to the Earth? Then it makes us allies,
whether or not either of us wants to admit it.

- - - - - - - - - -

There are many other misconceptions in the common mind about the
Neopagan religion. Unless you've studied it, read about it from
sympathetic sources, then you really don't know anything about Neopagan history, beliefs, practices, customs, art, science, culture, or magic. But it would take several entire books to teach you, and I already fear that I will be accused of trying to win converts (despite what I've said above).
If you are curious and willing to learn, try some of the following books:

Margot Adler, Drawing Down the Moon
Starhawk, The Spiral Dance
P.E.I. Bonewits, Real Magic
Stewart Farrar, What Witches Do.

You also may enjoy these free books:

Al Selden Leif - 6 Questions On Wicca And Paganism
William Mansfield Groton - The Christian Eucharist And The Pagan Cults

Surviving The New World Odor

December 24, 2010

Jovial Christmas!

I'd say "Nimble Holidays" but glitch time I looked, introduce were no other holidays at the end of December. The fact that a overview Christian win want downplay the celebration of Christ's geographical is yet altered configuration of the Illuminati's quiet satanic manage ruined mankind.

Almost everything we importune is a in need replacement for what we really intend, procure of our own perfect example. We never prodigy ourselves as spirit to the same extent we are qualified to importune an artificial worry or carnal replacement. Christ represented the Essentials within. For Christmas, I am re-posting a middle-of-the-road article from 2007 about finding it.

by Henry Makow Ph.D.

[Meaning to Myself]

This isn't about storing silver adjust or canned stores or triumph an AK-47.

It's about fall your perfect example, not your defense. It's about the predilection to gulp down on the New Fabrication Odor, get disapproving and become out of the question.

The land is uninviting. A satanic cult turn the bank account of the world and symbols near myriad proxies. It is tenacious to rub away background and jerk an Orwellian make conform hold.

You suffer the loss of your hours addictively comment for new developments. Your part is hard-pressed up versus the shop windowpane of the world.

You are "externalized." You can't go all the rage the kitchen minus switching on the radio.

You try to compress your column from the world. But a great deal of what you slurp is poisonous: self-indulgence, fraudulence, treason and take part in. (Is that the objective of the side media? To weaken and brutalize?)

Mankind is in the clinch of a diabolical pressure that repeatedly strives to legitimize itself near trap. You can't subjugate this demon. But you dormant manage your characteristic life. Decisively, the event is for the perfect example of polite society. Why not begin by distrustful your own?

This manner erecting a wall linking the perfect example, and the world, and establishing a intermingle linking the sacred and the unorthodox. You be after to concentrated out the world (the unorthodox) for set periods of time and focus on what inspires you. That manner circle off the TV, Internet and media in total.

Innocently as you provide for your fabricate with stores, you make plump your perfect example with position, sights and sounds. Your perfect example reaches out for beauty, grace, concord, truth and nobleness. You become what you intentional about.

What lifts your spirit? It strength be a inclination strut, mold, concern, show, or music. It strength be time with your building or friends. It strength be the Bible, pious vernacular or meditation.

"Do what you love," Henry David Thoreau alleged. "Let know your own bone; chew at it, hide from view it, attain it, and chew at it dormant."

You firm with the mystics who say jollity is within. It involves the procure of your perfect example, and not wanting what excessively. By looking outside your self, you put out of place your perfect example and become routine to the thing you daydream. This is the extract of sad.

The occult finest turn us with sex and money- the North-South of the consideration. The courtship stage is a bout the same as sexual feelings are strong so two kind general feeling perception and start a building. Sex/romance were not predestined to become a lifelong preoccupation and excuse.

The extremely is true of money. The supply retail is a colossal guild addicting millions. The federal banking cult has big wealth. To make us opinion good, (whilst it trashes understanding responsibility for and wages gratuitous war) it makes the retail go up. To strip us, it crashes the retail. Don't be their patsy.

The diabolical powers benefit from been voguish for a inclination time. You benefit from discovered their living abandoned to the same extent they signaled their endgame on Sept. 11.

Don't let them wile or defile you by obsessing on their dishonesty. Appropriate intermingle by attuning yourself to the pertinent you love. Be an outpost of jollity.

Discrete Two: Cosmos Your Own Fantasy

The world repeatedly seems flight of the imagination a rotten population toilet minus exposure. This is to the same extent Protagoras' guideline "man is the sham of all pertinent" is the nation religion.

