Ask a Christian Witch: The Brutality of God, Christian Universalism, and Performing Exorcisms
- Sara Raztresen
- 5 days ago
- 11 min read
It's Q&A time again already!
This book is hot off the press, and already, we got folks saying how much it helped them finally wrap their heads around some of the wackier writings in Christian Mysticism (hey, friend in my Google form! I see you! And I agree: St. Teresa's Interior Castle is really hard to get through.)
But that's why Mimi and I break it down here, with our own personal stories to illustrate the more abstract ideas, as well as the story of the Mystic and the Witch, the metaphors of which help further illustrate how it feels to go down this path in a Christian Witch's shoes.
But now, let's jump into January with a few questions. Remember: if you have any questions, all you have to do is check out this Google Form right here and fill it out with your question!
Let's get into all this good conversation!
How Do You Understand Revelation/Christian Universalism?
How did you come to believe in Christian Universalism? I’ve been looking into it and I see evidence for it when looking at the Hebrew/Greek translations. I still wonder how it pertains to revelation. I also wonder about revelation in the sense that if the popular rapture theory isn’t accurate to revelations, then what is revelations referring to in the future? Sorry for the lengthy question but I am thinking deeply about these things. —Anonymous
Hi!
Honestly, a lot of it stems from the ideology of purgatory, which is a Catholic ideal. I grew up Catholic, and it just made sense to me that God wouldn't actually box anyone out of heaven, but would instead give them a place to have one last open book test, so to speak. St. Catherine of Genoa especially makes this point: that God doesn't reject anyone, but that souls themselves become so aware of their imperfections that they turn away from God in shame, and purgatory is the cleansing fire that, while painful, also cures one of their flaws and lets them shamelessly unite with God. That's the fun of God's grace: it is infinite, freely given, and not something we earn, but something God desperately wants to give.
Revelation is widely accepted to be an apocalyptic writing against the Roman empire, which was pretty strongly restricting/persecuting Christians at the time of its writing. It's controversial and really doesn't have anything to do with modern day.
Are There Gods Still Stuck in Rocks?
In regards to idolatry: if someone were to put Odin for example in a rock would everyone else then lose access to him unless they were right in front of said rock? And if people do in fact lose access unless your in front of said rock do you think there are deities still stuck in idolatry hidden away in a cave or something just waiting to be released? —NorseDottir
Hi, Norse!
Honestly, I don't think that's quite how it works. One person who practices Canaanite magic did let me know that these agreements with gods and their idol-containers were more consenting than one might think, and that it was something they did in exchange for the gifts and things they got from their worshippers.
I don't think deities are necessarily bound to rocks and incapable of getting out, but that they come to sit in them to make it easier to hear and grant requests, which was the original purpose. The problem is that people begin thinking the rock itself is the god, and frankly, I find it audacious as hell that one would want to try and get their gods closer to answer their prayers faster anyway, given... they're gods.
This question does raise a crazy image, though. Definitely a fun thought worth exploring as a hypothetical lol.
Why Do You Love the Vengeful Side of God?
Hi Sara!
This question comes from a place of genuine respect because I really want to learn. If Jesus and the God of the Old Testament are as feral, wrathful, and challenging as you mention, why do you love/worship Him? Currently, I am going through the Dark Night of the Soul, and I haven't loved what I've learned about the Old Testament God (and Jesus somewhat) so far. I began looking into it because I was having a hard time reconciling that they were one and the same. I am also struggling with God's harsh and wrathful nature because I grew up in an abusive household. I want there to be a god that is fluffy and loves me unconditionally because I sorely missed out on that experience. (And yes, I've been in therapy for a long time.) As always, I appreciate your thoughts and insight.
Oh, shoot. I forgot to mention the book I am currently reading on the subject. It is Paul Copan's, Is God a Moral Monster? Making Sense of the Old Testament God. —Anonymous
Hello!
First of all—that's a book I gotta check out!
And second of all, I'm sorry to hear about your household. I will say this: the God that is rough and challenging is also the God that is soft, gentle, and warm in His embrace. They are the same. They are contained in one Being.
We can think of it this way: why do you love the ocean even though it drowns people? Why do you love the sun even though it burns and blinds? Why do you love plants even though so many are poisonous? Why do you love animals when so many can kill you?
Is it because maybe the ocean also gives life, as does the sun? Is it because for every poisonous plant, there's also an edible one, and all have their place either way? Is it because animals can be deadly, but still noble and elegant and wonderful?
