Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!wanginst!ulowell!mod-psi From: mod-psi@ulowell.UUCP Newsgroups: mod.psi Subject: PSI vs scienterrific research vs witchcraft Message-ID: <907@ulowell.UUCP> Date: Mon, 5-Jan-87 01:37:33 EST Article-I.D.: ulowell.907 Posted: Mon Jan 5 01:37:33 1987 Date-Received: Mon, 5-Jan-87 02:44:23 EST Sender: rickheit@ulowell.UUCP Reply-To: sunny@hoptoad.UUCP (Sunny Kirsten) Followup-To: mod.psi Distribution: world Organization: Whatever you think Lines: 120 Approved: rickheit@ulowell.UUCP [] > I hope that readers of this newsgroup realize that there is a vast > difference between academic parapsychology and the practice of > witchcraft and other occult arts. The former is a scientific discipline, > no different in principle than experimental psychology or physics; the latter > is essentially a belief system. > > Whether there are any legitimate connections between occult beliefs > and claims and the small magnitude, statistical psi effects as revealed > in the laboratory, remains to be seen. It is not at all clear to me that academic parapsychology has very much to do with psychic phenomena (psi). It is not at all clear to me that those who practice withcraft do NOT engage in psychic phenomena. It is not at all clear to me that witchcraft is ESSENTIALLY a belief system. So, let me begin: Witchcraft is both a belief system (as is ANY religion) and an occult art. Both aspects of this are spiritual. Science is a belief system (as is ANY religion). The scientific approach to the study of paranormal, occult, metaphysical, psychic, psi, extrasensory perception, or parapsychology is doomed to failure. Why? Because the religion of science is an atheistic religion, and these phenomena are spiritual. OK... how to untangle this mess? First is the issue of belief in the existance of GOD. Witchcraft = Yes Occult = Yes Science = No Second is the issue of spirit (human spirit) independent of the existance of "GOD" Witchcraft = Yes Occult = Yes Science = No Third is the issue of whether actions of the spirit (prayer, invocation, etc) can affect the physical world our bodies live in Witchcraft = Yes Occult = Yes Science = No Fourth is the issue of whether these actions should/may invoke spirits other than one's own personal human spirit either into one's own personal body, or into the immediate vicinity, or to assist in performing some occult operation Witchcraft = Yes Occult = No Science = No way, Jose. The only thing Science has in common with most Occult phenomena, is a lack of invocation of spirits. NOTE, I have NOT claimed that the practice of Witchcraft must NECESSARILY involve the invocation of spirits other than those human spirits present in the bodies of those practicing it, nor have I made any claims as to what other spirits might/should/would/could (not) be so invoked. Let it suffice to say that many witchcraft rituals do involve the invocation of at least the 4 elements (fire, earth, air, water), the 4 directions (N,E,S,W), and THE GODDESS, (which other religions call GOD). But then, any good bible thumping Christian preacher will also be sure to invoke not only Satan, but Hell, Brimstone, and the element Fire. WHILE a witch circle has protected itself from outside intrusion (usually by witch buring Christians) by the invocation of the Guardians of the directions and elements, they may then get down to the business at hand: prayer to the God(dess) of their hearts, as is common in any religion, and occult activities. There is no difference between prayer and occult operation, save whether you ask "God" to act as an intermediary. That is, you may pray to God to do something FOR you, or you may pray that something happen based on your own power. Since we were all created in His/Her divine image, we are all divine ourselves, and we all have the power to accomplish things directly ourselves. Witchraft and Occult arts share this in common: the belief that you don't need God as a go-fer. Christian religions on the other hand, insist that you need to go through either God or the Church to get what you want, and even then you'll get it only if the collection plate is full. So, what are psychic phenomena? They are those spiritual operations which allow you to exercise YOUR own divine powers. They don't require the assistance of other humans or of other spirits (as MAY be done in witchcraft), nor do they require the assistance of some special human (rabbi,priest,father, etc), nor do they necessarily involve GOD itself. Therefore, we may observe that MOST religions, including witchcraft, tend to be based on the concept that you can't do it alone. You can. However, it should also be noted that anything done in a group, and the larger the group, is many more times powerful than the factor of how many people there are. Thus the World Planetary Healing Hour held at the end of the calendar year, involving the simultaneous prayers of some 50 million people, of all different races, religions, cultures, etc, was a MASSIVE occult operation, simply because so many people focussed at the same time on altering the world in the same way. PSI is not scientific (it must admit of spiritual involvement). PSI is not witchcraft, though witchcraft may include psychic phenomena. NOW... what underlies the question, is PSI = WitchCraft? FEAR! False Evidence Appearing Real The fact is that what you think and what you believe and what you fear ALL create the reality you live in. And if we all believe the same thing, we collectively create that as OUR reality. So, do you believe that the world will be blown up in nuclear holocaust? Please don't! Instead, have faith in the positive. There is nothing more powerful than a positive affirmation. Sunny