What Bad Experiences you have had with Wicca?

[KarenNC]

As I and other posters have said, many people refer to themselves as Wiccans, whether or not they follow any actual written practice of the faith, or know anything about it other than the name and that some practitioners use magic…is another story.

Agreed. I see it as partially due to the form of the religion, partially due to the changing nature of Wicca overall from a private initiatory mystery religion to a broader, more mainstream religion, partially due to widespread dissemination of “how-to” books on the subject including many which don’t explore the actual ethics or real world consequences of actions they propose, and the newness of the religion. Wicca has been around for less than a hundred years in any form—compare the myriad of streams within it to those within the Christian Church of the same period (and ongoing) and I think you will see what I mean in terms of newness.

I have had people, who refer to their religion as Wicca, tell me they have used menstrual blood in love binding spells. Most often it is put on a personal item of the beloved, but I have heard on a few occasions of it being placed in food or drink.

That’s what I wanted to know, thanks.

I don’t feel I need to defend the practice on their behalf because I do not share their faith, belief in magic, etc.

Neither do I share it. The assertion that this was a usual practice simply went contrary to what the Wiccans I have encountered personally and online would consider to be ethical behavior, so I was very surprised.

However, as far as using blood in spells goes, nearly everyone I have ever discussed the subject with only uses their own blood, and it is not ingested by others, and very rarely by themselves. It is believed to add power to spells, to show great intention and commitment.

As I said, I am well aware that there are uses for blood in spellcraft and in other ritual and that there are many ways one could do so that would not involve the ethical issues of the particular situation described. Blood is a very powerful substance ritually, as Catholics in particular should know full well, else they would not insist on transubstantiation being superior to Communion as a symbolic act alone. It is the teaching of the actual presence of the real Body and real Blood that gives the ritual of Eucharist its meaning and effectiveness for them.

**The love binding use of menstrual blood is the only time I have outright heard of anyone unknowingly causing another to ingest blood, and there is conflict among spellworkers about love spells. Many practitioners of magic DO indeed consider them unethical, especially ones that involve blood.

This practice has a tremendous amount of controversy in the magickal community.**

And this is what I was getting at. The person who posted said that this particular practice (using menstrual blood unknowingly ingested by another as a love binding) was usual among Wiccans. I find that very hard to believe.

 

[KarenNC]

We all could really doubletalk our way around the Rede, and love spells were a prime example of that. We said that love was never a violation of someone’s will because they can always find a stronger spell and break it if they really are unhappy with you, or sometimes we said that everyone secretly wants to love everyone and it’s the degree we were manipulating, just bringing out what was there…when people are on their own to find a moral path, distortions can sometimes take place.

Agreed, people are really good at rationalizing doing what they want to do rather than what they know they should do in terms of their own ethical system or even their own best interest. That is not unique to Wicca or Neopagan religions or even to religion in general. Based on the posts that I read on this forum by Catholics about “if I do such and such this way, it isn’t really a sin” I would hazard a guess that such distortions are about as common in this sort of arena even among religions within much more rigid definitions of appropriate behavior, primarily because all religions are made up of human beings.

 

[KarenNC]

Remember there is no “authority” or “orthodoxy” or “catechism” for wiccans to follow. Wiccan ethics is only what each Wiccan chooses to follow. We have seen in Christianity what happens when believers reject Church authority and it’s teachings. so what do expect out of Wicca where there is nothing even close to authority of sacred texts, or leadership … Despite those that claim to be, there are no experts in Wicca.

True that there is no central authority, but among specific strands there is usually a certain level of consensus within that community about which practices are consistent with the particular path and which are not.

There is no doubt that those who choose to follow a less rigidly defined path bear a much greater personal responsibility for their own actions and the consequences of such. To borrow a phrase (I don’t know the originator), “with great freedom comes great responsibility.” Unfortunately that is a message which is often lost in the myriad of “how-to” books that are out there right now, most of which seem, in my opinion, to be primarily related to the religion of the dollar. It is not uncommon for it to take folks drawn to these religions a while to actually come to a level of religious maturity in them and to understand that responsibility and what it truly means.

