Witchhunt Indeed & Constitutional Rights

[WiccanPriestess]

Why don't you post the following on our brand new discussion forum?

http://forerunner.com/discussion

- Jay Rogers
_____________________________________________________________
I was raised Southern Baptist until I was 17. At that age I turned to Wicca and Witchcraft because it was more religiously fulfilling and less dogmatic. Next I am appalled by your site and the inconsistencies there. Some of the things you describe are from Satanist and are in no way related to Wicca or Witchcraft! In Wicca and Witchcraft our ultimate one rule that most agree on is "Harm none do what you will." This includes infants and children! We do not believe in animal or child sacrifices. We don't even harm the land without feeling we have permission from our Deity or the flower to pick a flower or whatever. Majority of us are pro-life or pro-choice. I say pro-choice because we feel women should have the choice in their bodies and what happens but I also say pro-choice in a sense not to mean to abort the fetus because it is living at that stage. In pro-choice we mean carry the baby to term and then put it up for adoption. We thoroughly do not advocate harming a fetus, infant, etc. Many of us have children of our own and actually all I know have 4 or more children. As Wiccan's we love all man kind and feel like we should all be adults and not bash each other's religion. We all believe in Deity of some form and we all believe we are dying and going to a special place (heaven, Summerland or wherever). Also as a practicing Witch I can tell you I do NOT believe in the Devil. We do believe in good and bad but we do not believe in an ultimate evil entity as such which was actually made up by the Christian population in the pre-witch hunt days to convert more people to Christianity. Also if you will research your religion you will find many Christian holidays come from Pagan pasts because it was easier to take our holidays and make them Christian to try and convert us easier. Your Easter is our Ostara, your Christmas is our Yule and Halloween is our Samhain. At Halloween we do not Sacrifice (anything at anytime is a big no no). We get together have a big party like everyone else in costume, then we meditate and pray (chant) to our Deity and thank them for the blessings we have had. Our rituals are no more than your Sunday sermons. We pray (chant), we sing and dance we have communion (cakes and ale) and we commune with Deity without the middle man (Preacher). I really wish you would find facts before publishing hatred about other religions. How would Jesus like this? I don't think he would. He was loving and compassionate and yes he would not agree with my path but at the same time he wouldn't bad mouth me or my path. He would sit down with me and talk to me lovingly and graciously. As long as we both get to Heaven what does it matter how we get there? If you take a Ford Explorer to get there and I take an Isuzu Rodeo we are both getting there just a different vehicle and a different path. Jesus loved man kind and would not tolerate the hatred you are publishing. It is things like this that is converting people to other religions. According to the US Military Wicca and Witchcraft is a valid religion recognized by the US Army Chaplain's handbook. When we came here many centuries ago it was to get away from religous persecution by the English and now you are doing the same to your own people. Our first Ammendment right is freedom of religion and choice. This is my choice not yours. I don't bad mouth your choice in religion instead I support your choice and honor the Divinity within you. Why can't you do the same? You need to find and seriously think on WWJD (What Would Jesus Do). For me it would be the Goddess. None the less it is Deity and worship of that entity! If it is my religion now who is to say you won't be going after others before long. So my question is who is next? The Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Mormons? Please let your hatred go because it is truly crazy!

[AMbomb]

These two messages are a perfect illustration of the attitudinal differences between Wiccans and Christians. The Wiccan philosophy is live and let live. The Christian message is anyone who doesn't believe what we do goes to Hell! I myself am not a Wiccan. But, comparing Wicca to the vicious virulence of Christianity leads to a striking contrast.

[jcr4runner]

"Live and let live" -- is not a possible philosophy in every circumstance.

Jesus taught "do good to those who hate you; turn the other cheek" and so on.

But there are situations in which the Law of God demands justice and when the individual must defend with violent force against violence.

"An it harm none do what thou wilt" -- is also not a possible philosophy. It presupposes that the indivudual is never unintentionally selfish and never harms others unintentionally. It presupposes that anything is permissible and that the individual is all-knowing and all-good and can judge with certainty which actions will not harm others.

The Law of God as recorded in scripture is much different. It is specific and applicable to cases cited in a variety of circumstances.

