It is a well known fact that when Charlemagne conquered the Pagan Saxons, one of the laws he implimented was one making most witchcraft accusations punishable by death.

While Christian Irish Law anatamized Christians for a similar offense and associated belief in Witchcraft with Paganism.

The Lombard code of 643 states: Let nobody presume to kill a foreign serving maid or female servant as a witch, for it is not possible, nor ought to be believed by Christian minds.

https://www.philippagregory.com/news/origins-of-witch-hunting

And Augustine of Hippo (in the province of Africa) is famously paraphrased as saying "the church has no reason to seek out witches for their power doesn't exist".

Now, it isn't like he nor the Church in general didn't believe in any malevolent supernatural, certainly they believed in the devil as an example of such, but that's different from thinking every issue is witchcraft/spiritual like most of the "very religious" Nigerian Christians seem to think.

http://canepancakegravy..com/2012/08/saint-augustine-of-hippo-on-witchcraft.html?m=1

This is a trend kept through the early modern era with most of the famous witch trials of the early modern era associated with the largely Protestant German area where official church men lost influence. While to this day, all apostolic churches maintain a general skepticism of witchcraft.

https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15674a.htm

On the other hand, belief in witchcraft is frequently associated with Pagan religions, including African traditional religions.

Mary H. Kingsley in her travels in West Africa says that the Africans of the Atlantic coast blames all misfortune on witchcraft and from the same book as I got the Irish quote, we see a frequent association of African folk religions with belief in witchcraft, with the Jukun specifically associating untimely death with witchcraft, much like Kingsley said of Atlantic African peoples in general. The Tiv are also said to give the chieftaincy with the ability to be proficient in what a Westerner or Christian must consider witchcraft.

Now, the book is written by a Jukun person so someone can't start claiming Western lens and a lot of African literature also espouses superstition and fear of witches, a notable example is of Yoruba men joining secret societies called Gelede to protect themselves from *aje*, witch means witch in the Yoruba language and in Ubulu-Ụkwụ, the locals believe that witchcraft is the source cause of misfortune and premature death, as well as the belief in witches eating human beings.

Paul Glen Grant also documents in "Healing and Power in Ghana: Early Indigenous Expressions of Christianity" the earliest Ghanian converts to Christianity did so as they concluded that the religion could combat witchcraft sent against them, better than their witchcraft could. Thus, we see how this obsession with witchcraft transitioned seamlessly to Christian African society from Traditional one.

OP, all this is unnecessary. Jesus Christ is the standard by which Christians claim to live by yet He never condemned any witches during His mission on earth. That is all you really to say on the issue.

Kobojunkiee:
OP, all this is unnecessary. Jesus Christ is the standard by which Christians claim to live by yet He never condemned any witches during His mission on earth. That is all you really to say on the issue.

I think it is still important to bring up against the sub-group Pentecostals that think being more obsessed with witchcraft and spending every free time praying against witchcraft makes them more Christian.

When such an extent of obsession with defense from witchcraft resembles more documentation of pre-colonial idol worshippers than it does the saints of the churches.

Pecuman:
It is a well known fact that when Charlemagne conquered the Pagan Saxons, one of the laws he implimented was one making most witchcraft accusations punishable by death.

While Christian Irish Law anatamized Christians for a similar offense and associated belief in Witchcraft with Paganism.

The Lombard code of 643 states: Let nobody presume to kill a foreign serving maid or female servant as a witch, for it is not possible, nor ought to be believed by Christian minds.

https://www.philippagregory.com/news/origins-of-witch-hunting

And Augustine of Hippo (in the province of Africa) is famously paraphrased as saying "the church has no reason to seek out witches for their power doesn't exist".

Now, it isn't like he nor the Church in general didn't believe in any malevolent supernatural, certainly they believed in the devil as an example of such, but that's different from thinking every issue is witchcraft/spiritual like most of the "very religious" Nigerian Christians seem to think.

http://canepancakegravy..com/2012/08/saint-augustine-of-hippo-on-witchcraft.html?m=1

This is a trend kept through the early modern era with most of the famous witch trials of the early modern era associated with the largely Protestant German area where official church men lost influence. While to this day, all apostolic churches maintain a general skepticism of witchcraft.

https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15674a.htm

On the other hand, belief in witchcraft is frequently associated with Pagan religions, including African traditional religions.

Mary H. Kingsley in her travels in West Africa says that the Africans of the Atlantic coast blames all misfortune on witchcraft and from the same book as I got the Irish quote, we see a frequent association of African folk religions with belief in witchcraft, with the Jukun specifically associating untimely death with witchcraft, much like Kingsley said of Atlantic African peoples in general. The Tiv are also said to give the chieftaincy with the ability to be proficient in what a Westerner or Christian must consider witchcraft.

Now, the book is written by a Jukun person so someone can't start claiming Western lens and a lot of African literature also espouses superstition and fear of witches, a notable example is of Yoruba men joining secret societies called Gelede to protect themselves from *aje*, witch means witch in the Yoruba language and in Ubulu-Ụkwụ, the locals believe that witchcraft is the source cause of misfortune and premature death, as well as the belief in witches eating human beings.

