Occultism: Past and Present
Created | Updated Dec 11, 2004
Many people think that occultism, especially witchcraft (now known as Wicca) has completely changed its face throughout the centuries, but what has really changed is the beliefs about occultism. The fundamental beliefs and practices of occultism have, for the most part, remained the same, though there are some changes.
Wiccans today are very much alike to the beliefs of the ancient occult. Most occult groups both now and then believe in either worshipping of nature or being in harmony with nature. Ancient pagans would normally spend most of their lives outside, collecting herbs and other plants for healing practices or rituals. Modern occultists are often known for their love of nature, and most extreme environmentalists come from this group. Both groups celebrated the seasons with dancing during the night (which was were the Church got the idea of the "pact with the Devil"), and searched for some kind of secret information that nature could tell them.
The reason that people think that occultism has changed is due to the changes of society's attitude toward the occult. Before Christianity, pagan practices were an integral part of society. Everyone practiced it. But after the formation of the Christian church, pagan religion became a crime. Most Churches (and therefore governments) declared paganism illegal, a heresy against the church. The Roman Catholic Church accused pagans of creating a pact with the devil during the night, and that these "witches" celebrated this pact on the Black Sabbath, which was the ultimate crime, a crime against God. After the Protestant Church was formed, society's view changed again. The Protestants preached that though Wiccans did not directly make a pact with Satan, they rejected God, and therefore should be persuaded otherwise. This, in society's view, was not a heinous as making a direct contract with God's enemy, and as the Protestants increased, persecution of witches decreased. Today, wiccans are generally accepted by society and though they practice the same rituals and believe the same ideas, practicing the occult is no longer a crime.
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