The True Spirit of Halloween, for Real Witches

The Onion video was outrageous! I'm still laughing!!!

paulmccartneylives,
that's great. the onion is always funny. we HAVE lost the true meaning of halloween.

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/in_the_know_has_halloween_become

ah, the irony

Any kind of conscious manipulation can be considered unethical. Most witches will say "for the good of all, according the the free will of all" or some permutation whenever they do magick. While a lot of our religion is cobbled together from a variety of sources, including the Freemasons, Golden Dawn, and other "secret societies" that were prevalent in the early 1900's, the idea of "harm none" is actually much older. I would assume that it was a safeguard against repercussions if a person that came to you for healing died. Unfortunately, there was a lot of blame and scapegoating back in the Middle Ages, and the traditional healers bore the brunt of it.

While it is true that "...the pagan celebration of Samhain predates Halloween and All Saints' Day," most Americans are celebrating an event whose origins are rooted in a Catholic holy day, not its pagan precedent.

Not that any of that matters. Halloween, these days is an excuse to dress up in silly costumes and gorge on candy and/or alcohol. I doubt many people are in church praying or participating in Starhawk's spiral dance ritual.

Ah, as I drop in with a few belated holiday blessings, I see lots of confused stuff here.

A lot of it's pretty much summed up by a statement early on: "As such, I imagine Wiccanism is simply "anything goes, etc etc""

Our detractors generally vociferously rail against what they *imagine* about us. That's no way to understand anything :)

Blessed be, everyone. ;)

sgitana, you said,
"Hexes are cast as an intent to harm. And when I practiced, I did so on my own. I didn't consort with others, I didn't gather with others. I didn't worship a god or goddess....."

are you saying that you could have "cast hexes" if you had wanted to? did you cast hexes? did they "work"? have you seen "withcraft" work?

and @noHUCKABEEnoVOTE:
Women are still 'persecuted' in the church thanks to a lot of misinterpretation of 2 Timothy 2 regarding Paul's letter talking about not allowing women to teach men, Eve being the one bringing 'sin' and 'evil' into the world, and all that loveliness. Which, btw, has nothing to do with the poor English translation of that passage.

'Hexing' isn't practiced as far as I know by Wiccans due to the general idea of 'First, do no harm' idea. This goes hand in hand with the command of 'Love the LRD your G-d with all your heart, soul, and mind' and 'Love your neighbor as yourself' which Christ commanded. No one would wish to harm his neighbor intentionally unless he were a sociopath. Hexes are cast as an intent to harm. And when I practiced, I did so on my own. I didn't consort with others, I didn't gather with others. I didn't worship a god or goddess. I made up my own laws and rules. I then did my research and learned what it meant. Many Wiccans self-style or borrow from other cultures, just as xtianity did. Compare the stories to the creation myths of other religions, the virgin births of other cultures, the resurrections of other gods. There are many forms of Wicca just as there are many forms/denominations of xtianity. They do not create an image of their own as you proclaim.

Oh, and the whole 'May Pole' thing has nothing to do with Samhain. That's May Day which was a fertility festival (what do you think a maypole was supposed to represent?). As an xtian/pagan and Wiccan/current xtian, please do your research before you start giving my religion a bad name. Or at least get off my side.

I am not G-d, I never will be G-d, and I do not place myself in his place. It is not my place to judge what he thinks, will do, or how everything will end up. Nor will I stand aside and let someone speak for him in such a manner. It is Pharisaical.

To the rest, Blessed Be, Merry Meet and Merry Meet Again. My apologies for any conversion by concussion that may happen. This is not how we all are.

Speaking of real is Satan real?

I'm glad to see that Starhawk, the supposed 'anti-capitalist', again takes advantage of the opportunity to promote her books. Why is this woman even relevent anymore? There are plenty of credible pagans who are literate and can put together a piece of work for the Post. Let's hear more from them and not from someone like Starhawk, who sold out long ago.

I find all superstition frightening in this day and age.

@ Gibo:
Harry Potter books 'witchcraft'? Wow. Maybe I'm missing something here...

