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Religious Book Store > Religious books beginning with W
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Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (Includes Author's Book of Shadows) |
Author: Scott Cunningham
Published: 1993-01-01 |
List price: $12.95
Our price: $10.36
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Customer comments on this selection.
 Are you a GOOD PERSON?
Do you believe you are a good person? Have you kept the Ten Commandments? Take this quick test to see if you are. Ready? Have you ever lied, a white lie, half truth, exaggeration etc? What does this make you? If I lied to you what would you call me... a liar. Have you ever stolen something regardless of its value? What does this make you? A thief?
Have you ever used God's name as a cuss word? If you have you have, instead of using a four letter filth word to express disgust you have taken God's name, He that has given you your life, your family everything you hold precious to you and you've used it as a four letter filth word to express disgust. This is called blasphemy, and every idle word a man speaks he will give an account of it on the Day of Judgment. God will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.
Have you ever lusted? Jesus said whosoever has looked upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Are you guilty? Please listen to your conscience that God has given to you and be honest. You can't tell me that you do not know what is right and wrong. If I reached into your back pocket and took a twenty dollar bill without your consent, you'd be alright with that? You know the basis of what's right and wrong, listen to your conscience and be honest with yourself.
If I may continue, in knowing that you have answered these questions honestly, then by your own admission you are a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer at heart. And these are only four of the Ten Commandments. So, if by these standards God judges you on the Day of Judgment do you think you would be innocent or guilty? Do you think you will go to Heaven or Hell?
You may object by saying, "Well I don't believe in Heaven or Hell." If I stood on top of a building and just before I jumped I yelled at the top of my lungs "I don't believe in gravity," that isn't going to change reality. You see gravity is a law, and even if I believe that this law doesn't hold true doesn't change the fact that that if I jump it's the merciless pavement that I am going to meet.
If your answer is Hell, then does this concern you? Think of how much you value your eyes. If I were to offer you one-million dollars for one of your eyes, in a painless procedure, would you give it to me? Now if I offered you two-million dollars for both your eyes would you give them to me? How about five million? Ten? Twenty? Thirty-million? No man in his right mind would offer to give up both his eyes for any amount. If so what would you do with your money? See the world? If this is how much you value your eyes then how much more is the value of your soul?
If you think you would go to Heaven, why? Do you believe that God is all loving and good, and therefore will overlook your sins? Try that in a court of law: you are standing in front of a judge; you are guilty of a serious crime like murder. The judge says" You are guilty and all the evidence is here what do you have to say for yourself before I pass sentence?" And you stand up and say, "Yes, judge I just have to say that I believe that you are a good man and therefore will let me go." The judge will probably say something like, "You're right about one thing I am a good man. And because of my goodness I am going to see to it that justice is served. Because of my goodness I am going to see to it that you are punished for what you have done." You see God is love, but he is also righteous, holy, just and pure. It is because He is good that by nature he must punish the wicked: liars, thieves, fornicators, etc. "Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, or covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortinoners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 He demands righteousness even in the inward parts.
So the truth is, if God gives you justice you are not headed for Heaven you are headed for Hell. The bible describes hell as a literal place of torture Hell is not a term for the grave but a place where God will punish those who have violated His law. This punishment will be conscious and eternal. The bible describes it in several ways: "Shame and everlasting contempt" (Dan. 12:2); "Weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 24:51); "Eternal fire... the blackness of darkness forever" (Jude 7, 13); "He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone... the smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever: and they have no rest day or night." (Revelation 14:10, 11)
Do you see your need for God's forgiveness? How you have violated His law and remain under His wrath?
I got some wonderful news for you, put yourself back in the court room. You are in a civil court this time there are multiple crimes against you. Your fine has been set at $500,000 or life imprisonment. You can't pay your fine and you are being led off to prison when all of a sudden someone you don't even know steps into the court room and walks up to the judge and hands him a check for $500,000. And pays your fine in full. The judge says to you, "Wait your fine has just been paid for you. You are free to go. I can't hold you here anymore, leave, you are free to go on the grounds that this man has paid your fine; and his sacrifice is a demonstration for his great love for you.
