Church in Salem, Mass. dumped for outreach to witches

[Carol]

'The meeting was brutal,' Wyman said. 'It was a little bit like an Inquisition. ... It kind of escalated to, `How can you be friends with witches?`
Wyman, who was accompanied by three others from the Salem church, said, 'The four of us kind of looked at each other and (thought), `We live in Salem. How could you not?`'

Source: UPI, as quoted on
Monsters and Critics .com






Last year, local ministers began saying that Mr. Wyman was getting too close to the witches. They pointed to his friendships, his Web site's links to pagan sites, and a photograph that seemed to show him kissing a witch's hand. Mr. Wyman's denomination accused him of aberrance, revoked his ordination and expelled him. One letter to him said he had strayed from Christian teachings and was disobedient.

(snip)

"I can imagine the Salem witch trials were not much different from this: It starts with a rumor and escalates to a trial," says Mr. Wyman.


Source: The Wall Street Journal, as quoted in the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



314 years later, are we still afraid of witches and witchcraft?

 

[bushidomartialarts]

that... is.....just....weird....

 

[Hand Sword]

Aren't you? I watch Charmed and they're pretty tough! I haven't trained for a while, so I wouldn't do too well.

Where did all the Puritans go? God save us all!

 

[Carol]

I live and train in the Salem, Massachusetts area.

IMO...its rather disturbing.

 

[Hand Sword]

So, that's why you don't fear them! You train!

 

[Carol]

So, that's why you don't fear them! You train!

No, I pack! :roflmao:

In all seriousness...the witches in Salem are nice folks, from what I can tell.

The idjit youth gangs...that's another story.

 

[Drac]

The idjit youth gangs...that's another story.

They are a bigger threat to your neigborhood thant witches..

 

[Jonathan Randall]

I live and train in the Salem, Massachusetts area.

IMO...its rather disturbing.

Yeah, what's up with you people and witches?

 

[Carol]

Yeah, what's up with you people and witches?

Witches are veddy veddy good to the local economy. We like witches up here. There's a witch on the masthead of the Salem News.

I don't understand Evangelicalism at all. If the point of Evangelical Christianity is to convert non-believers to Christians then here is a fellow that certainly found a bunch of, quite literally, pagans.

Now that he's been cut off from the Mother church in southern California, the pagans will be exposed to less Christianity than before, not more.

And this accomplishes the church's goals...how??

 

[Hand Sword]

I think there just trying to close ranks and re-strengthen themselves and re-focus. There's been a lot of damage to the Church lately.

 

[Carol]

I think there just trying to close ranks and re-strengthen themselves and re-focus. There's been a lot of damage to the Church lately.

Apparantly the church believes very strongly in witchcraft, if they are that paranoid of it.

Somehow I think Phil Wyman's church will go on, one way or another. If there is enough local support, they won't need the organization to survive. I wish them luck

 

[Hand Sword]

Could be. I think it's more of an identity issue for the church as an entity. Like the final straw over the camel's back (even though a small issue). Since the beginning of it's existance, they've been for things and against things. Lately, what they've been against has crept into the church, and been/ being accepted.

 

[SFC JeffJ]

Paganism, it's all its myriad forms, is one of the fastest growing religions in the U.S.A. The more mainstream churches are going to have to learn to deal with them sooner or later. Even here, where the pagan movement is relatively small, they have pretty good relations with several churches and a local convent.

Jeff

 

[bydand]

WOO-HOO you get the stakes, I'll get the kindling... wait a minute, isn't this the 21st century? I thought the witch hunts in Salem had ended long ago, some people need to get a grip and just butt out. It sounds like they (the "head" church) dropped this guy without even talking to him. I have several people that I call friends that are practicing Wiccans and a coouple who call themselves witches. For the most part they are as well grounded in the communities views of "morality and normalicy" as everybody else, and better than some. Does that mean I belive the same as they do? - No, it doesn't, just means we can enjoy each others company without trying to "convert" each other.

Stupidity, for stupidity's sake just pisses me off!

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

WOO-HOO you get the stakes, I'll get the kindling... wait a minute, isn't this the 21st century? I thought the witch hunts in Salem had ended long ago, some people need to get a grip and just butt out. It sounds like they (the "head" church) dropped this guy without even talking to him. I have several people that I call friends that are practicing Wiccans and a coouple who call themselves witches. For the most part they are as well grounded in the communities views of "morality and normalicy" as everybody else, and better than some. Does that mean I belive the same as they do? - No, it doesn't, just means we can enjoy each others company without trying to "convert" each other.

Stupidity, for stupidity's sake just pisses me off!

Absolutely!

 

[Ping898]

I think in the end it comes down to fear of what you don't know and don't understand. In no mainstream religion have I ever seen states that you can't be friends with or educate people about other religions. I've always been under the belief that in some ways the Amish have it right, my understanding of their culture is they send their kids out into the real world for a while and then the kids make a choice to continue to be Amish, you can't truely make an informed choice if you don't know what you are "giving up". Without being there, my opinion is these decisions were made out of fear and ignorance and a misguided sense of right and wrong.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Sure makes ya all warm and fuzzy and all fired hot to just up and join a church, don't it....*rolls eyes*

what strikes me the most is that he was dumped by a church in *Southern Cali*

I mean isnt that the place they don't care about anything and the more outside the mainstream you are the more you're applauded?

They don't even care about football for ****in' out loud. How do you finagle THAT? Havin the 2nd largest city in the US and not care about football?!?!?!???

 

[Carol]

Sure makes ya all warm and fuzzy and all fired hot to just up and join a church, don't it....*rolls eyes*

what strikes me the most is that he was dumped by a church in *Southern Cali*

I mean isnt that the place they don't care about anything and the more outside the mainstream you are the more you're applauded?

They don't even care about football for ****in' out loud. How do you finagle THAT? Havin the 2nd largest city in the US and not care about football?!?!?!???

No kidding! Isn't that as close to a national religion as we get?

Well, my Christian friends have told me Jesus said "Love thy neighbor as thyself" but maybe the SoCal org doesn't care about Him either.

 

[donald]

First, for anyone claiming to be a christian. If you need clarification on where GOD stands on practicing witch craft. I can only advise that you read your bible. Second, believing christians are directed by, The Lord Jesus Christ, to help ANY in need. We are not to support any unbiblical activity, ie;anything portrayed as sin in GOD's WORD.Except for what I have read here. I don't know anything about this Pastor, or his ministries. He being a christian minister.I don't think it was wise to post links to pagan sites on his site. If I was a member of his congregation. That would have brought some very serious questions from me. The WORD of GOD tells us to share gently with those who ask. Not to run blindly into a dangerous field. Concerning the minister, and his congrents. I hope that all can be worked out before The Living GOD.
By GOD's Grace,
(1stJohn1:9)

 

[Bigshadow]

They don't even care about football for ****in' out loud. How do you finagle THAT? Havin the 2nd largest city in the US and not care about football?!?!?!???

eh... :shrug:

As for the topic... Witch hunts, crusades, dark ages... I thought all that stuff was over when people actually gained some common sense. :idunno: