Closeted Pagan

[Afanasfreya]

That is very true. We do have to stand up and say "enough is enough." We deserve to have our religion too. One day there will  be enough love in the world to stop the hatred. I might not get to see that day but I am hopeful for it.

I just hope I can be a part of that change! I never want to have to hear, "you're going to hell!" Again. I don't want to walk down the street and be given dirty looks because I'm different and don't bother hiding it. Yes, I have blue hair, I wear my pagan symbols. But I'm also minding my own business and am not hurting a soul. So, if they get offended, it's on them. Not like I'm shoving my beliefs down their throats.

[Emma Eldritch]

I just hope I can be a part of that change! I never want to have to hear, "you're going to hell!" Again. I don't want to walk down the street and be given dirty looks because I'm different and don't bother hiding it. Yes, I have blue hair, I wear my pagan symbols. But I'm also minding my own business and am not hurting a soul. So, if they get offended, it's on them. Not like I'm shoving my beliefs down their throats.

As a longtime goth, I gotta say... you don't dye your hair an unnatural colour or wear weird shit without realising on some level that people WILL react. Reactions will depend on your location - here in the city, nobody really gives a shit, but if I go out into valley to visit my mom I am perfectly aware that Farmer John is prrrrobably going to think I'm a Satanist. Is that on Farmer John? Eh, sure, but I'd have to be pretty fucking dim not to expect it. We choose how we present ourselves to the world.

[Emma Eldritch]

It is horrible how Hollywood distorts paganism and witchcraft. They take the beauty, truth and goodness out of the craft.

Oh, I dunno... There's a lot of wonderful occultism in film. Is it 100% accurate? No, but if I wanted realism I'd be watching documentaries. (Which I do, and there's some lovely occult docs out there.) I don't expect perfect accuracy from a movie about apes taking over the planet, so I don't see why I should hold witchcraft to a different standard.

A lot of people wind up coming to paganism and witchcraft because of pop culture. I might not be here if I hadn't seen The Craft back in the 90s. I'm willing to bet some people started looking into magic because of Harry Potter, and I know there's people checking out the Norse gods because of Marvel films.

But besides all that... not everyone likes their witchcraft entirely good and beautiful. Some of my favourite witch movies depict the witches are pretty rotten people - The Blood On Satan's Claw, The Lords of Salem, AntiChrist, The VVitch... Hell, the Wicker Man is one of the best pagan films ever made and it has an entire village of people conspire to murder a dude. (I am talking about the original. We don't talk about the Nic Cage remake. Ugh.)

Anyway, I'm just saying Hollywood ain't so bad.

[Bluerose31]

I just hope I can be a part of that change! I never want to have to hear, "you're going to hell!" Again. I don't want to walk down the street and be given dirty looks because I'm different and don't bother hiding it. Yes, I have blue hair, I wear my pagan symbols. But I'm also minding my own business and am not hurting a soul. So, if they get offended, it's on them. Not like I'm shoving my beliefs down their throats.

You will be part of the change I hope I can be part of the change too. I don't want to hear I'm going to hell either. I don't believe in hell even though I incorporate Christianity into my practice. Blue hair and pagan symbols sound awesome Continue being you.

[Bluerose31]

Oh, I dunno... There's a lot of wonderful occultism in film. Is it 100% accurate? No, but if I wanted realism I'd be watching documentaries. (Which I do, and there's some lovely occult docs out there.) I don't expect perfect accuracy from a movie about apes taking over the planet, so I don't see why I should hold witchcraft to a different standard.

A lot of people wind up coming to paganism and witchcraft because of pop culture. I might not be here if I hadn't seen The Craft back in the 90s. I'm willing to bet some people started looking into magic because of Harry Potter, and I know there's people checking out the Norse gods because of Marvel films.

But besides all that... not everyone likes their witchcraft entirely good and beautiful. Some of my favourite witch movies depict the witches are pretty rotten people - The Blood On Satan's Claw, The Lords of Salem, AntiChrist, The VVitch... Hell, the Wicker Man is one of the best pagan films ever made and it has an entire village of people conspire to murder a dude. (I am talking about the original. We don't talk about the Nic Cage remake. Ugh.)

Anyway, I'm just saying Hollywood ain't so bad.

I hadn't even thought of Harry Potter. Those movies were rather wonderful to me.

[Sefiru]

if I wanted realism I'd be watching documentaries. (Which I do, and there's some lovely occult docs out there.)

Are there? I'd love some recs, if you're up for it.

[Emma Eldritch]

Are there? I'd love some recs, if you're up for it.

Former video store employees will always have time for film recs! Many of these are currently available on YouTube, although many do have witch titties and may not be safe for work.

Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages - 1922
 A classic available either silent with classical music, or with funky 60s jazz and narrated by William Fuckin Burroughs. If you ever wanted to see the devil frantically churn butter? This movie's for you!

Legend of the Witches - 1969
 Charmingly low budget, filled with all the nude British people you could possibly want.

Witchcraft '70 - 1970
 Batshit Italian occultsploitation. I'm not sure I'd say this is an informative documentary, but it is a hell of a lot of fun if you like that sort of thing. Which I do.

