Difference between revisions of "Occult"
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| + | [[Image:Crowley.jpg|thumbnail|250px|The [[occult|occultist]] [[Aleister Crowley]] was dubbed in his lifetime "the most wicked man on earth". Aleister Crowley stated: "I was not content to believe in a personal [[devil]] and serve him, in the ordinary sense of the word. I wanted to get hold of him personally and become his chief of staff."<ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=k_uVVznqdssC&pg=PA49&lpg=PA49&dq=I+was+not+content+to+believe+in+a+personal+devil+and+serve+him,+in+the+ordinary+sense+of+the+word.+I+wanted+to+get+hold+of+him+personally+and+become+his+chief+of+staff.&source=web&ots=w0mmSaLOcC&sig=rSH3vqIlpfp3U5-mSLKD5vsVG5w&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result</ref>]] | ||
An '''occult''' thing is something that is clandestine, hidden, or secret. The word comes from the Latin ''occultus'', meaning "knowledge of the hidden". ''Webster's'' defines the verb ''occult'' thus: "To shut off from view or exposure."<ref>http://m-w.com/dictionary/occult</ref> | An '''occult''' thing is something that is clandestine, hidden, or secret. The word comes from the Latin ''occultus'', meaning "knowledge of the hidden". ''Webster's'' defines the verb ''occult'' thus: "To shut off from view or exposure."<ref>http://m-w.com/dictionary/occult</ref> | ||
Revision as of 20:06, December 8, 2008
An occult thing is something that is clandestine, hidden, or secret. The word comes from the Latin occultus, meaning "knowledge of the hidden". Webster's defines the verb occult thus: "To shut off from view or exposure."[2]
In modern usage, "occult" refers to any one of a number of supernatural practices. These may include tarot cards, ouija boards, psychic powers, witchcraft, charms and spells of various forms, voodoo, some pagan rituals, demonology and divining for resources. (This list is not exhaustive.)
Many of these practices are widely regarded as superstition with no functional basis, and thus ineffective - the divination rituals will provide no insight into the future, the spells have no influence and the demons will not appear. However, the occult does have fervent believers. Further, the presence of warnings in the Bible against various practices that would now be regarded as occult demonstrates there is a level of truth and real danger behind them.
Many Christians see the occult as being profoundly evil, criminal, destructive, life threatening, and/or Satanic. Some Christians take this further, and argue that even fictional depictions of occult practices (such as fantasy books) or non-supernatural recreations (magicians' performances) may be dangerous.
Concerning occult practices, the Israelites were told:
- “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire [an ancient occult practice], or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination [detestable] to the LORD…”[3]
Notes
- ↑ http://books.google.com/books?id=k_uVVznqdssC&pg=PA49&lpg=PA49&dq=I+was+not+content+to+believe+in+a+personal+devil+and+serve+him,+in+the+ordinary+sense+of+the+word.+I+wanted+to+get+hold+of+him+personally+and+become+his+chief+of+staff.&source=web&ots=w0mmSaLOcC&sig=rSH3vqIlpfp3U5-mSLKD5vsVG5w&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result
- ↑ http://m-w.com/dictionary/occult
- ↑ Deuteronomy 18:9-12a (KJV).
