WHAT IS WITCH CRAFT

PAGE CONTENTS

i. WHAT IS WITCH CRAFT

ii.IS WITCH CRAFT REAL??

iii. FEAR OF WITCH CRAFT? WHY FEAR IT ?

iv.SOME MYTHS ABOUT WITCHES

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What is Witchcraft, Really

By Szidonia Curtis
It is with great amazement that even in this day age Witchcraft is deemed as something evil. People who practice this faith are often believed to be worshipping the devil or the underworld.
There could be nothing further form the truth. Like in all aspects of life, you get a few bad apples, but this does not mean that an entire faith should be pigeonholed into the evil category.
Witchcraft, as a whole is a very gentle and fun faith. You will never find people practicing this faith standing on street corners or shouting from rooftops, trying to convert you. They are quite happy to get on with their faith in their own way. Should people wish to join, they are welcomed with open arms and they are not judged. You are not forced to leave all your beliefs behind. You are given the opportunity to make up your own mind in your own time. You are not expected to join a coven, you can practise the faith in your own home in your own time.
Witchcraft is based on nature and is a faith that works with nature as opposed to against it. It does not involve black magic. Yes, it does involve magic, but it is magic that is freely available in the universe. It is a faith that is against doing harm to others or any other living thing, be it animal or plant.
Contrary to what you see in the movies, Witches do not fly around on brooms and neither do they change their form. They do not bring the dead back to life. Further more, an upside down pentagram is not a sign or symbol of Witchcraft. It makes me really sad when people actually believe all the things they see in the movies. The pentagram used by Witches is the right way up. Each point represents part of nature namely, earth, wind, fire, water and yourself.
I find it very ignorant when people assume a faith to be rubbish or evil when they know nothing about it. I find this frustrating and an insult. Personally, I believe that a person without knowledge is a danger to themselves and everybody around them. So before one decides to rubbish a particular faith, it may be worth their while to do their research and read up on the subject. After that, they are entitled to their opinion and can have their fifteen minutes of fame, either way. There are a number of sites out there that have a lot of information about the subject, so before you chose to insult someone about their faith whilst knowing nothing about it, it recommend that you read up on it.
Have been studying Witchcraft since 1999. Find it very interesting and enlightening. Feel free to distribute this article in any form as long as you include the resource box. http://witchesworld.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArtic

Is Witchcraft Real?

Today Witchcraft is both a Religion and a way of life practiced by an increasing number of people throughout the world. The answer to the question, is witchcraft real, would be yes, as it is a belief system and thus is real if people believe it to be.
Witchcraft is close to paganism and would be classified as an unorthodox religion in that context. There are many different variations of witchcraft from older more traditional ways to the more modern and somewhat more popular types.
Traditional witchcraft has it's roots in Britain where it has been practiced for centuries and was the predominant way of life up until the Middle Ages. In medieval times some witches went to more extreme lengths with their practices and would use blood in their rituals to summon evil spirits for help. These practices allowed the church powers of the time to denounce witchcraft as heresy which had far reaching consequences and led to the slaughter of thousands of innocent people.
Witchcraft, out of necessity, became a more hidden society to survive. Anti witchcraft laws remained in force in England until 1951 when they were repealed. The last known person to be convicted was Jane Rebecca Yorke in 1944.
The Witchcraft Act remained in force in the Republic of Ireland until 1983 and the British Law is still in force today in Israel, which gained it's independence prior to the laws being repealed in 1951.
The fact that so many countries made specific laws against witchcraft and that it is mentioned in the writings of many other different religions answers the question, is witchcraft real, more than anything else. Christianity in particular denounced witches as heretics which means that if you are a Christian then you acknowledge the existence of witchcraft.
Witchcraft is definately real as a way of life and a religion as it is practiced by millions of people world wide in one form or another, be it traditional or more modern. More information on witchcraft and its beliefs can be found at Is Witchcraft Real.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Oliver_Trescombe

Fear of Witchcraft - Why Fear It?

By Trevor Johnson

Do you have a fear of witchcraft?

