A Wiccan friend came out of the broom closet--how can I support her?

Question

My friend is in her 20s and is married and the couple lives with her parents for financial reasons. They recently were married in her family's church, though she has been a practicing Wiccan for years. What can I do to support my friend? I am a pagan and am more comfortable with discussing religion with her than some of her other friends.

Answer 1

I think it would be best if you, she or her significant other (or all of you) talked to the family first on a seemingly non-related basis what they thought of the religion. Gague their reactions before jumping in. Ultimately it's best for her to tell them her religion, as it's a sad day that makes someone hide who they are and what they fear out of hatred. Watch some movies with religious prejudice heavily in them (Gandhi and Fiddler on the Roof are EXCELLENT for this) with the family and discuss what you saw and what they thought. They could be very receptive to the ideas of others, entirely close-minded, or anything inbetween.

If they aren't open to the idea, you need to start breaking down the misconceptions. Get some reading for them on it, talk to them about it, and provide some illumination on how the two religions can coincide together with respect and toleration. Just remember that this is a very touchy area, so make sure to not let your own offense to what they might say out of ignorance or close-mindedness get to them. Be gentle, and use a light touch with introducing this kind of stuff. Since religion is so deeply personal, it could drive a huge wedge between her and her family if this goes poorly.

Those are my ideas... I've fought a lot of ignorance and close-mindedness as an agnostic. My mother is a practicing Wiccan, as are more than a few people that I know, including a registered Wiccan "priest" who is legally authorized to perform marriage ceremonies! Good luck to you, and blessed be.

Answer 2

That is dependent, I imply, do you fairly care? What concerns extra to you? Your faith, or what different men and women consider? Of path it isn't WRONG to cover it, you have got the proper, however it's unhappy if you do not think open adequate to inform the men and women almost you. Don't inform the entire global, however you will have to recognize that men and women are plenty extra information now and in the event that they do accuse you of Satanism you'll be able to with ease provide an explanation for that it's not. OR, if you happen to could fairly like men and women to depart you on my own, or to avoid men and women asking you entireley, release right into a under no circumstances-finishing speech approximately witchcraft and it is origins and traditions, make it fairly uninteresting, and it's such a lot possible that nobody will ever ask once more =]. Good success honey, in anything making a decision.

Answer 3

Sounds like you have a good friendship to begin with, that is the good thing.

I use to be a fundamentalist Christian (I know I am going to catch crap for saying that, but I feel like being myself this morning). I discovered that the religion was a mean spirited social organization where one-ups-manship was the name of the game. The put-downs, and back stabbing, and phony spirituality just got to be too much.

I was injured in 1998, and needed help, and it was not there. Long story on that. My explorations were public. A friend of mine asked me to write some essays about my own spiritual explorations at the time they were happening. So, I never had to come out of the closet, as it were.

My wife and I went through hell with all this, and her family (being conservative Christians) are sure I am going to hell. My wife, for the same reasons as I, converted to Judaism. That did not fit me, so I took it allot farther back and found peace with the "Old Ones."

I ended up asking the Goddess Morgan to simply show them the truth, no overpower their will, but just to show them diversity. Seems to have worked. After three years of some bitter fighting (almost got a divorse), my wife accepts where I am, and does not see it as a threat to her. For the most part my in-laws have decided I am not listeing to them so they shut up (really can't say I care if they accept me or not. They were part of the problem to begin with).

I miss the opertunities for sharing as Neo-Paganism is still a minority expression, but I would rather be a hermit with the Old Ones then be in a church of 10,000. I like what I have found. The essays I wrote will be coming out in a book soon, and I am glad to share them. This world can use the interjection of the love of the Old Ones, we are killing ourselves with what we have now.

Blessed be ....

Answer 4

If someone raises the issue with you, be polite and answer questions or whatever with the most correct information you can. If you don't know something, admit it and offer to fiind out. Her family and others may well question you to find out what they can about your friend's beliefs.

As for supporting your friend, she's your friend, right? Be there to listen, to talk, and to comfort her when/if things get rough, just as you would have otherwise.

Answer 5

Just keep being the friend you've always been - what's changed? You know something now you didn't know before. A friend sticketh closer than a brother according to the Bible - so the knowledge shouldn't be of any significance.

Answer 6

I assume she already knows you are pagan?

If not, let her know.
Let her know you would enjoy talking about Wicca with her.
Ask her if she wants to meet other Wiccans.

I think any more than that would be intrusive, unless she indicates she wants/needs support.

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the spell check wanted to change "Wiccans" to "Vicunas."
; )

Answer 7

try and help her out by telling her u support her.u should help her maybe to find a place to live with her husband so her mom doesnt get mad maybe.just a suggestion though,i cant really think of anything else.

Answer 8

Be a good witch and not a bad one and I guess that would be the same thing as saying to be a role model.

Answer 9

Sounds like you don't have much to offer. If you want to talk about truth write me back.

Answer 10

What's to support? Is she being discriminated against for her beliefs?