casra asked this question on 5/17/2000:

Well, I had a peek at the xianity side of things. One woman is freaking out because her 18 year old son is getting into Wicca and wants to know how to make him get out of it. One, Father Chuck I believe, is actually stating that wiccans will actually put "demon attached pins under his skin to follow him around. And they tell him that if he tries to remove them he'll die, and many kids believe it so much that they do die." Wonder if he means body piercing????

I can hardly believe it in this day and age! I get the feeling this is the same sort that said abot Dunguens and Dragons books, "If you burn them they scream!" And that the figurines wake up at night and walk around!

She's asking questions about wicca, shouldn't we at least give her the Whole Truth?

WickerMan gave this response on 5/17/2000:

Merry Meet.

Consider this woman's son a casualty of war. This is -NOT- a war against Christians and neo-Pagans: it is a war against ignorance and understanding. We will never win this fight, and yet we must still engage in the battle. To do otherwise is to surrender to darkness.

As for going into the forum and trying to help this woman understand, that is futile but perhaps worth the effort. Not every one will fail to benefit from the attempt, even if the woman herself fails.

I will ask Desertphile to go there and answer the woman's query. He is very good, and not prone to lose perspective.

Blessed Be.

WickerMan gave this follow-up answer on 5/17/2000:

Merry Meet.

I just looked at the "answers" there. Yowza! Talk about 13th century mentality. You'd think these folks never hear about television, germs, and bathing.

I also see that Desertphile already answered the question.

Blessed Be.

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Desertphile gave this response on 5/17/2000:

Greetings.

First off, I have what you will consider good news for you: Anyone who tells your 18-year-old son that Wiccans "do spells" is obviously not a Wiccan, and therefore your son is not "dabbling in Wicca."

Secondly, please note that I am Wiccan and have been for very nearly 15 years. I am Wiccan clergy; I perform weddings, funerals, and other services for Wiccans in the community. Such other services includes marriage counseling, mental health counseling, economic counseling, conflict resolution, charity organization and distribution, and numerous other fuctions. We have a woman's shelter for abused women and their children; we distribute blankets to the homeless at the start of Winter; we do what we can to ease the suffering of those in need.

I mention these things because I wish you to understand that I am not "evil;" I am not anti-Christianity; I am not anti- humanity (I have a deep, passionate love for the health and well-being of my fellow human beings); I am not out to harm you, your son, your pet, your family, your neighbors, nor anything you consider "you and yours."

Let me address your concern. First off, if you son suddenly started calling himself "a witch," I suggest to you that this is just "a phase" that is concidered "the rebellious phase," and it very probably not a serious committment to Wicca. Wicca is a very difficult religion, as it requires a good heart, strong ethics and morals, and a meticulously held vow of honesty and ethical behavior---- very few 18-year-olds have the desire, nor the ability, to meet those goals, and will cease considering themselves "Wiccan" when they learn the job requires too much love, time, compassion, and high moral and ethical standards from them.

You then wrote about Wiccans "doing spells." Wiccans as a rule do not "do spells." I have been an active and agressive teacher and student of Wicca for 15 years, and I can only recall ever doing "a spell" twice, and those were self-affirmations such as what most Christian book stores sell on 3X5 cards. It's the same thing in general. Wiccans do no "do spells."

If you object to your son worshiping as he pleases, tell him why you object. However, please not that it seems HIGHLY unlikely to me that he is serious in his "Wicca," and he will lose interest by himself. You ask "What do I do?" The answer to that is always the same: talk to him! Please do not "lecture" him: tell him calmly and rationally why you object. Ask him just how serious he is in his new-found religion. Tell him your opinions on the issue. If you still object, tell him that you are still his parent, and still set the rules, and that he is to abide by them.

That said, please understand that Wicca is not a problem. It may even be very very good for him. It depends on how he approaches the religion. If he is not serious, he will get nothing out of it and will be no more worse off or better off than exploring and rejecting any of a thousand other religions. If he is serious about Wicca, nothing but good will come from it: he will be a better man for it.

So please do consider taking my advice: talk to him and let him know what your opinions are and where you are "coming from." Then try to understand where he is "coming from" as well. This is only reasonable. Communication is obviously the first step.

Post Script:

For info about Wicca, please see:

http://holysmoke.org/wicca/wicca_defense.html