I was having an interesting discussion in another thread with another member of the site not too long ago in regards to these sorts of things. I decided to create a new thread, because as Nadala pointed out to me, we we're debating in the wrong thread. What are your thoughts on Wicca, witches and magic in real, modern life? I have absolutely no doubt that there would be a great deal of people around the world who genuinely believe in the existance of magic, and who perhaps believe themselves to be witches. A cool 1.4 million in North America alone, so I'm told. Im not going to hold a grudge against anyone for their beliefs (just so long as they don't start trying to curse me by putting some sort of potion into my drink or something). But what's your opinion? Do you believe that magic is real? Can it influence or even control the real world? Can it perhaps do something crazy like open a portal from here to hell or something? Do witches really hold any power at all? Or is it that they are constantly looking (and therefore finding) evidence that their magic is real? Cast your two cents. Im quite interested in this.
I wouldn't say "magic" in the Walt Disney kind of way.. More of an Occultic kind. And I believe in the Occult, just like I believe in heavenly Beings. As far as how it affects people, I guess it depends on how close they are with the Occult to begin with. (Such as- if you're more of a "Republican" you would be affected in a bad way if / when you were introduced to such things. If you were fairly open minded / more liberal in things, I think you would find it interesting and leave it alone.) But in real events? No idea. [edit: by "Occult" I mean "magic."]
I Don't believe in magic at all... I believe in human will and making miracles rather than leaving my fate up to the arcane... Human will, in it's pinnacle strength, can defy all challenges, even at times turning the tide of the worst for the better. With it Humanity has managed to trudge from ignorance into an age of enlightenment and even further, but also it has given us a dousing dive into how humanity can be so stubborn. I believe in the magic of the human heart and mind.
I have great intrest in wicca and other beliefs. Wicca is, as I see it, a base for being a good person. You get what you give. As in, if you do bad or give out ill-will towards the world, or people, you get that right back at you. The same if you give out good will. You shall reap what you sew. I have felt things and seen things that connot be explained. But I also believe in letting others believe what they will.
Faith: everyone needs a little. As long as you dont take it to the point of violence, i don't care what you believe in.
witches were simply women who could still use their inherent powers, that men envied and feared, since they wanted to control them... so they burned them at the stake and drowned and hanged them, till women stopped teaching their daughters how to use those powers and eventually forgot they even had them... sadly, modern day wicca is mostly silly new-agey stuff, not just the use of females' natural abilities regained... paganism in the popular sense is another thing entirely, but still silly at best... semantically, paganism is merely the non-belief in a single 'approved' god... a pagan can be either a believer in multiple gods or an atheist...
I think the majority of the general public do not believe in magic, and those who do, look but never find it. Surely in more primitive days magic would be more convincing, as science was yet undeveloped and there would be room for misunderstanding. On the other hand with the overwhelming prescence of magic in our world's culture, surely there must be some truth to it? However I sit on the fence. Like most people I am led to regard magic as a wilful fantasy; in a "if only" kind of way. But with an open mind, I would believe in it if there was something to believe in.
I don't really believe in magic. Not in, like, the double-double-toil-and-trouble kind of magic. I do believe in the power of the human mind, though. I think that through meditation and will-power we can make things happen in a way that might seem like magic. I was actually watching this program the other day on the History Channel about Pagan Britain. It was talking about Stonehenge and Woodhenge, and other pagan ritual sites in the area. It was really interesting. Definitely something I would like to do some further research on.
Like a lot of things, Magic is one of those things half my brain tells me is fantisy. The other half wants to belive.
I'm a God person, myself. Catholic. However, since God is God, and He is magic, there is magic. While the occult and wiccan thing is cool for pretend games, you know, the ones little children play, it's nothing I would seriously believe in. However, I have several wiccan friends, so I'm not particularly caring in what you believe (but I will always take the chance to 'advertise' my beliefs).
Magic is an interesting concept. I know little about Wicca (is that a noun, or just an adjective? Thus the ignorance begins) and "witchcraft," but I believe very strongly in the power and life of nature. I don't believe in any God. But trees are alive and the stars are more than balls of gas billions of miles away. That said, I think think of a million reasons why what I just said is wrong, but it's the only faith I have. Don't know if that counts as magic. I think that a lot of Wiccanism (?) and this whole witchcraft jazz is just a different kind of technology than what other people use, focused on natural and spiritual power instead of metallic. But I may be completely wrong.
