Author Topic: I have a problem with the word "witch" (and I would like your help!) (Read 13849 times)

Queen of Wands · « **Reply #75 on:** August 02, 2014, 06:19:59 pm »

Quote from: Queen of Wands;153392

I too, am making the jump back from potential to Kinetic! And I think I may have a word in mind...Spiritualist.

Two weeks later...I think I found the right word.

rawtruth · « **Reply #76 on:** August 03, 2014, 07:14:26 am »

I don't really like labels much as I feel they bind you with the limitation that label carry's with it. I also feel like the word witch is a originally a bad name as I cant see the people who burned us calling us anything nice. However I do find the word witch useful on the internet as searching for witchcraft and witches is far more easy than searching for something with no name.

Chabas · « **Reply #77 on:** August 03, 2014, 12:38:08 pm »

Quote from: rawtruth;154538

I don't really like labels much as I feel they bind you with the limitation that label carry's with it. I also feel like the word witch is a originally a bad name as I cant see the people who burned us calling us anything nice. However I do find the word witch useful on the internet as searching for witchcraft and witches is far more easy than searching for something with no name.

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NightQueen · « **Reply #78 on:** August 19, 2014, 02:16:14 am »

Quote from: BrighidsAura;153308

I think this is very relatable to most of us. I find myself in the same situation since organized religion gives me anxiety. I've turned to the word "witch" which I believe is not attached to any religious practice but still encompasses what I practice and what I do. With my friends, I use it and they know I'm not being silly or Harry Pottery and they have done ritual with me so they give me a sort of "credibility" that I appreciate. On the other hand, I went to Target the other day and was wearing a very small and dainty pentagram necklace and the employee asked me if I was Jewish. Reluctant to say "no, I'm Wiccan" (since I don't identify as a Wiccan), I said "No, I'm a witch." He was quiet for a minute and said "a witch?" and I smiled and said yes. Then he said ok and started to walk away to find the thing I was shopping for. I asked if I shoudl follow him and he said "Sure but dont cast a spell on me." Needless to say, I felt a little mocked.

I had a somewhat similar situation happen to me at work a few nights ago. A women I work with was asking me about Salem Mass. I have been there, she has not and wants to go for Halloween next year (2015). I was talking about the things I most enjoyed and I mentioned I liked shopping at a few of the shops owned by Witches. She suddenly looked at me really seriously and said, "They're good witches, right?" For a second I didn't really know how to respond, but I did tell her that they were "good witches." I'm not out of the broom closet at work so I didn't want to get in depth with her about what I meant by witches. I was just surprised because I ubiquity of Wiccans, Witches and other Pagans in the media now-a-days I assumed that when I said Witch she would at the very least think something Charmed or Buffy-esq even if she didn't known anything else. I never thought she might actually fear Witches.

If asked directly I will described myself as a Witch. I had a girl I go to school with ask me directly after I gave her a lift home and she noticed a pentagram hanging from my rear-view mirror if I was a Wiccan (I assume this is the only form of Paganism she had been exposed to) and I told not really but I am a Witch. I only did that because, 1) she had seen the pentagram and 2) I knew she was open minded enough not act weird about it. If I was asked by someone I didn't know very well I would say I was Agnostic, which is not totally inaccurate and easy for someone from the general population to understand. I don't think it much matters what you call yourself in your own head as long as it has meaning to you. You can think of yourself as a Jedi if that's what works for you as far as I'm concerned, but I you do have to be careful about the baggage that comes with certain terms for people in general.