My cousin's a witch

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Nimzovik said:
Hmmmm… So… disparaging those that worship the devil is as **well **then methinks?

Please note. No moral equivalency is meant here.
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What purpose does calling members of a very real religion rebellious teenage trekies serve other than to be needlessly disparaging and hurtful. Saying that you believe that they worship evil is one thing. Mocking a large and diverse group for who they are as people is another.
 
I should clarify that my cousin is 42 years old, mother of two biological children one stepchild (common-law not marriage) and a grandmother.

She does ‘circles’ and spells - which sound to me almost like homeopathic remedies. Spells for healthy plant growth and keeping birds off your verandah, such like that (that I know of). And lots of talk about goddesses.

My main concern is the feeling I got when I found out. Like icewater down my back. I’ve known Wiccans in the past and had none of these feelings. This is the first witch I’ve met since being baptised, and I feel like a cat over a full bathtub.

What’s up with that?
 
When I was involved, “Wicca” was just another name for the “religion” of witches. “I practice witchcraft” just didn’t roll off the tongue as easily as “I’m a Wiccan.” But witches are Wiccans. It seems as if the pagans have taken Wicca as their own or something, from what some of the other posters are saying.

Witchcraft is nature-based, but does include spell-casting and other rituals. I think if someone says “I am a witch,” you can assume that they are doing these rituals and attempting to cast spells. Maybe the Wiccans of today don’t do any of that. Then, to me, they aren’t witches or warlocks. Maybe the words “witch” and “warlock” got too connected with Renaissance Fairs or something.

🤷

In any case, I would try to be polite to your cousin when you have to be in her company. She won’t be casting spells in front of the rest of the family, I hope. So just take it as a part of her totality like her political beliefs. But pray for her, and ask others to pray for her, especially the saints.

People who like rituals make very good converts to Catholicism! 👍

p.s. There are “black witches” who will cast evil spells. And yes, she could be inviting demons into her life. Maybe that is your feeling of ice water down your back.
 
I weigh her in comparison to a duck. If they are equal, you know what to do.
 
Brightest_Star said:
I should clarify that my cousin is 42 years old, mother of two biological children one stepchild (common-law not marriage) and a grandmother.

She does ‘circles’ and spells - which sound to me almost like homeopathic remedies. Spells for healthy plant growth and keeping birds off your verandah, such like that (that I know of). And lots of talk about goddesses.

My main concern is the feeling I got when I found out. Like icewater down my back. I’ve known Wiccans in the past and had none of these feelings. This is the first witch I’ve met since being baptised, and I feel like a cat over a full bathtub.

What’s up with that?
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because you holy conscience is on guard.
 
Aelred_Minor said:
Liturgical vestments are an old, continuous, mainstream part of Western culture- no more counter-cultural than a business suit, and maybe less so in that they have an older history that as been less influenced by changing fashions.

Wicca attempts to recreate a re-imaged pagan spirituality, in particular the witchcraft that was found in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon cultures, even though these like just about all European cultures feared and hated witches, sometimes more than Christians did. In my opinion they are less dangerous on a macro cultural sense than the New Age movement since they have less mainstream influence. Certainly they are unhealthy to be around, though.
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The antiquity of Catholic vestments make them no less odd to an outsider than do the robes and cloaks some Wiccans use.

My friends do no use robes and such…they do have a set of clothes that they use in their rituals however…he a lose fitting pair of pants and tunic like shirt…she a loose fitting skirt and peasant top. The coven they lead does not have a dress code so any one can wear what they like. They keep a special set of clothes however…dedicated to use when in Circle…their “Sunday go to Meeting” equivalent.

While many of the Celtic and Anglo-Saxon culture DID fear the “witch”…their legacy of history comes down mostly thru “Christian” sources. However another tradition also comes down in the form of the “wise woman”…“midwife”…“shaman” of a tribe…“lore keeper”…and “teachers” of the village or clan…these are also part of the “pagan tradition” the Neo-Pagans seek to “reconstruct”.

While the Wiccan tradition of the Neo-Pagan Reconstructionist movement may be a small part of a greater Neo-Pagan movement…many of them have risen to leadership and spokesmen roles in the greater community. Selena Fox, Starfire, Margot Adler, Janet Farar, Gavin Bone, Isaac Bonewits have published numerous books and tomes seeking a deeper spiritulaity among the Neo-Pagan sub-culture.

To dismiss them out of hand and portray them as foolish individuals seems to lack charity…a perspective from my Quaker heritgage perhaps…but to diminish others to build our selves up…seems out of place for one calling oneself a “Christian”…perhaps that too is a Quakerly influence not shared by the greater Christian community.🤷
 
Brightest_Star said:
I should clarify that my cousin is 42 years old, mother of two biological children one stepchild (common-law not marriage) and a grandmother.