I grew up with my parents reading 'The Chronicles of Narnia' to me. If anything with the name 'witch' in it is considered witchcraft, then these books would qualify. Or the Trilogy of the Rings. Or anything having to do with fairy tales.

Back when I was in fifth grade, I was taught the biblical story of King Saul and the Witch of Endor. King Saul had issued a decree that all witches should be put to death. However, there was a time when he was in great fear for his life due to the popularity of David who soon would become king after him. Saul went to consult the witch who recognized him. Saul didn't kill the witch, and she summoned the spirit of Samuel, a great prophet long deceased. She was quite frightened upon seeing this spirit. The thought was that this was the real spirit of Samuel, not one of her 'familiars'.

Why do I share this story with you xtians? Because I was taught that yes, witchcraft was evil and wrong and bad. But I was intrigued by this story.

I immediately went home and tried my hand at necromancy. It wasn't fiction that sparked my interest in the occult. It was the Bible. Far more interesting stuff in there than any child's book, especially if you keep reading where the Sunday school teacher stops the flannelgraph lesson.

noHUCKABEEnoVOTE says,
"....but they don't require RITUALS AND A DANCE AROUND THE MAY POLE to work."

people are quick to spot the silliness of others' silly beliefs, but can't see the silliness of their own silly beliefs.

jesus even warned of this phenomenon with his "plank in your own eye" comment.

The name noHUCKABEEnoVOTE perfectly explains this poster's ignorance and bigotry. I have liked every Wiccan/Pagan that I have met here. But 'Christians' such as this one? No.

Athena... Interesting that you should say "Mostly Women " were persecuted.

People were "TAUGHT TO FEAR "
...because people were being POISONED by the so called "LOCAL HEALERS" that needed to be
... " PUT OUT OF BUSINESS
... because the so called " ETHICs "

But apparently the 3x rule worked cause as you can see ... they were " PUT OUT OF BUSINESS."

You contradict your claim that it was " PROPAGANDA" by admitting that you know of attempts to "HEX" and " SPELLS" ect .

If there is no "CONSORTING" , how are these ... " HEXES" practiced ?

Where do you claim to take the power from ? Some image YOU made ?

If the power comes from an image YOU made ... why do you have to fallow rules?

Who writes these ETHICS 3x RULES ? By what authority ?

The remedies and herbs to make them DO come from the earth ... GOD MADE THEM FOR THAT PUROPSE .... THE BIBLE SAYS SO ....but they don't require RITUALS AND A DANCE AROUND THE MAY POLE to work.

Oh but people do fear witches and other pagan religions. Not atheists though. It takes the ability to believe in spooks to believe other spooks exist.

GOD LAUGHS at the silliness of Pagan rituals and their idols !

ISIAH 44:8
"FEAR YE NOT neither be afraid : have not I told thee from that time that , and have declared it ? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a god beside me ? yea, there is no God; I know not any ."
9
They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable THINGS shall not profit ; and they are their own witnesses ; they see not , nor know ; that they may be ashamed.
10
Who hath formed a god, or or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing ?

GIBO - WHERE IS YOUR FAITH ?

If you trust in Jesus , and you have asked him to be the LORD OF YOUR LIFE.... why would you think that " SPIRITS" could be allowed to possess you ? Jesus said

Go look at the GARDEN PRAYER ... he prayed for you and your family when he said "all those who come because of them" ... JESUS HIMSELF prayed for all of Gods Children.

" BEHOLD I GIVE (((YOU))) POWER "

"REBUKE THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU "

GIBO - Spirits only have power that (((YOU))) give them permission to have . And if you have JESUS in you ... what makes you think they are stronger ?

The CREATED are not stronger than the CREATOR .

Why would you think you need a RITUAL to get rid of spirits?

IF God has joined YOU with HIMSELF ... how could you think such things ?

"YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE"

The children of GOD are not going to be separated from CHRIST .

"MY SHEEP KNOW MY VOICE AND ANOTHER VOICE , THEY WILL NOT FALLOW."