I am, on the other hand, beginning to see a different level of work also becoming available, one which does recognize and stress this, as well as those that recognize the need for scholarship which is as accurate as possible in terms of history. I am very grateful for this.

 

[Milliardo]

I have dabbled in Wicca in the past, and my only bad experience is that I have this nagging feeling whenever I cast spells, that there’s something or someone with me and I feel uncomfortable. It’s as if that something might at any time break into the magic circle and get to me. I felt unsafe even within the magic circle. This is not to say Wicca in itself is evil; having read much about it, there is no real indication that it is.

 

[Ravyn_Guiliani]

Could you tell me which particular branch of Wicca advocates this (with a link to the source, preferably)? I have never heard of it being done or discussed by any of the Wiccans I have known, so I at minimum question the “usually.”

I was a practicing Strega for 7 years and this is indeed a common love spell. I have used it myself and prepared it for others, including Wiccans. (Many women I knew kept a jar in the bathroom with saltwater and herbs in it to put used tampons to collect their menstrual blood, then stored it in a bag in the refrigerator until the moon cycle was right to offer it to their Goddess with requests for favor and justice–sic vengeance.)

I had Wiccan friends and the ones who were more than just ‘light and lollipops’ also knew and practiced love magic and spells. ‘Wiccan Ethics’ is a theory that gets stretched and tested by the reality of daily living just like everything else. I have never met a human who could live up to code prfectly—oh wait! that is why I am a Christian now! (<tongue-in-cheek)

seriously, it is naive to believe that all Wiccans live up to the Rede perfectly and never have human moments of revenge or greed. And if you fall back on the idea that this is what Wicca should be ideally—well there is no difference in Christianity. Christianity has just been around longer and had more members and therefore has failed to live up to the Golden Rule in more obvious ways (and if you are claiming ancient lineage then you must also claim the barbaric violence and darkness that existed in the pagan world too! remember–at the time of it’s inception, Christianity was an IMPROVMENT to society!)

just an addendum: the witches I knew and worshipped with believed the ONLY ethical use of blood was the use of menstrual blood, and the only time it was used -if it was not your own- was in general rites and with permission-usually a mixture of the women present who contributed and participated. For spells it had to be your own. It is your own power and can only be your own choice to sacrifice.
Blood is sacred. Menstrual blood is sacred and powerful.

 

[blacktiger057]

Usually they will put menstrual blood in a guys food to make him stay with her, but if the guy finds out what she did… whoa nelly.

This isn’t in any form of WIcca I’m familiar with…sorta makes me wanna puke, though.

 

[blacktiger057]

I was a practicing Strega for 7 years and this is indeed a common love spell. I have used it myself and prepared it for others, including Wiccans. (Many women I knew kept a jar in the bathroom with saltwater and herbs in it to put used tampons to collect their menstrual blood, then stored it in a bag in the refrigerator until the moon cycle was right to offer it to their Goddess with requests for favor and justice–sic vengeance.)

I had Wiccan friends and the ones who were more than just ‘light and lollipops’ also knew and practiced love magic and spells. ‘Wiccan Ethics’ is a theory that gets stretched and tested by the reality of daily living just like everything else. I have never met a human who could live up to code prfectly—oh wait! that is why I am a Christian now! (<tongue-in-cheek)

seriously, it is naive to believe that all Wiccans live up to the Rede perfectly and never have human moments of revenge or greed. And if you fall back on the idea that this is what Wicca should be ideally—well there is no difference in Christianity. Christianity has just been around longer and had more members and therefore has failed to live up to the Golden Rule in more obvious ways (and if you are claiming ancient lineage then you must also claim the barbaric violence and darkness that existed in the pagan world too! remember–at the time of it’s inception, Christianity was an IMPROVMENT to society!)

This whole thread has been very enlightening…Here is my new conclusion on Wicca. Wicca and it’s teachings are very similair to Christianity, apart from magick and the Goddess. The moral code is the same.