The Power of the Witch - 1971
 More 70s goodness, with the first half at least being very down to earth.

The Occult Experience - 1985
 You can sense a lot more of the Satanic Panic settling into this one, but there's a few fun bits, like the all too brief mention of Rosaleen Norton.

The Real Witch Project - 1990
 Channel 5 doc where a few women try out being witches for a month. I have a real soft spot for this one, personally, as the people involved are pretty average and their forays into spellwork reflect real life problems.

Queen Elizabeth's Magician: John Dee - 2002
 Part of the 'Masters of Darkness' series, so it's your standard made-for-TV level of sensationalism, but it's a fun one to throw on if you've never heard much about the man. Bonus points for it having Alan Moore being all cranky in it.

In Search of the Great Beast 666: Aleister Crowley - 2007. This one was put out by DisInfo as I recall, and it remains one of my favourites because it features actors in the roles of our main subjects. The guy playing Crowley is like if you had an eccentric British uncle who would ruin Christmas dinner by talking about sex workers he had hung up in his closet. Probably best enjoyed with friends while under the influence of something.

A Very British Witchcraft - 2012
 Prof. Ronald Hutton on Gerald Gardner and the history of Wicca.


I also have a deep love for Occult Demon Cassette on YouTube because it is home to several 1980s Satanic Panic videos, including the infamous "Deception of a Generation." None of the videos on the channel are good, but they are entertaining.

[MadZealot]

Witchcraft '70 - 1970
 Batshit Italian occultsploitation. I'm not sure I'd say this is an informative documentary, but it is a hell of a lot of fun if you like that sort of thing. Which I do.

Ooo. I love shitty horror, so a cheesy occultdoc sounds pretty appetizing.

[Emma Eldritch]

Ooo. I love shitty horror, so a cheesy occultdoc sounds pretty appetizing.

Bless you. So few people grasp the art of the shitty horror film.
...Romero's Season of the Witch remains one of my favourite bad-but-good witch themed horror films - it has straight up rituals from "Mastering Witchcraft" by Paul Huson in it!

[Sefiru]

Former video store employees will always have time for film recs! Many of these are currently available on YouTube, although many do have witch titties and may not be safe for work.

Thank you, these sound like fun!

[Hariti]

Is that on Farmer John? Eh, sure, but I'd have to be pretty fucking dim not to expect it. We choose how we present ourselves to the world.

That's fair enough, but I would argue that it's our God-given right to present ourselves how we please. If "Farmer John" or anyone else reacts negatively, that's his problem, and it's his soul that he is staining. Prejudice is wrong.

[Hariti]

That's fair enough, but I would argue that it's our God-given right to present ourselves how we please. If "Farmer John" or anyone else reacts negatively, that's his problem, and it's his soul that he is staining. Prejudice is wrong.

I should probably clarify that we have a lot of "Farmer Johns" here in Kentucky. I have been stereotyped by many Christians as well as cynical Atheists, and even a few Muslims; people see the way I present myself and make assumptions. I'm a biological male with waist-length hair, and people automatically assume they know about my political views, work ethic, social mores, and of-course religion based on that fact alone. The truth is, I'm a politically centrist, non-smoking, non-drug-using, college educated Hindu who lives a very traditional lifestyle in most regards. Yet the first thing people think when they see me is "Hippy" and assume I am some sort of New-Age polyamorous pothead with no education or job.

[Hariti]

(I accidentally posted twice, not sure how to remove the extra comment).

[ehbowen]

That's fair enough, but I would argue that it's our God-given right to present ourselves how we please. If "Farmer John" or anyone else reacts negatively, that's his problem, and it's his soul that he is staining. Prejudice is wrong.

My response to that is that communities large and small have the God-given right to set community standards and to expect them to be adhered to by those who participate. I do believe that we are stronger when those standards encourage a healthy variety of individuals and ideas, and I do believe in the moral obligation of hospitality...but if you find yourself living in opposition to the standards of your community, perhaps your best course of action is to make a graceful exit.

[Emma Eldritch]

I should probably clarify that we have a lot of "Farmer Johns" here in Kentucky. I have been stereotyped by many Christians as well as cynical Atheists, and even a few Muslims; people see the way I present myself and make assumptions. I'm a biological male with waist-length hair, and people automatically assume they know about my political views, work ethic, social mores, and of-course religion based on that fact alone. The truth is, I'm a politically centrist, non-smoking, non-drug-using, college educated Hindu who lives a very traditional lifestyle in most regards. Yet the first thing people think when they see me is "Hippy" and assume I am some sort of New-Age polyamorous pothead with no education or job.

I'm not saying that that's fair. It isn't. But the fact remains that people will judge us within seconds based on the way we present ourselves. If you gave a shit about fitting in, you'd cut your hair. You don't give a shit, and that's great! I'm just saying for any of us who choose to present as something outside the norm, we can't really pretend to not understand why people make assumptions. Shit, manipulating people's assumptions via our appearance is basic glamour magic.