I don't know how many Wiccans/Pagans we have on here, but as one myself, I must say that I've come across a lot of intolerance since finding my religion.

Christians seem to be the group most willing to believe that we are virgin sacrificing, blood-drinking devil worshipers, and George W. Bush even said in an interview on ABC's Good Morning America "I don't think witchcraft is a religion. I would hope the military officials would take a second look at the decision they made." (June 24, 1999. He disapproved of Wiccan soldiers having been giving the same religious rights as others in the military)

I just want to set the record straight and tell you my thoughts as a Wiccan.

I am a witch.
I do not follow a Man made tradition , My tradition is a personal spiritual place that belongs to My Lord , My Lady and Me , I do not worship Satan, I do not even believe he even exists. Satan was invented by the Christians only a few thousand years ago. Satanism is just another form of Christianity.

And I am not a Christian. I don’t go to church on Sunday. I do not pretend to believe in something I do not. Jesus is NOT my savior. He was simply a holy man who lived 2,000 years ago. I am not afraid of going to Hell because I don’t believe in Hell any more than I believe in Satan.

I believe Instead of being reincarnated, When a person dies, That a person is transformed. Sometimes the transformation is into an animal form, and other times it is into a human, or even spirit form.

I am not evil. Telling people I am a “good witch” or asking me if I am a good witch implies that there are evil witches. There are evil people in the world, and there are people who chose to work with the forces of nature in a way that harms others, those people are NOT witches. The central law of being a witch is: “if it harms none, do as you will.” There are good people and bad people in all traditons, A traditon is simple what a person decides to make it be,

Please don’t ask me about sacrificing cats or desecrating churches. I love my cat!. And I don’t go into churches or synagogues unless a friend from that religion invites me to some special occasion. And if I DO enter a church, I am not struck by lightning. And if a Christian or a Jew or a Buddhist came to one of my pagan rituals, My gods will not strike them dead either. I have yet in all of my years see it happen either way. My Gods are loving Gods just as yours ,Think about it , why would either want to harm us?


Wearing a pentacle is no different than wearing a cross, crucifix, or Star of David. If you want me to take off the symbol of MY religion (and Freedom of religion is protected by the First Amendment of rights , And this does mean all religions not just a few.) because it’s offensive, you need to make everyone of every religion do that. The five points of the star signify the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire & Water, and the fifth point is Spirit; encircled by the World. How that can offend anyone boggles my little pagan mind. An image of a tortured, dying man with nails through his hands is more offensive, yet thousands of people openly wear crucifixes every day.

Also, don’t ask me if I’m in a “coven” in that half-horrified, half-fascinated tone of voice. If I want to talk about my coven, I will bring it up. If I am a solitary practitioner, I have no coven to discuss. In any case, our rituals have candles, food, drink, poetry, dancing...yes, there is a knife but it only cuts the air, not anyone’s flesh. I don’t drink blood. I am not some kind of vampire. I wear black because it keeps negativity away and because it looks better on me than yellow or orange and purple polka dots.

If you want to ask me something related to MY religion, ask me when the next full moon is. Or the next blue moon. Or what a blue moon IS. Ask me about herbs. Crystals. Healing.

Even ask me to make you a love potion. But I don’t cast spells on other people and I won’t cast a spell on you to make you prettier, thinner, more desirable. And I won’t cast a spell on someone to make him/her love you. Trust me, you don’t want that, you don’t want the karma that involves, and neither do I! That’s a form of manipulation, taking away someone’s power, infringing on their free will. Not nice at all. And I also won’t cast a binding spell to make someone STOP doing something to you. But If you ask me I will teach you how.

Spell work is about co-creation. A witch works with universal energy, with the gods, to tilt the engine of probability somewhat. Need money?. Simply ask the universe to increase the flow of abundance in your direction. That infringes on NO ONE’s free will.

Please don’t try to make me ashamed of who I worship and what I am. Please don’t try to convert me or “save” me. Don’t throw holy water on me. Don’t leave little pamphlets on my door or windshield. I don’t need to be saved. I was saved the moment that I realized there was more to learn than the lies that where being drilled into my head .

Witches are proud of the fact that we don’t recruit people to become witches. We simply ARE, and those around us see how we think, how we act, and our inner peace, and only when someone says “how do I become a witch?” do we take them into the fold with us. I will NEVER give a religious tract with anyone. I don’t even have one. And I am not asking you to convert. I am only asking you to understand. If you don’t want to understand, Ill I ask is could you please just leave this little witch alone!

Love and Light:
Ligeia

spells, huh?

Maybe, maybe not. Terms seem to be important to people, and if we all say one word that means many different things, arguments could spring up. On a side note, the reason terms mean something to me, is grammar and writing are my largest passions.

But back to the textbook answer about Wicca...

I think we are getting too hung up on terms here...

That is a very textbook answer, and contrary to what you said above. All of this I know. Except that "paganism" is anything not originating of the Jewish faith, I do believe.

quote:

Originally posted by Shade:
Witch doesn't equal Wiccan. One can be Wiccan without being a "witch." "Witch" implies the use of magic. They are not the same thing, nor are the interchangeable. Other than that, good thoughts. I would have to agree with you.

It's all very tricky, isn't it?

"And thee harm none, do as thou wilt..."

This is the whole of the law... In perfect love and trust... The word "Wicca" comes from the root term "wicce" which means "to bend," or "to shape." It has been mis-correctly quoted as meaning "wise" and thus translated into "The Craft of the Wise." It more correctly means that it is a craft that can be bent and shaped to fit the personal needs of the individual.,.Wicca is, in many ways, different from Traditional Witchcraft.

Paganism is a broad term used to describe all of the nature oriented religons that believe in both a Lord and a Lady (or a God and a Goddess) to some degree; In whatever form they may take on. Wicca and Witchcraft are both forms of Paganism; but Wicca is not a form of Witchcraft. Many Wiccan's practice magick, and may even go so far as to call themselves a "witch," but a Traditional Witch (who is a believer in Traditonal Witchcraft, not Wicca) will never call themselves a Wiccan.

Witch doesn't equal Wiccan. One can be Wiccan without being a "witch." "Witch" implies the use of magic. They are not the same thing, nor are the interchangeable. Other than that, good thoughts. I would have to agree with you.