Welcome to Buttafleye Ministry Interactive Bible Study. - Week 1 -Theme: Witchcraft in the Church. Part 2- Topic: "Our Younger Generations Are Not Prioritizing Religion." Participants, please answer the interactive questions at the end of this blog. If you have not already Joined this FREE study. JOIN NOW
Take the witchcraft in the church poll below.
Exodus 22:18 – Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live
Wicca
Pre-Christian religion and culture
Wicca, an alternative minority religion whose adherents, regardless of gender, call themselves witches, began in the U.K. in the 1940s. Wicca and Witchcraft are part of the larger contemporary pagan movement, which includes druids and heathens among others. All these spiritual paths, as pagans refer to them, base their practices on pre-Christian religions and cultures.
Wicca and witchcraft are popping up in pop culture these days, from teenage witches on TikTok to a Marvel comic superhero called Wiccan. It has even led The New York Times to ask: “When did everyone become a witch?”
WITCHCRAFT IN THE CHURCH POLL
Have You Experienced Witchcraft in the Church?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Meaning of Wicca
According to Wikipedia, Wicca is a modern pagan religion. Scholars of religion categorize it as both a new religious movement and as part of the occultist stream of Western esotericism.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary Wicca: is a religion influenced by pre-Christian beliefs and practices of western Europe that affirms the existence of supernatural power (such as magic) and of both male and female deities who inhere in nature and that emphasizes ritual observance of seasonal and life cycles
Wiki, the source we go to for information is associated with witchcraft. It's essential to study and show yourself approved. Be careful of where we receive your information from reputable sites and literature.
Ever since Wicca arrived in the United States in the 1960s, it has been growing – sometimes by leaps and bounds, and other times more slowly. It is estimated that there could be around 1.5 million witches in the U.S.
Not all witches consider themselves Wiccans, approximately 800,000 Americans are Wiccans. The increasing numbers that have been witnessed in surveys and the growth of groups, such as those on TikTok, suggest that the religion is continuing to grow.
Leviticus 19:26 – Ye shall not ... use enchantment, nor observe times.
An independent practice
The religion differentiates itself from more mainstream religions, such as Christianity, by celebrating a Goddess as well as a God. In addition, Wicca lacks a formal institutional structure such as a church and puts more emphasis on ritual and direct spiritual experience than belief. Adherents refer to themselves as practitioners, not believers. A yearly cycle of rituals, known as sabbats, celebrates the beginning and height of each of the four seasons of the Northern Hemisphere. Each ritual encourages participants to celebrate the changes the seasons bring to nature and to reflect on how those changes are mirrored in their own lives. For example, at Beltane – which takes place May 1, at the height of spring – Wiccans celebrate fertility in both the Earth and in people’s lives. The rituals are constructed to not only celebrate the season but to put the participant in direct contact with the divine.
Wiccans have one overriding rule, “Harm none and do as you will,” and no single religious text that they draw beliefs. Most Wiccans practice alone and are free to develop their own unique practice. They are nonetheless in regular contact, networking on the internet and congregating at large gatherings to conduct rituals, learn about magical and spiritual practices from one another, and enter what they see as a magical space where they can more readily encounter and embrace divinity.
Leviticus 20:27 – A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
A religion for the 21st century Although many Wiccans claim to draw inspiration from ancient cultures, such as pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon and Celtic traditions, it can be seen very much as a religion of our times. The Goddess provides a female face for the divine, appealing to feminists and those who seek “girl power.” Wiccans see divinity in nature, which resonates with growing environmental concerns, particularly among the young.
Most Wiccans practice magic, which they believe taps into a spirit world often referred to as the “otherworld.” Others think of magic as drawing on an energy field they view as surrounding all of us. They do magic to heal themselves and others or to find a new home or job, among other things and emphasize that magic must not cause harm. Magic is viewed as changing the practitioners as much as their circumstances, encouraging adherents to pursue self-growth and self-empowerment.
American spirituality
American spirituality—with its focus on individual meaning, experience, and exploration—is usually thought to be a product of the postmodern era. But, as The New Metaphysicals makes clear, contemporary American spirituality has historic roots in the nineteenth century and a great deal in common with traditional religious movements.
Americans who consider themselves to be spiritual but not religious also tend to accept at least one New Age belief. Roughly three-quarters of U.S. adults in this category hold one or more New Age beliefs, including six in ten who believe spiritual energy can be located in physical things and 54% who believe in psychics. And among those who say they are religious and spiritual, 65% espouse at least one New Age belief.
Rejection
Americans who reject both the religious and spiritual labels also are more likely to reject New Age beliefs. Roughly three-in-ten or fewer in this group believe in psychics, reincarnation, astrology or that spiritual energy can be found in objects. And fewer than half (45%) affirm one or more of these beliefs.
Some people may see the term “spiritual but not religious” as indecisive and devoid of substance. Others embrace it as an accurate way to describe themselves. What is beyond dispute, however, is that the label applies to a growing share of Americans.
About a quarter of U.S. adults (27%) now say they think of themselves as spiritual but not religious, up 8 percentage points in five years, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted between April 25 and June 4 of this year. This growth has been broad-based: It has occurred among men and women; whites, blacks, and Hispanics; people of many different ages and education levels; and among Republicans and Democrats. For instance, the share of whites who identify as spiritual but not religious has grown by 8 percentage points in the past five years.
To be clear, the survey did not directly ask respondents whether the label “spiritual but not religious” describes them. Instead, it asked two separate questions: “Do you think of yourself as a religious person, or not?” and “Do you think of yourself as a spiritual person, or not?” The results presented here are the product of combining responses to those two questions.
There is currently an increase in the U.S. of those with no formal religious affiliation, with just over a quarter of all Americans considering themselves spiritual but not religious. As sociologist Courtney Bender has noted, many members of this group tend to avoid formal religious structures but instead participate in occult practices that enhance their self-development – in these ways, echoing the spiritual practices of Wiccans.
CHARTS
Exodus 22:18 – Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Leviticus 19:26 – Ye shall not ... use enchantment, nor observe times. Leviticus 20:27 – A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
Interactive Bible Study Questions
Instructions
Sign up at the top of this page by clicking the yellow login in icon
1. Sign up to become a Buttafleye Ministry member, and create your user password.
2. Sign in using your password for class participation and certification.
When you are logged in:
Answer all questions in the "Question Section."
Comment your answers below.
Give your classmates personalized feedback on their answers to one or more questions.
Questions Section:
Don't forget to back all answers up with a scripture of your choice.
Participation Questions (Back all answers up with scriptures).
1. What is pre-Christian religion and culture?
2. Are all witches Wiccan?
3. What are Wicca and Pagan religions?
4. What is spirituality?
5. Why is witchcraft so popular?
6. When did everyone become a witch?
7. Will those who practice witcraft enter heaven ( give scripture)?
8. Can I Be A Christian Wiccan or Witch?
9. Be observant of your surroundings. Did you observe the people around you?
Comment your answers below and don't forget to give your classmates your personalized feedback.
Extra Credit Question
10. What did you learn in this lesson?
CLASS VIDEOS
How to recognize a witch with Pastor Kynan Bridges
"EXPOSING WITCHCRAFT SPIRITS & MANIPULATIONS" by Dr. Sonnie Badu At RockHill Church (Destiny Arena)
THE CHURCH DECEPTION EXPOSED
WITCHCRAFT IN THE CHURCH IS RAMPANT
WITCHES IN THE CHURCH- PASTOR CALLS THEM OUT
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