Homestar Runner Wiki Forum

hey,
latley ive been wanting to study the religiouse aspects of good and evil, and ive been reading the bible. but before i go on to study evil, i want to know if it is wrong as a catholic to study the Necronomion or the satanic bible so i know what evil is so i know what to do when i come accross it, and such. any thoughts?

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Didymus could probably answer this better than I could, but it's a good idea to, so you know where people who believe these thigns are coming from. Just as Jesus countered Satan's use of Scripture with Scripture, you can counter evil scripture with the Holy Bible.

However, be VERY CAREFUL not to follow the words in evil books like those. Stay true to the Word. God bless, my friend.

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Pretty much what Ian said. Think of it as Religious Slumming. By all means study up, just don't let it get to you.

Good luck.

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beep beep I'm a Jeep

Just so you know, the Necronomicon doesn't exist. The first six words of its Wikipedia entry are "The Necronomicon is a fictional book ..." I guess that'll lighten your load a bit, at least.

And, of course, the "Satanic Bible" is just Anton LaVey's take on Satanism, and as such, the Satan described therein isn't the same Satan you'll encounter in Christianity, and his views aren't necessarily representative of Satanism at large.

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I'm SOOOOOOooooooooo not a religious scholar, but in my opinion, there's nothing wrong with studying them in an academic manner. That way you'll be better prepared for whatever that studying the text would prepare you for.
Anydangways, I don't think there's any problem with studying other religions, like Satanism. Simply acknowledging their existence and learning about them is not the same as following them.

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

the necronomicon does exhist. somewhere, and ill find it. who can trust lovecraft anyway??

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Dude, it's not a real book.

Roffle.

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Agree'D

Whoa...we actually agree on something! Holy transcendence, Batman!

+

well, there are some publications in occult literature called he Necronomicon.

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Every last one of which is just trying to capitalize on the popular notion that the book Lovecraft wrote about actually exists. None of them are that book. It still does not exist.

The trouble with "studying evil" is that there's no authority on evil. You can no more make a serious study of evil than you can a serious study of good, because neither can be defined in absolutes. For example, there's are things advocated--or seemingly so--by the Christian Bible that persons of other faiths would consider evil, and vice versa.

In other words, I don't think your "study" is going to succeed, because if you're trying to choose a book that contains evil, you're already making a judgement: "this book advocates X, Y, and Z, therefore it is evil." And if you already think you know enough about evil to make that judgment, then why bother reading it?

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Actually, IJ, I think by "evil" he means specifically "the occult." I could be wrong, but I'll let Chocula correct me if so.

But here I would take a prompt from good ol' H. P. Lovecraft. Studying the occult is NOT HEALTHY. What's one key theme in almost all of Lovecraft's stories? That knowledge of the occult will drive you insane. It will bring you face to face with your worst fears and most dangerous nightmares. Yes, you might just discover that the things you toy with just for fun are more real, and more dangerous, than you can imagine.

The simple truth is that it is not healthy for man to dwell on nightmares too much. Especially when there might be a grain of truth in them, waiting to spring forth and grow into full-fledged insanity.

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If you're right (as seems likely), then I have to caution MHGuy against lumping all of the occult into the category of evil. The majority of Christians, I suppose, would disagree, because they associate the occult with pentagrams (how's that for ironic?) and animal sacrifice (that too*) but--and forgive me for not making what follows a bit more dignified--is just bollocks. The occult, in its broadest definition, is just--and sorry again for trying to get away with a lame dictionary definition--knowledge of that which is hidden. Most of what we call science--chemistry especially--was considered occult (and, indeed, evil) just a few hundred years ago. There's nothing wrong with pursuing knowledge that is hidden, as long as--and this is the IMO part--your aim is not to use it to harm others or aggrandize yourself. That's a lesson that Wiccans--whose occult practices (which I profess much ignorance about, but not so much as:) most Christians wouldn't hesitate to call evil--know better than perhaps some scientists.

* I include those links only for my own amusement (and yours, if you're in the mood) and don't have any sense for or desire to discuss their merit. They could be complete fabrications for all I know, and I'm okay with that.

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Now, IJ, you know as well as I do that a word's true meaning is not based on etymology but contemporary usage. That being the case, then the term "occult" applies not to natural sciences but to study of the supernatural, particularly the macabre and, dare I say, demonic.

And, yes, I would argue that tampering with such knowledge is dangerous. Even playing with a chemistry set can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Add to that the fact that you'd be playing with forces that could shatter your mind and destroy your soul...

Lesson: Don't do a Google search for "Blue Ones."

