The craft is about the connections you make and your ability to work with those connections. Most religions incorporate magical workings into their practice. Your "religion" will influences your practice due to the morals and ethics you have but it does not control or is a requirement to practice the art of casting. A spell is a type of prayer but not every prayer is a spell. Prayer is also a form of spirit communication which many list as a magical practice but not all spirit communication is prayer. Religion is a choice to add in, not a requirement.
A truck driver may utilize "religion" in his work when he almost gets into an accident but the religion is not required to drive the truck.
Those who tell you you have to incorporate religion into your craft usually don't have enough experience, knowledge, or understanding of how the craft works and rely solely on the belief that faith is all it takes.
Re: Lack of religion By: Brysing Moderator / Adept
Post # 6 Feb 04, 2014
I have no religion at all! But I do still have a "spiritual" side to my nature. I still acknowledge the two givers of Life, Sun and Moon, and refer to them as My Lord and My Lady, as I was taught; although I do not exactly "worship" them.
Depends on the practice and the view of the person. Some workers see doing hoodoo without the Christian God and the Bible is a hindrance because it leaves a large chunk out of the practice, mostly leaving rootwork. I honestly think it depends on the tradition being practiced whether a relationship with a God is important to learning and practicing the "craft."
What I consider "modern magic" though, no. There is no need for any affiliations. Just like there is no need for correspondences of days, numbers, tools, moon phases, or anything. Its about the practitioner having confidence and knowing how magic works.
With the conclusions I've come to over time I see magick as a science now. I believe in spirits but this is because I have grown up encountering them due to a somewhat odd way of thought. I have no real religion in the sense that I don't worship anything really but instead prefer to use the spirits that most identify with my goal or who are willing to help me. Sort of like singing into a microphone to increase your volume. I see magick as a beneficial process for both us and the spirit as I believe they derive their energy from spiritual energy which can come in many forms including just acknowledging their existence. By giving them energy and power and the practitioner using their help we both benefit.
Woah I skip a day and look what I've got! Hopefully all the moderator attention is good! :-P
I also have no religion, but I can see where "hoodoo" could suffer luckily I dont practice a religious based magic so no problems there. I don't know if I would agree as magic being defined as a science. In science like math things either work or don't. Where as in magic I would argue that not only do you at best hvr a limited understanding of what's involved but the effects can be varying an surprising. Example: casting the exact same spell at two seperate occasions can give you two different results even if you cast them identically. However if you mix identical amounts of baking soda and vinager you'll get the same response both times. Also though this may sound odd as I'm professing my lack of religion but science to me anyways seems soulless. I actually am a sort of scientist and at work I enjoy what I do but it doesnt compare to the total mind/body joy I get from magic.
