Difference between revisions of "Template:Occult.live:Today's featured article"

Latest revision as of 15:54, 12 June 2025

Black magic has traditionally referred to the use of supernatural powers or magic for evil and selfish purposes; or magic associated with the Devil or other evil spirits. It is also sometimes referred to as the "left-hand path," (its right-hand path counterpart being benevolent white magic). In modern times, some find that the definition of black magic has been convoluted by people who define magic or ritualistic practices that they disapprove of as black magic.

While "natural magic" became popular among the educated and upper classes of the 16th and 17th century, ritual magic and folk magic remained subject to persecution. 20th century author Montague Summers generally rejects the definitions of "white" and "black" magic as "contradictory," though he highlights the extent to which all magic, regardless of intent, was considered "black," even magic involving angels, because it attempted to subvert the will of God in favor of the magician.

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-[[File:Urbain Pact1.jpg|200px|left]]
+[[File:The Black Mass.jpg|200px|left]]
-A '''[[diabolical pact]]''' is a cultural motif exemplified by the legend of [[Johann Georg Faust]] and the [[demon]] Mephistopheles, as well as being elemental to many [[Christianity|Christian]] traditions. Pacts with the Devil were a feature of early Christian [[witch-hunt]]s. [[Inquisition|Inquisitors]] often accused suspected [[witch]]es of making a pact, promising they will kill children or consecrate them to the Devil at the moment of birth (many midwives were accused of this, due to the number of children who died at birth in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance), take part in Witches' Sabbaths, have sexual relations with demons, and sometimes engender children from a succubus, or an incubus in the case of women. In the [[Bible]], [[Jesus Christ|Jesus]] is offered a series of bargains by the Devil, in which he is promised worldly riches and glory in exchange for serving the Devil rather than [[Yahweh|God]]. Upon rejecting the Devil's overtures, he embarks on his travels as the Messiah.
+'''[[Black magic]]''' has traditionally referred to the use of supernatural powers or [[ritual magic|magic]] for evil and selfish purposes; or magic associated with [[the Devil]] or other evil spirits. It is also sometimes referred to as the "[[left-hand path]]," (its right-hand path counterpart being benevolent white magic). In modern times, some find that the definition of black magic has been convoluted by people who define magic or ritualistic practices that they disapprove of as black magic.
-'''([[diabolical pact|Full Article...]])'''
+While "[[natural magic]]" became popular among the educated and upper classes of the 16th and 17th century, [[ritual magic]] and folk magic remained subject to persecution. 20th century author Montague Summers generally rejects the definitions of "white" and "black" magic as "contradictory," though he highlights the extent to which all magic, regardless of intent, was considered "black," even magic involving [[angel]]s, because it attempted to subvert the will of [[Yahweh|God]] in favor of the [[magician]].
+'''([[Black magic|Full Article...]])'''