I hate this.
I hate this set of rules that some pagans put on others. These rules and sets of judgements in order for someone to call themselves a practitioner of the craft is oppressive.
I recently read “a real witch harms none.” A real witch “acknowledges karma.” A real witch owns this tool or that star.
Let me tell you something: All of those statements are wrong.
First of all: Karma belongs to Asian religions, and unless you are of an Asian faith blend or background, using one idea from Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, or Taoism and not others areas of that religion (and have no cultural or immersive experience) is *clears throat* CULTURAL APPROPRIATION.
I know, you don’t want to hear that. I am aware that you feel the use of karma as a part of every day social and societal norms of the ‘western world’ because karma is a completely integrated concept. This integration does not excuse that it is part of another culture and is used to benefit or in spite of other cultures. If you don’t have other aspects of these eastern religions fully integrated into your work as well, then karma should not be in your ethical arsenal. “beware of your karma” is a racially oppressive and culturally offensive comment. Back off, Betsy, and check yourself.
Also, these rules stating that witches don’t harm people is incorrect. All people harm people. Some of us try not to, and some of us try to. Harm is not where we draw the line for being a witch. This rule is, however, for Wiccans.
ALL WITCHES ARE NOT WICCAN.
So, you Wiccans out there: Please stop imposing your beliefs onto all witches. That is what the Christians did starting in 70AD. Stop it. You can do you. But let other pagans do themselves.
Witch is a much broader term to specifically associate with NATURE and the energies of this world. All of the energies, even the chaotic ones.
Nature harms
Nature creates life
Nature takes life away
Nature has spirit
Nature has energy
Nature has predators
Nature has prey
Nature can nurture, torture, disease, and cure.
The witch does these things, too. Even if you elect not to, having a complete understanding (or working towards it, because who ever understands ALL parts of nature?) means you are a witch. Witches have the ability to do all of these things (or, again, a student of nature and its magical secrets and counterparts), also because if we ARE really one with nature. That doesn’t mean we sit outside and make love under the moon (at least not me because I don’t like to get dirty or get bit by bugs). “One with” just means moving with nature, moving with people, moving with animals and weather, and understanding (or trying to understand) the ways nature wants to move.
We are those who grow and can give disease. We can mend and twist but we can rest and heal. We have choices. Stop telling people they are not witches because they don’t fit YOUR belief system or YOUR ethics. Nature and spirit.
And all the chaos and order that nature is.
We love trees because their beauty is mathematically a part of chaos. We love butterflies because their beauty is mathematically a part of order. We also fear what is organized and what is chaotic as well. To say that a witch harms none means that you live in a bubble of lies. Just being here harms something. Do you create to give back? Well, by attacking someone else *clears throat again* YOU ARE HARMING THEM!
Therefore, those who go out of their way to attack other pagans to scold them about ‘harm,’ well, you are harming another practitioner of the craft with your bullying and your judgement, and therefore is also a hypocrite. Mind your own business and stick to your relationship with nature. Leave my babies witches alone.
Chaos, order, creation, and destruction... Denying the harmful parts of life means denying being a witch. This is me coming for you. Back down and let people be.
Oh, and one more thing: Don’t bully others based on what they don’t know, yet. We are all on the path to discovery, Betsy. Back down and let people continue to learn and evolve.
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