ms_emt asked this question on 5/16/2000:

Blessings from our lord above to those who attempt to help me! My problem is my son-18 yr.old just told me that he is a witch and also his girlfriend of one month. He was raised in an christian enviroment and accepted Christ at approx. age 14. He says that these witches(wicca) only do good spells on themselves. I believe there is only one God and that any magic/power recieved from other sources is evil. I don't know what to do! I know that it promises if you teach a child the right path to take that he will come back to it and I know to pray. He says that he did this two weeks ago., and I asked him if he still believes in God,Christ and his salvation and he said yes, but I'm not so sure that he isn't just telling me what I want to hear. Please help me and let me know if there is anything I can do further. Thank you to those who answer my question and may the Lord bless you!

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.

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

Post Script:

For info about Wicca, please see:

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

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

Post Post Script:

You have received some very odd replies to your query, and I'm rather astonished that some have even suggested that you are "dealing with evil." Your son is not evil; his exploration of religion other than what you approve of is not evil--- please always keep that in mind. You probably love him, or are at least very fond of him: keep that forever in your mind when talking to him about your concers.

One particularly good reply you received was http://www1.AskMe.com/ViewAnswer.asp?VID=1044582 by "lizmarc" and another was by Dyonisya at http://www1.AskMe.com/ViewAnswer.asp?VID=1053034 Please read their replies and contemplate them. As for the others, I find them full of ignorance and religious bigotry that if they themselves were on the receiving end would call "hate." Please take the time to seperate the wheat from the chaff.

Thank you for your attention.

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