![]() ![]() Some of the main differences between Judaism and Christianity include, but are not limited to, the following:Ĭatholic may direct their prayers and petitions to God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, Angels, or even Saints. With its own beliefs and practices that we know as Christianity today. Later, this sect broke away from Judaism becoming a separate religion Christianity began as a sect of Judaism, lead by Jesus, that were considered radical, liberal Jews. In fact Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all claim Abraham asĪ common ancestor and Judaism and Christianity count the Old Testament among ![]() Spiritual Practitioners that operate from within a ChristianĬontext generally fall into two categories. Practitioners adhere to some form of Christianity and approach it from within Out that Hoodoo is not a religion, but rather a system of magick, most Therefore, Spirit has the highest compassion for every living thing and the desire for all living things to reach their highest potential and to be in harmony with one another." Spirit shares the full range of human and non-human experience, such as falling in love, being scared, being lonely, being hungry, being happy, being healthy, etc….Through the divine spark in the plants and animals, Spirit knows what it means to be sacrificed as food in order for other life to continue, what it means to be planted in the Earth as a seed, to grow and sprout and join the natural order. Spirit experiences what it means to be alive through the divine spark within all life. Those who are in pain, who blame 'god' for their lot in life or who feel disenfranchised or cast out by society may need to see 'god' as the Satan because they have never experienced true love, or friendship.Īll living things from humans to animals, and plants, all the way down to the “lowest” forms of life carries within their self the divine spark which is that part of themselves that is Spirit and which is connected to all living things and seeks to reunite with the original source of this light (the cosmic consciousness). Therefore, rather than take responsibility for our own failings, humans have often painted their concept of God as having traits which we find undesirable within our selves resulting in mythologies that portray God as jealous, petty, and cruel, as well as loving, kind, and generous. Many individuals find it extremely difficult to accept forgiveness and unconditional love, as represented by Spirit. ![]() Because we as humans find it difficult to identify with someone or something that is simultaneously male, female, and neuter we attempt to understand Spirit by associating it as one or more of many archetypes, including male, female, and even sometimes animal forms as in Ancient Egyptian and Native American belief systems.įor example, a woman who has been abused by men may find strength and comfort in a divine being who is a Warrior-Goddess or a gay man wishing to draw closer to God may see him as a beautiful man who loves and accepts him. " That which has been called God and will herein be referred to as Spirit is neither male nor female, but rather is both androgynous and asexual, and which exist as pure love. And so it seems, that for several people, the question remains. I was somewhat shocked to discover that someone rather close to me, sincerely believed that I was a devil-worshiper. I was recently reminded by a friend that no matter how spiritual you are, people will still question your beliefs. Whereas I some magickal practitioners seemed to treat Jesus as some kind of genie, or viewed him as a mythological figure, I see Jesus as the ultimate example of what man's relationship with God can be. When I rediscovered the folk-magic practices of the South and began learning more about Hoodoo and Conjure, Jesus re-entered and I had to reevaluate my view and perception of him. We did not worship them inasmuch as we honored them, and we were empowered to take total responsibility for our thoughts, words, and our deeds. Through the cycle of the seasons the Goddess gives birth to the God who grows, matures and becomes her lover that he impregnates her and dies only to be reborn again. When my spiritual journey took me away from Christianity and I found Wicca I was taught that "god" was our Mother AND our Father. I was taught that he loved us, but only if we were afraid of him and obeyed his commandments. We were told that his grace fell upon a virgin who gave birth to Jesus, his "only begotten son" who was also God himself. When I was a child, I believed that God was an old man with white hair and a long beard who lived in the sky and saw everything that everyone did. Some of the most common questions I often get include: At one point or another I have identified as a Wiccan, Pagan, Rootworker, Two-Headed Doctor, or some variant. As a spiritually-minded person, I have had many labels in my life. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |