Post by *Gypsy* on Jul 17, 2008 14:36:01 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]
The word WITCH has many connotations. It is a label stuffed full of
stereotypes and misconceptions. Those of us living out of the broom
closet have had many opportunities to experience these misconceptions
firsthand.
At worst these misconceptions are based on fear and ignorance. At
best they are rooted in stereotypes and bad made-for-TV movies.
Though I have been openly Pagan for the past twelve years, I have
been fortunate thus far to escape the nastier side of religious
intolerance. I have taught open classes, led open circles, done a
Pagan radio show on a commercial radio station, and written Pagan
articles credited with my real name. I have had ample opportunity to
encounter all flavors and shades of misconceptions.
The single most obvious misconception is that there is a connection
between Satanism and Paganism or Wicca. The confusion is
understandable since Satanists often call themselves Witches.
However, Witches are not Satanist. When someone calls me a Satanist I
have a simple response. I don't believe in Satan, therefore I am
clearly not a Satanist.
TYPES OF MISCONCEPTIONS
Most of the other misconceptions I have encountered fall into several
categories. The first is that there is no such thing as a practicing
Witch -- that the only Witches you ever see are fictional media
Witches. This misconception is followed closely by the idea that
there are good Witches and bad Witches who practice "White"
and "Black" magic respectively. The next most common misconception is
that Witches are more powerful than "normal" people. Other
misconceptions involve the way a Witch is supposed to look or behave.
THE IMAGINARY WITCH
The imaginary Witch who can twitch her nose and make dirty dishes
disappear is, alas, complete television fiction. Fortunately, Witches
who suck the life out of children or exact bloody revenge for some
social slight are also B-grade fiction. Most distressing is the
complete lack of brains exhibited by these media "Witches." The
pettiness of their concerns is matched only by the shortsightedness
of their methods. The less people believe in these caricatures the
better off we all are. How harmful are these stereotypes? Do these
portrayals affect popular opinion or merely reflect it? As a
practicing Witch, my concerns are dictated by my scope of influence.
I'm not the head of a major production studio. I can't prevent
Hollywood from creating stupid, fictional Witches. However, I do have
friends who are exposed to these stereotypes. They seem perfectly
able to separate fictional cartoon witchcraft from what I do on the
Full Moons.
My friends children have a real live Witch to base their comparisons
on. Most people don't, so to them Witches get lumped into the same
category with vampires, poltergeists, werewolves, and predatory
aliens from outer space as "imaginary" villains.
GOOD WITCH, BAD WITCH
The whole idea of good Witches with white magic and bad Witches with
black magic is a huge misconception, just like the myth of the good
guys with white hats and the bad guys with the black hats. I have yet
to meet anyone who was totally aligned with good or evil. It has been
so long since I thought of witchcraft in those black-and-white terms
that the last time somebody asked me if I was a good Witch I
said, "Yes, I am. If I was bad at being a Witch after all these years
why would I bother with it?" There are good and bad Witches just like
there are good and bad teachers, bookkeepers, cooks, plumbers, and
doctors.
THE POWER OF WITCHES
The simplest misconception is the idea that Witches are more powerful
than they really are, especially when it comes to money and gambling.
Granted, I have witnessed an occasional prosperity spell that was
very effective. However, if I was any good at picking lucky Lotto
numbers I would have done it for myself a long time ago.
Misconceptions also abound around love spells. Love is a magical
phenomenon, no doubt about it. Goddess help you when it catches you
by surprise. It's not a pretty sight. However, love spells are widely
recognized as being foolish and highly unethical. Whether a love
spell would work or not is irrelevant. Why would anyone in their
right mind want it to work? Who wants a lover who is only there
because he or she was bespelled? I have a Pagan friend who was
accused of casting spells to ensnare the object of her affections.
She was highly offended. It is more than a little insulting when your
beloved accuses you of casting a spell to make him or her fall in
love with you, as though your appearance and personality were so
dreadful that you had to resort to magical coercion to find a mate.
WHO IS A "REAL" WITCH?
Sadly, the most consistent misconceptions I personally have
encountered have come from some other Witches who were concerned
about my "right" to call myself a Witch. It's the One Right Way
syndrome: the idea that only a Witch initiated and trained by the
right person in the right way is a real Witch. My feeling is that
Witchy is as Witchy does.
THE APPEARANCE OF THE WITCH
Finally, there is a whole conglomeration of misconceptions about the
way a Witch is supposed to look. The popular image of a toothless,
grinning hag with warts on the end of her nose and stringy hair has
largely been replaced by stunning young vixens dressed all in black
with intense gazes. Men can be Witches, as can perky blondes in blue
jeans, harried parents of toddlers, bank tellers, salespeople,
programmers, lawyers, or waitresses.
DEALING WITH MISCONCEPTIONS
When I call myself a Witch I always get a strong reaction (as opposed
to when I call myself a bookkeeper). The most common response is
curiosity. The next most common is "Oh, so is my friend, cousin, co-
worker, etc." Occasionally people couldn't care less, and even more
rarely do people react with fear or prejudice. When I describe
witchcraft as I practice it I am very open because I am so wary of
adding to the giant steaming pile of misconceptions that already
exists. I emphasize the similarities between witchcraft and other
paths, as well as making it very clear what witchcraft is not.
Witchcraft is not Satanism, it is not a quick path to riches and
glory, and it is not something only special people can do. Witchcraft
is exactly what each Witch makes it to be. It is the craft of the
Witch. It is a dynamic eclectic path with a rich body of lore and
(thank the Goddess) no central, controlling priesthood.
We are fortunate to have several excellent books on the market that
divest witchcraft of its misconceptions. Among these are "DRAWING
DOWN THE MOON" by: Margot Adler and "THE TRUTH ABOUT WITCHCRAFT
TODAY" by: Scott Cunningham.
We are also lucky to be living in a fairly enlightened age. Witch
burnings, though a thing of the past, are still rather fresh in the
Pagan memory. We still have a long way to go. There are many Witches
who are terrified of being discovered for fear of losing their jobs,
their homes, or their children. This is why I encourage my students
to be as open about their practice as they can. Every truthful
account of witchcraft does a little bit more to drive back the
misconceptions that endanger us all. As a practicing Witch you are
your own best example of real witchcraft. So if you are ever
confronted by misconceptions, take a deep breath, ground and center,
and whenever possible enlighten and educate. You will be paving the
way to a time when all Witches can dance sky clothed and fearless under
the light of the luminous Full Moon.[/glow]
The word WITCH has many connotations. It is a label stuffed full of
stereotypes and misconceptions. Those of us living out of the broom
closet have had many opportunities to experience these misconceptions
firsthand.
At worst these misconceptions are based on fear and ignorance. At
best they are rooted in stereotypes and bad made-for-TV movies.
Though I have been openly Pagan for the past twelve years, I have
been fortunate thus far to escape the nastier side of religious
intolerance. I have taught open classes, led open circles, done a
Pagan radio show on a commercial radio station, and written Pagan
articles credited with my real name. I have had ample opportunity to
encounter all flavors and shades of misconceptions.
The single most obvious misconception is that there is a connection
between Satanism and Paganism or Wicca. The confusion is
understandable since Satanists often call themselves Witches.
However, Witches are not Satanist. When someone calls me a Satanist I
have a simple response. I don't believe in Satan, therefore I am
clearly not a Satanist.
TYPES OF MISCONCEPTIONS
Most of the other misconceptions I have encountered fall into several
categories. The first is that there is no such thing as a practicing
Witch -- that the only Witches you ever see are fictional media
Witches. This misconception is followed closely by the idea that
there are good Witches and bad Witches who practice "White"
and "Black" magic respectively. The next most common misconception is
that Witches are more powerful than "normal" people. Other
misconceptions involve the way a Witch is supposed to look or behave.
THE IMAGINARY WITCH
The imaginary Witch who can twitch her nose and make dirty dishes
disappear is, alas, complete television fiction. Fortunately, Witches
who suck the life out of children or exact bloody revenge for some
social slight are also B-grade fiction. Most distressing is the
complete lack of brains exhibited by these media "Witches." The
pettiness of their concerns is matched only by the shortsightedness
of their methods. The less people believe in these caricatures the
better off we all are. How harmful are these stereotypes? Do these
portrayals affect popular opinion or merely reflect it? As a
practicing Witch, my concerns are dictated by my scope of influence.
I'm not the head of a major production studio. I can't prevent
Hollywood from creating stupid, fictional Witches. However, I do have
friends who are exposed to these stereotypes. They seem perfectly
able to separate fictional cartoon witchcraft from what I do on the
Full Moons.
