What's the Deal With Wicca?: A Deeper Look into the Dark Side of Today's Witchcraft - Softcover

Russo, Steve

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764201360 ISBN 13: 9780764201363

Publisher: Bethany House, 2005

Synopsis

Countless teenagers--including some in the church--have embraced aspects of Wicca, a form of witchcraft with modern appeal, without realizing the spiritual peril to which they are opening themselves. In What's the Deal With Wicca? Steve Russo lays bare the spiritual roots of Wicca and exposes the deception inherent in the promises made by its practitioners. At the same time, he clarifies the teachings of Christianity and demonstrates that Christian faith and spirituality are the only true ways to address the very real needs in the lives of teenagers.

About this title

About the Author

Steve Russo is the author of ten books and numerous magazine articles. He is also the featured speaker on the music video TV show "24/SEVEN," host of the daily radio feature "Real Answers," and cohost of Focus on the Family's weekly teen talk radio show "Life on the Edge Live!" Steve makes his home in Southern California.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

A lot of kids today feel like the Christian church isn't relevant to their daily lives. One of the problems is that they've bought into a religious experience rather than establishing a personal relationship with God. It's awesome when you can grasp the concept of having an actual relationship with the living God the God of all creation. That sets Christianity apart from any other religion. Also, a lot of teens fail to really understand the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. They want answers about life and they want to be challenged to make a difference in their world but they can't seem to find this in their churches. Some people even question if God really cares about them and what's going on in their life. They want to know where God was when their mother died of cancer or why their father lost his job and abandoned the family. One girl asked me where God was when she was gang-raped. Disappointment with God is real for a lot of kids today. Obviously, pain and suffering are part of life but it's still hard to handle. And in some situations, we may never know the reason why we experience some of the things that we do in life.

In other situations, leaders in the church have failed miserably at making the Christian faith clear and understandable to kids in need of answers for the problems they're dealing with. The lack of practically applying the Bible to everyday life has caused many kids to search elsewhere, including witchcraft, for help and hope. Unfortunately, some leaders and Bible teachers seem to be answering all the questions that no one's asking.

Wicca's got a very positive image in our society today. It's no longer some ridiculed set of beliefs based on superstition. Instead, it's become a mainstream religious system that many see as a valid alternative to an "outdated Christian faith." There are at least five major ways in which Wicca differs from Christianity and other religions:

worship of the goddess and god;

reverence for the earth;

acceptance of magick;

acceptance of reincarnation;

lack of proselytizing activities (trying to get someone to change their religious beliefs). [Scott Cunningham, The Truth About Witchcraft Today (St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1987), 62.] Wicca and witchcraft is popping up everywhere. You can find its influence in PC games, movies, music, prime-time TV shows, cartoons, and books. The number of Web sites on Wicca is growing, and there are even classes being offered online and in some public libraries. So why is Wicca so popular, especially with teens?

For many, Wicca's promise of personal power over others and the ability to control your own life seems irresistible even among some teens currently involved in the church. Wicca is admired for its sensitivity to the environment and is seen as the female-friendly religion in comparison to Christianity's supposedly male-dominated hierarchical system. And because Christianity is perceived as being judgmental and intolerant in today's society, it's easy to see Wicca's huge appeal. Wiccans feel like they belong without the baggage of having to look, walk, or talk a certain way. Plus, because Wicca rejects moral absolutes, a person's natural rebellious nature is appealed to. And it offers the chance to develop a personal self-styled religion. The bottom line is that Wicca offers its followers the ability to set things right on their own without having to rely on a God who doesn't seem to answer their prayers anyway.

So who's right? Emily, Andrew, and Melissa? Did Alexis and her friend somehow miss the point of Wicca and quit too soon? Does Christianity really offer the answers and power we need and want? How do we make sense out of life?

Wicca and Christianity both can't be right. Ultimately, you will have to decide which pathway is the right one for you to pursue. But remember to choose wisely and make sure that you honestly compare what Jesus teaches and what Wicca teaches. It's not good enough to just be sincere in your beliefs. Sincerity won't get you very far when it comes to your eternal destiny or making life work on planet Earth. Neither will it give you the power for living in a stress-filled, confusing world. Maybe you have friends who are into Wicca and you're trying to understand and help them. This book will help you to discover the truth about Wicca and its exploding popularity.

Examine the information in this book carefully. Don't be afraid to ask yourself the tough questions. Think about it logically. In the end, I hope that you'll discover the answers you're looking for to make sense out of this life and eternity.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpted from: What's the Deal With Wicca by Steve Russo Copyright © 2005; ISBN 0764201360 Published by Bethany House Publishers Used by permission. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.

Edition details

• Publisher: Bethany House
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0764201360
• ISBN 13: 9780764201363
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192