"YOU HAVE NOT CHOSEN ME .... I HAVE CHOSEN YOU "

It is FEAR that makes you think those silly things... and Jesus said "FEAR NOT ... I am with you always"

In the old days, as in some countries today, people were taught to fear the local healers by the Church and medical establishment. Any person, but mostly women, who knew how to heal with natural remedies was dubbed a "witch", and tales were told that they cast evil spells on people, consorted with demons, etc. It was all propaganda to force them out of business.

That's not to say that there aren't such things as hexes, love spells, etc. But any ethical practitioner will tell you that you can't force anyone's will, and that what you send out comes back 3x over.

"If you allow your children to practice witchcraft even Harry Potters 'junior stuff' the child will eventuially open doors...and out come the spirit powers."

Oh, please. The HP books teach about fighting against prejudice, friendship, loyalty, and the value of family. They're "Star Wars" for this generation. It's no more real than Jedi Knights and lightsabers.

That being said, if the HP books ARE true, where the heck is my house elf? :D

starhawk,
the reason people dont "fear" witches anymore is because, for some reason, witches don't/can't cast spells on people anymore.... now, witches are just garden-variety pagans.

in the old days, when people believed in magic and "witch"craft, witches were much scarier...

The Wiccan symbol has recently been added to the list of symbols that can be placed on the tombstones of our war dead in the national cemetaries. But apparently those who want to place a cross on public lands don't want company.

Axeldc...
They call themselves "witches", but have no more magical powers than I do...

They call themselves priests and until the 6th or 7th century of their faith, magic was pretty common...Read your Bede for a contemporary account.

Sadly, in our modern age, the priesthood is known more for pedophilia than magical power.

unstablefan wrote:
Many of my friends are practicing Wiccans...They do not see the need to pretend to be connecting to long-dead traditions.

Un...I administer the facilities use at a Unitarian Church. I am totally non-spiritual. My personal beief is that any world view that includes "spiritism" is pretty much "voodoo". That includes Christianity, Hinduism and yes Wicca.

Having said that, my job is to provide a welcoming place for all while "cheerleading" for none.

Starhawk is the first speaker I've hosted that required off-site parking, traffic wardens and a closed-cicuit-audio overflow room. There is obviously a following for "long dead traditions". We've hosted noted speakers from all faith traditions and Starhawk has broken all attendance numbers.

Rabbi Hillel:
What is hateful to yourself, do not do to your fellow man.

Wicca:
Do as you will if it harms none.

I work with campus outreach in the UU movement. The Wiccan students are universally polite and considerate. The leader of the group here volunteered so much time to the upkeep of the church that at the age of 23, he was put in charge of buildings and grounds. He has a budget and organizes all clean-up days and contracted repair and housekeeping.

My experience with the Wiccan/Pagan community has been overwhelmingly positive.

I consider myself a good christian who has 3 good wican friends. We compliment each other. Now I have Penticostal friends also but find that they are so busy chasing satin they forgot who the Father/Great spirit and Jesus are. I love what Mother Theresa said. " I love all religions, I just happen to be in love with mine" .

I disagree. Nancy Pelosi scares the hell out of me.

Here in Washington, D.C., we have school Chancellor Michelle Rhee and her famous broom. Programeed to sweep any educator over 39 out of a job, no matter how significant their contribution. It doesn't get much scarier than that.

elizdelphi wrote,

Wicca is centered on the related precept "do as you will if it harms none." This is one step up from "do as you will" but it would be very absurd to claim this moral vacuousness is equivalent to Christian teaching which requires a total rejection of evil...

And I thank you for proving my point, that so many 'Christians' are blathering bigots, while so many Pagans are hugely decent. If you cannot understand their basic principle, then you do not understand wrong, injury, or sin itself.

I am a proud Christian, one who knows that all of us are God's children. I strongly suggest that you follow MLK's great line, that you judge people by their character and not by your preconceived beliefs.