My friends children have a real live Witch to base their comparisons
on. Most people don't, so to them Witches get lumped into the same
category with vampires, poltergeists, werewolves, and predatory
aliens from outer space as "imaginary" villains.
GOOD WITCH, BAD WITCH
The whole idea of good Witches with white magic and bad Witches with
black magic is a huge misconception, just like the myth of the good
guys with white hats and the bad guys with the black hats. I have yet
to meet anyone who was totally aligned with good or evil. It has been
so long since I thought of witchcraft in those black-and-white terms
that the last time somebody asked me if I was a good Witch I
said, "Yes, I am. If I was bad at being a Witch after all these years
why would I bother with it?" There are good and bad Witches just like
there are good and bad teachers, bookkeepers, cooks, plumbers, and
doctors.
THE POWER OF WITCHES
The simplest misconception is the idea that Witches are more powerful
than they really are, especially when it comes to money and gambling.
Granted, I have witnessed an occasional prosperity spell that was
very effective. However, if I was any good at picking lucky Lotto
numbers I would have done it for myself a long time ago.
Misconceptions also abound around love spells. Love is a magical
phenomenon, no doubt about it. Goddess help you when it catches you
by surprise. It's not a pretty sight. However, love spells are widely
recognized as being foolish and highly unethical. Whether a love
spell would work or not is irrelevant. Why would anyone in their
right mind want it to work? Who wants a lover who is only there
because he or she was bespelled? I have a Pagan friend who was
accused of casting spells to ensnare the object of her affections.
She was highly offended. It is more than a little insulting when your
beloved accuses you of casting a spell to make him or her fall in
love with you, as though your appearance and personality were so
dreadful that you had to resort to magical coercion to find a mate.
WHO IS A "REAL" WITCH?
Sadly, the most consistent misconceptions I personally have
encountered have come from some other Witches who were concerned
about my "right" to call myself a Witch. It's the One Right Way
syndrome: the idea that only a Witch initiated and trained by the
right person in the right way is a real Witch. My feeling is that
Witchy is as Witchy does.
THE APPEARANCE OF THE WITCH
Finally, there is a whole conglomeration of misconceptions about the
way a Witch is supposed to look. The popular image of a toothless,
grinning hag with warts on the end of her nose and stringy hair has
largely been replaced by stunning young vixens dressed all in black
with intense gazes. Men can be Witches, as can perky blondes in blue
jeans, harried parents of toddlers, bank tellers, salespeople,
programmers, lawyers, or waitresses.
DEALING WITH MISCONCEPTIONS
When I call myself a Witch I always get a strong reaction (as opposed
to when I call myself a bookkeeper). The most common response is
curiosity. The next most common is "Oh, so is my friend, cousin, co-
worker, etc." Occasionally people couldn't care less, and even more
rarely do people react with fear or prejudice. When I describe
witchcraft as I practice it I am very open because I am so wary of
adding to the giant steaming pile of misconceptions that already
exists. I emphasize the similarities between witchcraft and other
paths, as well as making it very clear what witchcraft is not.
Witchcraft is not Satanism, it is not a quick path to riches and
glory, and it is not something only special people can do. Witchcraft
is exactly what each Witch makes it to be. It is the craft of the
Witch. It is a dynamic eclectic path with a rich body of lore and
(thank the Goddess) no central, controlling priesthood.
We are fortunate to have several excellent books on the market that
divest witchcraft of its misconceptions. Among these are "DRAWING
DOWN THE MOON" by: Margot Adler and "THE TRUTH ABOUT WITCHCRAFT
TODAY" by: Scott Cunningham.
We are also lucky to be living in a fairly enlightened age. Witch
burnings, though a thing of the past, are still rather fresh in the
Pagan memory. We still have a long way to go. There are many Witches
who are terrified of being discovered for fear of losing their jobs,
their homes, or their children. This is why I encourage my students
to be as open about their practice as they can. Every truthful
account of witchcraft does a little bit more to drive back the
misconceptions that endanger us all. As a practicing Witch you are
your own best example of real witchcraft. So if you are ever
confronted by misconceptions, take a deep breath, ground and center,
and whenever possible enlighten and educate. You will be paving the
way to a time when all Witches can dance sky clothed and fearless under
the light of the luminous Full Moon.[/glow]
