A Question for the wiccans??

Question

What influenced your choice to become wiccan?
How did your family react to this choice?
Have you been persecuted by other people because of this?

Detailed answers if possible, thanks.

)O(

Answer 1

Merry Meet! Excellent question. My greatest influence in becoming Wiccan came from the most unexpected source: Christianity. I visited many churches, Christian and non Christians. After years of searching, I decided to become a member because I was convinced that what I was being taught was the truth. As the time passed, I noticed how much my church acted like all the others (trying to live my life; make decisions for me; speaking about love to non-Christians, yet delivering hate to those who refused Christianity; asking me to give a minister 10% of my income and seeing doing nothing every day - except for Wednesday and Sunday - while I busted my back working 6 days a week, but the most important of all: if I couldn't or didn't go to church one Sunday, I was told I was forgetting about God). In addition, in all the Churches they expected me to accept the contradictions found in the Bible by faith, and I just couldn't accept it. I opted to leave Christianity, because there is no peace within it: honestly. I refused to be like a robot, without privacy, without freewill. The opposite to what Christianity is all about.

Then I began to explore at a public library about paganism. I wanted to know why had Christian churches adopted so many pagan holidays as transformed them into Christian holidays. One day I found Wicca.

At first I was scared, honestly. Can you imagine that? I am a doctor, master in 5 types of search and rescue, pilot, paralegal, and many other things, and yet, I was scared about witchcraft. But since I was taught to face my fears, I explored Wicca too, although never expected anything good to come out if it.

In the end, I found myself very much interested about it. The library had placed the name of the book donor in the first front cover. So I searched for that person's name in the phone book and found it. I contacted that person and told her about my interest in Wicca. To my surprise, she invited me to her home. I only asked for 10 minutes of her time, and yet she graciously spent 4 hours telling me about Wicca.

I found in Wicca that I have freewill. In Wicca we love everybody. Our Deities are not so far away out of our reach that we can't see them. In Wicca everyone is my brother and sister, even if they believe in something different than me. In Wicca I found peace.

My friend has since passed away because of her old age, and when I returned to America I visited her grave and thanked her so much for her love, and told her, 'till we meet again.

I was alone in the world, with no family. But in Wicca I have found a great family, thus, I am not alone. I have been to the UK where other Wiccans have received me with open arms, just like I received them at home with open arms as well.

I travel often to many Countries and settled in a small Country not far from America, mostly because of financial reasons, but also because I wanted to be more in touch with nature and paganism was being practiced openly and nobody minded pagan religions. That all changed in early 2001 when a new elected president decreed that witches and pagans had to be imprisoned.

My wife and daughter USED to make fun of me because of my books about Wicca, and because I light candles and cast spells. That have changed quite a bit.

The witch hunts of 2001-2003 caused many of us witches and pagans to leave the country. There were very few Wiccas here, but we were also among the groups persecuted. Many pagans and wiccans were arrested, imprisoned and in some cases tortured. One of the witches suffered the pulling of her 10 toe nails with pliers (Freedom of Religion at the maximum expression). After her release from prison because of international pressure, the presidential decree was revoked for being inconstitutional.

We all agreed to leave the country as quickly as possible. I remained behind because of my work (for now). We agreed not to write each other because since they are citizens of the country where the persecution took place, they could be tracked in their host countries. I am no longer persecuted, probably because of my unexpected and unwanted fame with the work I do.

Note: During the persecution, just over 50 pagans and witches were arrested, imprisoned and just a few were tortured. Most served only 3 to 5 months in prison. The persecution was not just imprisonment, but included the throwing of stones at our homes, firing shots (with live ammo) at trees in or around our homes, seeking for troubles (fights) with us to get us arrested, falsely accusing us of minor crimes, etc.

The idea behind the persecution was to make the people "stop believing" in anything other than the Country's Sponsored Religion, even when the Constitution guaranteed our religious freedom. One religious leader said: "It is better to live next to an atheist than next to a witch". It took ambassadors of many countries had to ask the government of that country to cease all hostilities towards witches and paganism.

