ABOUT ANTIQUITY

MAGICAL "ART"

Witchcraft (magical) art, thanks to which it is possible to influence nature and man with the help of demons, has been known to all peoples since ancient times. The reason for the existence of sorcerers on all continents, in all peoples and in all centuries of human life on earth is explained by the fact of real and never interrupted communication between people and beings of the spiritual (in occult terminology – parallel) world.

The American doctor and researcher Harry Wright, who devoted many years to studying the forms and methods of influencing people by witch doctors from different countries of the world, came to the conclusion that these methods are surprisingly unified. He wrote: "From the upper Amazon in South America to Gabon in West Africa in a straight line is almost 7 thousand miles. Nevertheless, I found that here and there the witch doctors did not differ much from each other. Except that the rituals of African healers are more sinister than the rituals of their American counterparts. But even this difference is usually not very clearly expressed."14

An Orthodox person has no doubt that the unity of the methods of communication between a healer, shaman, sorcerer and spirits, as well as the identity of their methods of influencing people in different countries and on different continents, is explained by a common source of information about witchcraft practice. This source comes from the depths of the underworld, that is, from the lower realms of the spiritual world. And the teachers of all these shamans-sorcerers, called angakok by the Eskimos, nianga and ngombo in Africa, brujo in Peru, curandeiro and feticeiro in Brazil, or, for example, madang on the island of Borneo, druids in England and Ireland, as well as Russian sorcerers, sorcerers and healers, are the same entities: fallen angels, or, in other words, demons.

And even among the ancient Hebrews, during the periods of their falling away from God, the service of demons was repeatedly noted (see, for example: Ezek. 8. 1, 3, 6, 9–18; 20, 39; Jer. 5, 19; 7, 9–10; 19, 4; 19, 13; Ps. 105:37-38), although the Law of Moses strictly forbade this and even obliged to severely punish with death for all forms of idolatry and sorcery, that is, sorcery (Deut. 18:9-14). Nevertheless, they also secretly appealed to demonic forces, according to Jewish tradition recorded by the ancient historian Josephus (born A.D. 37). And, despite the fact that this legend falsely connects the emergence of magical art among the Jews with the name of King Solomon, nevertheless, the very fact that some of them turned to the demons for help is quite obvious: "The Lord God," writes Josephus, "granted Solomon the opportunity to learn the art of entering into communion with demons, for the benefit and benefit of people. Solomon left behind spells to cure all kinds of diseases and magic formulas with the help of which it is possible to bind demons (that is, to make them serve him. – Author). This art," adds Josephus, "is still flourishing very strongly among us [the Jews]." 15.

An indication of turning to demons for help in order to influence the surrounding world by their force can be found in later times. Thus, for example, "the Karaites16 Salmon ben Yerusham at the beginning of the tenth century A.D. reproached the mystic rabbinists for claiming to magically cure diseases, calm storms, pacify wild animals, and have mysterious names by means of which women can be bewitched."17

For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that all this flourished to an even greater degree among other peoples (for example, among the Chaldeans and Hindus), since no other peoples of the ancient world had such a restraining principle as the Law of Moses, which was given by God no later than the middle of the second millennium (about 1494) before the birth of Christ.

Mention of magic and sorcery can also be found in the Holy Books of the New Testament, such as the Acts of the Holy Apostles and the Apostolic Epistles, for example: "The works of the flesh are known; they are idolatry, sorcery, enmity, quarrels, envy... heresy" (Gal. 5:19-20). In the Greek text, the term "?????????" already mentioned, which means "sorcery, sorcery, sorcery," is used here. In the narration about the results of the preaching of the Apostle Paul in Ephesus, it is said that many of the Jews and Greeks, who had previously practiced sorcery (sorcery), believed in Christ: "And of those who practiced sorcery, quite a few gathered together their books, and burned them before all" (Acts 19:19). In the Greek text just quoted, the term "sorcery" is denoted by the word "?? ????????," which is translated as "magic, sorcery, sorcery."

FIGHT AGAINST SORCERY

IN CHRISTIANITY

The fact that with the help of demons it is possible to cause various atmospheric phenomena, heal physical diseases, at the same time bringing irreparable harm to the soul, as well as cause various diseases in others, has been known at all times. That is why, in the period of the establishment of Christianity, the Holy Fathers were forced to adopt special conciliar decrees on this matter, which can be found in the collection called the Nomocanon, as well as in the Alphabetical Syntagma of Matthew Vlastar starting with the letter "M" or in chapter 175 of the commentaries of John Zonaras.