We seem to have moved from the notion that witches are hook nosed hags towards seing them as loners who use it as they're only form of social interaction or as teenagers who have no idea what they are geting themselves into. All thoughts welcome
2006-12-12 02:39:37 · 29 answers · asked by Dragon 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
What we fear
What we dont understand
What we choose to ignore
What is different
What weve been told in stories
What weve seen on tv
What we dont believe
What we cant Physically see
Believing theres a Heaven and a Hell
Believing theres Satan and God
And i could go on. These are all the reasons why Witches get a bad rap. Im a white witch and ONLY practice white magic.
Ive read before that some people seem to think (espically followers in God) that casting spells and practicing magic is working with the dark Lord (Satan), or that weve been possessed or influenced by a demon etc.
THIS ISNT THE CASE.
We do not cause harm to any living thing.
We do not cause harm to anyone.
We do not ride broomsticks and have a black cat.
We do not possess anothers spirit or body.
We do not dance around a fire every full moon and chant magic words.
We do not cast spells for things we WANT.
TRUE witches live and spellcast within the rules.
We do have rules we must follow.
We do not worship Satan.
WHITE Magic and BLACK Magic ARE real. Someone who isnt sure of what they are doing or saying or who plays with magic for a laugh can become in danger of provoking an evil spirit.
Because we have all seen films and heard stories about witchcraft and Demons etc it makes alot of people fear the unknown. Anything beyond our waking life of just family, work and socialising in a pub, club etc is seen as different, which inturn makes people affraid.
Theres alot of stigma about witches casting spells to kill others who have wronged them or to bring pain and suffering to them. This is all because of films on tv and the history which lies there about witches. However their was also (as there is now) good witches, but no one wants to talk about these because its just boring. People would rather watch a good horror film about an evil witch doing all the wrong things, rather than a good witch doing good things.
My family, friends and work mates except me for what i believe in and do. They often ask questions, which i alsways do my best to answer.
2006-12-12 04:56:09 · answer #1 · answered by Mystic Magic 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
It's misunderstood. The Bible says that witches are evil, but really that's just because it was a competing religion at the time. Today churches still put pagan religions in with Satanism (which is actually an offshoot of Christianity, not paganism) and say Satan is behind it all.
And since people don't trouble themselves to understand the pagan religions or their various beliefs, this is all they hear. So of course that shapes their opinions
Heck, they often even object to Harry Potter and that has nothing to do with Wicca or paganism of any kind, it's all fantasy magic!
However, I think the more people talk about it, the more it will eventually be understood.
2006-12-12 02:52:56 · answer #2 · answered by KC 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Some people perceive that witchcraft is manipulative and seeks the will of the self versus the will of G-d. Perhaps this is true with some witchcraft. Too, I have been told (but do not know of my own study) that the Hebrew word that was translated as "witch" when the Bible was brought into English had an original meaning of "poisoner," which might also at least partially explain societal nervousness about witches.
2006-12-12 02:53:27 · answer #3 · answered by James and Cynthia B 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
In it's effort to stamp out all other religions, the Christian church started a campaign of propaganda against all kinds of 'pagans' (in their view any non-christian) over a thousand years ago and the effects are still felt today. Many innocent people were abused, raped, tortured, murdered in the name of the church, and unfortunately alot of the cruel propaganda that was being spewed out at the time stuck and Wiccans today have a list of blatantly wrong stereotypes held against them.
Most people even today are just ignorant to the fact that Wiccans are regular people with a peaceful, legitimate religion that has nothing to do with satan worship (satan is not even part of their religion, it's part of the Christian religion).
Stereotypes about witches being "hook nosed hags" etc. are just part of the stereotype invented to persecute them. As for the social part you mentioned... there are teenagers who look into witchcraft or wear some of the symbols as a fad and then later drop out of it, but that doesn't change the fact that there are lots of folk who enjoy Wicca as a peaceful religion.
2006-12-12 02:58:04 · answer #4 · answered by J 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Lets see, Hollywood and the rest of screen media has for years portrayed witches as either spooky or kooky. Most people get their world view from the media, it's easier than doing the real research.
Witches used to have high standings in communities, they were the village wise people, healers and priests. That is until People realized that religion was power and the one who made the rules held the power.
Lets face it, there are organized religions who need to have an enemy to feel important, witchcraft and witches were/are convenient.
2006-12-12 03:02:11 · answer #5 · answered by Black Dragon 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The best thing to do is to ignore them. How many of both religions have fully studied them before deciding to join them? Personally I can't fully say that I am always going to be pagan, the more I study and understand about each religion out there, the better I am to make a decision about what I will follow. There is nothing wrong with questioning a belief system or not following one at all. It is something personal for every one of us and should be kept that way.
2016-05-22 21:37:37 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because people were afraid of what they didn't understand in the past, they were in awe and afraid of the wise women and cunning men. There is a long tradition in Britain of rural, usually elderly, men and women who were trusted with folklore, country rituals, knowledge of herb medicines and healing, who birthed the babies and buried the dead. Christianity taught that the gentle white magic of these people came from the devil and so they were demonised and driven out of their homes and the remedies and folklore they taught has been lost as a result. Witches still have a bad rap because in the Western world, the Bible still holds true for a lot of people and they truly believe that 'thou shalt not suffer a witch to live'. That and Hollywood's incessant habit of dressing witches up in black and making them ugly and/or gothy.
2006-12-12 05:52:24 · answer #7 · answered by deccaboo 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Exactly, because it's misunderstood! People know little about it, and so they fear it. Not to a "Oh my god we're all gunna die" extent, but more like just a twitch. Enough to get them tweaked.
In reality, of course, practising witchcraft is quite safe, and can quite often be very beneficial to any one or more persons.
This is something society has always done, the fearing that is. It won't ever stop, unless they choose to look into it more. The habit will always remain, though. There will always be something knew there for them to not understand, and fear.
2006-12-12 02:45:53 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Movies, Churches, tele-evangelists, books, history........
There are lots of reasons.
There are also a lot of "witches" out there who give the rest a bad name. Society judges the many by the actions of the few.
2006-12-12 03:03:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, I think responsible adults who practice Paganism or are interested in Pagan concepts aren't interested in coming out because of the stereotypes. We have to think of our jobs, our custody of our kids, etc. The only thing that will break that cycle will be if more responsible adults come out as Pagan anyway.
2006-12-12 02:52:49 · answer #10 · answered by GreenEyedLilo 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