Blessed Be )0(.

Answer 2

I guess I have always been drawn to Wicca without really knowing it. When I was younger I loved reading books about dream analysis and palmistry. I also turned my back on Christianity when the answers to questions I had just didn't sound right to me. And also when I went to a ren. faire I ended up buying a small dagger without knowing why I wanted it but it called to me (this is now my atheme), I finally made my decision to become Wiccan when I read "The Truth About Witchcraft Today", by Scott Cunningham and pretty much everything within the book resonated within me.

My wife was already Wiccan for a year which prompted me to read more about it.

I wouldn't say I have been persecuted by my choice by others but then again I tend to very private about my faith. I haven't come out of the "broom closet" at work as I feel the work place is no place for preaching. Our closest friends know, some are Wiccan which isn't a problem, the others are non-practicing Christians that already know us and don't tend to judge us.

Bright Blessings )O(

Answer 3

Are you addressing only those who refer to themselves as "Wiccan" or any tradition of witchcraft?

I am not Wiccan, I am a hedgewitch. I became a witch when I was about 16. I was always interested in religion and spirituality. I found too much to question in Christianity. It did not feel satisfy my own interpretation of the Divine. I came across a book by Janet and Stewart Farrar that detailed the belief system of modern pagans and more specifically, witches and knew that itwas right for me. It was what I had always thought myself.

My family were completely supportive of my choice. They are not particularly religious and though I suspect they don't really understand my faith, they have never questioned my judgement.

I have not met with many people who reacted negatively to the fact that I am a witch. I can generally sense who may not be receptive to it and don't tell them. I did have a friend who went through a phase of being "born again" when I was in my teens. She did make a few "going to hell" comments but she was not a nice person so I basically ignored her. A few people have been curious, some sceptical. There was a group of Christian Union members in my university who were opposed to the Pagan community there but they were a small minority and not much regarded. Perhaps there would be more but I generally keep my religion to myself and do not advertise it by wearing overtly pagan jewellery.

Answer 4

I've been a wiccan/pagan for about two years because i am into spiritual stuff like that since i was a kid. I'm now 15. My parents don't know because they only believe in hard facts and what science can prove but my spells have been popular with my friends and they do work, though i don't know how but they seriously do. I am proud to be wiccan and i guess i always was one but i didn't know. I do have some equipments and do several rituals.

Answer 5

I've always been drawn to nature and animals. When doing a term paper on the Salem Witch Trials when I was 16, I was appalled, but fascinated too by the findings of my research, which went way beyond the Trials themselves. I believe the path chose me and I have remained a loyal pagan every since, gaining more and more knowledge with each passing year.

My family, as in parents were split; my mother never supported it, but knew I had certain gifts (all animals...all of them, are drawn to me and she recognized this). My dad was cool & recently, when selling the family home, mailed some old writings and research I had forgotten.

I have never been persecuted; I try to explain very plainly that witchcraft is a religion and go on with detail from there. My former fiance was completely freaked out, but when I explained everything, he understood and supported by path.

Answer 6

I only found out about this stuff when I was about 25 through reading a book. It was what I had been my whole life and it amazed me that it was explained perfectly how I had always felt and thought. My family are all athiests, devoutly! They think I'm bonkers but I've always marched to a different tune. My mother is quite fascinated, maybe even a little jealous! I am careful of whom I reveal this information to simply because most people don't know anything about it and will jump to the wrong conclusion. Unfortunately my two kids are so proud of me they tell everyone...loudly! That's the only time I get funny looks for it...they're not sure exactly what my 5yr old means by "witch"!

