hi all... well I'm pagan, just had to put that out there, so no negative responses please. I have a 9 month old and am debating whether to take her trick-or-treating(of course the candy would be for me, she only gets breastmilk, but I do think it'd be cute to parade her around in a costume) or not considering when she starts solids candy will not be a part of her diet. Also, I wanted to do something for Samhain(btw, if you know of anything going on in the antelope valley region plz mention it). Thing is, I live w/ my mom right now who is mormon & VERY anti-pagan, so I'll have to field that. Any tips on how to? any ideas on how to raise a pagan baby in a mormon house, too? and how the heck do I sheild her from or @ least explain the ignorance of the mainstream 'image witch'? Is she too little to go to most samhain rituals yet or what can we do together to celebrate? Thx 4 the input
2006-09-20 06:46:43 · 10 answers · asked by What Dreams May Come 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Other - Holidays
My advice? Rethink the whole Pagan thing, quit trying to rebel, be happy. Hallowe'en isn't the same as Samhain in my book, anyway. There are better churches than the LDS.
In the 19th century a romaticizing of things Pagan began. Godfrey Leland forged a spurious book called Aradia:Gospel of the Witches that implied that witches were pagans who worshipped Diana (and Lucifer). He plagarized materials from two previous books he wrote (Etruscan Remains and Gypsy Sorcery). Although the word Wicca isn't mentioned, it was the great-great daddy of the whole thing.
Later on quack anthropolgist Margret Murray hatched her own theory about the witches of the European witch trials actually being survivors of a Pagan cult in her books. These inspired Gardner to create his own witch cult witch he called "wica" (at first spelled in lower case and with only one "c"). Gardner insisted Witch meant "Wise one" claiming the word derives from the Old English word "wicce". "Wicce" actually means "to bend", and this is where the word "wicker" comes from. The word "wicked" also comes from "wicce" (as in a wicked person being "bent").
The word "witch" has a nefarious meaning in every language on earth,including English, but for some reason Wiccans still insist on calling themselves "Witches" (with a capital "W") and their religion "Witchcraft". They feel that the reason people are afraid of them is centuries of "xtian propaganda" meant to defame them. But even if they went to Vietnam ( a predominantly Buddhist country) and said they were a Phuy Tay (Vietnamese for witch), people would still be afraid of them. Of course, a tiny few Wiccans have stopped calling themselves witches, but most probably enjoy the shock value wether they admit it or not.
There were examples of witches who did evil deeds in history (such as the Weirs and LaViosin) but Wiccans don't equate themselves with such people since they were Devil worshippers.
The people killed at Salem were Christians killed by other misguided Christians probably due to Ergotism (since they even hung a dog as a witch, I'm convinced they weren't in their right minds). And even though some Wiccans will admit the "witches" killed weren't Wiccans, they still treat them as Wiccan martyrs. There is a large Wiccan population in Salem, with Laurie Cabot as it's "official witch".
I love all you Wiccans, but I just have a different opinion than you do. If people only want to hear answers they agree with, they should only talk to themselves.
2006-09-22 06:10:10 · answer #1 · answered by The Notorious Doctor Zoom Zoom 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋
She's too young. She won't remember a thing, and parading her around at night is a little foolish - just to show her off and get candy. besides, it's late and dark and it won't do anything for her except possibly make her grumpy.
if you have a costume you wear, and she will wear to celebrate the event - why don't you have someone take pictures of you two together. You can read her stories about samhain and halloween and leave it at that. Focus on doing more next year when she is old enough to participate.
2006-09-20 06:55:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
To me, Samhain is a time for harvest and feasting and is the first day of the dark half of the year. We will light a fire in our fireplace and talk about what we have accomplished in the last year. We will remember our ancestors and tell stories about them. The yard work and gardens will be prepared for winter and we will take the time to relax and the fruits of our labors. We keep our religious rites private because that is what we are comfortable doing. Candy isn't a part of our religious observances.
