The New Paganism:

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The New Paganism Wicca, Witchcraft Nature
-based Religions By Cky J. Carrigan, Ph.D. N
orth American Mission Board ccarrigan_at_namb.net w
ww.ontruth.com
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Gallup Polling on Psychic and Paranormal

• 01 - 90
• Psychic, Spiritual, Mind Healing 54-46
• Extrasensory Perception 50-49
• Haunted Houses 42-29
• Ghosts of the Dead 38-25
• Mental/Spiritual Telepathy 36-36
• Extraterrestrials Visiting Earth 33-27

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Gallup Polling on Psychic and Paranormal

• 01 - 90
• Clairvoyance of Future 32-26
• Communication with the Dead 28-18
• Astrology 28-25
• Witches 26-14
• Reincarnation 25-21
• Trance Channeling 15-11

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This Presentation Is Indebted To
Witchcraft Exploring the World of Wicca by
Craig S. Hawkins Baker Books, 1996
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The New Paganism or Neo-Paganism is
A revival of the old gods and goddesses of p
re-Christian paleopagan polytheistic nature relig
ions, mythologies, and mystery cults, such as C
eltic, Norse, Greek, Egyptian,
Roman, and other Traditions of the
Western world. . . . Astaroth, Diana,
Hectate, Cernunnos, Osiris, Pan, and
others are being invoked anew.
--Craig S. Hawkins
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Spirit
Fire
Air
Pentacle Is A Symbol of Earth Religions Ne
o-Paganism
Earth
Water
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Horn
Horn
Inverted Pentacle is a Symbol of the Horned-God,

Pan Also a Satanist Symbol
Ear
Ear
Chin
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Witchcraft, also known as wicca,the craft, or
the craft of the wise, is a generic term for the
Neo-Pagan religious movement that is-

• anti-dogmatic
• anti-authoritarian
• diverse
• decentralized

• eclectic
• experience based
• nature oriented

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Followers of witchcraft are

• polytheistic and/or
• pantheistic and/or
• panentheistic
• and...

• worship/believe in/ invoke/experience
• Mother Goddess
• Horned God

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• Witches practice
• diverse kinds of divination
• altered states of consciousness
• or trances
• magick spells and incantations
• special rites for seasonal holy days

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Transcendental Meditation Produces An Altered
State Of Mind Relieves Stress ---
Promoted In
Schools And Workplaces
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Crystal Balls Are A Kind Of Divination Which I
s
Prohibited In Bible
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Tarot Cards Are Another Very Popular And Widel
y
Available Form of Divination
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Astrology-- Divining the Future With The Stars-
- Is
Prominent In Neo-Paganism
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Aroma Therapy Is A Neo-Pagan Way to Wellness
---
Change Your Reality With Magick
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Colour Therapy Is Another Neo-Pagan Way To We
llness --- Change Your Reality With
The Magick of Colour Therapy
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Three Core Values of Witchcraft

• Experience over Dogma
• Religious Toleration
• Religious Moral Relativism

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CHARACTERISTIC BELIEFS

• Pantheism
• God is Everything
• Everything is God
• God is Impersonal
• Since you are something, you too are God
• Or, Panentheism
• World is IN God
• Theres more to God than world
• God is both Personal and Impersonal

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CHARACTERISTICS BELIEFS (continued)

• Monism
• Everything is One
• All distinctions are mere Illusions
• Reincarnation
• Will be reborn as a new baby, after death, and
  live a new life
  
• Past lives
• Future lives are improved by positive karma in
  this life and visa-versa

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CHARACTERISTIC BELIEFS (continued)

• Polytheism
• There are many deities
• There is a hierarchy among many deities
• Animism or Spiritism
• Everything has a spirit
• There is interaction between all spirits
• Hylozoism - everything has a lifeforce
• Panpsychism - everything has consciousness

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Neo-Pagan Views on Deity

• The Gods are Immanent Deities Pervading All of
  Nature
  
• Mother Goddess or Triple Goddess is Primary
• Maiden Mother Crone
• Male Consort, the Horned God, is Secondary
• Other Intermediate Spirit Beings Are Also
  Manifestations of the One
  
• All Deities May Be Real Entities or Metaphors

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Neo-Pagan Views on the Goddess

• The Three Phases of the Goddess are Associated
  with the Three Phases of the Moon (waxing, full,
  waning)
  
• The Goddess is Eternal Assoc. with the Earth
• The Goddess is Invoked by a Variety of Names
• Aphrodite Astarte Diana Cybele
• Gaia Isis Venus Luna
• Diana is Most Popular Name in Witchcraft

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Neo-Pagan Views on the Horned God

• Horned God is Assoc. with the Sun
• Horned God is Lord of the Animals, Death and the
  Afterlife
  
• Horned God is NOT Eternal, He Dies Every Winter
  and is Reborn Every Summer
  
• Horned God is Invoked by a Variety of Names
• Adonis Ammon-Ra Osiris Thor Pan
• Pan is the Most Popular Name in Witchcraft

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CHARACTERISTIC BELIEFS (continued)

• Moral Relativism
• No Distinction between good/evil or right/wrong
• There can be no judge of ethics
• Actions simply are, they are not good or evil
• In absence of an ethical judge, the individual
  person decides what is good for him