She does ‘circles’ and spells - which sound to me almost like homeopathic remedies. Spells for healthy plant growth and keeping birds off your verandah, such like that (that I know of). And lots of talk about goddesses.

My main concern is the feeling I got when I found out. Like icewater down my back. I’ve known Wiccans in the past and had none of these feelings. This is the first witch I’ve met since being baptised, and I feel like a cat over a full bathtub.

What’s up with that?
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Lines from the “Burning Times” a popular Wiccan tune …

“In the cool of the evening, they used to gather.
Neath the stars in the meadow circling an old oak tree.
At the times appointed… by the seasons…
Of the earth and the phases of the moon.
In the center stood a woman,
Equal with the others and respected for her worth.
One of the many we call the witches,
The healers and the teachers of the wisdom of the earth.
And the people grew through the knowledge she gave them,
Herbs to heal their bodies, spells to make their spirits whole.
Can’t ya hear them chanting healing incantations,
Calling forth the wise ones, celebrating in dance and song…”

Sounds like a nobel endeavor to me…“spells to make their spirits whole”…their “spells” are no more “sinister” than the prayers some Christians use to invoke the help of their saints.
 
Publisher said:
Lines from the “Burning Times” a popular Wiccan tune …

“In the cool of the evening, they used to gather.
Neath the stars in the meadow circling an old oak tree.
At the times appointed… by the seasons…
Of the earth and the phases of the moon.
In the center stood a woman,
Equal with the others and respected for her worth.
One of the many we call the witches,
The healers and the teachers of the wisdom of the earth.
And the people grew through the knowledge she gave them,
Herbs to heal their bodies, spells to make their spirits whole.
Can’t ya hear them chanting healing incantations,
Calling forth the wise ones, celebrating in dance and song…”

Sounds like a nobel endeavor to me…“spells to make their spirits whole”…their “spells” are no more “sinister” than the prayers some Christians use to invoke the help of their saints.
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I can tell you that some of the spells I had the formula for were certainly NOT noble…Not healing either.

:rolleyes:
 
TheRealJuliane said:
I can tell you that some of the spells I had the formula for were certainly NOT noble…Not healing either.

:rolleyes:
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Like many Christians…Wiccans have their “less than honorable” followers who misuse their faith to cause harm to others…Fred Phelps is one such “Christian” I would not wish to be associated with…but he is not your nominal “Christian” by any stretch of the imagination…I suspect some Wiccans ignore the Rede.
 
Brightest_Star said:
I should clarify that my cousin is 42 years old, mother of two biological children one stepchild (common-law not marriage) and a grandmother.

She does ‘circles’ and spells - which sound to me almost like homeopathic remedies. Spells for healthy plant growth and keeping birds off your verandah, such like that (that I know of). And lots of talk about goddesses.

My main concern is the feeling I got when I found out. Like icewater down my back. I’ve known Wiccans in the past and had none of these feelings. This is the first witch I’ve met since being baptised, and I feel like a cat over a full bathtub.

What’s up with that?
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If you want to pray for your cousin because she belongs to another religion then that is fine but I don’t think Wiccans are worse than Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Zoroastrians etc. It is just one non-Christian religion among others and you have to respect that they do not share your Christian beliefs but you can of course still wish for their conversion.

About the icewater thing. First of all you are baptized now and therefore you might react like you do now because of that. Second, no offense intended, but might it be the old ‘‘as long as it is not my own family it is ok’’ thinking?
 
It’s demonic. This is why you are uncomfortable. Pray for her and tell her you are praying for her. Wear a blessed St. Benedict’s medal when you see her.
 
Publisher said:
The antiquity of Catholic vestments make them no less odd to an outsider than do the robes and cloaks some Wiccans use.

My friends do no use robes and such…they do have a set of clothes that they use in their rituals however…he a lose fitting pair of pants and tunic like shirt…she a loose fitting skirt and peasant top. The coven they lead does not have a dress code so any one can wear what they like. They keep a special set of clothes however…dedicated to use when in Circle…their “Sunday go to Meeting” equivalent.

While many of the Celtic and Anglo-Saxon culture DID fear the “witch”…their legacy of history comes down mostly thru “Christian” sources. However another tradition also comes down in the form of the “wise woman”…“midwife”…“shaman” of a tribe…“lore keeper”…and “teachers” of the village or clan…these are also part of the “pagan tradition” the Neo-Pagans seek to “reconstruct”.

While the Wiccan tradition of the Neo-Pagan Reconstructionist movement may be a small part of a greater Neo-Pagan movement…many of them have risen to leadership and spokesmen roles in the greater community. Selena Fox, Starfire, Margot Adler, Janet Farar, Gavin Bone, Isaac Bonewits have published numerous books and tomes seeking a deeper spiritulaity among the Neo-Pagan sub-culture.