To me, these are things that most people can relate with, regardless of their religion or lack of religion. Why not cook a nice meal for your family using items from your garden or local farm market? You could initiate conversations about your relatives that have passed away. You could help your family with the yard work and prepare an herb garden for next year. There are many things you could do that wouldn't be offensive to your parents.
I agree with the others that you are an adult and a parent now and should seriously consider providing yourself and your child with a home of your own. As long as you are living with someone else you will need to respect the rules of their house and they will help to raise our child in the way that they feel is right, whether or not you agree with it. I know it's hard to go out on your own, but you can do it and your child deserves it.
For a good article on Samhain:
http://snlemons.iweb.bsu.edu/docs/Celtic/Samhain.pdf
*****edited to add an apology for assuming that you lived with your parents. I have no excuse. Sorry.
2006-09-20 07:42:34 · answer #3 · answered by Witchy 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I think you should dress her up and show her off around the neighborhood. (I friend of mine has a 5-month-old, and she's dressing him up in a little duck costume! She bought the costume before he was even born!) Even if you just go to a few friends' or neighbors' houses, I'm sure they'd like to see the baby. Make sure you take a lot of photos so you can scrapbook them for your precious daughter. It will be good to remind her of the pride in her Pagan roots, even if she is a silly little costume for her first Samhain!
Have you been to http://witchvox.com before? There's a whole section on parenting, I believe. I think any celebration you do for Samhain can be under the guise of Halloween, so whatever you do should slip under the radar.
2006-09-20 16:05:18 · answer #4 · answered by Mrs. Pears 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
De javu! I'm sort of pagan ISH and raised Mormon and had to raise my baby around them. Short version, looking back over 25 years. DONT!!!! You need some real separation between you and them because they will take over your life and any part of your life that isn't Mormon they will seek to cut you off from. You know, cut off, blood atonement. They might not take you out back and shoot you, but they will do the modern version of it.
Anyway, as to mid Autumn, as I call it, I wouldn't take the baby out trick or treating until toddler age. See if you can get together with others who celebrate the season and have a nice feast of what's in season. Take care.
2006-09-20 06:57:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Don't take her out. It's too early for all that. You can do candy duty and take her to the door with you when you hand out candy.
As far as living with your mom, I'd just sit her down when she's in a good mood and tell her that you respect her beliefs. This is your journey and that you would like to agree to disagree. After that just ask her not to bring up the subject and you won't either.
Obviously you're living with her for a reason and maybe you can't move out. However, the only way you can have the religious freedom you desire is to get your own place. Just celebrate in your own private way. Check out www.witchvox.com
They were a great way for me to get in touch with other wiccans when I was exploring that option for my own spiritual development.
Good luck and Namaste!
2006-09-20 13:39:33 · answer #6 · answered by Stina 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i grew to become into going to assert Scarlett. ok - what approximately Ruby? Sabrina? What approximately any of the names of the girls from the Salem Witch trials? Abigail Elizabeth Tituba (j/ok) Susannah Then there are frightening action picture names (to circulate with Halloween) Samara from the ring What approximately names from a television series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Willow Anya Cordelia Drusilla team spirit Glory Darla wish i've got helped. stable luck!
2016-10-15 05:26:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Leave the baby home, there are plenty of other times to show her off. It is good you are with your mom, your child needs to grow up with a chance to make her own decisions, so she should be exposed to a real religion that will benefit her eternally as well as a flaky, self-serving 'religion'. She can make her choice after learning about both.
2006-09-21 20:48:51 · answer #8 · answered by ewema 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Halloween is not a religious experience for a baby. Or any child. Take her out for a fun night. Don't make it about religion. It's sad when parents turn a fun experience for a child into a religious battle. About the mormon mom issue, move out. I am mormon & have always lived in that environment. If you dont want your mom to push her beliefs on you and your child, then move out. You are a mom, you don't need your mom taking care of you. You need to take care of yourself and your daughter.
2006-09-20 06:57:21 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I really suggest working on moving out by the time she is 3 if you dont want her influenced by your family. Do a personal ritual with her in your arms.
2006-09-21 02:45:57 · answer #10 · answered by KathyS 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