I was at the bookstore yesterday, and while looking at the books, I picked up a copy of Silver Ravenwolf’s Witches Night Out. From the bit that i read, the shoddy characterizations, the contrived dialogue, i can see why y’all are so pissed.
I especially :rolleyes: liked the ads on the end pages for other Ravenwolf stuff. The blurb for Teen Witch was really condescending, it made a point of, the spells featured such as “exam spell” and the “he will call spell” —ye gods!:eek:
http://www.silverravenwolf.com
All of you scoffing and saying Lucki is a snob, try looking at this page. Gack.
A book of LOVE spells?
Sheesh!
What a loon!
In fact, that sounds a lot like how it’s supposed to feel. I don’t know, though, that I personally have ever been able to get that much into it…which is a real source of anxiety for me.
Katisha, don’t let not finding it make you anxious, and don’t try to force it to come to you - that’s the fastest way to frustrate yourself.
It will happen for you or it won’t. I was deeply surprised when it happened for me - I stopped going to church altogether when I was sixteen because I hadn’t found any sense of divinity there (or community, either, but that’s a whole other ball of wax).
(I realize that this post could have a whole second meaning, but…y’all know what I mean. ;))
**Fenris wrote:
My (limited) understanding of The Rede is that it’s not limited to spells. It should extend to one’s actions everywhere, not just in magic, right?**
You’ve pretty much got it right. The others have covered the topic so I’ll just add my own observations. I don’t believe the Rede to be a hard and fast rule as much as a guide line for giving an idea of what proper or right behavior should be. It’s a starting point, not the whole of our ethical code. I believe its greatest strength is that is causes one to stop and think before they take some action, to consider its effects and consequences. If more people stopped and reflected on their actions, I think the world would be a much better place.
And now…
**Jab1 wrote:
We’re never going to truly progress as a species as long as silly beliefs are popular.**
Jab1 would you mind explaining how you became arbitrator of what is proper belief and how you differentiate it from “silly beliefs” ??
Let’s assume that you’re right; magic is a fallacy and has no measurable, direct effect on the real world. Why should you care if I practice it or not? What harm does it do you or society at large? I’m not demanding it be taught along with physics in high schools and colleges. I’m not demanding that equal time in front of medical students to show them healing spells. I’m simply practicing my faith as I see fit. The magic I practice isn’t much different than the Miracle of Transsubstantiation that the RCC uses in its Mass, yet I don’t hear you railing against Roman Catholics.
**If “magick” exists, why don’t any of you try to collect James Randi’s $1,000,000 prize he is offering for hard evidence of the supernatural? If you don’t need the money, give it to the charity of your choice.
Put up or shut up.**
So far you’re the only one making claims at to us practicing magic in this thread. Go direct your anger at those who make those claims, not us.
Look, guys, I really don’t want to re-ignite old fights, but I simply cannot stand by and permit extraordinary claims go unchallenged.
Which extra-ordinary claims in this thread have been made? Yes, hexing and castings curses has been discussed, but only in reference to what is moral and immoral action. Some people claim to be Wiccan and threaten curses on everyone and next week they’re Buddhists and encouraging everyone to give up their worldly goods. We’re here arguing about people who use our faith as a way to piss off Mom and Dad without giving any thought as to what it means to be Wiccan.
Why don’t you try to understand what Wicca is about before you go calling it “silly beliefs.”
I probably shouldn’t do this, but what the hell, this is the Pit.
As a missionary (nay, born again) Atheist, I say “Spiritual Tourists” to the lot of you.
Mystificiation is mystification is mystification…
Marxlenin, it felt good to let that out.
Ah, dear old Silver FluffBunny. Yes, she was the subject of many moles of vitriol back on the old teen pagan mailing list. sighs, remembers the good old days
Dear Lucki_Chaarms,
After reading all of the posts I have to say, what I see, is much debate over semantics.
I believe in your original nov 1st post the point was “I hate posers”. This, I personally can completely relate to.
It’s frustrating to put in years of work in a serious endeavor to then have someone show up and seemingly make a mockery of it.
I think of Michael on The Office thinking he can walk into a room, yell “I declare Bankruptcy!” And that magically does something. The ignorance and ludicrous thinking is similar.
All the wannabe stuff is decimating wild sage supplies. It’s promoting charlatans who scam people. It’s superficial and, yes, annoying. Posers are problematic.
The real problem is, there really isn’t much one can do. Posers are defensive, aggressive and they’ll never ever admitted or even entertain the possibility of wrong doing. They ride coat tails. Spew other people’s quotes. Basically, they jump on bandwagons.
Therein lies the solution. Posers tire of bandwagon and in time move on.
I personally, choose to not discuss things with these types of people. It’s not my job to feed them. They bounce around, get attention, possibility make a few bucks, then eventually they move on.
This whole witchcraft wannabe stuff ,I hope, will pass. People will get busy with jobs and their mundane lives again and forget all about those crystals and essential oils they’ve been hoarding. Fads fade.
I feel you Lucki! And reading thru some of these posts, I really really feel you!!!
Hang in there. Tides turn, seasons change, and The Fool isn’t always taking a leap of faith.
My sincerest feeling to you!!!
I think you might have run afoul of Discourse’s idiosyncratic dating system–this is actually a thread from November of 2001 and by now every point made by the OP is basically old enough to vote on its own. But hi!
Holy Zombie Witch Threads!
This may be the oldest zombie I have seen. It can legally drink in many places.
How in the name of the Elder Gods do people even FIND these original posts?
The Poser Wiccans of 2001 are probably aghast that their own kids aren’t into something as relatively wholesome as Wicca, rather than whatever fresh hell the internet is selling to the youth this year.
I imagine their children are chastising them for appropriating religious imagery and beliefs from another culture.
Waaaah! Waaaah! Waaaah! Some other flakes play make-believe witches differently from how I play make-believe witches!
I can’t imagine cultural appropriation’s a big deal when the culture you’re appropriating is just stuff made up and super-imposed on a long-dead, forgotten, tradition.
I’m hoping Luckii’s teenage daughter will show up in this thread to tell us how lame her mom is.
Honestly, though, doesn’t that just describe every religion ever?
I was confused. Like… who watches Buffy??
Even I know that Wicca is not about pretending to be witches. It is an attempt to revive a pre-Christian religion. Granted, I think they’re factually wrong, but it’s clearly not about trying to become Samantha from Bewitched.
I’m trying my best not to be an ass anymore, but I have to ask: what is your deal with these one-liners? They always seem poorly thought out at best. And I don’t really see why the OP deserved to be attacked because she was mad that people misunderstood her religion.
I mean, it’s not like atheists don’t get mad when people misunderstand their lack of religion. Or when assholes use their atheism as an excuse (e.g. the YouTube atheists that became anti-feminists).
Everybody complains when some bad people make their group look bad.
I know, right?
Not everyone has the inclination to make every post a long rambling self-righteous eyeroll-enducing screed like you. My post was as long as it needed to be to mock her silly little new-age cosplay religion.