Paul Glen Grant also documents in "Healing and Power in Ghana: Early Indigenous Expressions of Christianity" the earliest Ghanian converts to Christianity did so as they concluded that the religion could combat witchcraft sent against them, better than their witchcraft could. Thus, we see how this obsession with witchcraft transitioned seamlessly to Christian African society from Traditional one.

I was expecting to see you use a Bible to make your points.
Not a long monologue of not-necessarily-christian stuff.

Witches are humans that have allowed themselves to be possessed by demons due to their quest for supernatural powers.
So most of them have a sound reason to have joined the coven since they may be helpless or oppressed and they don't know how to protect or avenge for themselves they concluded to go for witchcraft.

Jesus' sermon on the mount will help sincere and honest hearted individuals to know that God did not just sit back watching all the evil man is doing to his neighbour that's why he told his listeners that they should hope in God's kingdom when God will repay all evildoers instead of seeking for means to revenge. Matthew 5:3-12

So as true Christians Jehovah's Witnesses teach anyone who comes into our midst all that Jesus has commanded {Matthew 28:19-20} as we have interchange of encouragement during our meetings {Hebrews 10:24-25} and many not only witches or wizards but thieves, hired Killers, homosexuals, prostitutes, drunkards and many more are fighting really hard to put away the old personality {Ephesians 4:22} and put on the new {Ephesians 4:24} as their mentality is trained {Ephesians 4:23} with God's word {Hebrews 4:12} and through fervent prayers {James 5:14-15} many have overcome all these traits {1Corinthians 6:11} while others are still working towards breaking free from certain traits of the old personality {Romans 7:15-20} but we have an helper who is ever ready to support us if we are genuinely willing to strip off the old personality! Romans 7:25

So Witchcraft is just one out of the many works of the flesh {Galatians 5:19-21} that true Christians must beg God for His Holy Spirit to help us strip off as we continue in washing our robes in the blood of the lamb! Revelations 7:14

God bless you and may you have PEACE!

Kobojunkiee:
OP, all this is unnecessary. Jesus Christ is the standard by which Christians claim to live by yet He never condemned any witches during His mission on earth. That is all you really to say on the issue.

The King James Version (KJV) of Exod 22:18, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live, " has been used by some contemporary ordinary Akan Christians in Ghana to justify praying for the death and destruction of witches and wizards."

Before you say it was in the old testament and that Jesus came and modified the laws.

John chapter 1
"[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] The same was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. [4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men."

Verse 14
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Now, if Jesus was the word spoken for creation from the beginning, it therefore implies that Jesus was also a facilitator of the commandments which was "spoken" to Moses.
If that's the case, then it is safe to say constructively that Jesus condemned Witchcraft.

Bluezy13:
■ The King James Version (KJV) of Exod 22:18, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live, " has been used by some contemporary ordinary Akan Christians in Ghana to justify praying for the death and destruction of witches and wizards.".....

I expectef someone to try to pull that verse out. So, tell us, what does the statement "Suffer not a witch to live," mean? And what that has to do with Jesus Christ who even refused to raise a stone against an adulterer caught in the act when confronted by the Pharisees and her accusers?

preciousee17:


I was expecting to see you use a Bible to make your points.
Not a long monologue of not-necessarily-christian stuff.

Your lack of knowledge of the origin of Christianity and the Bible has caused you to think that everything revolves around the Bible. After all, the book had said thus;

Hosea 4:6 NKJV
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Kobojunkiee:
I expectef someone to try to pull that verse out. So, tell us, what does the statement "Suffer not a witch to live," mean? And what that has to do with Jesus Christ who even refused to raise a stone against an adulterer caught in the act when confronted by the Pharisees and her accusers? undecided

Young Man,
If you have any points to make, come at it with Bible references and stop asking speculative questions.

It is unreasonable to link adultery to witchcraft in this sense. That's one of the problems with Christians, always deviating from a course of arguments.
If you have questions to ask, back it up with a Bible reference as well. I am not cut out for ambiguous and irregular arguments.
I am not your Sunday school teacher.

Bluezy13:
Young Man,
If you have any points to make, come at it with Bible references and stop asking speculative questions.
If you have questions to ask, back it up with a Bible reference as well. I am not cut out for ambiguous and irregular arguments.
I am not your Sunday school teacher.

Again, I expectef someone to try to pull that verse out. So, tell us, what does the statement "Suffer not a witch to live," mean? And what that has to do with Jesus Christ who even refused to raise a stone against an adulterer caught in the act when confronted by the Pharisees and her accusers?

Kobojunkiee:
Again, I expectef someone to try to pull that verse out. So, tell us, what does the statement "Suffer not a witch to live," mean? And what that has to do with Jesus Christ who even refused to raise a stone against an adulterer caught in the act when confronted by the Pharisees and her accusers?

