I got the definitions of necromancy at Dictionary.com, and here is my opinion in each of them.
a method of divination through alleged communication with the dead; black art.
-Spiritist mediums don't try to forsee the future while communicating with the spirits.
magic in general, esp. that practiced by a witch or sorcerer; sorcery; witchcraft; conjuration.
-Spiritist mediums don't conjure spirits. We wait that they appear, and sometimes no spirit shows up at the spiritist meeting.
3.The practice of supposedly communicating with the spirits of the dead in order to predict the future.
-Again, the communication is not in order to predict the future. On the contrary, the main objective is to help them, like, there are many people that don't understand they are dead and keep staying at their former homes.
Black magic; sorcery.
-The main objective of every spiritist, medium or not, is to develope in itself the love for all human kind. I don't think that it is black magic.
Magic qualities.
-There ain't magic qualities envolved. We don't study magic.
the belief in magical spells that harness occult forces or evil spirits to produce unnatural effects in the world [syn: sorcery]
-Spiritists, on the contrary, try to convince the mean spirits to stop their revenge against other people, to change their attitudes towards a better life.
conjuring up the dead, especially for prophesying
-We don't conjure the dead. They are free to manifest themselves it they want to. If there is any espontaneous prophesying, we first analize it rationaly before accepting it. If it is something that is contrary to Jesus's teachings we discharge it completely.
Most orthodox Jews take it as don't mess with magic. However, several Talmudists have cited passages showing others understood it to mean; a) do not visit a wizard/witch who cahrges money or who does not have a job (they should do it because they want to, not to control you or extrot cash), b) do not visit a wizard/witch who worships an idol or false god (no explanation neccessary), c) do not visit a wizard/wtich who does not have a good reputation in the community (if an enchanter is known to be of ill-repute, why trust them?), d) do not visit one who does observe the way of Torah (they should be more or less orthodox in their practice)
She's now divorced, estranged from half her family, and left them debt from trying to pay off demons threatening her kids, and bribe them into telling her where a treasure is and not posseblinding her daughter....
She was convinced she saw demons and a treasure.
I'll have to post details later. It's an interesting/scary story.
Spiritist mediums are not allowed to charge money/gifts for anything. Neither to use the mediumship to forsee the future.
Ramk
There are many charlatans out there. That's why it is necessary to study what mediumship is and what is not to not fall into their smarty traps.
Cherry
"Do you hear voices Donna"
It is very very rare to hear voices. Usualy it is one or two words that are key to help in a difficulty I might be going thru.
" or see people in your mind? "
It is even more rare to see people.
"What is it like? "
It is more like a second personality along with mine. Both me and the spirit can perceive each other?s thoughts. It is common that a man reacts strongly when he perceives that he is talking thru a woman?s body. And it is funny for me to look at my own hand and see a man?s hand. Often I feel all their feelings, and understand their thoughts and glimpses of their memories. But it usualy don't last more than 5 minutes, time enough to another person at the group to talk to the spirit trying to make him perceive that he has a better way to live.
The channeling provoques an impact which takes the spirit apart from his usual obsessive thoughts, and forces him to think about new approaches to his own life.
For me it used to be a permanent lesson on how to put myself in other people?s places.
I'm not exactly sure what a demon would do with human money. but I'm pretty sure alot of it would be something like "Well, the ritual could save your daughter's eyesight, but it's gonna require me to buy some very expensive materials...OH MAN! I just ran out, how am I gonna get more?"
If you're interested I could post more. It's interesting to see how people can take advantage of innocent fears and exploit them into things that just destructive, ruining lives without mercy aslong as they make money.
I'm not trying to generalize about people or bring negativity to Donna's thread, but you really do have to be careful where you place your faith, especially if you arent willing to question it. This isn't a stab at DT's belief's or practices either, if these people could have exploited her with drugs or alcohol or any other means Im sure they would have, but it happened that they found their opening through her beliefs in the supernatural. Im sure DT would be quite disgusted as any to hear what actually happened (or my limited understanding of what occured).
If a person is addicted to tobaco or cocaine, he will still be addicted to it in the afterlife.
Then he starts to be around people here on Earth trying to be "high" again, with the involuntary help of the addicted. This is the type of payment they may ask for. Drink and food, in general.
There is a large number of people, in every religion, using or not mediumship, taking everything from poor people with a naive faith.
Ignorance is the root that allows the charlatans to take over the crowd.
Donna, this particular person asked for money. Thousands of dollars worth. I think I'll put together an accout from my POV as to what occurred.
If I would compare it to anything, it would be like the superstitious version of the Nigerian 419 Money scam (at one point a "djinn promised her treasure" for a small downpayment...which of course became a series of downpayments)
BTW, I don't normally get spooked by this kind of thing, but a few nights ago my Blender turned itself on. really scared me. My clock in the kitchen (which wasnted corrected for daylight savings) read 3am. Scared me good, especially since I saw the movie Exorcism of Emily Rose :-)