I, personally, think you've contradicted yourself a little here. You say you believe only in the magic of the human heart and mind, what's not magical about that? We, as humans, can push ourselves so hard, drive ourselves so far and achieve what others that wasn't possible. What's to say that that, a result of our heart and mind, isn't a form of magic to another? I'm having trouble expressing the above... but maybe someone out there who does understand me will have better luck. You automatically assume that somebody with beliefs different from your own cannot be a "God person"? Despite the fact that you have "several wiccan friends"? If you believe strongly in the power of nature, then perhaps Wicca is something you would be interested in researching. You'd probably find it interesting, perhaps not interesting in the sense that you'll jump out and join in, but interesting as in a comparitive to your own beliefs. Wiccanism (as far as i'm aware) is not a word, you're probably wanting to use Wicca there. I agree, a lot of Wiccan practices are based on nature and spiritualism, what's wrong with that? Just because something is different doesn't make it wrong, a person should be entitled to their beliefs. Some people here believe in a God, or perhaps more than one, and some people believe that there is no God... we can't say that there is one true and correct belief... I don't think there is. Another quick point, everybody so far seems to have assumed that all Wiccans practice witchcraft... not true.
How's that go down with everyone else? You wont get any hate from me, but do you ever get discriminated upon for it? I'm personally Catholic, and I don't really believe in magic or the occult.
Lol. Well said to you too Though I now have a nice urge to go find myself a Dyson and see how far I get out of my bedroom window.... If her experiences are anything like mine then she probably has been discriminated against. I get it quite alot, which is why I don't tend to shout out about my beliefs - but I don't hide them either. I hear it quite a lot because i'm still a teenager and the beliefs that I have are just "a phase" but after dedicating my life to those beliefs for the past 7 (Give or take..) years I don't really think it is. My friends accept it, some of them are actually really interested, and although they don't practice themselves they like to learn and here what I have to say. Others, don't accept that "magic or the occult" exist at all, but respect my believes. Nevertheless, there are always those that think i'm just another nut and its their duty to convert me or otherwise just mouth off at me.
I don't really believe it some of it maybe but you are or you aren't so I'm going aren't. I believe in balance and Kama what you give out is what you get. You know the good feeling you get from doing something right by another person. I can see why buddha did as he did. Though I'm not a big nut on this stuff there are things and boundries that should be followed to make the human being a happier vessle
I agree with you on that note. The trouble I find with people is 90% of the population doesn't give a damn. While 10% does. I always beleived in the pay It Forward threory infact they even did a film called pay it forward with Kevin Spacey and Jon Bon Jovi. You do a good turn for some on and in return they do a good turn for someone else and so fourth. Giva a little help to those that need it and they will give a little help to others. Over xmas there are so many people who have nothing and families whinge about presents they didn't want. Yet there are those that really do go without. The poor the misforunate the lonely the homeless the starving etc.
Awwww that's really sweet - about your daughter. Too many parents aren't supportive of their children. What you said about wearing black and being called a "devil child", too many people do react that way I think - usually the older folk (sorry to anyone that offends!) If its not that then people think its just a phase, or that i'm goth or dress in black because i'm Wiccan. Well no... I actually just quite like black. lol. I've seen that one!! Seriously though, its a good philosophy. Religious or not, its a good moral philosophy.
As a christian, I can't buy into the whole "Magic is done by the power of the person or some inherint flow of magic that runs through all things", like many beleive. But I do beleive that demons can work through people simply to decieve them from the truth. All they have to do is make you not beleive the truth and they win. They don't have to turn you into Satan worshippers. Do I beleive in the supernatural? Yes, but that doesn't mean I think everything is at it appears to be. As for opening portals to hell and such, that is a man-made falacy with no bible basis, which is really the only place people could claim to have gained such knowledge; being that demons live in hell etc. Demons and Satan, in fact, live on Earth, as stated many many times during the bible. When they do go to hell, its to suffer and burn, not to rule and play. So yeah, portals to hell? No lol. Skip
I'm interested in this kind of thing, but i think it's a mistake to think that wiccans and pagans believe in magic and spells - most of it seems to be about nature and getting back to that. - sorry if that's been mentioned before. I've joined the universtiy pagan society just to find out more.