Wicca is not in any reasonable sense pre-Christian, though its founders drew on eclectic religious sources including accounts of ancient religions. Wicca was the brainchild of Aliester Crowley, a flamboyant turn of the century Brit who had decisively rejected the Christianity of his youth and dramatized that rejection through his invention of an array of decidedly counter-Christian religious philosophies, which also included some vaguely satanic variants on the "neo-Pagan" theme, complete with "black mass" and centered on the amoral precept "do as you will shall be the whole of the law." I saw a news article recently that the angry young son of a Christian family massacred several people at a church with one of Crowley's books in his pocket, which promoted this concept. I've personally met some committed practitioners of Crowley's "Thelema" religion who practiced a black mass and I found these individuals chilling and their beliefs abhorrent.

Wicca is centered on the related precept "do as you will if it harms none." This is one step up from "do as you will" but it would be very absurd to claim this moral vacuousness is equivalent to Christian teaching which requires a total rejection of evil, and total commitment of oneself to do the loving will of God (even when that's truly counter to one's self-will, as when Jesus prayed "Father, if it is possible let this cup [his torture and death by crucifixion] pass away from me, nevertheless not my will but your will be done.").

Starhawk has made a career as an apologist or "theologian" for neo-paganism but there is no way to dress up this tradition as comparable in moral content and human and social value (much less truth) vs any of the major world religions. There are people with good qualities and many good intentions and good human values involved with neo-paganism, along with people with baser motives. It doesn't do a great deal to call anyone beyond their selfish tendencies, in the end, it is primarily a philosophy spiritualizing selfishness, sensuality, and ego, that values doing good insofar as it makes the person feel good, but without particularly insisting that one must do good.

Gibo,

Actually is is your stuff that is foolish.

"Many pentecostal christian churches still do exorcisms to set people free in the Name of Jesus."

They are fools conning gullible folk.

"Dnt be THICK...keep your child away from witchcraft!"

The only thickness here is your garbage.

spamsuz1 wrote: "Did Starhawk use her supernatural powers to "hawk" her wares here instead of the classifieds? "
===========================================
The grocery stores have been overtaken by candy, every house on our block has a purchased Halloween display, and tomorrow night the streets will be full of kids in costumes (many of them dressed as witches). A practicing witch weighs in on the history and religion behind the custom... and you accuse her of commercialism? What exactly is she selling? I am not a Wiccan, but I have read a bit about the pre-Christian religious and spiritual practices that Starhawk describes, and I can't imagine a more timely piece. No one taught me anything about the ancient religious practices that predate our cheesy Halloween displays when I was a child.

..er, synonyms? (Sorry!)

pgr88 wrote: ""...it's all "pre-christian" so there is no continuous or written history, probably no "scripture" and certainly no academic history or consensus to build on."
============================================
You do realize that "pre-christian" and "prehistoric" are not synomyms, right?

"In general, speaking for myself, I find a religion that encourages people to do good things in the world, be careful of harming others, and give the dogma a rest kind of refreshing."

Agreed, gimpi. I am Christian, but the Wiccans and Pagans I have met here on line are all hugely decent people. This is more than I can say about many of my fellow Christians. People should listen to MLK, and judge people by their character, not by preconceived notions.

"...it's all "pre-christian" so there is no continuous or written history, probably no "scripture" and certainly no academic history or consensus to build on. As such, I imagine Wiccanism is simply "anything goes," made up pretty much on-the-spot, and subject to the whims and fancy of any mentally unstable practioner."
Posted by pgr88

Pgr88, I'm no expert, but I have read that what I understand is the Wiccan equivalent of the golden rule is: "As you harm none, do what you will," and "What you send out into the world will return to you eight-fold." So, harming none should take the edge off those "whims and fancys," and that eight-fold return should act as a bit of an insentive for doing good, and a disinsentive for causing any harm. I know Starhawk herself has quite a record as a volunteer, building housing, doing disaster relief and such.

Also, I assure you, "mentally unstable practioners" populate any religion, and indeed, any group on the planet. Were you unaware of that?

In general, speaking for myself, I find a religion that encourages people to do good things in the world, be careful of harming others, and give the dogma a rest kind of refreshing.

Are you a stupid parent?