The thing about the "Old Testament God" (AKA... God) is that a lot of people saw a side of Him that they needed in these turbulent, war-torn times: a war god capable of wrecking their enemies. And when other nations plundered them and ruined their cities, what other explanation could be found, other than that they did something super wrong and their champion war god didn't support them anymore for it? When we remember the sociopolitical conditions of the people who wrote their first encounters with God, we realize they're only describing one aspect of God to us.
But because we know God is infinite, we also know that He's more than those war-based parts. He (and His Son and His Spirit) are described in so many ways: the O Antiphons of Advent tell us that Jesus is the Morning Star, the Root of Jesse, the Key of David, and Wisdom from on High. The apocryphal texts tell us Wisdom is a kindly spirit, and the Canonical texts tell us that God is like a mother, that God has wings to shelter us under, that God is mysterious, that God didn't raise up His sword for us but sent His Logos in the flesh to die in solidarity beside us, to win a battle we couldn't even perceive of. The story of God tells us of a God that is constantly chasing us, wanting so badly to love us, constantly calling to humans who can't fathom His love and think they aren't worthy of it.
I appreciate the brutal aspects of God because I appreciate the soft aspects of God. I appreciate all of them together, and the necessity of their balancing each other to create true Love and true Justice. I need a God that loves me unconditionally, but I also need a God that challenges me to grow and change when I'm not acting in ways that are good for me. When we only see one facet of an infinite Being, we will always miss the full beauty of Him.
Is There an Angel That Helps Us Be More Spontaneous?
If Archangel Michael is the one we can call for for better discipline, is there an angel we can call to to become someone more spontaneous and let go of obsolete, self or other imposed rules ? Would a demon be better at that job? —Anonymous
Hi, there!
Honestly, I don't really know of any angel that would do that. I imagine angels of peace or joy, like Chamuel, would be the closest bet. You could also go to a demon, but that'd be more of a personal sovereignty lesson that would still require you to have discipline over yourself in some way. If you wanted light heartedness and no rules, well, the reality is that everyone's going to challenge you to put some kind of boundaries on yourself for your own sake.
What are Spirit Guides?
What are spirit guides? I'm reading your book Discovering Christian Witchcraft and somehow this gets skipped over. I don't know the first thing about any of this except what my Fundamentalist upbringing told me was evil, and while I'm trying to kill the kneejerk reaction to consider these things, I need a little more explanation! —Anonymous
Hey!
Spirit guides are exactly what they sound like: any spirit (like an ancestor, an angel, a demon, a deity, a Saint, or another spirit) that might help you out and give you council about issues you ask them about. My spirit guides include God above all, but also Jesus, angels, and some demons that I've gone to for help and insight, too, for example.
But thank you for grabbing the book, and I hope it's been helpful in breaking down some of these ideas from your upbringing!
Are There Any Good Resources on the Infernal Divine (Demons)?
What are some good resources to start learning about the infernal divine? I’m curious and want to know more about them after reading both of your books Where the Gods Left Off and When Angels & Demons Collude. Plus I had a reading done by Hannah that King Asmodeus was visiting me in my dreams and I want to know the best way to approach so I do not come off as disrespectful or rude. —Anonymous
Hi!
Honestly, the best resources about working with demons are going to be the older grimoires. A lot of stuff in modern demonolatry is super fluffy and, in my opinion, super corny, too—and the grimoires they often draw from, like the Ars Goetia, are a little more straightforward (sometimes). Unfortunately, though, they also come from a specific lens of seeing demons as evil or needing to be subdued.
Outside of those, looking into the origins of demons is your next best bet. King Asmodeus has a lot of writings from Biblical apocrypha that give more insight into his character (like the Book of Tobit or the Testament of Solomon) that can give you some clues about specific demons you're looking for. After that, it's just a matter of doing your best to figure out how to contact the demon, such as Solomonic magic or more folk-style ways (like I like to do)!
What is God's Grace?
What truly is God's Grace? Is it the same thing as the Holy Spirit, or a byproduct of it? What place does the Grace has in Mysticism or Witchcraft? —Anonymous
Hello, hello!
God's grace is a weird thing. It isn't the Holy Spirit, but it is dispensed through the Holy Spirit, I would say; the Holy Spirit itself definitely feels like a connective tissue of the universe, and a link between God the Father and God the Son, God the Son and the Bride that is the Church. Through this grace, all people—witch, mystic, or just random person who knows nothing about any of this—are drawn and reconciled to the Source of all that is, rather than left drifting and disconnected from it (and by extension, the rest of creation and other people).