I think the reason Wicca has a bad name is because of the people who call themselves Wiccan. Alot of freaks and weirdos out their join WIcca because they think they’ll be able to have whatever they want with magick. That is the main attraction for people who aren’t as sane as you or me, to put it nicely. And then they do a love spell(which is totally against the Wicca moral code as it is creating a false love and controlling people, potentially harming them) or a revenge curse and are happy until the karma comes around. These people practice magick, not Wicca. It is a shame that most people think they are truly Wiccan, when all they are is people messing aroudn with magick. Sometimes I do think it is better for some people to be restricted from magick of any sort, because in th wrong hands it is exetremely dangerous.

But most of you know that I am not a full Wiccan. I have other beliefs besides Wicca. Perhaps that is why I have a much stronger moral code than most Wiccans do. Now that I look back on everything, I agree that Wiccans need a stronger code for the people who aren’t as sane as you or I…it makes me quite sad saying this, but now it seems like it.

 

[Ravyn_Guiliani]

This isn’t in any form of WIcca I’m familiar with…sorta makes me wanna puke, though.

it is not ‘outer court’ (for lack of a better term) Wicca. But yes it does indeed exist. Today in the politically correct post-AIDS world we live in you will not find blood magick openly discussed in too many how-to-be-a-witch books at Barnes and Noble or in many covens or on many webpages. But it is there.

To me this is not a bad thing per se. I believe the only way ecumenicalism can take place is if there is HONEST dialogue about the similarities and differences. That means admitting that sometimes things are not all good and within our comfort zones.

Personally I don’t see how humans can have any legit religion without blood being involved. Life is in the blood. It is just who we are.

 

[blacktiger057]

I’ve heard of it. It seems like the kind of spell a woman would use if she couldn’ et another substance for that spell’s purpose or was too hurried or lazy to do so. But I have used a couple of love spells (no personal body substances). I don’t know of any reason to think they worked, but my Wiccan friends approved. We all could really doubletalk our way around the Rede, and love spells were a prime example of that. We said that love was never a violation of someone’s will because they can always find a stronger spell and break it if they really are unhappy with you, or sometimes we said that everyone secretly wants to love everyone and it’s the degree we were manipulating, just bringing out what was there…when people are on their own to find a moral path, distortions can sometimes take place.

Love spells are like the Imperius Curse in Harry Potter. The Imperius Curse controls whoever it is cast upon to do the caster’s will. Love spells are pretty much the same thing. Controlling someone to love you. I would not even find joy in this love as it is false and will eventually fade without alot of work on the caster’s part. You can never justify controlling someone. There is a reason why the Ministry of Magic made the Imperius Curse illegal…

Also, the person who it was cast upon couldn’t break it, as they don’t really know what is going on…

 

[blacktiger057]

Personally I don’t see how humans can have any legit religion without blood being involved. Life is in the blood. It is just who we are.

Life is not in blood, but in spirit.

But I do know it is wrong, gross, and illegal to put blood coming out of a reproductive organ into someone’s food. It is one of the most disgusting practices I have ever heard of. You cannot justify it.

DOing this could also potentially kill the person…

 

[Ravyn_Guiliani]

This whole thread has been very enlightening…Here is my new conclusion on Wicca. Wicca and it’s teachings are very similair to Christianity, apart from magick and the Goddess. The moral code is the same.

I think humans are GENERALLY good and want to be loving and kind. Even with Original Sin we are still made in the Image of God, who IS love.

But here is my take on the Goddess thing:

In the OT times we were mostly focussed on the Father, and NT times we were focussed mostly on the Son and when He left us He said He would leave us the Helper or the Holy Spirit–so it is the time of the Third Person of the Trinity right now and The Church (Bride of Christ) recognizes Mary as not only the Mother of God (being the Mother of Jesus) but also as the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. This gives her a unique position since marriage in the scriptures united two into one.