Answer 7

I just got drawn to it. My family have no problem as they are aware that I am quite a a grounded person and am unlikely to get drawn into any unhealthy practises. I haven't been persecuted (although 'heathen' and 'pagan' are used as insults by many people they do not fully appreciate that they are insulting an ancient religion) but I am not as open about my religious beliefs as I am about my sexuality. I find that people ask me questions but what they really want me to do is to confirm that they are right and I am wrong in my choice of religious practise. I find my religion is better tolerated (this is purely my own experience) by people from the Muslim and Hindu faiths than Christians. I do get thoroughly sick of th 'So where's your broomstick!' question, why do so many people think that that is an original joke????

Answer 8

Wicca sort of "found" me. I grew up in a strict Baptist family, even went to a Baptist school for 10 years. All my life, I thought the Bible contradicted itself, but remained a Christian for many years, as it was something I literally had been force fed all my life. I became good friends with this one girl who eventually confessed to me that she was Wiccan. She told me all about her beliefs, and in the back of my head I was thinking, "WOW, that's exactly what I believe too." But still, for the next 10 years, I continued to literally lie to myself. After I had a miscarriage, I felt so lost, and I was unable to get answers from either the church or the Bible. That was when Wicca found me again, and honestly, nothing has ever felt so right in my life. I haven't outed myself to my family yet, just starting to discuss this with my husband, who's been very understanding so far. The change has been almost immediate. The grief over my son has sort of lifted from me. I also grew up with low self-esteem issues, and now, I feel more beautiful and confident than I ever have, and others have noticed this change in me. I haven't performed any magick yet, as I feel I still have much to learn, but I know my life is finally on the right path

Blessed Be :)

Answer 9

Many things influenced me to become a pagan. I was raised southern Baptist, very active in the church- youth group and the like. I had so many questions, and theories that didn’t fit with the Bible. Nobody could answer my questions, and I didn’t like thinking of God as someone as petty and masochistic as the bible made him sound. So I began my search. It didn’t take long till I stumbled across paganism. It fit with what I’d always believed anyway, and it just felt right. I remember the first time I heard the Charge of the Goddess by Starhawk I broke down in tears (Very unlike me for anyone who knows me). I didn’t tell my family at first. I let them see me get into herbalism, and Astrology- they even let me do their birth charts. Then I let them see my tarot cards, and they occasionally saw me doing readings (My mother refuses to let me read her) I read for some of my aunts though. For the most part I hid it till I was 18 and safely in the Air Force where I could practice openly- even going to a wiccan service once in basic training. When I got out, I gave my Dad a book by Scott Cunningham called “the truth about witchcraft” which tells the history and reality of wicca and paganism, and tells parents and family how to handle discovering that they have a pagan family member. So now more than 10 years after I first chose paganism as a way of life My family chooses largely to forget that I’m pagan. I’m sure some of them don’t even know. I’ve suffered some prejudice because of my faith, but for the most part I keep it to myself. I wear a Goddess that I never take off, but nobody recognizes it, so I don’t get any comments. I look forward to the day when it’s recognized, but not met with hostility
BB

Answer 10

My daughter is 12 and has decided to follow me in being wiccan. Not so long ago she wanted to be a nun then a vicar now a wiccan (lets see how long it lasts.) What ever she decides to believe is her right and I will not judge her for it as that is my belief. We don't flaunt our beliefs unless its to people of like mind as people can be judgemental and I'm not sure kids understand what it's all about anyway. My family have never asked me what my religion or beliefs are and I have never asked them. It doesn't change who we are.

Answer 11

I have always been drawn to Wicca. When I was 18 I went to live with my Great Grandma in Ireland and she taught me for about a year. Then when I moved back in with my mom I was unable to practice the craft. Now that I am married I am able to practice my craft. My Mom and Dad do not understand how I can turn my back on God. I was very active in their church and ever served a mission. However, I am the happiest in Wicca. So my parent do not support my decision to be a Witch but my husband does. As for persecuted, I live in the bible belt. My Boss is a Pat Robertson fan and thinks I am going to hell and tells me every day.

Blessed Be )O(