This means it isn't anything specific to witchcraft or mysticism, but is just a fact of God. It means God is always reaching for us, even when we turn away. It means there is no error we can make that's so grave that He won't keep reaching for us. It is our constant lifeline, our breadcrumb trail back to the Source we spawned from, no matter how many times we fall short. And it is freely, infinitely, and always being given away to us, if only we accept it.
What Are Your Views on Marriage?
It might be a bit more of a personal question, but because of your Christian Witch path and your past in Catholicism and present in the Episcopal church, how do you view marriage? (Especially after your own engagement.) Do you still view it as a sacrament, as a blessing or something else? —Anonymous
Hi!
So, in Catholicism and other liturgical and sacramental traditions like Episcopal/Lutheran/Orthodox, marriage is a sacrament, meaning it's a big station and milestone in life, as well as a big correlating event that reveals something about the nature of God's relationship with us.
For me, though, marriage is a covenant. It's a promise between two people, and it doesn't start at the marriage altar, but in the intention that two people share with each other to be together and be in union with one another. As far as I'm concerned, I'm actually already married to my fiance, and I have been for about... 12 years now. The actual ceremony with the piece of paper and the party is just for the sake of making it super official and doing the party thing, which is why it took so long for us to do it in the first place: we were waiting to be able to afford a nice wedding rather than rushing it for the sake of "being married" and thinking that magically changes anything about the foundation of our relationship lol.
All that said, I am very much excited to party and do the whole thing. It'll be a lot of fun. ♥
Have You Read The Power of Myth?
Hi, I wanted to know if you have read The Power of Myth by Joseph Cambell, and if you would like to discuss this book in your blog or YouTube. I've seen this book cited more than once as the book that proves the Bible isn't credible and thus Christianity is fake. Thank you! —Anonymous
Hey, there!
In fact, I have not read that! However, I definitely would be interested in looking at it. I already have a series on goofy Christian books against witchcraft, but it'd be interesting to explore a different angle and get into books that disavow Christianity altogether. I'm no stranger to opinions that I don't agree with, and reading others' ideas that I don't hold is always a fun way to exercise and expand the mind. Thanks for the recommendation!
How Do You Perform an Exorcism?
Hello I have a question on your perspective of possessions and how to go about getting rid of them? I know the church takes forever to allow exorcism if they even decide to do it. I had an experience where an entity tricked me into attempting to merge my soul with it and it crawled into my body. (I’m watchful of my mental health I just need some spiritual advice and the church hasn’t been helpful. I’m going to get deliverance but I don't know if that’ll help). —Anonymous
Hey!
So, first off, let me say: I'm sorry you're struggling with something like this right now. These kinds of things are never easy to even talk about, never mind deal with.
That said, honestly, I'm not entirely sure if I even believe in spirits' ability to just stick to us or squat in our bodies. If something is around that you don't want there... tell it to leave. That really is all it takes.
The only time I've ever exorcised anything was when there was a collection of nasty energy in someone's house. It felt mean and threatening, sure, but there wasn't much it could do once we decided to stop being afraid of it. It's kind of like if a wasp gets in your house: sure, it can sting you, but you got like, fifty million tools in the house you could smash it with (or cups to catch it and toss it outside with). It's one wasp. You are bigger than one wasp. And even if you got stung, one wasp sting wouldn't necessarily kill you.
A lot of our problems with things like these come from the fact that people keep thinking they have a lot less power than they have. Jesus showed us how to do these things: literally just command them out. St. Paul showed us the same, too, when the demons showed they'd respond to Jesus or Paul and not some randos just trying to ride off the clout of their names (we see this in Acts). Stand in proper authority, invoke the protection of God, and let God sort them out for you. Most importantly, believe God both can and will sort them out. That's really the only method I know of for any kind of exorcism, and it's the only one that works for me.
Ask Your Questions!
Remember, all your questions can go to this Google form, so don't hesitate to reach out! I'm looking forward to seeing what questions people have in the future, and I hope this has been a helpful read! Thank you everyone who participated!
—Sara
Sara Raztresen is a Slovene-American writer, screenwriter, and Christian witch. Her fantasy works draw heavily on the wisdom she gathers from her own personal and spiritual experience, and her spiritual practice borrows much of the whimsy and wonder that modern society has relegated to fairy-and-folktale. Her goal is to help people regain their spiritual footing and discover God through a new (yet old) lens of mysticism.
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