Young man, modify your comments and stop occupying space unnecessarily.

Bluezy13:
Young man, modify your comments and stop occupying space unnecessarily.

Again, I expectef someone to try to pull that verse out. So, tell us, what does the statement "Suffer not a witch to live," mean? And what that has to do with Jesus Christ who even refused to raise a stone against an adulterer caught in the act when confronted by the Pharisees and her accusers?

Kobojunkiee:
Again, I expectef someone to try to pull that verse out. So, tell us, what does the statement "Suffer not a witch to live," mean? And what that has to do with Jesus Christ who even refused to raise a stone against an adulterer caught in the act when confronted by the Pharisees and her accusers?

Are you alright?

Jesus said he didn't come to abolish the law of Moses but to fulfill it!

So witches are to be killed!

But so also homosexuals, apostates, etc.

About 90% of pentecostal Christian prayer is against principalities, powers, miracles, witches and prosperity!

AntiChristian:

Jesus said he didn't come to abolish the law of Moses but to fulfill it!
So witches are to be killed!
But so also homosexuals, apostates, etc.
About 90% of pentecostal Christian prayer is against principalities, powers, miracles, witches and prosperity!

Fulfilling the purpose differs from practicing it!

If Jesus' disciples are to kill witches everywhere they go do you think their preaching work will extend to other places apart from their own country?
Ọmọ the law to kill people who goes against the rules of a particular God stays in the midst of the worshipers of such a God otherwise the killing will be unstoppable as families of the victim will take it up with you!

MaxInDHouse:
Witches are humans that have allowed themselves to be possessed by demons due to their quest for supernatural powers.
So most of them have a sound reason to have joined the coven since they may be helpless or oppressed and they don't know how to protect or avenge for themselves they concluded to go for witchcraft.

Jesus' sermon on the mount will help sincere and honest hearted individuals to know that God did not just sit back watching all the evil man is doing to his neighbour that's why he told his listeners that they should hope in God's kingdom when God will repay all evildoers instead of seeking for means to revenge. Matthew 5:3-12

So as true Christians Jehovah's Witnesses teach anyone who comes into our midst all that Jesus has commanded {Matthew 28:19-20} as we have interchange of encouragement during our meetings {Hebrews 10:24-25} and many not only witches or wizards but thieves, hired Killers, homosexuals, prostitutes, drunkards and many more are fighting really hard to put away the old personality {Ephesians 4:22} and put on the new {Ephesians 4:24} as their mentality is trained {Ephesians 4:23} with God's word {Hebrews 4:12} and through fervent prayers {James 5:14-15} many have overcome all these traits {1Corinthians 6:11} while others are still working towards breaking free from certain traits of the old personality {Romans 7:15-20} but we have an helper who is ever ready to support us if we are genuinely willing to strip off the old personality! Romans 7:25

So Witchcraft is just one out of the many works of the flesh {Galatians 5:19-21} that true Christians must beg God for His Holy Spirit to help us strip off as we continue in washing our robes in the blood of the lamb! Revelations 7:14

God bless you and may you have PEACE!

I am not saying they don't exist.(not yet anyway).

I am saying it was never a major priority for Christians. There's literally only one and an OT verse referring directly to dealing with witches. It isn't important.

MaxInDHouse:


Fulfilling the purpose differs from practicing it!

If Jesus' disciples are to kill witches everywhere they go do you think their preaching work will extend to other places apart from their own country?
Ọmọ the law to kill people who goes against the rules of a particular God stays in the midst of the worshipers of such a God otherwise the killing will be unstoppable as families of the victim will take it up with you!

But you practice the tithes and commandments from the old laws but capital punishment laws are the ones rejected! Isn't that a case of cherry picking and hypocrisy?

AntiChristian:

But you practice the tithes and commandments from the old laws but capital punishment laws are the ones rejected! Isn't that a case of cherry picking and hypocrisy?

Do you realize you're chatting with Maximus?

Well we don't practice anything that's found in the Mosaic laws because it's not directed to Christians it's misinformed churchgoers that's mixing it all up.

Bluezy13:
Are you alright?

Again, I expectef someone to try to pull that verse out. So, tell us, what does the statement "Suffer not a witch to live," mean? And what that has to do with Jesus Christ who even refused to raise a stone against an adulterer caught in the act when confronted by the Pharisees and her accusers?

MaxInDHouse:


Do you realize you're chatting with Maximus?

Well we don't practice anything that's found in the Mosaic laws because it's not directed to Christians it's misinformed churchgoers that's mixing it all up.

The same commandments Jesus told you to follow are from the Mosaic laws directed to "Non-Christians" according to you!

Aje is not a witch, "witch"comes from wicca and refers to a specific religion worshipping a horned god.
With the little research I did, aje are mothers and are not "evil", the portrayal of aje in nollywood movies is not doing them justice.

Also, witches/wicca are not evil, they are only practicing their religion. Only their fellow theists call them derogatory names.