What is witchcraft?

I agree with you that as witches and magicians it is important to ask and try to answer questions ourselves rather than rely heavily on dogma. There is a misconception that if something is old and has stood the test of time that it is inherently useful. Beliefs can survive throughout history for a multitude of reasons, such as being perpetuated by the ruling class, and their adaptability to new and different cultures.

There is also the fact that exclusivity creates the illusion of value. People often assume that a product is objectively better if it is expensive or uncommon, whether or not this is true. The same applies to mystery traditions and exclusive witchcraft groups. With science and academia, the value is more tangible and we can see how the magic really works. Certain herbs contain chemicals that make them suitible as entheogens, for poisoning, and for healing.

Academia at large sadly tends to shy away from metaphysics such as other planes of existance and sympathetic magic. Some like Robert Monroe have approached areas like parapsychology objectively without relying much on just so stories and superstition. To me, this seems like the best path forward as opposed to reading and believing without thinking for yourself.

It's nice to have replies to my post; but I must stress that what I have written are only my own opinions.
However, they are opinions formed over a lifetime of study, reading hundreds of books (probably thousands!); having long discussions with Priests,Rabbis, and Imams.Meeting many Pagans over the years; hearing the great speakers,Crowley,Sanders,Valiente, Patricia Crowther, give lectures on The Occult,Witchcraft and Magic. I worked for a year helping to build the huge Markazi Mosque in Dewsbury,Yorkshire; where I made many Muslim friends. I also had the wisdom and knowledge of my friend and Mentor,Mrs Marshall, for over sixty years.
It was all these years that formed my opinions. I don't expect them to the same as other opinions! And I do not want any arguments as to whether I'm right or wrong. These are my opinions, they do not have to be yours! I am not trying to teach;merely stating my own beliefs; and trying to explain who I am, and what I am.

Brysing I really appreciate this post because I was having a problem about how magic is expressed in the Bible, but you described magic and gave examples of magic that is simply natural and I needed to hear that, thank you.

Blessed be.

Brysing I appreciate your opinions and I respect them, although you are not trying to teach I am learning from what you post, please don't stop.

Blessed be.

Thank you, Brysing, you have much wisdom. I appreciate what I have learned from this post. Blessed be!

thanks for the incite
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Thank you for this post it really cleared things up from what I didn't understand
- Creed12

You just have as much right to share your opinion on this site just as everyone else does and I do appreciate it. I actually agree with some of your points.

A member asks about magic in the Bible. Well, Rabbinical scholars have studied the Holy Scriptures for years, because old Hebrew has been translated over and over again, with mistakes hardly ever being corrected. All the Holy scriptures are copied by hand, even to this day,Scribes are busy copying the Scriptures. And Old Hebrew is very, very difficult! A tiny "dot" in the wrong place can completely alter the meaning!
How many people believe that Moses "parted the Red Sea"? But the original Hebrew says "the REED sea", or Rede sea!
Now, the Reed Sea is a stretch of water at the top of The Gulf of Aqaba. By "parting the reeds" it is easy to walk across it. and pass from Sinai into Saudi Arabia. A bit different from the Hollywood movies,right?

Yes Fox 13 that is why I like Brysing a lot. He is always a good read. A good treasure to SOM.