[WiccanPriestess]

First I do not speak for the majority of any community. My thoughts and words are my own. When I say we I am usually talking about my fellow pagans/wiccans, etc. I worship with. Second you may want ot review the Constitution. It is my rights under the 1st & 14th ammendments to have freedom of religion & that means any religion. Yes Wicca is a recognized religion here in the U.S. (google it). It has also been accepted by the military as a legal and recognized religion too. Now our soldiers who are Wiccan have the pentacle on their head stone like the christians can have their cross. When people first came to this country they ran out the Native Americans and tried to impose their beliefs on them. Just like what made people leave to come here. They came here searching for freedom of religion (review your history books). Now man is saying everyone must worship this ONE religion and if you don't you will die and go to Hell! Well sorry I don't buy it! This is the reason man came here was to get away from people like JediJackal and others who think there religion is the only right one. If our Government says this is a legal religion and they recognize it, the military also recognizes it then why can't you? For me I am pulling out of this debate. My peace has been said & I wish harm on none not even myself through Karma from you and your closed mind. I accept you as a person and I accept you for who you are along with your religous preference but your choice is not my choice. I have tried live in the Christian community & found their dogma too much. If you want to go back to your roots research the Bible and get an older more original & unchanged version. Yes man has changed it somewhat over the years so what is in print now has things that were not in the much older editions or Jewish editions. I wish you all well & may you find you place in life because I have. I have no doubt when I die my body will remain on this earth but my sould will transverse on to be at peace with the one great spirit.

[ktfrogg]

Dear Jedi Jackal,

I read your cruel and unloving comments against my friends at the Aware Woman Center for Witchcraft and I am outraged! As the pastor of the First Church of the Seabreeze, I feel that it is my duty to tell you that your comments have set the Wiccan-Christian common ground movement back to the Dark Ages. Your crusade against their church is nothing more than a witch hunt!

:twisted:

Just where do you get off persecuting these people anyway! My good friend Patricia Weird-Bindle, of the pro-choice Wiccan movement, says that your comments in last Sunday's Sentinel have caused her to suffer innumerable instances of persecution, nastiness and meanness. Since last Sunday, she has been pelted with grapefruits, tangelos, passion-fruits, kiwis, watermelons, cantaloupes, cucumbers, under-ripe kumquats and jalapeños.

Furthermore, your comments are offensive to all members of my church who also happen to be Wiccans. So stop giving these witches such a hard time! After all, it's their right under the U.S. Constitution to worship in the church of their choice. Even though I don't agree with some of their theology, these people have the right to worship wherever they want. If you don't stop your nastiness, pretty soon the government will revoke the church's tax exempt status. And then where will we be? We'll have to get involved in politics, that's where!

You are taking all the love out of the Christian message and wanting to replace it with the Ten Commandments. So I ask you in the name of Christian love - Stop this witch hunt!

Yours very truly,

The Very Right Reverend

[FaithFiveBIFive]

I agree with K.T.Frogg and WiccanPriestess before you insult the large populations of Wiccans out there why don't you acutaly learn about the religon. Our founding Fathers gave us the right the religious freedom

[ShadowWind]

Greetings,

First off, please remember the following post is my opinion and mine alone.

There is no link between witchCraft ( Wicca) and abortion, and to suggest there is, is just plain wrong.

I too grew up as a southern baptist, and at the age of 18, I started looking into other religions, trying to find one I could feel I was part of.
I turned away from the christian God as I felt He was not there for me, when I prayed I felt nothing inside, when I asked for help from the pastor, I got no help. Although my mother got the backing she wanted in convincing the whole church I was demon possessed...lol

But to make a long story short, I eventualy found the Craft, and I have felt things from The Goddess That most christians feel when they pray to God.
I am not Wicccan, but I am a witch! It really saddens me that people have to force their beliefs down another's throat. There is more than one way to find God. Christianity is not the only true and right way.
Everyone has the free will to choose, it even says it in the bible.
And like Wiccan Priestess, The Craft is my choice, and if you do your research, Wicca has been a federally recognized religion since 1974. What I really want to know is what is so hard about christians being able to accept that Wicca does exist and has existed for a long time before christianity was ever in existance.
Most Christians are taught to be closed minded, it is really a sad thing to happen, because you miss so much of what life is truly about.
You say you love pagans... then show it, and try to be understanding of the way we believe and stop accusing pagans (in general) of being child killers and everything else that doesnt go along with your beliefs.
What is so hard to accept that WE ALL have free will to choose? So what if our beliefs are two different things, does that make me evil? does it make you evil?
As for our sabbats or holidays, most of the ones you celebrate as a christian holiday do have pagan roots.
I do want to say at no time, have I ever done a blood sacrifice or sacrificed a child or animal.. and to say tha wiccans, witches, pagans, do... well you are lumping everyone into a general catagory you have not thouroghly researched.
All I am saying is that Wicca is as much a religion as christianity is, that one of the differences is that we have a choice of what God we choose to worship.
And to Preach that Wiccans and pagans are evil is not only a lie, but it is so far from the truth.
Blessings,
ShadowWind