jenn rose, i am not being rude or mean, but i am a teenager and there is no excuse for his behaviour, if he says he was persectuted as well, then surely he should know, not to do it to nightshade, everyone should live in peace and let each other have their own beliefs
i am not taking sides, this is my own personal feeling on the subject

And can someone explain to me the terminology for a male witch? I read somewhere that there is no such thing, probably from a feminist witch. Warlocks, sorcerers, wizards all the same or different religions?

A male witch is a witch. Most prefer to be called a witch.

The definition of warlock is: Old English wærloga, 'traitor', 'the one that breaks faith', literally 'oath liar'. The term was used to describe men who pretended to be witches in order to penetrate covens and betray them during the Burning Time
www.aznewage.com/dictionary%20w-z.htm

Sorcerers and wizards are defined by modern witchs as someone that practices magic but does not practice the religion.
Is that of help.

Thank you for the post. With all of that information , I think there are more witches out there....
I certainly would fit in better...
I respect ALL positive religions. Wicca and Pagan are among them.

**By the way what is the difference between Wicca & Pagans????

Wiccan’s are Pagans, but not all Pagans are Wicca’s. Pagans are members of earth based religions such as Aboriginal religions, Shamanism, Witchcraft, Egyptian and a lot of others including Wicca.

thx for summing it up with that email kaia!! i hate it when peopel do some of those things though i've never had holy water thrown at me.... and i have stepped inside a church and have survived, its not going to kill me (obviously)

ive read that before too i think it was on bewitching ways.

Nightshade thats horrible grr to the people who have done it i shall frown upon it greatly i know i dont know you very well but eeps thats alot to deal with and isnt fiar i havent had half as much... yet... but i mostly shut up.. *HUG*

and hug for you too .speak. *HUG*

some people are jerks >.> lets all hope karma will bite them in the ass

Thankyou Arwenpotter,
Yes it is terrible what happens to people through their beliefs and such and I am sure that by doing this they create very bad karma indeed so these people will suffer their own wrongdoings.

Blessed Be.
xxx.

You know what I have been finding about the Wiccan Path, that people start with it because it is easy and there is a lot of information about it. After a while if they are truly dedicated they find that things are more complicated than that Path reveals and they fall away from it and start a Path more like the Old Ways. Witchcraft has never been an easy Path. It requirers study and dedication. As it grows and becomes more mainstream we must be understanding with those who are just starting and know that not all that start with it will stay on that Path. I was called to this Path. My heredity to it are lost in mists of time, but my connection to the Earth is life long. I can not be anything but what I am. The Gods/Goddesses of my faith have Blessed me with great joy and learning. No matter how people try to insult me for my beliefs they can't take that away from me.

Ok. I am probably opening up a can of worms here... But how can the various sects of witches get so nasty at us "Xian's" for being judgemental and hypocritical; when the different branches of witchcraft are the same way with each other? It is no different than the rivalry between Catholic and Baptist. And even on this thread I find incrediably scathing posts generally ended with "Blessed Be" or the like. And as for terrible things happening to witch's; well that happens with every religion. It is not selective to one religion or belief system. All religions have at one time persecuted and been persecuted.

I know that this is like pulling a tigers tail in his own cave; but I for one refuse to sit back and have the religion that I have follow ripped to shreds by those who are guilty of the same crimes that they accuse Christianity of. Their is no difference between saying "Jesus loves you" as you tear down ridicule a witch; than saying "Blessed Be " as you ridicule a Christian!!!!!!

I don't want to read the whole thread all over again but didn't someone say that as not all Wiccans are bad, not all Christians are bad, too? I don't think anyone was trying to insult all people who are a particular religion...


Edit: Fixed tenses to make more sense.

No most of the people on the thread have not directly said that all Christians are bad. But neither are these same people giving the same open and enlightened feelings that they attribute to themselves. For a group of people where the majority say that all judging is wrong; then such comments as "There is nothing more offensive as a wearing a tortured man on a cross" are quite telling. And then the whole "Do no harm part;" if we are not to judge then who is to say what is wrong or not? If we want to get picky if we are not to judge, and there is no standard then what is so wrong about using magic to hurt someone and to gain power? I'm glad that Nightshade and a few others are open enough to come out and admit that a person is a witch whither or not they use any morality to check their power.

I know that us Christians are at the fore front of the opposition to witchcraft, and I in no wise condone the violent excesses of those who use the name of my religion to carry out atrosities. But neither do I accept the victim mentality of most people who practice the crafts. Not when many of those "victims" bring much of the flack upon themselves. I mean if I were to go to any coven and start having a good ole fashioned tent revival; I'd fully expect to get run out. The same if a witch waves their witchcraft in my face , and then implie's I'm a horrible person if I don't condone everything they do. I said it once and I'll say it yet again; there are some good uses for magic, but it is not all the happiness and love that most of these kids seem to think it is. It is power! And like any power it can be used either right or wrong.