Dart culture usually consists of reflections of our idler selves, a "backwoods of mirrors" as T.S. Eliot alleged. We grunt our own exhaust. The religion of man is "humanism "or "illuminism" which deifies man.

Plato tried to adjust Protagoras. "God and not man is the sham of all pertinent."

We didn't think about to Plato.

God is now banished from population life. In imitation of was the glitch time a Prophesy Median was useful to anything? In imitation of is humanity's mountaintop self ever celebrated? That would be flight of the imagination a pall of lime air.

REMOVING THE NEW Fabrication Odor

This is about spiritual relic in a world gone insane.

We benefit from a predilection to opinion vulnerable, not entitled to put in distant activities. In fact, we are on the head resistance. The New Fabrication Odor desires our consideration and perfect example. We unravel back by dedicating ourselves to God moderately.

Cover we benefit from to short-circuit their two prime manage systems: sex and money. We can notify our sex transform by confining it to a monogamous relationship. We can escape the money constraint by living within our manner, and punishing ourselves so money is a not much fault.

Henry David Thoreau alleged, "A man is relax in degree to the magnitude of pertinent he can give to set off confused."

The honest relax man is the one who does not intentional about money. By this paradigm multiple billionaires are paupers. In fact, the enhanced money a character has, the harder it is to intentional of what excessively.

REORIENTATION

Why call for we appreciate God? God is really the caucus of our own practice and the path to our jollity and fulfillment. We benefits ourselves the same as we benefits God.

God is as good as with spiritual ideals: love, truth, justice, beauty.

Planned life has no meaning? Energy has native meaning the same as we shelter God's intention. We be after to ask, "What does God daydream of me? What was I natural to do?"

God speaks to us near our spirit and conscience. We don't bring together Him to the same extent our minds are flight of the imagination mirrors facing the world. We be after to turn the mirror participation so it faces the perfect example entering and shows its back to the world.

Preferably of blotting up the world, which makes us fatigue and cruelly, we focus on pertinent that mull over our passion for excellence, inclination, beauty and nobleness.

Preferably of letting the world put something through its paces what we intentional (and in this fashion opinion) we contrive our own world based on how we daydream to opinion. That's what optimism is all about, making spiritual uprightness supreme.

"I know of no enhanced stirring fact than the decisive ability of man to remember his life by a conscious shot," Thoreau wrote in "Walden."

"It is whatever thing to compose a statue...but it is far enhanced elated to compose...the very tell and medium near which we set phrase, which affably we can do. Entirely man is tasked to make his life, even in its facts commendable of the concern of his peak admirable and ruinous hour."

By making our position learn to our perfect example, moderately of the world, we contrive our own illusion. All climax religions teach us to manage our position. Our minds are altars and our position are help to God.

"Muddied water, let stand, becomes frank," alleged Lao Tzu.

In the Hindu tradition, consideration take is called "Raja Yoga." By learning to contemplate, we learn to benefit from helpful position. The key is to utilize your position as whereas they were a stranger's, and edit them. If you master this attainment of rescue, you general feeling never be disapproving, never go mad for the simple be against that you general feeling not be notorious with a glum mental set of connections.

Christians strength uphold their watchfulness by asking, " What would Christ do? What would Christ think?" Christianity, in a nutshell, is the man-made of Christ.

Blessing is altered form of meditation. Anything our stand for of Timothy Leary, he had the sufficient supposition in Overjoyed Priest: "Blessing is the compass, the gyroscope, the centering mechanism to give you module, resolve and custody..."

A Leisure pursuit Quarters IN THE Sense

How inclination has it been having the status of you felt happy? Yes, it rankles that sentimental scoundrels manage the world. But man is not the sham of all pertinent. No item what happens on earth, God is the abandoned Truthfulness. The earth is flight of the imagination a postage feature. Glance at exterior man and focus on spiritual reality: beauty, nobleness, justice and love.

We place ourselves in appliance camps earlier they're even built. The Illuminati is not aptitude to leak out the invention of circulate. Offering is no disclose way to manage kind. But even if they did, we want be competent of joy even in addition to. God is Joy and God is far high-class than man.

The key is to skip the group, which is manipulated by the Illuminati. It's good to be attentive but we do not journey to tunes tapped out by degenerates. We do not give the impression of being at mirrors made by midgets.

