Greetings!
>What do people think re other ( than pagan that is) religious witches,
>such as christian or muslim witches (witch being defined as self
>identified and a practioner of magic/the Craft)?Are these taken to be
>pagan witches who include in their pantheon symbols and Gods of the
>'Great' religions....or ex Christians/muslim who have converted to
>paganism and witchcraft.
Research for publication projects has led me to give this matter some
thought. I have just published under my Society of Esoteric Endeavour
imprint a 17th Century text "Anon, Conjuration and an Excellent
Discourse of the Nature and Substance of Devils and Spirits" about which
more details can be found at www.caduceusbooks.com. This text describes
practices which would have been defined as witchcraft (obtaining
familiars, and skrying) as well as other magical practices which would
have been frowned upon (invoking infernal spirits, necromancy). The
position of the writer is ambiguous but broadly he does seem to identify
with the practitioner of magic he does not identify himself as a witch.
I think because "witchcraft" for people meant "acts of malicious magic
performed by your enemies". Much magical practice was intended to
protect against witchcraft..
I am sure the writer thought himself a good Christian. Off the top of my
head I suspect that most practitioners of magic and witchcraft
identified themselves as Christian from 11th Century to the beginning of
the 20th Century. Mind you I am sure many practitioners of voodoo
consider themselves to be good Catholics. The first explicit rejection
of Christianity and embracing of nature worship that springs to my mind
being Charubel in Psychology of Botany, Minerals and Precious Stones
1906.
My best wishes
Ben
--
Ben Fernee
Caduceus Books
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