Response to Spiritual Warfare?

[Earthcup]

I had heard it mentioned before but only recently I began to seriously consider the effects of spiritual warfare on my life after reading someone else's view of it.

My mother did this with a group in the 70's and 80's so it's nothing new. Basically it consists of basic prayer to full astral warfare. It seems to be becoming more popular.

Frasnkly, I've always thought of it as sad. Looking over some sites to get more info on it it dawned on me that what they are fighting is me. I'm a Pagan Witch. I've seen "Harry Potter" and "The Last Temptation of Christ" and liked them. I'm interested in most things religous and metaphysical.

I know some people have guides who are dragons. If a a person engaging in astral warfare believes dragons and/or serpents to be creatures of Satan they will attack them. That's something I never thought of before.

What do you think our response to spiritual warfare should be? Spells to cancel out the effect of spiritual warfare, which might have an effect on hexes come to think of it.... Ignoring it? Retaliating? Protecting those we know in the astral planes?

I'm really curious to see what people think. I never thought of spiritual warfare affecting me until I looked at some of the sites and realised it was aimed at people like me.

The post that got me thinking....
http://www.beliefnet.com/boards/message_list.asp?pageID=1&discussionID=159846&messages_per_page=4&#lastPost

Sites about spiritual warfare.

http://www.demonbuster.com/

http://www.inspirationsforlife.com/wholarofgod.html

http://www.spirithome.com/spirwarf.html?source=overture

http://www.letusreason.org/Pent13.htm

http://northernway.org/school.html

http://www.wcc.net/~bfrasure/spiritual-w.html

[Autumn]

I heard about this on NPR last spring and it upset me a great deal. I remember hearing about people who would walk down the street stopping in front of each house and praying that the occupants of the home had either already "found Jesus" or would soon. With or without the consent of the occupant. Now I was taught as a baby beginner not to cast spells for others without their express consent, That it was unethical to do so. How is prayer any diffrent? This just gives me a major case of the willies...

[Kinsfire]

I found it interesting that one of the christian sites is in direct opposition to the others as far as spritual warfare is concerned. The one at letusreason.org was definitely against the concept, because the writer felt that it was man trying to take God's power into man's own hands.

As far as my own feelings on the matter are concerned, I look at the phrase "if it harms none, do what you will" to allow the use of magic to defend yourself. I'm a big fan of reflective spells, personally; setting up protections to allow beneficial spells through, but reflecting back ill intent.

As far as dealing with them on sites of power, or outside people's homes, I think it would be perfectly acceptable to work to strengthen the bindings the Xians wish to break, defend those beings they wish to destroy, and generally help those afflicted by the Spiritual Warriors. However, as much as I'd love to, nothing should be done directly to the warriors. Not for any reasons of Rede, but for the reason that attempting damage on them will only strengthen their conviction. "See, it's working! Satan is attacking me to get me to stop!" And if you wish them good, thinking that helping them might get them to stop, they'll merely think God is rewarding their efforts. So, do what you can to protect those attacked, but do nothing to the attacker.

I say that last from a position of deep knowledge. During my time as a christian, had I heard of spiritual warfare, I would gladly have gotten involved in it. And the above two reactions are the ones I would have had, so it's fairly safe to assume others would, too. By trying to deal with them directly, you'll only strengthen their resolve.

Kinsfire

[Earthcup]

Good point! Yeah, I would have had that reaction a few years ago myself. Now I tend to see astral/Otherworldly things as being safe from harm from this plane. I forgot "As Above, So Below" goes both ways.

I think I'll spend today thinking of ways to shield and protect against this sort of thing. All my shields are based on physical harm and the odd manipulative spirit, not really to protect against any type of astral warfare.

Protecting the sacred sites in the area will be something new for me. I've never done that kind of work before. It should be quite an experience! :)

[Armitage]

Ignore it. These people seem to be looking for attention. And if it comes close to home, i.e. hits you or your family or home, swat them appropriately.

[Adam Of Avalon]

Having never met any people like that, it's hard for me to comprehend that anyone could be that ignorant. My logical conclusion is that there are few of them out there but they are the most outspoken ones. (Hence the websites that promote spiritual warfare and yet claim that they preach no hate.) But in the meantime, I'll stick to my protection spells.

[Witchy Cowgirl]

It seems to me that those folks aren't wishing anyone any harm. (I have to admit though that I didn't check out the listed web-sites cause I really need to go to bed....I'm just stating my views from what Autumn replied to the orginial post.) And if they truly knew any Pagan folks they'd see that they aren't evil or anything of the sort and that as far as most things go....don't view things that much differently.....except maybe that the Christians believe in Heaven and Hell and the Pagans believe in the SummerLand. (I know that the above statement is VERY generalized so please don't take offense. Just trying to say this in a very condensed form.)

But there again, I'm a very liberal Christian (Witch) and can't really see things the way the fundies do.
I do see most things from a Pagan point of view and can see Autumns point when it comes to the praying outside of peoples homes.
Many Blessings to You All

[Earthcup]

I was once a fundamentalist myself so unfortunately I do see where they're coming from because I've been there.

Anyway, I don't think a little more thought to protection or myself and others can hurt.. :)

[Azure]

The people who publish 90% of the literature on this phenomenom are right here at Thomas Nelson Publishers, known also for publishing the Left Behind series and the memoirs of the Ramsey family which defend them against speculation that they killed their daughter.

I've seen lots of it. Near as I can figure, it qualifies as black magic and spiritual attack. However, I firmly believe that most of the negativity these people send out comes straight back to them. "Spiritual warfare" from what I've seen seems to be a rather paranoid and miserable belief system, with people looking everywhere for the evil except where the evil actually is. If you obsess over demons, you end up creating them, IMO.

The thing that gets me about this crap is that they devote all their time to attacking people for their sexual preference, choice of religion, reading of "evil" literature and so on. Think of the good they could do if they took the time they devoted to attacking those different from them and donated time at a soup kitchen, or the humane society, or some other worthy cause.

My BF and I have been having a conversation about how people use religion and spirituality, and these people are a prime example of those who use religion as a crutch to reinforce prejudices and stereotypes rather than to rise above them. It's just fear, ignorance, and bigotry masquerading as religion. And it breeds unhappy people.

[Witchy Cowgirl]

Earhcup --- I surely didn't mean that you shouldn't defend (raise your sheild) against these people. And I wish you well in doing so!

And Azure there certainly are better ways these people could spend their time to help humanity.

I think too that they should be going maybe to prisons to prayer for the folks there. Not necessairly to prayer that folks find Jesus, but that they find God, not my God, or your God, but a God or Goddess that will help them find a good path to follow. A path that will lead to Spiritual peace with themselves and others.

[Myst]

Hmm odd, the only 'spiritual warfare' I've heard of was from Pagans, not fundies of other beliefs. Either way I guess I think of it as someone trying to get attention.

[Mithrea]

Originally posted by Armitage
Ignore it. These people seem to be looking for attention. And if it comes close to home, i.e. hits you or your family or home, swat them appropriately.

This is pretty much what I was thinking . . . :)