That is all because you are not familiar with it. You see, in order to conquer a fear or a phobia, so to speak, learning general information will help you out. We personally know true information on witchcraft that may help you get over those fears you have. Would you like to learn the knowledge we have? Well, would you like to get over that phobia you have? If so, then continue reading this article.
First of all, witchcraft is nothing that you should be afraid of. Whenever witchcraft is practiced in a religion form, do you know what it is called? It's called Wicca, which is also the Old English terminology that is used for witch. There are so many negative stereotypes society has laid out for witchcraft and that is the reason you have this phobia.
Believe it is not, Wicca (or witchcraft) is a religion that primarily worships nature. In fact, witches (that's what they call them), view every living creation as if they are sacred. Also, when you look at the Wiccan holy days, you will find that they follow the nature cycles as well as the changing of the seasons. Wiccans are known for worshipping both the male and female deity. There is a female Goddess and a male God and they both created the world that we live in.
When you look at witchcraft, you should not view it as black or white. It is a religion that has respect for Mother Nature and she is neither negative or positive and this is the same for the witches. Yes, spells are used by Wiccans and they also conduct a series of prayers and rituals. However, what you do not realize is the fact that those spells have to be within the rules of the witchcraft code of conduct. This means that any spells that are used in order to harm a living being is forbidden. If you have a fear of witchcraft, then you definitely need to rethink this phobia you have. You see, there are so many unique things about it. Being afraid of them is a lot like being afraid of an angel that would never hurt you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Trevor_Johnson

Some Myths About Witches

By Alison Yates



Misconceptions about Witches can cause many people to fear and distrust anyone who practices Witchcraft, Wicca, or someone who claims to be a Witch. Like most prejudices, such fear and distrust is borne out of ignorance and misinformation.
There are many myths associated with Witchcraft, which help to promote and fuel this fear and misunderstanding. Here are some of the worst.

Witches practice evil sorcery and can put a curse on you

No one can put a curse on another, but certainly not a witch! Witches must abide by the ethical principle of their craft, the most important of which is not to harm anyone.
Witchcraft, amongst other things, involves the teaching, learning and developing of spells, rituals and a lifestyle to promote well-being, health and happiness. For example, a witch can perform a ritual to help ward off disease and illness. Similarly, Christians believe that a religious leader in their congregation can heal by anointing.
A true Witch would never consider putting a curse on another person.

Witches are Satanist

The belief that witches were associated with Satanism, devil worship and the promotion of evil was probably first spread and encouraged by clerics in medieval Europe. The Christian religious hierarchy saw witchcraft as a direct threat to the authority of Christianity and therefore their authority in society. This was an attempt to turn society away from the practice of witchcraft.
In fact, modern witchcraft in particular is very far removed from the worship of an evil force. Witchcraft worships and honours nature in all its beauty and variety.
Witches don't believe in the devil, but rather, worship nature in its symbolic manifestation as Earth God and Earth Goddess.

Witchcraft and Wicca are the same thing

Although based on some ancient pagan beliefs, Wicca is a modern religion created around the 1950s in Northern Europe. Wicca has become synonymous with witches, although historical references to witchcraft predates Wicca by hundreds of years. A common interpretation of the relationship between the terms Wicca and Witchcraft is that Wiccans practice the religion of Witchcraft.

Most witches are warty old crones with green skin and a hooked nose

The proportion of attractive to less attractive people amongst the Witch fraternity is almost certainly the same as the proportion in the community at large. The appearance of witches as green skinned old crones is a fiction most popularly illustrated in such works as William Shakespeare's Macbeth, and L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

All Witches gather in groups of 13, called a Witches Coven

Unlike most of the big religions in the world, witchcraft can be a solitary following. Many practicing witches, or those wishing to learn the Craft, gather together in groups to mutually develop and promote their beliefs. Similar to a Christian Congregation, in Witchcraft such groups are called Witches Covens. Such a gathering can be of any number though, and not all witches belong to a Coven at all.
You can join a Coven and learn White Witchcraft and become a Witch. Join the Green Witches Coven - it's FREE!
Visit http://www.alizons-psychic-secrets.com/coven.html