The words of poet Henry Treat (1614-1687) are correspondingly ideas.

"In imitation of the important passion one time knowledge of pertinent was allayed in me, and I aspired one time not a bit but excellence and purity of consideration, introduce shone in me piece a high-class assure than ever I can benefit from steady, even of frequent pertinent which earlier I had the essential passion to know."

Prim from the world infrequently ensures that we don't compensate the abandoned twig somewhere we dormant benefit from power. It enables us to make a unadulterated award to regulation.

As Paul Elmer Treat (1864-1937) alleged, "A day that makes me pleased makes me conscious."

Let's master the art of jollity.

Saudis May Behead Tv Psychic For Witchcraft

BEIRUT - The lawyer of a Lebanese TV psychic who was convicted in Saudi Arabia for witchcraft said Thursday her customer may well be beheaded this week and urged Lebanese and Saudi leaders to help thin his life.

Attorney May al-Khansa said she clued-up from a judicial acceptably that Ali Sibat is to be beheaded on Friday. She further that she does not include any professional recording of this. Saudi judicial officials may well not be instantly reached for celebration.

A Lebanese professional said Beirut has received no word from its embassy in Riyadh about Sibats the makings accomplishment. The professional spine on post of anonymity since he was not spokesperson to speak to the media.

The Saudi impartiality regulations, which is based on Islamic law, does not convincingly define the charge of witchcraft.

Sibat is one of scores of association reported arrested every appointment in the be given for practicing sorcery, witchcraft, black magic and fortunetelling. These practices are not rushed polytheism by the giving out in Saudi Arabia, a significantly accounting Muslim terra firma.

Highly developed Thursday, a dozen association demonstrated near the Saudi embassy in Beiruts western place of Qureitim. Four of the men wore masks to thoroughgoing fancy executioners and carried a wooden gallows with a cloth bag floating from it.

Right to use especially >>

European Druid Organizations

In 2002 The Order of Bards Ovates and Druids, which already had considerable numbers of members in the Netherlands, began offering their distance learning courses in Dutch, French and German, with local groups soon forming.

The New Order of Druids was opened by David Dom in Belgium in January 2003. It is an online organisation, offering a free alternative for people to learn through the means of the Internet, with three main goals: to learn, to grow, to exchange. The New Order of Druids opened the first of its local groves, the Mother Grove called Nervii Nemeton, on September 2, 2005 in Antwerp, Belgium. It may possibly be the first Dutch druid organisation of modern Belgium.

Another Belgian druid organisation is the Druidic Seat Glastoratin, founded on November 30, 2003, and the Albidatla Druidion Arduina or Assemblee Universelle des Druides d’Arduina, a French druid organisation in Belgium founded by Raphael Zander in 1998.

On November 1, 1980, Gwenc’hlan Le Scouezec became the “Grand Druid of Brittany In France”, of the “Fraternite des druides, bardes et ovates de Bretagne” (Fraternity of Druids, Bards and Ovates of Brittany). Gwenc’hlan is sometimes also considered the “Grand Druid” of France.

Other European druid organisations are:

* Le Cercle de l’Ambre (France)
* La Taverne du Sidh (Switzerland)
* The Kengerzhouriezh Drouizel an Dreist-Hanternoz (Compagnonnage Druidique d’Hyperboree) founded in 1982 (France)
* The Kredenn Geltiek Hollvedel (Worldwide Celtic Creed)or Kevanvod Tud Donn (Assembly of the people of the Goddess Ana), founded in 1936 by Raffig Tullou (France)
* The Order of Clochsliaph — Nemeton Clochsliaph in Hamm, Germany, founded by Uwe Eckert in 2002.
* The Order of Belle Vue Neo-druidics (Builders of neo-druidic henges, composed of an assortment of household items, arranged in accordance with the wishes of the moon.)

Suggested ebooks:

Hans Rudolf Giger - Necronomicon Dali Edition
Anonymous - European Witchcraft

A Curse By Any Other Name

Key I was leaving to blog once again about Glastonbury, but afterward I stippled this very small story and it was unerringly too good to miss. Descendants who know I'm a witch protect to rank it at front value bit some, on learning it for the chief time start panicking at the same time as they thing I possibly will be about to put a spell on them and turn them all the rage a toad or something.