Um here's the intermission,

Your religion and beliefs, mean nothing to me
What you once were or now meaning to be
There are Catholic and baptist, with preachers who preach
There are Philosopher's who think it's there job to teach
Voodoo or Shamanism, Vampirism or Demonology
Hinduism or Exorcism, Greek or Roman Mythology
Amish or Judaism. Paganism or Rastafarianism
Angels or Wiccan, Gnosticsm or Creationism
I don't really care, it doesn't affect me
I don't care what you are, just let things be
We turn to religion and beliefs to quite the mind
With trust and love, that's how you'll find
What you are doing, were will you go
Whats your religion, who cares, who knows
Egypt pyramides to the holy grail
Doesn't really matter, as long as it don't fail
It must be in your heart, feel true inside
At least look, then you know you tired
So when this comes up again, just so you know
It doesn't matter what others believe, life's not a show
We all human and we all deserve our own space
I mean with out any flavours, how would we taste.


Number one reason for war is religion.

Sorry if i include your religion or didn't and it offended anyone.

*nods* your welcome Nightshade. lets hope it comes soon so they have a chance to feel the loss you have and not when they are old or something.

i agree Dark Angel... religion divides us... my friends and i have constant talks aboot how it is... but unfortunately there isnt really a way to satisfy everyone and not expect peopel to fight and argue.. *sighs* its never easy to make something that works on a global basis.

i've been really thinking about choosing witchcraft over christianity.

By now, i've done my research on both sides. and i have decided.

I WANT TO BE A WITCH

i truly am ready to abide by the rules of witchcraft and the consequences of being one.

i am willing to learn.

can somebody somehow teach me?

Many thanks.

Good for you Vixen

well i dont think i should teach you since ive only been 'a witch' ( a mere classifciation really) for 3 yrs... with wicca anyways not with my different branch of magick that runs in my bloodlines but yer...

oh and btw i taught myself... some think its better that way, being solitary, but i just didnt have anyone to teach me.

Arwen potter>> cheers!!

about learning on my own. how exactly? you mean buy books?

i've got 2 books about witchcraft.

one's called "the book of wizardry" and it talks about the steps on being a wizard. like you need to study astrology, then make a wand, then pick up a stone that somehow attracted you without any reason and stuffs like that.

the other one's a book with spells in it. BAD SPELLS really. i haven't used them really.

I am with you too Vixen , if you have truely chosen this path. I have been practicing witchcraft for over twenty years now and have experienced a lot of things such as working solitary and working in a coven as a high priestess.....I have however chosen to work solitary as I find that I prefer my solitude....Yes I am with you......
Yes do as much research as possible but be careful about reading books as with many you have to read in between the lines....The craft is an art therefore it takes a lot of study and COMPLETE DEDICATION !!!
Yes I am with you.

Good luck.
In Perfect Love
In Perfect Trust
So Blessed Be.

Nightshade
XXX.

Vixen, I would recommend some books written by Scott Cunningham and/or Kate West for starters - the will point you in the right direction until you are ready to choose your own path.

Yes and To Ride A Silver Broomstick. by Silvia Raven Wolf.

Blessed Be
xxx.

As a general rule of thumb, I will extend the same courtesy and tolerance towards someone as they will show me. That said, I made it this far into your post, which is apparently a plea for understanding of your belief system, and realized that you want respect without ever thinking to extend it towards me as a Christian.

Good day.

No, I think she was just stating truth, not "Oh please Mr. Christian, understand me!"

yer Scott Cunningham and Silver are great authors. my advice is though that if you learn off the net (since buying books on everything can be costly to ones budget) to be a critical reader and compare facts. not eveyrthing is true and mostly things are stated in the authors of the sites own opinion...

i'd just like to say that you dont have to go out and buy all the 'tools' like wands, cauldrons, athame's and things as the power comes from you and these are just merely tools- something to help you. i dont own half of them and to be truthful my athame is a incredibly cool lookingletter onpener i found lurking around the house.. it looks liek a small dagger so it fits.. it even says wizards on it and has a celtic knot.... so yer dont worry aboot all that yet, you are the power not the tools

vixen,
Also Ann Moura is great. The Green Witch books and History of Witchcraft by her are great. Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today by Margot Adler that one will help you find the Path that is right for you. Also the Holographic Universe by Michael Talbert was a help to me to find out why magic works. Go to the local Library to save money you would be supprised at what they have.

One thing about teachers is that when you are ready for one, one will be sent to you. I out grew my last teacher and I was sent two to replace him. Another thing, if they want you to do anything you are uncomfortable with and insist on it they are not a true teacher. If they want money they are not a true teacher.
Blessings on Your Path
Darkwind

wise words Darkwind and i'll have to look into that author *interested* never heard of them before....

Good Post..

Blessed Be

Yes, good post DarkWind

Blessed Be.
Nightshade.
xxx.