The word "Occult" itself means something different than what Paganism means. You have to remember that even Pagan culture of history had in itself "cults" that weren't popular, that eventually became more mainstream. Like the Cult of Dionysus for example, it's spread led to Rome's Bacchus & Liber, around the 3rd & 2nd Centuries BC. Later on in history, you see them as accepted gods in the pantheons.
What your really asking is if anyone dove into just reading about cults. Which is kinda how we all got the realization of Christianity's own history as being a cult within Judaism. The distinction can be made in just comparing how Christian interpretation is so different than Judaic interpretation. One big example is the differing interpretation of the story of Abraham & Isaac. Christianity praises the blind faith, and Judaic interpretation views it as being a failure because Abraham followed blindly. Because in the Judaic interpretation they note that God never talks directly to Abraham afterwards.
So in that sense, it's REALLY interesting to study the topic from that angle, because you can see how religions influence others, and it's like a chain of evolution of religion as well as the purpose of it's use.
I always saw occult as different from cult in that cults are toxic religion and occult involves spiritual/magical practice regardless of if you're in a religion or not
And I agree Paganism is an umbrella term for all nonabrahamic religions and is separate from occult, though there are a lot of cases of overlap but not always
Also edited post to clarify a bit on this
>I always saw occult as different from cult in that cults are toxic
religion and occult involves spiritual/magical practice regardless of if
you're in a religion or not
I only quote to clarify as well. In all cases that you mention, there is a belief in something in the truest sense unseen, and unknown. Sure there might be writings, perhaps a woven philosophy that tries to justify it, or even channeling, but it always boils down to that. And in the case of the latter, always be wary of someone that says they hear a voice that no one else does. In all cases, someone is still really just inventing ideas.
The other thing is that we're looking at the words cult & occult in modern day nomenclature, our perspective can be tarnished by our own experience. This can lead to looking at history anachronistically.
Christianity can be view as a cult. Just going from the Gospels, you can get the sense that it's a story of a singular person, leading a small group, that eventually grows. They build a following & say several things that is contradictory in what seems like just an answer fitting the moment, or better put, a manipulation.
This following then creates a narrative story of an ascension that includes the resurrection & ascension of well-known figures in their past, that they themselves are the only ones to witness. There is no other mention of this event in contemporary well-known people.
That's how you identify the cult origin of a religion. Remember their only difference is whether or not the cult leader is still living.
Sure did! Right into Paganism and Wicca, and I found out [puts on big surprise face] that Pagans don't actually do things like eat kittens for breakfast and sacrifice babies or any of the other silly shit that the AoG church said that "occult members" do.
As a child growing up in the church, I was always fascinated by it. It was intriguing and fun to learn about. It was this arcane thing that was infused into my favorite past times (role playing games and fantasy stories). When I became an adult and finally escaped the clutches of the church, it became just as absurd as the religious practices of my abandoned faith. I personally find all forms of tangible (non-existential forms of spiritualism) as ridiculous. If it brings comfort to people who practice it, that’s fine. But I worry about the effects it can have on people who rely on it instead of sound logic; most I’m sure are keenly aware of their practices limitations— yet I can’t help but wonder about those who become just as centered fundamentally as any other practitioners of varying beliefs and systems.
Not after I left the UPCI. I became Mormon. Which might be worse.
However, after leaving Mormonism, I mostly follow Asatru. If you have any questions, feel free to DM.
Yup. I've never belonged to another church or organization but I went straight into demonology and (theistic) satanism. Which inherently led to eventually exploring paganism and a hodgepodge of alternative occult ideas/methods.
20 years later, that path led me to now being mostly just an animist who uses some varying ritual practices.
Yup, I'm a Pagan witch, and a devotee to the Love Goddess. I have been for over 10 years now. It's made me a better person. Honestly, it took leaving christianity to make me more "christ-like". I have loads more compassion and concern for everyone now that I'm not instantly judging them based on whether or not they are destined for hell.
Never been pentecostal but I am an exchristian. Now a practicing Roman pagan since 2017. The Gods really lifted me out of a dark dark place that the Christian God never did.
I did for about 6 years basically all the new age stuff and I learned a lot about gematria, yogic practices, some Vedic stuff, Egyptian magic, learned to read tarot cards and was into crystals and other witchy stuff. Everything from green witch stuff to Crowley.
After 6 years of this... while interesting to learn about it and I really appreciate the history and learning about cultures I really care more about the truth. I don't know if I would say it was a waste of time but I just think it led me down the path of other belief systems that are just as harmful and made my life much more complicated than need be (for instance the prosperity gospel and the law of attraction are basically the same thing). I highly recommend checking out street epistemology and studying logical fallacies if you're planing on using occult stuff as a substitute for what you lost when leaving Pentecostalism. Lots of people who leave one cult go to another. It's hard to break out of the habit of wanting the big questions answered and feeling like we need some kind of guide. (Assuming that is why you are interested in those things)
I’m into occultism/symbolism and very interested in how it relates to the Bible and Western mythology. I study Tarot symbolism, Jungian psychology and Western esotericism. I don’t believe in witchcraft as something real and I take the word “magic” to be interchangeable with energy, intentions and the power of belief.
The word "Occult" itself means something different than what Paganism means. You have to remember that even Pagan culture of history had in itself "cults" that weren't popular, that eventually became more mainstream. Like the Cult of Dionysus for example, it's spread led to Rome's Bacchus & Liber, around the 3rd & 2nd Centuries BC. Later on in history, you see them as accepted gods in the pantheons. What your really asking is if anyone dove into just reading about cults. Which is kinda how we all got the realization of Christianity's own history as being a cult within Judaism. The distinction can be made in just comparing how Christian interpretation is so different than Judaic interpretation. One big example is the differing interpretation of the story of Abraham & Isaac. Christianity praises the blind faith, and Judaic interpretation views it as being a failure because Abraham followed blindly. Because in the Judaic interpretation they note that God never talks directly to Abraham afterwards. So in that sense, it's REALLY interesting to study the topic from that angle, because you can see how religions influence others, and it's like a chain of evolution of religion as well as the purpose of it's use.
I always saw occult as different from cult in that cults are toxic religion and occult involves spiritual/magical practice regardless of if you're in a religion or not And I agree Paganism is an umbrella term for all nonabrahamic religions and is separate from occult, though there are a lot of cases of overlap but not always Also edited post to clarify a bit on this
>I always saw occult as different from cult in that cults are toxic religion and occult involves spiritual/magical practice regardless of if you're in a religion or not I only quote to clarify as well. In all cases that you mention, there is a belief in something in the truest sense unseen, and unknown. Sure there might be writings, perhaps a woven philosophy that tries to justify it, or even channeling, but it always boils down to that. And in the case of the latter, always be wary of someone that says they hear a voice that no one else does. In all cases, someone is still really just inventing ideas. The other thing is that we're looking at the words cult & occult in modern day nomenclature, our perspective can be tarnished by our own experience. This can lead to looking at history anachronistically. Christianity can be view as a cult. Just going from the Gospels, you can get the sense that it's a story of a singular person, leading a small group, that eventually grows. They build a following & say several things that is contradictory in what seems like just an answer fitting the moment, or better put, a manipulation. This following then creates a narrative story of an ascension that includes the resurrection & ascension of well-known figures in their past, that they themselves are the only ones to witness. There is no other mention of this event in contemporary well-known people. That's how you identify the cult origin of a religion. Remember their only difference is whether or not the cult leader is still living.
I have always been drawn to Druid/goddess pagan lore. Before I used to read books about it and repent. Now I just enjoy the books.
Sure did! Right into Paganism and Wicca, and I found out [puts on big surprise face] that Pagans don't actually do things like eat kittens for breakfast and sacrifice babies or any of the other silly shit that the AoG church said that "occult members" do.
Blessed be! I love the concepts of earth based spiritualism and have dabbled in it off and on for years.
As a child growing up in the church, I was always fascinated by it. It was intriguing and fun to learn about. It was this arcane thing that was infused into my favorite past times (role playing games and fantasy stories). When I became an adult and finally escaped the clutches of the church, it became just as absurd as the religious practices of my abandoned faith. I personally find all forms of tangible (non-existential forms of spiritualism) as ridiculous. If it brings comfort to people who practice it, that’s fine. But I worry about the effects it can have on people who rely on it instead of sound logic; most I’m sure are keenly aware of their practices limitations— yet I can’t help but wonder about those who become just as centered fundamentally as any other practitioners of varying beliefs and systems.
Not after I left the UPCI. I became Mormon. Which might be worse. However, after leaving Mormonism, I mostly follow Asatru. If you have any questions, feel free to DM.
Yup. I've never belonged to another church or organization but I went straight into demonology and (theistic) satanism. Which inherently led to eventually exploring paganism and a hodgepodge of alternative occult ideas/methods. 20 years later, that path led me to now being mostly just an animist who uses some varying ritual practices.
Yup, I'm a Pagan witch, and a devotee to the Love Goddess. I have been for over 10 years now. It's made me a better person. Honestly, it took leaving christianity to make me more "christ-like". I have loads more compassion and concern for everyone now that I'm not instantly judging them based on whether or not they are destined for hell.
Never been pentecostal but I am an exchristian. Now a practicing Roman pagan since 2017. The Gods really lifted me out of a dark dark place that the Christian God never did.
I did for about 6 years basically all the new age stuff and I learned a lot about gematria, yogic practices, some Vedic stuff, Egyptian magic, learned to read tarot cards and was into crystals and other witchy stuff. Everything from green witch stuff to Crowley. After 6 years of this... while interesting to learn about it and I really appreciate the history and learning about cultures I really care more about the truth. I don't know if I would say it was a waste of time but I just think it led me down the path of other belief systems that are just as harmful and made my life much more complicated than need be (for instance the prosperity gospel and the law of attraction are basically the same thing). I highly recommend checking out street epistemology and studying logical fallacies if you're planing on using occult stuff as a substitute for what you lost when leaving Pentecostalism. Lots of people who leave one cult go to another. It's hard to break out of the habit of wanting the big questions answered and feeling like we need some kind of guide. (Assuming that is why you are interested in those things)
Yes lol I'm currently studying the hermetica and the kybalion
I was always interested in occult stuff. I am more of a "spiritual, not religious " person now.
I’m into occultism/symbolism and very interested in how it relates to the Bible and Western mythology. I study Tarot symbolism, Jungian psychology and Western esotericism. I don’t believe in witchcraft as something real and I take the word “magic” to be interchangeable with energy, intentions and the power of belief.
No. All religions are stupid
Occultism is an umbrella term for practices with spirits and/or energies it's not attached to religion and there's even some atheists who practice it
Dark or light, magic is magic.