- The Bible references crystals as beautiful, but without healing powers. Some Christians say crystal use is wrong because it’s idolatry or an occult practice.
- Other Christians believe crystals are OK since they're created by God. As long as you’re channeling God’s energy through them, you’re not sinning.
- Witches consider crystals a tool of their practice and not witchcraft by themselves. Some witches may not use crystals at all.
Do Christians think crystals count as witchcraft?
To many Christians, crystals are an occult practice akin to witchcraft. The Bible or God never assigned any holy or healing powers to crystals, meaning that anyone who uses them for magical purposes is therefore involved in the occult. Occultism focuses on magical or supernatural beliefs and practices, such as crystal use for healing, spirit channeling, or psychic healing. It’s considered ungodly to engage in occult activities because those rituals seek to change or contact the spirit world. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 states that “There shall not be found among you anyone…who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist…For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord.”
Some Christians think crystals are OK since they’re made by God. They consider crystals to be a tool that can be used for good or bad. You can still believe God is the true Healer and use a crystal as long as it’s God’s healing energy you’re channeling and not any other spiritual powers. From this perspective, crystals show the multi-faceted nature of God, including being a Healer. If you want to try a crystal, use one sourced from a geologist to guarantee it hasn’t been used for practices that go against your beliefs. Compare a crystal to an herb—herbs are created by God as well and have been used for healing for thousands of years.
Some Christians think it’s idolatry to use crystals for healing. Seeking healing from crystals means you’re placing the crystal’s powers above God, making it an idol. They believe crystals are full of empty promises, and the more you use them, the farther you stray from God’s teachings and redemption. If you’ve used crystals for healing or other purposes before, remember that God will forgive you if you give up your practices and ask Him for forgiveness. Crystals can be considered “apportioned to all" in Deuteronomy 4:15-20: “Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol … do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.”
Some believe crystals are wrong to use, but OK to have as decor. Crystals are pretty things created by God after all, and there are numerous examples in the Bible of people decorating or adorning objects with gems and stones to symbolize a connection with God. Some crystals on your mantle or in a ring or necklace are fine as long as you’re not using them for other, spiritual purposes. If you’re struggling to decide whether to use crystals, consider speaking to a priest, pastor, or spiritual leader you feel comfortable sharing your dilemma with.
What does the Bible say about crystals?
The Bible describes crystals as beautiful objects with no powers. Crystals are referred to as precious, clear, or valuable throughout the Bible. However, it never states that they have any healing or mystical properties like ancient Pagans or mainstream pop culture believe today. For example: Job 28:19 describes the value of topaz: “The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold.” Lamentations 4:7 uses rubies and lapis lazuli in analogy: “Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like lapis lazuli.” Proverbs 8:11 compares rubies to wisdom: “For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” The river described in New Heaven (Revelation 22:1) and the area before the throne of God (Revelation 4:6) are both described as “crystal clear.”
The Bible warns against using amulets, which may include crystals. In ancient times, people wore amulets and crystals to protect them from evil spirits and promote good luck, putting their beliefs in the power of the crystal rather than God. This is similar to how people wear crystal jewelry today to ward off negative energy or bad vibes. The Bible dismisses this practice: Ezekiel 13:20-21 speaks out against amulets: “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.”
Instead of crystals, Christians should ask God for healing. The Bible declares that God is the true healer and forgiver of sins, and that other forms of restoration come from the power of Satan or other condemned entities. In Psalm 103:2-4, David declares: “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”
Do witches consider crystals to be witchcraft?
Witches think crystals are tools and not witchcraft by themselves. Witches note that as crystals become more popular, people are using them superficially or without a knowledge of ancient traditions. Practicing witches say these people will only get superficial results and can’t really make an impact (or call themselves a witch) without dedication, study, and practice. For example, you may use a hammer around the house, but you probably wouldn’t call yourself a construction worker because of it. Practicing witches believe it takes more than one session with a crystal to become a witch. You need to practice the “craft” part of “witchcraft.” Essentially, using crystals for healing a few times for fun or for superficial reasons does not mean you’re a witch.