To me this also explains why at this time in history humans are seeking a female side to the Divine…not that Mary is Divine or part of the Godhead, but…Satan is the Great Counterfeiter and He will either encourage humans to hate her and speak against her and ridicule the Church for honoring her as she should be, or Satan will come up with his own version like the neo-pagan Goddess or feministic concepts of female divinities. This is also why she is appearing more often in apparitions, it is the time for it.

Incidentally to keep on topic—the danger in Wicca and Witchcraft is of course the obvious to Christians–playing on the wrong side of road. And I am sure there are many many people who find spiritual fulfillment in the occult—I still have a fascination for it that I try now to satisfy with Christian Mysticism—BUT it is taking the control over your life from God who is the One who rightfully has the control. Magick versus miracles is human versus Divine. Harm ye none is the original hook used to grab us. Human hubris is still the struggle we all face. Sooner-or-later it will hit you in the face. Like the song says–‘you find out who your friends are’…you find out who your Goddess is, or isn’t. Just remember that the One still standing there, still waiting for you, always loved you. Witchcraft taught me alot. It is the reason I am a Catholic today. All the good I sought and found in Witchcraft (I was not Wiccan) I found complete in Catholicism WITHOUT the vulnerabilities of being involved in something that CAN lead to Satan.

 

[dessert]

Agreed, people are really good at rationalizing doing what they want to do rather than what they know they should do in terms of their own ethical system or even their own best interest. That is not unique to Wicca or Neopagan religions or even to religion in general. Based on the posts that I read on this forum by Catholics about “if I do such and such this way, it isn’t really a sin” I would hazard a guess that such distortions are about as common in this sort of arena even among religions within much more rigid definitions of appropriate behavior, primarily because all religions are made up of human beings.

I agree with your word distortions as we as human beings do this frequently.

The Spirit of truth will lead you into all truth. If it is a sin, rationalizing doesn’t change the fact, it only delays the consequences.

My dh when he first would go deer hunting with his uncle,he taught him to drink some of the blood of his first deer. And they ate the cooked deer heart! oh my! I said why? Thankfully he didn’t require that of our sons. Nothing wicca about it just a silly manhood thing thing. Menstral blood is the same just a silly idea.

Doctors do blood transfusions on people to heal but much screening and safety is required. When blood is exposed to air it changes in a milisec. That is why when a phebotomist draws blood they have to do it so quickly and get it ino the vile and processed and seperate the blood cells from the plasma. Like you said this menst. blood could cause harm in some one who is infected with HIV.

Yes I know some that rationalize their behavior and am more aware, now that they do want to cause harm or get even and if they do this in the name of the Lord it will bring them judgement.
Or forgiveness if repentant and mercy in the eyes of God or the law of justice.
Dessert

 

[blacktiger057]

I think humans are GENERALLY good and want to be loving and kind. Even with Original Sin we are still made in the Image of God, who IS love.

But here is my take on the Goddess thing:

In the OT times we were mostly focussed on the Father, and NT times we were focussed mostly on the Son and when He left us He said He would leave us the Helper or the Holy Spirit–so it is the time of the Third Person of the Trinity right now and The Church (Bride of Christ) recognizes Mary as not only the Mother of God (being the Mother of Jesus) but also as the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. This gives her a unique position since marriage in the scriptures united two into one.

To me this also explains why at this time in history humans are seeking a female side to the Divine…not that Mary is Divine or part of the Godhead, but…Satan is the Great Counterfeiter and He will either encourage humans to hate her and speak against her and ridicule the Church for honoring her as she should be, or Satan will come up with his own version like the neo-pagan Goddess or feministic concepts of female divinities. This is also why she is appearing more often in apparitions, it is the time for it.