Ah, the good ol' Skeptic's Bible, or, as I like to call it, the "Let's take everything out of context and subject it to our misguided interpretation" Bible.

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I am talking about contemporary usage, though perhaps not lay usage or common usage. When you say "occult," my first thought may be of a black mass and a bleating goat (actually, I think of the Hallowe'en episode of Quantum Leap with the goat--I'm not kidding), but it's immediately followed by a more rational assessment. To me and, I hope, many other people, the occult, when its actual practice is spoken of, rarely means macrabre or demonic. Supernatural, certainly, but if I witnessed someone levitate before my very eyes I would find it no more supernatural than gravity itself, though considerably more startling. Even in contemporary (if less frequent) usage, occult can simply means that which is hidden.





Newton was a genius, but even an ophthalmologist who knew exactly what he was doing would never stick a darning needle behind his eye. And yet this research went into Opticks, one of the most illuminating scientific texts in history. Together we could probably come up with the names of a dozen scientists who recklessly risked--and even gave--their lives bringing about some advancement that benefits the entire world today. Should they not have done it because that knowledge was "occult," (here I am using the term facetiously) or because the process of acquiring that knowledge posed a risk to their lives?

You suggest that one shouldn't study the occult unless they know what they're doing. That's kind of like saying you shouldn't study skydiving unless you know what you're doing. I'm not suggesting that anyone who believes in a Christian god--MHGuy included--should just open some intimidating black book and try to summon a demon, which you might say is analogous to a novice strapping on a parachute and jumping out of a plane. Saying that you shouldn't study the occult unless you know what you're doing, though, essentially bars anyone from studying the occult, ever, because the only way to "know what you're doing" is by studying it in the first place.



Um, yeah. Posted that one yesterday. Try to keep up, mmkay?

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Well, if you want to go sticking needles in your eye, you go right ahead. Me, I'll pass.

But seriously, IJ. We Christians believe we have plenty good reason not to dabble in the occult. The first is that God is jealous. Just as a husband doesn't want his wife messing around behind his back with other men, so the one true God does not want people chasing after false gods (the biblical term for "chasing" here is a bit explicit for forum use).

Second, we are warned that there are dark powers at work in the world, and that these dark powers are very good at disguising themselves. Satan himself appears as an angel of light, we are told. We are also told that we will do combat with these dark forces.

The one best qualified to expound on the beyond is one who has been there and returned. I know such a one; he is, in fact, the founder of our faith. Therefore, until you can give me compelling reason not to trust him, I will heed his warnings, and warn others as well.

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That sounds reasonable, and though I won't be sticking any needles in my eyes, I sincerely hope that there continue to be men who do indefinitely.

And I could expound on jealousy for pages and pages, but that would require a whole new thread.

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And keep in mind, this is coming from a guy who reads Harry Potter and watches The Slayers.

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wait... wait... wait... who are you talkin about????????????

and one more thing: should i just re-name this topic to The Occult, and take views about the occult, cause im prety sure a few people here are strong christians. ohh, and i remind you that strong questions believe(Spellcheck) that all types of magic, or anything that has to do with Pagans or the occult is infact evil, even though most of it is used under the power of god.

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Hey! I read Harry Potter and watch The Slayers. Well, I read Harry Potter anyway. I no longer have any of my The Slayers tapes.

Fantasy fiction can be fun, just don't take it too seriously. That includes Lovecraft.

Besides the obvious literal meaning, what does, "Here's your sign," mean?

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to bad all of you find the occult so horrible. I went to a saance (sp?) with a few of my friends. it was a great experience even though i dont believe a lick of it.

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TIRES TIRES TIRES

Hear that, goth guys? DON'T!

Yeah exactly, it's all about your personal belief system. The "occult" is nothing more than Halloween pranks for most. Coming back to Didymus' earlier point - that studying the occult might stir up nightmares that drive you to madness - I would reckon that people who put that much belief in what they're reading are likely to be of unstable mind already. Anything could send those people over the edge - like being overly patriotic (Timothy McVae) or overly religious (any suicide bomber).

King Nintendoid, less spamming would really improve your rating just now.

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Hey, Dids, I just want to say, that the author of Harry Potter is a self-proclaimed witch. So I wouldn't be suprised if she put some occult stuff into Harry Potter. I mean, look at the theme of it: it's just begging for lonely kids to join occult practices. Me, I stay away from it. But that's just my opinion.

Don't mess with the occult: it can destroy you from the inside out.

Um, I'm pretty sure you either made that up or are taking schoolyard rumors way too seriously.

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Besides, the whole Harry Potter/witchcraft thing started in an article in The Onion.

TOAST PAINT!!!

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