Christianity and Magick

A few years ago, I read the Bible and I remember reading something about all Magick being 'Damned'. Of course, this was when I was still a christian. Since those few years, I've changed and no longer see magick as a bad thing.
While I was looking through the forums, I noticed that there was a coven for Christian Wiccans. My mind instantly flew back to reading that, and now I have a question.

Since the Bible said that all Magick was damned, wouldn't that mean the 'white' magick practicers, who are Christian, would go to 'hell'?

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There are actually instructions within the bible on all sort of magic works from blessings, curses, how to pray, how to cleanse, etc.

There are also a lot of traditions that are Christian based that work magic (though sometimes it is called something else such as God's work [hoodoo/conjure] ). These folks pray over their work. They use bible verses. They call on Saints to aid them. They speak to the spirit of the herbs and roots, etc. They work WITH their God.

All these people are Christian and work magic. Why? Because at the end of the day that's between them and their God.

Is it wrong? There's no way of telling as we don't know the answer to that until death...but I can say this.. Christians have been doing this for hundreds of years and are at peace with not only themselves, but what they do. And really, that's all that matters.

I didn't know praying was considered magick..?
But other than that, I see your point. Wouldn't they still go to their version of hell? Even if they're not being 'dark' with it, their scripture condemns it all..?

The way I see it, I have no idea why Christians are attempting to perform magical practices. Its just for a VERY long time, Christians and magic never mixed. For instance, the Inquisition would go into a town and slaughter anybody who practiced ANYTHING that did not agree with their bible, or killed anybody who refused to convert. And the idea of Christian Wiccans and Christians being in relation to magical practices makes no sense to me. Christians and their like used to burn people alive just at the accusation of them being a witch.

Not if they believe they are doing God's work. That means that God is taking an active role in what they are doing.

I'll give you an example:

"Set thou a wicked man over him:
and let Satan stand at his right hand.
When he shall be judged, let him be condemned:
and let his prayer become sin.
Let his days be few;
and let another take his office.
Let his children be fatherless,
and his wife a widow.
Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg:
let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.
Let the extortioner catch all that he hath;
and let the strangers spoil his labor.
Let there be none to extend mercy unto him:
neither let there be any to favor his fatherless children.
Let his posterity be cut off;
and in the generation following let their name be blotted out."

Now actually read those words.

It's a curse. No matter how you look at it, it is cursing someone and their family.
Those lines, are Psalm 109:6-13. Directly from the Bible. Praying to God to curse someone and their family.

A lot of people quote one or two lines from the Bible where it says (through more translations than I want to think about) that magic is bad. But what they don't see or consider is that the bible is FILLED with magic, lines used in magic and prayers for everything under the sun.

Working with the Christian God to aid you in work is no different than someone who worships the Greek Gods asking for them to work with them. The only actual difference is that people have predetermined that Christians can't do this based on ONE line...yet, if the book is Gods work, he sure seems to have left an instruction manual to do the exact opposite of what men want to preach ;)

Spencer...times have changed. Holding Christians to their history and expecting them to follow the same line of thinking doesn't make for progress. And it's hypocritical. If we say "Christians used to kill people because of their beliefs in this so they shouldn't do it now either"...What do we say about Pagans since Pagans of Rome did the exact same thing? Should we then also expect all Pagans to be hateful and kill who ever disagree's with their beliefs?

We can't have a standard for one but not for another.

At the end of the day, it's between the Christian and their God. No one else's business in the matter.

Yes, I read those lines, and wishing that upon somebody is pure evil, which ironically, is the very thing Christians say they do not do and protect people from. If there truly are Christian Wiccans, then they should believe in karma, that you get what you put out there, and that 'curse' is condemning somebody to hellfire for eternity and making sure he cannot even be 'saved', which is what I though Christians wanted to do: Save people. Unless Christians believe as long as they pray for forgiveness and do it 'in the name of God', then making a widow, fatherless children, and condemning somebody to ETERNAL PAIN is completely alright?

For their being magick in the bible, you're right, ConjureLady.
If their God meant to preach equality and good, there sure is a lot of Sexism, Murder, and Rape within their scripture. Times have changed, sure, they always do, but Christians nowadays try to hide that their scripture is against Women's rights and gender equality.

Eh, I guess it is between them and their god. I shouldn't question something that isn't referring to my beliefs, or my 'way'. Still sounds odd to me, though.

Oh my.

You realize that both of you are talking in general terms, correct? You're labeling a group of people based on the actions of some.

That would be like saying because a kid killed people and drew a pentagram near or on the body, that all Pagans are Satan worshipers and killers (and that situation has happened).

Best thing to do...stop looking at people as a label and assuming what YOU think they should believe based on your understanding of said label.

I'm sure you don't like when people do it to you, so why do it to others?

Not every Christian plays by the bible. Every Christian church has it's own interpretation on the bible. Every individual has its own interpretation of the bible. Jesus is another deity that some witches do like to work with his energy. The bible was written by men. I'm sure if you ask every witch in that coven about the bible you'll be surprised.