That's what happened, that's what God did for us 2,000 years ago! Jesus stepped into the court room and paid our fine when he died on the cross for our sins. The God of the universe humbled Himself, and became a man, and died on the cross for you and for me. The Bible says that, God demonstrated his live for us that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Jesus Christ redeemed us from the cures of the law being made a curse for us.
You see your need for God your need to get right with Him, what do you do? Repent and put your faith in Christ. Repentance simply means turn away from your sin and turn toward God. Desire to have nothing to do with sin. Desire to live in obedience to the Lord. Confess and forsake your sin and begin to move toward God with a desire never to go back to sin. You won't be perfect but Jesus is perfect and he died for you and he will give you the power to overcome your sin. When you are born again you put your faith in Jesus Christ. It doesn't just mean intellectually believing that he died on the cross. The demons believe and they tremble, they know that's true. You must put your faith in Jesus. That means to trust Jesus the same way you would put your trust in a parachute if you were jumping out of a plane at twenty-five thousand feet. You know that it's the only thing that's going to save you. If I told you, you have to do that and there was a parachute under your seat what would you do? You'd put it on. Would it do you any good to just believe in the parachute? No. And that's what the bible says put on the Lord Jesus Christ. How do you do that? Obey the gospel, repent of your sin, and trust Jesus Christ. And you will become a new creation in Christ.
Please place your faith in Jesus as you would a parachute. And entrust your life to Him; he is the only one who will be able to save you from sure death when you jump. Don't delay because you never know what tomorrow will hold- if it ever comes.
Thank you for listening to me and I will be praying for you.
M.C.
 Get's straight to the point, perfect introduction
There's a reason why Scott Cunnningham was so well loved in the WIccan community. Out of all the Wiccan books I have read, and there have been many, this one still stands out on my mind as the essential and most direct one. Unlike some other authors, Scott manages to get straight to the point of what Wicca is, spends only enough time telling us what it is not, and making it clear enough for all to understand. While I would not recomend that those who are looking into Wicca stop here, this is by far the perfect starting point.
The only complaints I have are maybe with some of the wording of his rituals. But even he suggests we write our own rituals, making his merely examples.
Also I suggest all potential Wiccans read and understand Gerald Gardners "Witchcraft Today" and Doreen Valiente's "Witchcraft for Tomorrow". Always know the history of the Craft so that it does not become diluted and ill-defined.
Blessed Be )O(
 This is the Beginning...
A great beginners guide to those starting out in Wicca or Paganism and serves as a very good refreshers course for those who have been practicing already. It's very informative and easy to understand; the author doesn't talk down to you and is very easy to get along with. The first section deals with the God and Goddess, the tools used, alter preparations, preparations of the circle, of the body, the uses of music, dance and gesture during a ritual. The second part goes though magical exercises and rituals, a self dedication and a design for it. The third part of the book is the author's Book of Shadows (a magical journal). It is used as an example of what you can do with yours and includes a section on herbal magic, crystal magic, seasonal festivals, recipes and a section on magic done with runes.
This is one of the first books I got when I started getting back into Wicca. I asked around in an online group I'm in and quite a bit of the people recommended Scott Cunningham's work. I used to have several of his books before hand and I get the feeling that they would now make a lot more sense if I had gotten this one first and read it before them.
Excellent introduction to Wicca for newbies!
I am new to Wicca and I had no idea what exactly it was and was intimated by other books which seemed so complex. However, Scott's book is phenomenal in giving a clear cut view of what Wicca is and how to start a practice on your own. I come from a Catholic background however, I have always been fascinated by magic and by nature as well. I knew that there was a more to it.
This book has taught me a lot!! I read it in less than a week!!
This must be read by every Wiccan
The reason this book is so important is not because of the information it contains, but because of its historical significance to Wicca. This book provides a firm dividing line between Traditional Wicca, and what is called by some NeoWicca. As any student of Wicca should know, Wicca is a well defined religion with a very specific God and Goddess, specific rituals, and specific mysteries that are explored. Even the novice can learn this by reading Gerald Gardner's books and the books of most other Wiccan authors through the early 80's. Cunningham's Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner changed the perception of Wicca to an eclectic, individualistic form of spirituality.
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