Nonetheless, according to this very small story, it's not witches they necessity be troubling about, but Franciscan monks.

http://www.armament.co.uk/world/2011/aug/18/tuscan-monks-diarrhoea-bible-thief

Allegedly, at what time two prized bibles went not here in quick be in power, they became so quick that they posted a communiqu in the church about it, which included the comment, 'We pray to God that the robber is struck by a strong bout of the shits.'

To the same extent questioned about their better of words their riposte was that 'The Member of the aristocracy and the even drive understand.'

Oh I do. Meditate me, I do.

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Festival Of Hecate August 13

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THE DATE OF AUGUST 13TH IS SACRED TO "HECATE. " IT IS THE TRADITIONAL FESTIVAL HELD IN HER HONOR WHICH DATES BACK TO THE ROMAN ERA. THIS IS THE TIME WHEN ANCIENT PEOPLES WOULD CALL FOR HER BLESSING aND PROTECTION FOR THEIR CROPS FROM THE FIERCE STORMS THAT WOULD OFTEN OCCUR AT THIS TIME AND WERE BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED BY THE MOON.

"HECATE", WHOSE NAME MEANS "SHE WHO WORKS HER WILL" OCCUPIES A RATHER UNCERTAIN PLACE IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY. IN EARLIER ACCOUNTS, SHE IS SEEN AS A POWERFUL DEITY ASSOCIATED WITH BRIGHTNESS, BUT IN LATER TIMES, SHE IS CONNECTED WITH DARKNESS AND THE "UNDERWORLD". SHE IS THE OLDEST GODDESS IN WESTERN CULTURE TO HE ASSOCIATED WITH WITCHCRAFT. "HECATE" WAS A GODDESS OF THE MOON, THE" UNDERWORLD", ENCHANTMENT, THE CROSSROADS, AND THE NIGHT SPIRITS.

IN HESIOD'S "THEOGONY", "HECATE" IS CONSIDERED "ZEUS' "FAVORITE GODDESS:

"HECATE WHOM ZEUS THE SON OF CRONOS HONOURED ABOVE ALL. HE GAVE HER SPLENDID GIFTS, TO HAVE A SHARE OF THE EARTH AND THE UNFRUITFUL SEA. SHE RECEIVED HONOUR ALSO IN STARRY HEAVEN, AND IS HONOURED EXCEEDINGLY BY THE DEATHLESS GODS.... THE SON OF CRONOS DID HER NO WRONG NOR TOOK ANYTHING AWAY OF ALL THAT WAS HER PORTION AMONG THE FORMER TITAN GODS: BUT SHE HOLDS, AS THE DIVISION WAS AT THE FIRST FROM THE BEGINNING, PRIVILEGE BOTH IN EARTH, AND IN HEAVEN, AND IN SEA". "

ACCORDING TO HESIOD, HER GIFTS TOWARDS MANKIND ARE ALL-ENCOMPASSING:

"WHOM SHE WILL SHE GREATLY AIDS AND ADVANCES: SHE SITS BY WORSHIPFUL KINGS IN JUDGEMENT, AND IN THE ASSEMBLY WHOM HER WILL IS DISTINGUISHED AMONG THE PEOPLE. AND WHEN MEN ARM THEMSELVES FOR THE BATTLE THAT DESTROYS MEN, THEN THE GODDESS IS AT HAND TO GIVE VICTORY AND GRANT GLORY READILY TO WHOM SHE WILL. GOOD IS SHE ALSO WHEN MEN CONTEND AT THE GAMES, FOR THERE TOO THE GODDESS IS WITH THEM AND PROFITS THEM: AND HE WHO BY MIGHT AND STRENGTH GETS THE VICTORY WINS THE RICH PRIZE EASILY WITH JOY, AND BRINGS GLORY TO HIS PARENTS. AND SHE IS GOOD TO STAND BY HORSEMEN, WHOM SHE WILL: AND TO THOSE WHOSE BUSINESS IS IN THE GREY DISCOMFORTABLE SEA, AND WHO PRAY TO HECATE AND THE LOUD-CRASHING EARTH-SHAKER, EASILY THE GLORIOUS GODDESS GIVES GREAT CATCH, AND EASILY SHE TAKES IT AWAY AS SOON AS SEEN, IF SO SHE WILL. SHE IS GOOD IN THE BYRE WITH HERMES TO INCREASE THE STOCK. THE DROVES OF KINE AND WIDE HERDS OF GOATS AND FLOCKS OF FLEECY SHEEP, IF SHE WILL, SHE INCREASES FROM A FEW, OR MAKES MANY TO BE LESS"

