Wicca

[Sharop]

Originally Posted by Waking Up Laughing

So though I do believe in paranormal ability I do not really believe in New Age religions. Someone simply can't say that they are going to talk to someone in the spirit world and then it just happens.

To be fair, though, that's not exactly what the New Age teaches. The New Age teaches that all people have the ability to communicate with spirit and project from their bodies, etc (we all project while we asleep, but we don't remember because we project unconsciously.) It also takes quite a lot of training and work to be able to communicate with spirit, it doesn't happen just like that.

[Sharop]

Originally Posted by MrCleveland

Known fact-Wiccan can be seen on Captain Planet. The five rings represent the five points Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, and Spirit (In the cartoon, it's 'Heart').

I'm not familiar with that term or the show - what's a known fact Wiccan?

[Nighthawk76]

Originally Posted by Sharop

To be fair, though, that's not exactly what the New Age teaches. The New Age teaches that all people have the ability to communicate with spirit and project from their bodies, etc (we all project while we asleep, but we don't remember because we project unconsciously.) It also takes quite a lot of training and work to be able to communicate with spirit, it doesn't happen just like that.

What I was trying to convay in my post is that I don't believe that everyone has the ability. Only a selected few. Which I think makes perfect sense since everyone is born with certain abilities that others don't have. Some people are born as great athletes where as some aren't. Some people are born to write a great piece of music, where as many people aren't. Paranormal ability is no different.

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by Sharop

I don't know if it fully makes you a medium, but I do think it's possible that you might have heard from your deceased relatives or pets. You probably believe it was all in your head/imagination, but I do believe it's possible that you've actually heard them, that they're communicating with you from the spirit world.

Alright, let's just assume that what you (and some others) believe when it comes to this is true. From this a couple of questions arise:

How do we know that the spirit we are communicating with is really who we think it is? How do we know it is not some malevolent being that is trying to corrupt us?

Also, how do we know that the "voices in our head" are really spirits vs imagination vs psychotic breakdown? All of those people who have said that God told them to kill their children; I am almost certain it was the result of a mental illness and not the work of "the other world".

For some folks, like me, simply believing isn't enough.

[MrCleveland]

Originally Posted by Sharop

I'm not familiar with that term or the show - what's a known fact Wiccan?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca

Does this help for Wiccan facts?

And for "Captain Planet", I'll get back with you on that.

[Sharop]

Originally Posted by Waking Up Laughing

What I was trying to convay in my post is that I don't believe that everyone has the ability. Only a selected few. Which I think makes perfect sense since everyone is born with certain abilities that others don't have. Some people are born as great athletes where as some aren't. Some people are born to write a great piece of music, where as many people aren't. Paranormal ability is no different.

Oh, I see what you mean now. I believe the opposite, though, I believe that everyone does have these abilities, but there are people more naturally gifted at them than others. But I believe that they are natural abilities that everyone possesses.

[Sharop]

Originally Posted by JamesG

How do we know that the spirit we are communicating with is really who we think it is? How do we know it is not some malevolent being that is trying to corrupt us?

To start with, any spirit that is negative or tells people to do evil things would definitely be a malevolent spirit and not the kind of person that people would want to communicate with. People would break off contact with an entity like that.

Maybe there isn't a logical way of knowing...I'm not a medium yet but I've sometimes asked my boyfriend how he knows for sure it's real and he basically says that the knowing is just there. I know that wouldn't be enough for you, and it wouldn't seem plausible to you, and I can see why. But it is quite easy to distinguish well-intentioned spirits from the more mischievous ones.

If a spirit gives help, advice, wisdom, love and is non-judgmental then that is a highly-evolved spirit. My boyfriend has had guidance from spirits, mainly his own spirit guide who he talks to often. The things he's learned have helped him.

I'm in the process of reading some of the Seth books by Jane Roberts. Seth was an entity that Jane channelled from 1963 until her death in 1984. He dictated several books; I'm currently reading The Nature of Personal Reality. Among other things, the books are not hate-filled and encourage people to have open minds and be more accepting of themselves and others. Another thing I like about Seth is that he didn't want people to worship him; he wasn't trying to gain a big following. He stated the possibility that worshipping an entity could have negative effects on some people, in that it might reinforce some people's beliefs that humans were created as inferior products and were a poor species. Seth didn't want to gain a big following, he just wanted to present his own knowledge for anyone that it might appeal to. I'm firmly of the belief that all religions and spiritual beliefs ultimately lead to the same place, just in very different ways, and people go with the religion that suits them. Seth's books are not for everyone, but they are suited to some people. I like reading the books because, among many other things, people are encouraged to view themselves in a better light.

Originally Posted by JamesG

All of those people who have said that God told them to kill their children; I am almost certain it was the result of a mental illness and not the work of "the other world".

Anything negative I believe is likely mental illness - or it could be an unpleasant spirit trying to mess with a person. I believe that negative entities are in the minority so I would say in the case of people hearing voices telling them to do evil things, that it most likely stems from mental illness, but it's a possibility that it could be a negative entity.

[Dr. Jazz]

One of other police officers that works the same shift as I do has an informant who's a Wiccan and she's CRAZY

[Sharop]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jazz

One of other police officers that works the same shift as I do has an informant who's a Wiccan and she's CRAZY

Most Wiccans aren't crazy though. I suppose the religion seems very weird to some but, even though I'm not a Wiccan myself, I find it understandable and believable. It has some things in common with the New Age.