From JW to WICCA!

Recently I have received comments from people who were once JW’s but are now following the teachings of a non-Christian religion. One came from someone heavily into WICCA. This was my response:

I understand that many individuals are attracted to WICCA as a direct result of a connection that they feel with the world around them and the beauty of the world they see. This reverence for nature leads many to the conclusion that the world itself must be divine.

"Our religion is about the sacredness of this life on this Earth, here and now. We are 'Nature worshipers,' so Nature is a sacred study for us. To paraphrase, "we want to see Her more clearly, love Her more dearly, and follow Her more nearly." Any ecological study, any bird watching, or other such activities, help us to understand Mother Gaia." (Chas S. Clifton (ed.), Modern Rites of Passage: Witchcraft Today, Book Two, 1994, p. 99).

Christians also see the beauty in our world, but stop short of seeing it as divine in some way. The Bible speaks of the wonder of the created realm in which we live, but goes on to state that it has been put in place so that people would go further and reach out for the Person who created it:

"…that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:19-20)

It appears that WICCANs look at the world around them, see the work of God, but then stop short of going further and looking for the Creator, and instead look to the creation itself. The Bible comments on this:

"…they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator…" (Romans 1:25)

I understand that many WICCANS feel that they have been treated badly by the Church throughout history. There is certainly much truth in such a view. At times, the established Church has treated some people in terrible ways. However, a lot of WICCANS may not know that they were not the only ones persecuted. True Christian believers were also persecuted! (See Fox’s Book of Martyrs here) At various times throughout Christian history, evil and unregenerate men have infiltrated the established Church and caused it to fall into apostasy. During such times, true believers, though having separated themselves, were savagely persecuted. Those who persecuted both WICCANS and true Christians were not really Christians themselves, but rather corrupt and evil men who took the opportunity of infiltrating the established Church for their own selfish gain. That other Christians were also persecuted, along with many other groups, by the Church is acknowledged by authorities in WICCA:

"All the religious and magical practices, on which the Catholic Church did not bestow its blessings - other Christian sects, Paganism, and magic, - were now lumped together. Whatever their aims and virtues, they were declared to be Devil worship …Despite fierce attempts to persecute those Christians whose views did not accord with Catholicism, the heretical sects which later transmuted into the Protestant movement flourished and grew strong." (Vivianne Crowley, Wicca, (Revised and updated ed.), pp. 19-20).

True Christianity does not seek to harm its neighbor, but rather seeks to obey the commandment of Christ which states: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). True Christians have had a life changing experience with Jesus Christ and would certainly seek to distance themselves from all violence, hate, and persecution of others. The very fact that someone labels themselves 'Christian' does not always automatically mean that they are a true follower of Jesus Christ, no matter who he or she may be. Indeed, the Bible even warns us that false Christians will come and attempt to bring shame upon the message of the Gospel of Jesus (2 Peter 2:1-2, 2 Cor. 11:13, 26; Galatians 2:4; 1 John 3:15).

Many WICCANS may have had bad experiences with churches, or professing Christians. However, two points regarding this need to be mentioned. First, it should be noted that not everyone who attends a Church is a Christian. There are many, who for various and varied reasons, attend Church on a Sunday, but are not actually Christians. It is easy to focus on such individuals when their life does not conform to Christian principles and then paint everyone with the same brush. Second, it must be confessed that even true Christians are by no means perfect. Christians still have a sin nature which, sadly, causes them to fail at times.

Many WICCANS tend to look at the sins of the Church and use this as justification to turn away from following Jesus Christ. On account of this many have, sadly, missed Jesus altogether. However, the Bible never tells us to fix our eyes on what the Church is, or is not doing but rather to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.' (Hebrews 12:2)