Incidentally to keep on topic—the danger in Wicca and Witchcraft is of course the obvious to Christians–playing on the wrong side of road. And I am sure there are many many people who find spiritual fulfillment in the occult—I still have a fascination for it that I try now to satisfy with Christian Mysticism—BUT it is taking the control over your life from God who is the One who rightfully has the control. Magick versus miracles is human versus Divine. Harm ye none is the original hook used to grab us. Human hubris is still the struggle we all face. Sooner-or-later it will hit you in the face. Like the song says–‘you find out who your friends are’…you find out who your Goddess is, or isn’t. Just remember that the One still standing there, still waiting for you, always loved you. Witchcraft taught me alot. It is the reason I am a Catholic today. All the good I sought and found in Witchcraft (I was not Wiccan) I found complete in Catholicism WITHOUT the vulnerabilities of being involved in something that CAN lead to Satan.

Really now, let’s drop it with the whole Satan invented Wicca thing. It is 1. offensive and 2. baseless. You say that it is evil, yet cannot back it up. You say Satan is a great deceiver. What if Christianity is just Satan deceiving us all? He is a great deceiver after all. And most of the world is Christian, yet look at the havoc it is in. So if most of the world is Christian and in worse trouble than ever, Christianity must be from Satan.

My point is this: You can make anything sound bad if you say it is from Satan and he is a deceiver.

Witchcraft is not from Satan. It is our choices that show us who we truly are. What we choose to do with magick determines what effects it will have on us. We can use to to work with God or work with demons.

I do not perform magick so people will think I’m a miracle worker and that I can do anything. Things will not happen if we sit back and think God will take care of everything. He gave us free will so that we can make our own choices and help oureslevles in some cases. Prayer is a form of magick, and magick is a form of prayer. If what we ask is not God’s will, then it will not happen.

In the end there is but one divine being, but we all portray that one divine being and focus on different aspects of it. Wicca focuses on the male/female polarity in the divine. But in the end the are one. They are the same as your God.

 

[Ravyn_Guiliani]

Life is not in blood, but in spirit.

actually, no. Life is IN the blood–I did not say it WAS the blood.

Leviticus 17:11-14

11

Since the life of a living body is in its blood, I have made you put it on the altar, so that atonement may thereby be made for your own lives, because it is the blood, as the seat of life, that makes atonement.

12

That is why I have told the Israelites: No one among you, not even a resident alien, may partake of blood.

13

"Anyone hunting, whether of the Israelites or of the aliens residing among them, who catches an animal or a bird that may be eaten, shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth.

14

Since the life of every living body is its blood, I have told the Israelites: You shall not partake of the blood of any meat. Since the life of every living body is its blood, anyone who partakes of it shall be cut off.

But I do know it is wrong, gross, and illegal to put blood coming out of a reproductive organ into someone’s food. It is one of the most disgusting practices I have ever heard of. You cannot justify it.

DOing this could also potentially kill the person…

I am not justifying it. I didn’t say it was the right thing to do. I said it is done. Whether it is admitted to or not. And your disgust and the dangers are relatively modern. How can someone practice a so-called ‘pagan’ religion and claim ancient ancestry and yet still avoid the modern politically incorrect-nesses (is that even a word???) ah yes…NEO-pagan.

 

[blacktiger057]

I’m not fully any one religion. And also, I don’t consider people’s opinions much if they say “The Bible told me so”. I prefer if people support their own opinions with their own thoughts, not the pope or a book that was written 2,000 years ago.

Physically, life is in the blood.

But in the long run, if you want to live your life to the fullest, you need the spirit.

 

[Ravyn_Guiliani]

Really now, let’s drop it with the whole Satan invented Wicca thing. It is 1. offensive and 2. baseless. You say that it is evil, yet cannot back it up. You say Satan is a great deceiver. What if Christianity is just Satan deceiving us all? He is a great deceiver after all. And most of the world is Christian, yet look at the havoc it is in. So if most of the world is Christian and in worse trouble than ever, Christianity must be from Satan.

My point is this: You can make anything sound bad if you say it is from Satan and he is a deceiver.

Witchcraft is not from Satan. It is our choices that show us who we truly are. What we choose to do with magick determines what effects it will have on us. We can use to to work with God or work with demons.

