Occult, a definition?
Impseth
So I'm wondering how that turned into meaning evil things, and summuning
demons, and even meaning an enitre sub-culture.
Abyssus_j
Finding ones definition of the word is a good way to gague there experience
with the subject.
As for its true meaning. I recomend much study and meditation on the
definition. Ofcorse, someone could simply tell you, but you wouldent gain as
much if you had worked it our for your self, ultimatly shooting your self in
the foot.
To help you along your way, variations of the initial definition you
mentioned are; Hidden from view; concealed.
- Abyssus_j
"Impseth" <imp...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:G5H59.1913$DO6.3...@news20.bellglobal.com...
nagasiva
>The webster dictionary says Occult : to shut off from view or exposure
>So I'm wondering how that turned into meaning evil things, and summuning
>demons, and even meaning an enitre sub-culture.
CHARTER
-------
The alt.occult.methods newsgroup is for the discussion of the
practical aspects of occultism, from folk to ceremonial magic,
divination of all types, and the operative and technical
descriptions of alchemical experiments. It may include the full
text of rituals, accounts of occult activities from personal
records, and discussion of construction and use of occult tools.
Theoretical speculation, cosmology, metaphysics, ethics, and
other primarily speculative, mystical, and religious discussion
are NOT a part of this newsgroup's purpose. Those discussions
can take place in the various occult newsgroups already formed
for the purposes of entertaining general discussion (such as
the alt.magick, alt.astrology, alt.tarot, alt.divination,
alt.consciousness, alt.metaphysics, alt.religion, hierarchies).
Impseth
speculative, cosmological, metaphysical, ethical, mystical or religious
question. I am looking for the opinion of everybody reading this question
what the word Occult means to them. As wellcas why the general public
thinks that the word Occult means all those creepy-crawly things under the
bed and girls you shouldn't take home to mother.
nagasiva <naga...@yronwode.SPAMcom> wrote in message
news:1_J59.7157$Ik.1...@typhoon.sonic.net...
John M. Hansen
readily accessible, such as the Moon Occults Venus.
Occult methods - Those methods that are not generally used, practiced
or utilized, as other methods look more appealing and are more readily
accessible.
Fear of the strange - Fear of the stranger - The 'natural' or
instinctive human tendency to have a fright reflex when confronted by
anything which is unfamiliar. It is this which causes people to have
an inner emotional reaction to those who wear 'funny clothing,' who
'talk funny,' or who speak or act in a different way from others in
the community to which the person being affected belongs.
Postulated: The more rigid the belief structures of the community,
the more radical, and even violent, the response to the fear of the
stranger instinct becomes.
Best Wishes,
John M. Hansen
--
PLEASE NOTE:
@hotmail , @Lycos, @yahoo, @excite, and twenty
three other Spam ridden ISP's have been kill filed
because of their sending me Spam. If they are your
ISP, I can't see your messages, as they are
automatically deleted from. the server.
**********************************************************************
Please Note:
The information in this E-mail message, and any files transmitted
with it, is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is
intended only for the use of the individual(s) named above. If you
are the intended recipient, be aware that your use of any confidential
or personal information may be restricted by state and federal
privacy laws. If you, the reader of this message, are not the
intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you should not
further disseminate, distribute, or forward this E-mail message.
If you have received this E-mail in error, please notify the sender
and delete the material from any computer. Thank you.
*******************
---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.381 / Virus Database: 214 - Release Date: 8/3/02
catherine yronwode
Occult never "turned into meaning evil things, and summuning demons,"
actually. It has always meant hidden or obscure. Maybe in your
neighborhood, family, or religion the unusual meaning you cite has
arisen, but it is not a generally-agreed-upon meaning, hence it is not
even mentioned in the dictionary.
Now, if you want to know something funny, back in the late 1950s and
early 1960s, in my parents' antiquarian bookstore in Berkeley,
California -- and the antiquarian bookstores run by all their friends,
too -- it was considered impolite to keep books about sex, even medical
texts on sexual reproduction and anatomy, on the open shelves, so such
books were always put in a special "lawyer's bookcase" -- a shelf with
glass fronts -- and this bookcase was labelled "Occultism and Health."
In the section devoted to "Occultism and Health" one could find
material all of the wonderful hidden things: sex manuals and medical
texts about human deformities side-by-side with books on the history and
practice of magic, alchemy, spiritualism, fairies, hypnotism,
witchcraft, reincarnation, and Freemasonry. I loved to file books there
and catalogue that section. :-)
cat yronwode
Lucky Mojo Spells Archive ------ http://www.luckymojo.com/spells.html
Karezza and Sacred Sex ------ http://www.luckymojo.com/sacredsex.html
nagasiva
Impseth:
>> The webster dictionary says Occult: to shut off from view or exposure
a technical and literal definition, quote accurate.
>> So I'm wondering how that turned into
consult the Oxford English Dictionary or some kind of dictionary with an
ETYMOLOGY (not entymology, which is a study of bugs :>).
>> meaning evil things,
religious bias, of those who believe in "evil". people believe all kinds
of weird shit, sometimes otherwise rational folx get stuck in dogma.
>> and summuning demons,
demonic magic is a left-over from Christian nightmares, it seems. if you
don't believe in evil, you may wish to consider the character of spirits
with whom you may or may not have trek.
>> and even meaning an enitre sub-culture.
oh yes, popular in writing styles (see "The Occult" by Colin Wilson,
for example).
catherine yronwode <c...@luckymojo.com>:
>Occult never "turned into meaning evil things, and summuning demons,"....
>it is not a generally-agreed-upon meaning,
within Christian culture 'occult' tends to be associated with magic,
and this ascribed satanic character.
>hence it is not even mentioned in the dictionary.
dictionaries may or may not contain such definitions, it would depend
on how much influence Christianity had upon the editors (some have a
great deal of influence).
generally 'the occult' tends to mean divination, magic, and alchemy.
nagasiva