To dismiss them out of hand and portray them as foolish individuals seems to lack charity…a perspective from my Quaker heritgage perhaps…but to diminish others to build our selves up…seems out of place for one calling oneself a “Christian”…perhaps that too is a Quakerly influence not shared by the greater Christian community.🤷
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You not personally going to church does not make liturgical vestments countercultural any more than you not personally going to court makes judge’s robes countercultural.

More on topic, I don’t think I am dismissing Wicca out of hand. I had Wiccan friends in high school. Also an uncle who abandoned his family after getting involved with Wicca, although the occultism may have been more a symptom of his problems than the ultimate cause. Not as much contact as others have had, though more than I’d like. Anyway, I approach the subject seriously, not dismissively.

I’m not calling them “foolish” because they belong to a newly reconstructed religion or any of that (which is its own matter), but because for human beings to attempt real magic is foolish in principle, no matter what religion you belong to. It will lead either to failure or worse.
 
Brightest_Star said:
I should clarify that my cousin is 42 years old, mother of two biological children one stepchild (common-law not marriage) and a grandmother.

She does ‘circles’ and spells - which sound to me almost like homeopathic remedies. Spells for healthy plant growth and keeping birds off your verandah, such like that (that I know of). And lots of talk about goddesses.

My main concern is the feeling I got when I found out. Like icewater down my back. I’ve known Wiccans in the past and had none of these feelings. This is the first witch I’ve met since being baptised, and I feel like a cat over a full bathtub.

What’s up with that?
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Maybe cuz you’ve had one too many movies, novels, and comic books? 🤷

As much as I’d like to give you the benefit of the doubt, it’s not the first time I’ve seen someone had feelings like that because of subconscious aversions to ‘witchcraft’ religions.
The_Bucket said:
I weigh her in comparison to a duck. If they are equal, you know what to do.
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Assuming you don’t get turned into one yourself.

Not like this other guy I knew… poor chap. Took me forever to reverse the spell… how I survived McGonagall’s class, I’ll never know. >_>;;
 
Please pray for your cousin and try to bring her over to the Catholic faith. Don’t let any impressionable kids around her until she is healed from believing in a false faith. Claiming that it is valid religion is to respect God who created only ONE faith, which is not witchcraft. The true faith is also not paganism, humanism, new age, nor is it any christian faith that is not Catholic. There are elements in those that line up with the catholic faith, but taken as a whole are not Catholic.

Galatians 5:20
usccb.org/bible/galatians/5

Catholic Encyclopedia article on witchcraft
newadvent.org/cathen/15674a.htm

Anti-Neo-Pagan Apologetics
archive.catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0305bt.asp
 
I just joined this forum and “came out” as a former Neopagan - that includes Wicca and Druidism. I was involved with it for 20 years.

Wicca is legally recognized as a religion. It is not satanism. There is no path to evil. If someone used Wicca as a gateway to satanism, it’s because they were in a dark place to begin with. What Wicca can do, and I speak from experience, is attract people who have been hurt or forsaken by whatever their previous religion was. I got involved with it for that reason and because I wanted more control over my spirituality, morality, and fate. Wiccans, for the most part, follow a moral code of harming no one. Other than that, everything else is fair game. Spiritually, their relationship with the god/goddess in their life is one of mutual respect rather than submission.

I know it sounds like a cliche’, but the answer is prayer. Pray for her, pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to her in some way that would allow her to feel comfortable with coming back to Him. Pray for strength in your own faith and that you remain confident when someone laughs at you - and try to understand why they’re laughing in the first place. I don’t believe it’s personal. I believe this person is laughing because they are uncertain about their choices in life.
 
Please pray for your cousin as wicca is not a benign religion. They worship a false god and utilize dark forces in their spells.There is no such thing as white magic as it is all contrary to the bible.

My ex daughter in law is wiccan,and though i love her dearly she has something very dark surrounding her.
 
Havard said:
http://narwhaler.com/img/4o/q/are-you-a-wizard-spiderman-4OQWnu.jpg
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Oh how I wish sir… how I wish. sniffs
cjforJesus said:
Please pray for your cousin as wicca is not a benign religion. They worship a false god and utilize dark forces in their spells.There is no such thing as white magic as it is all contrary to the bible.
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Er… I’m starting to side with those saying we cut Wicca some slack here.

‘Dark’ forces? Sorry but unless you’re talking Morgan Le Fay, Dread Dormammu, or Lord Voldemort, I can’t say those are the right words of description to use nowadays.
 
Lost_Wanderer said:
Oh how I wish sir… how I wish. sniffs

Er… I’m starting to side with those saying we cut Wicca some slack here.

‘Dark’ forces? Sorry but unless you’re talking Morgan Le Fay, Dread Dormammu, or Lord Voldemort, I can’t say those are the right words of description to use nowadays.
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I have no idea who those people are you are referencing .What I understand is they seek to manipulate and control through occult forces and the catechism strictly forbids it. Since they do not even know they are in error yes,give them some slack and just pray for them.
 
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