I do not perform magick so people will think I’m a miracle worker and that I can do anything. Things will not happen if we sit back and think God will take care of everything. He gave us free will so that we can make our own choices and help oureslevles in some cases. Prayer is a form of magick, and magick is a form of prayer. If what we ask is not God’s will, then it will not happen.

In the end there is but one divine being, but we all portray that one divine being and focus on different aspects of it. Wicca focuses on the male/female polarity in the divine. But in the end the are one. They are the same as your God.

Blacktiger, I am not attacking you or insulting you. I am only explaining things from my Christian perspective, not passing judgement on you at all. I was where you are not that long ago. But as a Catholic I HAVE to believe that my religion is the correct version of the right one or else why be Catholic? And because I have not convinced you that Wicca is from Satan does not mean I am not convinced myself! I thot you wanted honest answers, that is all I am giving. If you don’t want to hear about Satan then don’t ask a Catholic. As far as false religions are concerned Christians believe they are ALL from Satan. What do you want me to say?

Obviously my experience with Witchcraft is not the same as yours. I thot you wanted to learn about others’ experiences since no one can experience everything.

Honestly FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE–there IS a greater danger in Wiccan/Paganism/Witchcraft than there is in Buddhism or Hinduism or Islam because it is blatantly anti-Christian using some of the same archetypes that are ‘evil’ to Christians. But if you do not believe in the Christian Satan, or believe these archetypes Wiccans use (ie The Horned God with various names) are the same–then what does it matter to you what I believe about it?

You need to look at the discussion sans emotion. Having a thin skin about your beliefs only emphasizes your own weaknesses. And whatever you believe in–without faith in it, it won’t work. Fence-sitting works no better in Wicca than in Christianity.

 

[Ravyn_Guiliani]

BTW–it is the drinking of the Blood of Christ (and eating His Body) that makes Christianity legitimate. And it is the sure belief in The Real Presence (Transubstantiated) in the Eucharist that makes Catholicism the Only True Church.
you can’t get away from the use of blood in religion.

 

[anthony022071]

My Wiccan girlfriend turned me into a donkey.

 

[KarenNC]

**I had Wiccan friends and the ones who were more than just ‘light and lollipops’ also knew and practiced love magic and spells. **

Any serious religion goes well beyond “light and lollipops” and has to deal with such issues. The question to ask is how they do so. There are certainly ways in which one can use spells and even love spells that are not in opposition to the concept of not harming others. There is a world of difference in spells to make one more open to love personally, to attempting to attract love toward one personally (note that these are aimed at oneself only) and attempting to manipulate another person by binding them against their will. Perhaps I am simply fortunate enough that the Wiccans I know understand the difference and share my view of it. That may not be surprising, since I am not likely to hang around long with someone whose idea of good ethics is manipulating others to do as one wishes.

In personal experience, the only time a Wiccan friend of mine even considered using (didn’t actually get to the point of trying it) a spell that would control another’s behavior (to get someone she knew to stop abusing that person’s children–this was not one that involved blood, btw), she got a pretty clear message that it was not a good idea. Things she valued and that were hers alone started breaking in odd ways—nothing that belonged to the general family or specifically to her husband or son did so. She fairly quickly realized that the better choice of action was a call to Social Services.

Note that I am not disputing that such spells exist or that certain folks may choose to use them. I am not saying that Wiccans never use blood for spells. I am not saying that such spells are never related to love. I am saying that I would be very surprised to learn that placing menstrual blood in the food of an unsuspecting person for the purposes of binding an unwilling lover is the usual behavior of Wiccans across the board, based on my readings and the interactions I have had with the Wiccan community.

’Wiccan Ethics’ is a theory that gets stretched and tested by the reality of daily living just like everything else. I have never met a human who could live up to code prfectly—oh wait! that is why I am a Christian now! (<tongue-in-cheek)

Responsibility does not equate to perfection. There is a wide continuum there–it is not all or a free-for-all.