Some witches specialize in crystals and some may not use them at all. Crystal witches are practitioners who feel a special connection to vibrations and energy of crystals and gems. They use them for practices like manifestation or amplifying magical or natural energy. They typically have abilities to feel energies and see auras. There are other types of witches that specialize in other tools and practices, like plant witches, sea witches, and cosmic witches. Eclectic witches borrow practices from multiple different traditions to customize their magic to suit their needs and circumstances. Many witches probably know how to use some crystals, but it may not be their preferred or favorite way to channel energy.
Uses for Crystals
Witches use crystals to aid spellwork and manifestation. Some witches describe magic as the manipulation of energy, similar to using the law of attraction. Crystals help amplify the good energy witches put out to increase the chances of their wishes coming true. Crystals can be used in combination with other tools like herbs, plants, and oils. Witches ethically source their crystals. They purchase them from shops with ties to witchcraft and that aren’t appropriating rituals from other cultures.
Healers use crystals to channel healing energy into the body. They can also move negative or sickness-causing energy out of your body by interacting with your energy field (sometimes called an aura, chakra, qi, prana, or universal energy). All things vibrate at specific frequencies (your body included), and it’s these vibrational interactions that promote wellness and cleansing. Crystals can heal through meditation, physical touch, wearing them as jewelry, or through healing rituals. Practitioners can use crystals for healing both in-person and in virtual sessions using an energy grid. The “energy” of crystals is loosely defined and lends itself to the placebo effect, so many people believe they feel positive effects whether they’re real or not.
Historically, crystals were used for protection or decoration. Various cultures have been fascinated by crystals for thousands of years. They refract light and can be dark but transparent at the same time—no wonder they seem so special or magical compared to other objects found in the earth! Ancient Egyptians wore crystal amulets, Greeks wore them for luck in battle (and to get rid of hangovers), and Ayurveda healers used them for vitality. In the Middle Ages, poets compared love, purity, desire, and perfection with crystals, contributing to the lore that they embodied powers. In the Christian West, writings about crystals refer mostly to decorating religious objects or symbolizing the light of the heavens (and even the Virgin Mary).
Today, crystals are in demand because of their healing properties. Crystal users place crystals in their homes or on their bodies for wellness, wear crystal jewelry for protection against negative energy, and meditate with them for spiritual guidance. Some even drink water steeped in crystals for luck, vibrancy, or energy. Influencers and wellness shops have made crystals popular among young people looking for non-religious spiritual connections (or who want to be trendy). Crystal use in the West got popular in the 70s during the New Age movement when young people got interested in counterculture and occult spirituality.
Are crystals effective for healing?
According to science, a crystal’s efficacy is based on your beliefs. The power of suggestion might be stronger than the crystal—in a study, people who already believed they would feel warm or tingling sensations while meditating with a crystal (a real one or a placebo) felt more “paranormal” effects than those who didn’t believe. It comes down to what you want to get out of the practice. If you want a crystal to make a difference in your life, chances are you’ll get some fulfillment out of it. Some medical professionals believe the placebo benefits of alternative medicines, like crystals, shouldn’t be entirely discounted. Even though there’s little scientific evidence to suggest crystals really work for healing, there’s no harm in trying them out.
There’s little evidence that crystals soothe physical pain or illness. It’s possible that there is a miniscule energy flow between your body and a crystal, but injuries and diseases aren’t caused by energy flows. There is also no evidence that different crystal colors or chemical compositions can be used to treat specific ailments. Geologically, crystals are just rocks made of repeating atomic patterns. The exact pattern gives each crystal its shape, transparency, and hardness. Crystals are formed when pressurized carbon from deep in the earth cools quickly or when the liquids of a solution evaporate and leave solids structures behind. Salt, pencil graphite, and snow are considered crystals. So are the precious stones we all think of like diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.
Comments
0 comment