http://www.susyflory.com/2007/sarah-anne-sumpolec-ex-witch-turned-christian-novelist/ Author, speaker, journalist: adventurer Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:18:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.susyflory.com/2007/sarah-anne-sumpolec-ex-witch-turned-christian-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-121 Tom Terrific Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:32:25 +0000 http://www.susyflory.com/2007/sarah-anne-sumpolec-ex-witch-turned-christian-novelist/#comment-121 I'm glad Tyra Banks has found meaning in Jesus. However, I have to disagree with something she says, above. There are about as many varieties of "Wicca" as there are people who profess it. I don't know what Banks experienced; but my experience has definitely been of a Goddess who gives of herself, fully and freely, with no strings attached. She reveals herself to me, and gives me her unconditional love and friendship. I was raised to fear hell. Later, I learned that God could be loved as well as feared. But eventually I was moved to learn whether that spiritual reality Christians call "God" might manifest itself in more than one form. If true, then rejection of other people as "lost" and "deceived" for the sake of mere appearances was an abomination of the first water. In order to find the answer to this question, I felt I needed to take the trip myself, trusting a loving God to rescue me should the need arise. I found out what I wanted to know. And my best evidence of the goodness of the Goddess is this: I have suffered from OCD for most of my life; and when, at one point, I was overwhelmed by my anxieties and fears, she stepped in and made them go away. It was an astonishing experience, and one the Christian devil would never make happen -- remember Jesus' words to the Pharisees, who said that he cast out demons by the prince of demons. I sometimes read what Christians write about Wicca, the Goddess, contemplative prayer, and so on, and regret that there seems to be no bridging the gap between us, except for one or two souls, here and there, who, for whatever reason, make the journey themselves. But maybe that's as it should be. I just wanted to say that Banks' experience of Wicca was not mine, and the things that she says distinguish it from Christianity have not been distinctions in my life. The Goddess is incredibly real in my life, and incredibly good. I have been 18 years in her company, and she has brought me only good things. A Christian would think the opposite would be true, wouldn't they? But there is a limit to what Satan can counterfeit without working against himself; and some things he cannot counterfeit at all. I’m glad Tyra Banks has found meaning in Jesus. However, I have to disagree with something she says, above.
There are about as many varieties of “Wicca” as there are people who profess it. I don’t know what Banks experienced; but my experience has definitely been of a Goddess who gives of herself, fully and freely, with no strings attached. She reveals herself to me, and gives me her unconditional love and friendship.
I was raised to fear hell. Later, I learned that God could be loved as well as feared. But eventually I was moved to learn whether that spiritual reality Christians call “God” might manifest itself in more than one form. If true, then rejection of other people as “lost” and “deceived” for the sake of mere appearances was an abomination of the first water. In order to find the answer to this question, I felt I needed to take the trip myself, trusting a loving God to rescue me should the need arise.
I found out what I wanted to know. And my best evidence of the goodness of the Goddess is this: I have suffered from OCD for most of my life; and when, at one point, I was overwhelmed by my anxieties and fears, she stepped in and made them go away. It was an astonishing experience, and one the Christian devil would never make happen — remember Jesus’ words to the Pharisees, who said that he cast out demons by the prince of demons.
I sometimes read what Christians write about Wicca, the Goddess, contemplative prayer, and so on, and regret that there seems to be no bridging the gap between us, except for one or two souls, here and there, who, for whatever reason, make the journey themselves. But maybe that’s as it should be.
I just wanted to say that Banks’ experience of Wicca was not mine, and the things that she says distinguish it from Christianity have not been distinctions in my life. The Goddess is incredibly real in my life, and incredibly good. I have been 18 years in her company, and she has brought me only good things. A Christian would think the opposite would be true, wouldn’t they? But there is a limit to what Satan can counterfeit without working against himself; and some things he cannot counterfeit at all.

]]> http://www.susyflory.com/2007/sarah-anne-sumpolec-ex-witch-turned-christian-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-120 Kristy R Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:16:06 +0000 http://www.susyflory.com/2007/sarah-anne-sumpolec-ex-witch-turned-christian-novelist/#comment-120 I was wondering if girls and young women pursue wicca because it's "empowering". Kind of like extremist feminism. I was wondering if girls and young women pursue wicca because it’s “empowering”. Kind of like extremist feminism.

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