[bit.listserv.christia] ALL good gifts . . .

UJCCPC@UNC (01/11/90)

> Sorry, Bill, that argument doesn't hold water.  Witches use spiritual
> powers not of the Lord, and therefore *by default* are bad (in a
> generic sense of the word).
> Mark McGrew

"Witches use spiritual powers not of the Lord . . ."  is an extremely
vague phrase, and since you use it to condemn a specific group of
non-Christians as "bad", I would ask you to define your terms.  What
do you mean by "spiritual powers" in general, and which ones are "of
the Lord" and which ones are not?
I can easily imagine a case where a witch uses her "powers" (real or
imagined) to do some good in the world.  And as far as I can tell, any
"good gift" is from heaven.
John Cromartie

V111HFQ3@UBVMS (Robert Charles Weiss) (01/12/90)

John Cromartie writes:

>"Witches use spiritual powers not of the Lord . . ."  is an extremely
>vague phrase, and since you use it to condemn a specific group of
>non-Christians as "bad", I would ask you to define your terms.  What
>do you mean by "spiritual powers" in general, and which ones are "of
>the Lord" and which ones are not?
>I can easily imagine a case where a witch uses her "powers" (real or
>imagined) to do some good in the world.  And as far as I can tell, any
>"good gift" is from heaven.

Moses* wrote:
        When you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not
        learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one
        be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who
        practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in
        witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who
        consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the
        Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will
        drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the
        Lord your God.
                                        Deuteronomy 18:9-13 (NIV)

        Bob WEiss



*see Deut. 1:5, 31:9,22,24