**seriously, it is naive to believe that all Wiccans live up to the Rede perfectly and never have human moments of revenge or greed. **

I am not naive. I also do not believe that there are Christians (and even more specifically Catholics) who have not prayed for their God to make someone do something or to get revenge or out of greed. It is part of human nature. I do not, though, claim that such is the usual practice of Christians or more specifically Catholics.

And if you fall back on the idea that this is what Wicca should be ideally—well there is no difference in Christianity.

There are a few additional differences, I believe. Christianity is hardly alone in expecting ethical behavior of its followers.

Christianity has just been around longer and had more members and therefore has failed to live up to the Golden Rule in more obvious ways (and if you are claiming ancient lineage then you must also claim the barbaric violence and darkness that existed in the pagan world too! remember–at the time of it’s inception, Christianity was an IMPROVMENT to society!)

1. I am not Wiccan.
2. If you read any of my posts, I have never claimed ancient lineage for Wicca, in fact I have been at pains to do exactly the opposite.
3. Barbaric violence and darkness has existed in every known society, including Christian ones. No one is disputing that fact. My dispute is that such is considered the desirable standard of behavior in Wicca, which is what the OP suggests by saying that this is usual practice.
4. All religions of which I am aware have a concept of the ethics of reciprocity (the Golden Rule). religioustolerance.org/reciproc.htm gives some examples.
5. Yes, Christianity has given much to the world in many ways. I have always freely admitted that. So have many other religions. It did not, however, originate the idea of personal responsibility or having a code of ethical behavior.

**. It is your own power and ***can only be your own choice *to sacrifice.

Exactly. All the Wiccans I know believe it also must be your own choice to participate in its use.

 

[blacktiger057]

Blacktiger, I am not attacking you or insulting you. I am only explaining things from my Christian perspective, not passing judgement on you at all. I was where you are not that long ago. But as a Catholic I HAVE to believe that my religion is the correct version of the right one or else why be Catholic? And because I have not convinced you that Wicca is from Satan does not mean I am not convinced myself! I thot you wanted honest answers, that is all I am giving. If you don’t want to hear about Satan then don’t ask a Catholic. As far as false religions are concerned Christians believe they are ALL from Satan. What do you want me to say?

Obviously my experience with Witchcraft is not the same as yours. I thot you wanted to learn about others’ experiences since no one can experience everything.

Honestly FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE–there IS a greater danger in Wiccan/Paganism/Witchcraft than there is in Buddhism or Hinduism or Islam because it is blatantly anti-Christian using some of the same archetypes that are ‘evil’ to Christians. But if you do not believe in the Christian Satan, or believe these archetypes Wiccans use (ie The Horned God with various names) are the same–then what does it matter to you what I believe about it?

You need to look at the discussion sans emotion. Having a thin skin about your beliefs only emphasizes your own weaknesses. And whatever you believe in–without faith in it, it won’t work. Fence-sitting works no better in Wicca than in Christianity.

Personally, I believe that Satan is not one demon but an order of higher demons with greater evil powers than most demonic entities. I take Satan very seriously. To say that someone’s beliefs are from the devil is indeed a great offense.

I myself used to be Christian, Catholic, in fact. I still have some parts of Christinaity in my beliefs, but not all. One of the reasons I left it was because of the way the Church viewed people who weren’t Christian or disagreed with Christian views. They said if it wasn’t Christian, it was Satan.

Satan is evil. But Wicca and numerous other religions have always had the same moral code as Christianity. There is one divine being. The only difference in most religions is the way that each religion prays and worships to the divine being and the aspect of the divine being that they worship. So in the whole we can all relate in our beliefs instead of saying things such as “Your belief is from the devil and ours is the only right belief”.

You have a right to disgaree with other’s beliefs. But you do not have any right to call someone’s beliefs the ultimate evil just because you do not agree with it. Harming no one does soud rather satanistic, though, doesn’t it?(sarcasm here)

Everyone think’s that their beliefs are the right ones. But I don’t think everyone who disagrees with me must have been influenced by Satan. Can you see what I’m saying here?