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CHARACTERISTIC BELIEFS (continued)

• Pluralism
• All religions are equally true one
• Essence of all religion is the same
• Existentialism
• Religious truths are only subjective
• Religious truths are only personal

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Neo-Pagan Views On Sin, Salvation, Hell, Death,
Afterlife, Ethics

• Sin Hell as Conceived by Christianity is Myth
• Sin is Disharmony with the Goddess
• Salvation is Harmony with the Goddess
• Death and Life are Cycles of Rebirth
• The Intermediate Place of the Soul Between Death
  and Rebirth is Called Summerland
  
• Wiccan Ethical Code is If You Harm None, Do What
  You Will

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Neo-Pagan Practices-MagickMagick is the
Natural Manipulation of the World, Usually by
Secret (Hidden or Occult) Means

• I Ching
• Channeling
• Tarot Cards
• Raising Psychic Powers
• Trances
• Sex Magick
• Numerology
• Runes
• Ritual Nudity

• Magickal Techniques Include
• Astrology
• Astral Projection
• Scrying
• Necromancy
• Incantations
• Potion Making
• Crystal Gazing

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Neo-Pagan Practices-Magick

• Motivations For Magick Include
• aesthetic appeal
• artistic expression
• drama
• gain prosperity
• alter consciousness
• healing

• manipulate reality for suitable ends
• personal development
• facilitate spiritual growth
• union with the Divine
• realize self divinity
• harmonize with earth

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Neo-Pagan Practices-The Coven

• Witch Coven has 13-30 members
• Covens gather in a 9ft Magick Circle
• 13 regular meetings (esbats) each year at full or
  new moons
  
• Each coven member is priest(ess) clergy
• Each coven has a High Priest(ess)
• There are 3 or more degrees of initiation
• Several other rite of passage observances

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Feminism, Earth Religions, Mother Earth, Panth
eism, Witchcraft, Goddess Worship Are All Ne
o-Pagan
FEM-Themes
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Neo-Pagan Practices-Calendar

• 8 main Holy Days each year called Sabbats
• 8 Sabbats correspond to Solar Cycle
• 4 Minor Sabbats
• Winter Solstice (Dec) Spring Equinox (Mar)
• Summer Solstice (Jun) Fall Equinox (Sep)
• 4 Major Sabbats
• Nov Eve Feb Eve May Eve Aug Eve

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Tools of Witchcraft

• alter
• black-hilted knife
• bowls of salt water
• bell(s)
• broom
• candles
• cord(s)
• cauldron
• chalice
• censer
• crystal(s)

• images of Goddess-God
• incense burners
• necklace or pendant
• pentacle
• scourge
• staff
• sword
• wand
• white-hilted knife
• grimoires (magick texts)

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--Christianity Vs. Neo-Paganism--

• Pantheism
• Panentheism
• Polytheism
• Animism
• Monism
• Reincarnation

• Trinitarian
• Monotheism
• Creator-Creation
• Resurrection

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--Christianity Vs. Neo-Paganism--

• Absolute Bib.
• Morality
• Exclusivity
• Objectivity
• Religious Exp.

• Moral Rel. or
• Wiccan Code
• Pluralism
• Existentialism

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EVANGELISM STRATEGY

• Because of diversity, find out the particular
  beliefs of the recipient and begin from there
  
• Be prepared gently to undermine the foundation of
  their belief system (pantheism, monism) by
  pointing out necessary implications
  
• This kind of evangelism is especially
• dependent upon prayer

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EVANGELISM STRATEGY(Continued)

• Gently point out the inconsistencies between
  belief and the possibility of practice
  
• Point out self defeating claims of moral
  relativism
  
• Offer the genuine unique Jesus as the solution to
  all
  
• Share your own genuine experience of faith and
  repentance living in Christ

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EVANGELISM STRATEGY(Continued)

• Show consistent love
• Show unconditional love
• Be ever ready to introduce them to
• the Ever-Faithful God of the Bible
• when the Mother Goddess
• fails them

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Childrens Media Is Riddled With Neo-Pagan O
ccultic
Themes
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Lion King and Pocahontas Advances Neo-Paga
n
Worldview
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On The Neo-Pagan Bookshelf
Harry Potter Books Promote Witchcraft
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What Does The Bible Say About Pagan Practices?
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices hi
s son or daughter in the fire, who practices
divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages
in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a
medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. An
yone who does these things is
detestable to the LORD. (Deut 1810-12)
See also -- Lev 1926, 31206 2 Kin 1710-17
211-6 2324-25 2 Chron 336 Isa 819-20 4
712-15 Acts 136-12 1616-18 Gal 519-20
Rev 921 218 2215
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Snake Analogy Practical Advice for Surfing the
Neo-Pagan Wave

• Dont Play With
• Snakes
• If Youre Going
• To Play With
• SnakesKnow
• The Dangers

SNAKES
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Surfing the Neo-Pagan Wave

• Dont Play With
• Neo-Paganism
• If Youre Going
• To Play With Neo-
• PaganismKnow
• The Dangers

Neo-Paganism