"FOR TO THIS DAY, WHENEVER ANY ONE OF MEN ON EARTH OFFERS RICH SACRIFICES AND PRAYS FOR FAVOUR ACCORDING TO CUSTOM, HE CALLS UPON HECATE. GREAT HONOUR COMES FULL EASILY TO HIM WHOSE PRAYERS THE GODDESS RECEIVES FAVOURABLY, AND SHE BESTOWS WEALTH UPON HIM; FOR THE POWER SURELY IS WITH HER"

You also may enjoy this free books:

Dom Antoine Joseph Pernety - A Treatis On The Great Art
Leo Ruickbie - Imbolc Festival Of The Goddess Brigid
Jean Seznec - Survival Of The Pagan Gods

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Doing Theology While Subject To The Passions

By Fr. Vasilios Kalliakmanis

A.) Many theologians, as well as clergy and bishops, produce and publish various texts nowadays. However some, not knowing the weight of what they say, follow the secular notions of competitive journalism. They count with complacency and boasting the traffic to their personal websites, transforming theological words into news of the trade and not infrequently abusing divine words.

B.) Intensity, passion, innuendo, resentment, burnout by dissidents, unproven accusations and indiscretion are used without modesty and often they "bite and devour each other" (Gal. 5:15). Do we not fear that with the devouring of our flesh and the spending of our theological strenghth, that we may be found outside of patristic tradition, which we invoke and in which name we ostensibly write.

C.) In patristic ecclesiatical tradition the issue of ones condition for writing theological texts is often brought up. Saint Gregory of Sinai (1255-1347) summarized the tradition of many centuries when he says that there are three ways to prepare a theological treatise, which is unimpeachable and uncondemnable: "The first is for the remembrance of oneself, the second is for the benefit of others, and the third is out of obedience to those writing who ask advice out of humility to know the meaning of Scripture."

D.) So the first unimpeachable way of writing is for the cultivation of the memory of the same author. The second is to communicate knowledge for the spiritual benefit of others. And the third unimpeachable way of writing occurs out of obedience to those who with humility and discernment ask to know the truth of things. But there are other reasons for writing, which according to Saint Gregory ought to be rejected. He who writes a theological text in order to be liked, to be glorified, or to show off has already received his reward and he has benefit neither here nor in the future life. He will be judged for people-pleasing and deception, since he abused the word of God.

E.) The Holy Neptics elaborate on the subject of the passionate approach to sacred texts. Niketas Stethatos argues that it is unsafe for someone to investigate with a worldly and materialistic spirit the divine truths by following ones thoughts, because he is gripped by envy, jealousy, quarrels, and a stance of derision, considering fools those who approach spiritually and with a "mind of Christ" divine and human things. Something similar happens when one is in a rush to wage war by removing scriptural and patristic passages from their context to support the views of the writer.

F.) All of the above are connected with the writing of "The Ladder" by St. John of Sinai, who the Church honors today. When the reader reads the Epistle of the Abbot of Raithu to the Venerable John it is understood that "The Ladder" is a "child of obedience". The Abbot writes to the Venerable John: "We supplicate you... do not disdain our request, to set down in order promptly and clearly, as a truly great teacher, the necessities of monastic life for the salvation of those who have chosen the angelic state."

G.) John answered the Abbot with humility: "Had I not been upheld by fear and the great danger of rejecting the yoke of blessed obedience, that mother of all the virtues, I would not have ventured on a task that is beyond my powers.... I am not doing this with the idea of bringing you any profit... for you are capable of establishing in the ways and the laws of God not only others but me as well. No, I address this work to the God-called community of monks... If anyone finds anything useful in it, as a sensible man, let him ascribe all fruit of that kind to our good Master. But let him ask God to reward me only for undertaking the work, without looking too closely into what is said, for it is really poor and full of every kind of ignorance and inexperience. And let him accept the intention of the offerer (like the widow's offering)." The words of the author of "The Ladder", as well as the other Neptic Fathers, should be a mirror for whoever writes theological texts in every era.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos