quotations about witches & witchcraft
The SA Law Reform Commission says these pastors tell congregants they have animals in their bellies, especially snakes, because of witches they do not identify. According to the commission, these charismatic churches promise to protect congregants from all forms of evil, including witchcraft. The commission has recommended that the government introduces a new law -- the Prohibition of Harmful Practices Associated with Witchcraft Beliefs Bill -- to stop people from being accused of being witches, prevent violence relating to witchcraft claims and criminalise witchcraft. In terms of the proposed new law, approaching a sangoma to declare someone else a witch will be punishable by up to five years' imprisonment.
LOYISO SIDIMBA
"A government commission has accused controversial churchmen -- pastors Paseka 'Mboro' Motsoeneng, Lesego Daniel and Chris Oyakhilome -- of reinforcing belief in witchcraft", Sowetan Live, January 30, 2016
It is an accurate statement that the followers of Witchcraft do not usually proselytize, which means you aren't going to find us standing on your local street corner thumping our Books of Shadows. Nor do you have to worry about jumping out of the shower to answer our serene and smiling faces at the door with your clothes stuck to various uncomfortable places on your wet body. But just because we (hopefully) aren't the forcible type doesn't mean we don't exist.
SILVER RAVENWOLF
To Ride a Silver Broomstick: New Generation Witchcraft
When I consider the Question, Whether there are such Persons in the World as those we call Witches? my Mind is divided between the two opposite Opinions; or rather (to speak my Thoughts freely) I believe in general that there is, and has been such a thing as Witchcraft; but at the same time can give no Credit to any Particular Instance of it.
JOSEPH ADDISON
The Spectator, No. 117
Witchcraft is seeing a resurgence among queer-identified young people seeking a powerful identity that celebrates the freedom to choose who you are.
MOIRA DONOVAN
"How Witchcraft Is Empowering Queer and Trans Young People", Vice, August 14, 2015
In recent weeks alone, we've seen the devil pressing hard to bring witchcraft deeper into our schools, our homes and our entertainment venues. We reported on how a new witchcraft-inspired challenge is luring kids into summoning demons. It's called Charlie Charlie and it's sweeping the nation and the world under the guise of a carefree fortune-telling game. Faith leaders are sounding the alarm.
JENNIFER LECLAIRE
"A Revival of the Devil's Witchcraft Is Rising", Charisma News, June 15, 2015
I believe that men are generally still a little afraid of the dark, though the witches are all hung.
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
Walden
As a teacher, I also find that people learn best when they're relaxed. It may offend the Serious, but there's a reason why I believe in cookies in witchcraft, and why you should evoke the Sky Bunny and Wall Kittens in movement. (Sorry no link, you're just going to have to come to one of my workshops!). It's why I delight in getting a room full of occultists to all say "yaaassssss." And why I hand out ribbons at conventions with "Manifest Birches" printed on them. It gets people to pay attention, to let go of themselves and allow for change and new ideas.
LAURA TEMPEST ZAKROFF
"The Dork Witch: The Art of Humor in the Craft", Patheos, March 31, 2017
Is it still witchcraft if we're not the ones actually doing the circle casting, the purifying, the invoking? If we're only occupying the space while the leading high priestess and priest do their thing? What if our only experience of witchcraft is that coven meeting and we never do anything on our own time? What if we do attempt to call the gods and speak to spirits and perform acts of magic ... and it just doesn't work? What if the gods don't hear us (or simply don't answer)? What if we fail to fulfill our obligations as priests or priestesses in a coven?
THORN MOONEY
"All Wiccans are witches, but some of us are bad at it", Patheos, January 21, 2016
In the past, men created witches: now they create mental patients.
THOMAS SZASZ
introduction, The Manufacture of Madness
Magic, and witchcraft in particular, is a way to exercise and recognize your agency in the world. The reason I'm doing this work is so people can feel that agency. So they don't feel they are at the mercy of the world and the choices that other people are making for them.
AMANDA YATES GARCIA
"Witches Explain How To Take On Political Power With Occult Magic", Huffington Post, April 4, 2017
It's hard out here for a witch. Well, at least it was 400-odd years ago when women were regularly hanged, drowned and burned to death after being accused of sorcery, Satanism and doing suspicious things with herbs. This fear of "witchcraft" was, in essence, a fear of women's power, sexuality and general awesomeness.
LEONIE COOPER
"Witchcraft is the new feminism", NME, March 2, 2017
The religion of Wicca took hold of me. It opened a portal into a new world. Casting spells, I saw results. Usually, it was like -- maybe I needed money or I needed a car. I needed love in my life. It was very selfish. It was all about what I wanted.
SELAH ALLY TOWER
"I was spiritually deceived by witchcraft", New York Post, October 11, 2015
The folk beliefs that feed into our ideas about witchcraft are beliefs that have existed alongside of mainstream religious beliefs all along.
LINDA LEE
"Contemporary witchcraft", The Temple News, October 27, 2015
The light in her Gypsy eyes
Fenced with saffron tongues
As they burnt off her skin.
And she wailed before she died,
Before the hush of holy sacrifice.
And her sinful thighs
Created for the danse macabre
Withered into ashes.
PETER HARGITAI
"Witch's Island"
Unlike the Abrahamic traditions, Witchcraft is not based upon a strict division of what is good and what is evil. Witches use nature to fuel their concept of the divine and in the world of nature there is no battle between good and evil. A lion is not "evil" because it kills the gazelle, and a deer is not "good" because it eats only plants. Nature is both cruel and beautiful at the same time.
SCARLET RAVENSWOOD
"Do Witches Believe in the Devil?", Arcane Alchemy, May 25, 2018
Modern witchcraft, a movement that is being propelled out of the forest and into the mainstream. The hook-nosed, broom-riding, pointy-hat-wearing, cackling witches of yore have transfigured into hip, feminist, millennial women with slick websites and soothing advice on manifesting your dreams. Instead of a bubbling cauldron filled with eye of the newt, they're slinging essential oils seeped with wild herbs.
ALDEN WICKER
"Witchcraft is the perfect religion for liberal millennials", Quartz, October 27, 2016
Practicing witchcraft is something that is very personal; everybody does something different that kind of fits their lifestyle and what they need. I tend to focus on my personal energy. I do a lot of tarot readings, which give me insights to my life, giving me a window where I can view my life from an outside standpoint. I use herbs and essential oils to cleanse myself or, if I get stressed, to help me relax. I practice meditations and I do rituals on the Sabbaths, both greater and minor, as well as the full moons.
HANNAH THOMAS
"Student practices witchcraft, found communities within Des Moines, Drake, internet", The Times-Delphic, March 22, 2017
Early this year, the witch camp in Bonyase was disbanded in an attempt by the government to erase what it considers as a stain on its human rights records.... The pervasive belief in Ghana that people can harm others through witchcraft is the elephant in the room that has to be called out, not the safe places which alleged witches flee to. The government of Ghana needs to retrace its steps and focus its energy and resources on addressing the phenomenon of witchcraft allegation. Witch camps are the consequences, not the cause of the problem. They are symptoms not the disease. The government of Ghana is correct in saying that witchcraft accusation leads to various human rights abuses. Now how is shutting down the witch camp the solution to these abuses? Most people living in these shelters did not just take up residency there without any reason. People in these camps are accused persons who were convicted at shrines or banished by families and would have been killed if they had stayed back in their communities, if they had not taken refuge at these shelters.
LEO IGWE
"Ghana: Witchcraft Accusation -- Is Disbanding 'Witches Camps' the Solution?", The Chronicle, November 17, 2015
Witchcraft, like any science or philosophical system, must be approached from a liberal point of view. When looked at objectively, we see that Witchcraft is just another theoretical body of knowledge. It is a process, not a person. Therefore it is neutral, incapable of being either good or evil. Like all belief systems, Witchcraft is only as good or evil as the people using it.
LADY SABRINA
Secrets of Modern Witchcraft Revealed
My witchcraft speaks to connections between beings.
My witchcraft curls within the wild of my own heart.
LAURA TEMPEST ZAKROFF
"My Witchcraft Is..."