Posted on 01/07/2008 2:54:26 PM PST by truthfinder9
This looks like a good resource:
When the day's news is about "witches," many Americans reflexively conjure up images of ugly, wicked hags from stories like "Snow White" and "The Wizard of Oz" – or more recently, the smiling "good witches" of Harry Potter books and films. But none of these fictional fantasies has anything to do with the real thing.
The real thing – that is, the stunning phenomenon of more and more American housewives, students, professors, and even soldiers self-identifying as "witches" – is the topic of the January edition of WND's elite monthly Whistleblower magazine.
Titled "WITCHCRAFT IN AMERICA," Whistleblower explores Wicca in particular, and the New Age movement in general, in this dramatic, entertaining, but powerfully eye-opening and mind-boggling investigation.
What is witchcraft? Is it the same as Wicca? Is it a form of Satan worship, as critics allege? Or can witches be good? Can they really cast spells that somehow call forth the spirits beyond the world of nature to help them accomplish their will – whether good or evil? Is magic real? Why do witches often perform their ceremonies naked? And most of all, why do so many people today aspire to be witches?
Wicca is an official, legal religion in the U.S., and a fast-growing one at that. Judges have ruled that witches must be allowed to lead prayers at local government meetings, and that Wiccan convicts must be provided with requested "sacred objects" so they can perform spells in their cells. Witches in the armed services have even formed covens and routinely "worship" on U.S. military bases.
(Excerpt) Read more at shop.wnd.com ...
Let ‘em self-identify all they want.
Until they can wave a magic wand, utter an incantation, and perform a spell with visible effects in a lab setting, they ain’t witches.
And calling themselves that won’t hurt.
Post Duration Timer is running.
You have posted from “The Site Which Shall Not Be Named”.
You have posted an advert from that site.
Tick-tock...
Oh, I’m sorry! I thought this was a Hillary article. I saw the word “Witch.”
LOL. ‘Zactly.
This post cries out for Monty Python references ... (BURN!)
It takes a cackle to make a coven.
We can’t post from WND here?
Just curious.
How long before they petition to be allowed to carry out animal sacrifices? Human sacrifices?
The practice is not prohibited, but my recollection -- for I have not yet successfully located the past admonishments pertaining thereto, for which I beg your pardon -- is that it is only slightly better than barely tolerated.
Why, I can only guess, which conjecture would be that, as does this linked piece, many items appearing at WND sum up by advocating that the reader purchase something. This is wholly different than the mere appearance of ads on a page of news in that the WND article is, itself, the ad copy, and framed in an introductory fashion such that, the reader must buy the advertised thing if he intends to learn the rest of the story.
Aside from the obvious usage of content in the above-described manner to promote the fiscal health of one J. Farah, WND is often accused of being less than reliable as a source, even by parties on the political Right. A quick search of this forum hunting up the keyword "wnd" will pull up enough material for you to to get a flavor for the broader opinion about the site.
I understand. I don’t have a good impression of WND myself. Thank you!
One of his chief interests in "The Craft" was that he liked to run around naked.
A lot of them call themselves Christians too.
I’ve posted from WND...? They haven’t been pulled. But you have to excerpt it now.
See 15
There is no genuine human tradition connecting modern Wicca, European witchcraft of the Middle Ages, the ancient occult practices condemned in the New and Old Testaments of the Bible, and the Wiccan's imaginary prehistoric Goddess cult.
I have Adler’s book, and actually one of the most complete modern witchcraft collections. They helped me into Orthodox Judaism.
You’re orthodox jewish? Why do you bother sticking up for Joel apostosteen and/or rick warren then?
thanks for the tip!
Rick Warren is a Traitor.
Margot Adler
has an article on Beliefnet that I was trying to find last night, upbraiding her fellow pagans for believing their bogus history.
Oh ok then you’re right! ;-) sorry about that!
Hey, remember Rick Warren has been consulting with Jews to help them become purpose driven too. I think three years in a row now. Well, he’s a great marketer.
I admit I like the “traitor” comment - but traitor to who (whom?)
Well, Adler is a journalist, and on a neutral subject such as this, would have a tendency to be more objective.
i did find her book to be disturbing in that it appeared that some parachurch ‘ministries’ appear to be patterened after some of the groups she lists.
It did confirm my suspicions about Promise Keepers...i’ve avoided them from the beginning, and encouraged the leadership in my church to speak out against them.
It's probably a bit dated, and she should produce a new edition. Groups come and go, no matter what religious tradition exists behind them.
i agree that the book was very helpful in sorting out these groups.
i did find her book to be disturbing in that it appeared that some parachurch ‘ministries’ appear to be patterened after some of the groups she lists.It did confirm my suspicions about Promise Keepers...i’ve avoided them from the beginning, and encouraged the leadership in my church to speak out against them.
That's interesting. Very interesting.
Rick Warren is a Traitor by the Constitution for having gone to Syria which is actively engaged in deaths and injuries to United States Armed Forces in Iraq.
The same for Nancy Pelosi. Jane Fonda did the same during the Vietnam War.
They are not prosecuted apparently because of celebrity worship. But I still believe the Constitution means what it says.
Yes, THAT'S it. Thanks for refreshing my memory.
While the dim view of WND as a source has been increasing among posters for quite some time, I'm aware of no "official" view of it's worthiness. But, the mandate that threads from WND be posted as excerpts only is the "new" part that I could not readily recall.
So, to wrap this, my original post should have been more along the lines of a simple notice that it's a good idea, when posting from WND, to ensure that the content you intend to post is A) excerpted, and B) NOT an "infomercial" hawking somebody's book/CD/DVD, etc.
I wonder why. It's run by a Christian. (not a fake one like Huckabee)
He’s also a traitor to Jesus Christ but I can see why that would not be as much of a concern to you. ;-)
Don’t forget Yoga.
As much as I HATE to point this out, what with my having been a Christian for nearly 40 years myself, there are some pretty nutty Christians.
So, being a Christian is no guarantee of solidity, stability, or soundness of reasoning.
So don't imply that WND being run by a Christian should help it stand nearer the forefront of reputable news sources.
Now, that stated, I don't think Joseph Farah is a nut, but his website does feature an elevated number of stories related to things that are considered by many to be more in the purview of the conspiracy theorists. Also, there's a "flavor", if you will, to the overall selection of articles featured on WND that calls to mind a more jumpy, "OHMIGOSH!" kind of mindframe.
You may have met some of these people; they're the demon-behind-every-bush crowd, on the lookout for the Antichrist, convinced that The Mark of the Beast is already encoded on their credit cards, always looking at the sky, and worried about connections between the State Department and stuff in the drinking water.
They're nice folks, and can talk sensibly about a zillion different things, but you get them onto certin topics, and you suddenly wonder where the sane person went that you were just speaking with.
I sure wouldn’t have sided with the Romans.
Excellent point(s)!
“Witchcraft in America”
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