If you allow your children to practice witchcraft even Harry Potters 'junior stuff' the child will eventuially open doors...and out come the spirit powers.
Then youve got major problems.
As the spirit latches on, the victim gets a voice that wont go away.
In the end all thats left, after all the psychiatrists have finished with your child, you will have to get the child to an exorcism.
Many pentecostal christian churches still do exorcisms to set people free in the Name of Jesus.
Dont be THICK...keep your child away from witchcraft!

Oops, almost forgot: Joyful Samhain, Miriam!

Wicca is "fun" religion, and it speaks to me as an Irishman. But the above commentator is quite correct: Wicca, as we know it, was invented by Gerald Gardner in 1950s England.

Thanks for the link; it's always nice to learn about this interesting and peaceful religion.

Wingardium Leviosa!

How is "truth" derived in the Wiccan religion? Like most new-age things, there is no tradition, it's all "pre-christian" so there is no continuous or written history, probably no "scripture" and certainly no academic history or consensus to build on. As such, I imagine Wiccanism is simply "anything goes," made up pretty much on-the-spot, and subject to the whims and fancy of any mentally unstable practioner.

Am I wrong?

"...the pagan celebration of Samhain predates Halloween and All Saints' Day. This is another of those holidays, like Christmas and Easter, that Christianity adapted to its own calendar to coerce pagans into converting."

Quite true. We Christians seldom give our Pagan friends the credit they deserve.

Hi, Wiccan,

Last year I lit a candle - I will do the same this year. No bad thing, in my opinion!

Merry Meet and Brightest Blessings to all!

Note to kids this Halloween: If the house is made out of gingerbread... RUN!

They call themselves "witches", but have no more magical powers than I do.

Jobro1 wrote: The "true spirit of Halloween" is rooted in a Roman Catholic holy day--it's the eve of the Feast of All Saints.
***
Sorry, bud, but the pagan celebration of Samhain predates Halloween and All Saints' Day. This is another of those holidays, like Christmas and Easter, that Christianity adapted to its own calendar to coerce pagans into converting.

"Starhawk" has a paying gig that interests some grown-up adolescents enough to fork over their dough to her. Unfortunately, there is a powerful, malevolent reality at the base of paganism and witchcraft whose name is well-known but ridiculed today - all to the advantage of the Father of Lies and to the detriment/peril of humanity.

Honestly, I'm surprised to see that Starhawk blogs here at the Washington Post. She is at the forefront of a movement to obfuscate the "neo" in neopaganism and falsely claim that her contemporary, manufactured religion has strong ties to ancient Europe. Many of my friends are practicing Wiccans, but they understand that they are participated in a cultural dialogue and spiritual conversation with each other, with nature, and with their environments, even in the heart of New York City where several of them now live. They do not see the need to pretend to be connecting to long-dead traditions.

I also find it interesting that Starhawk refers to her faith specifically as "pre-Christian." I understand that Christianity is the dominant American religion, but to single it out suggests to me that she may have a political adgenda.

Neo-paganism has no unbroken lineage to pre-Christian roots. It's a 20th century invention of the brit Gerald Gardner. Read Hutton's excellent "Triumph of the Moon."

That said, whatever floats your boat.

Wow, 30 years? Dang, I feel old!

Blessed be and a Blessed Samhain to all!

Ooops! below is the edited version...

The "true spirit of Halloween" is rooted in a Roman Catholic holy day--it's the eve of the Feast of All Saints. Of course the word "Halloween" comes from the contraction of "All Hallows Evening."

The "true spirit of Halloween" is rooted in a Roman Catholic holy day--it's the eve of the Feast of All Saints. Of course the word "Halloween" come the contraction of "All Hallows Evening."

Kathryn is right. Witches meet in the shadow of the Capitol as well as Coit Tower. Why not a post from Washington attorney and Wiccan Hecate, who blogs about this every day?

Starhawk speaks of "real witches".
Most people think of witches as having supernatural powers.

Did Starhawk use her supernatural powers to "hawk" her wares here instead of the classifieds?

I always appreciate hearing from Starhawk. The list of links provided, however, reminds me that we have many active leaders in the pagan community right here in DC. It would be great if the Washington Post could approach them to provide a more local perspective on the events that take place in our area during Samhain and the upcoming winter holidays.