Stigma of witchcraft

[cloudyday2]

I'm not a witch, but one of my employees made a comment in front of others in conversation with me that implied I have some interest in witchcraft. I found myself cringing at the thought that Christian family members and employees might treat me less positively as a result.

I suppose I got a taste of the difficulties facing people who practice witchcraft and have family and coworkers and friends who would disapprove if they knew. I had been aware of this, but it is different to experience it for yourself.

I think it is probably easier to be open about atheism than it is to be open about witchcraft.

 

[JohnT]

I'm not a witch, but one of my employees made a comment in front of others in conversation with me that implied I have some interest in witchcraft. I found myself cringing at the thought that Christian family members and employees might treat me less positively as a result.

I suppose I got a taste of the difficulties facing people who practice witchcraft and have family and coworkers and friends who would disapprove if they knew. I had been aware of this, but it is different to experience it for yourself.

I think it is probably easier to be open about atheism than it is to be open about witchcraft.

Obviously, you are the boss since you used the phrase, "my employees"

What you described was insubordination, religious intolerance and an attack on the business with all of its employees. Surely, your company has rules about that. Perhaps "Mr. Nemisis" needs to be reminded of that.

The place and context of the remark is also important. You need to temper your remarks to accommodate the intricacies of the situation, but if in any way, it was at a business function, it should be documented and addressed in the business.

If it was at a family function, then the addressing should be done away from the business on a more casual basis such as over coffee. Here, the message should be "lets do a reset" and explain your reasons instead of having a "get on board" message which is done in the business.

In either case, for your protection I suggest that you completely document what you did, and the response of the employee

In either situation, I would include an explanation of terms. Atheism is a thought process, and by definition expresses the belief of no God. Perhaps the term "agnostic" may be better because it expresses uncertainty about any god. It is also a thought process.

Witchcraft, at which you expressed your revulsion about is different because it involves the practicing of certain rites, and that is by definition, a religion.

If it happens again, then the business is an appropriate place. There you can carefully state your displeasure, and have a way for the employee to successfully move on without recriminations by finding a new place of employment because the next time it happens, the meeting that will be a forced choice

 

[Dave L]

I'm not a witch, but one of my employees made a comment in front of others in conversation with me that implied I have some interest in witchcraft. I found myself cringing at the thought that Christian family members and employees might treat me less positively as a result.

I suppose I got a taste of the difficulties facing people who practice witchcraft and have family and coworkers and friends who would disapprove if they knew. I had been aware of this, but it is different to experience it for yourself.

I think it is probably easier to be open about atheism than it is to be open about witchcraft.

What do you find attractive about witchcraft?

 

[splish- splash]

You had an interest in witchcraft you mean? Well, good thing's the Lord knows you too well so yeah!

 

[cloudyday2]

What do you find attractive about witchcraft?

Where did I say I find anything about witchcraft attractive? I did not say that. However, there are things that I find attractive about witchcraft:
(1) use of plants as medicine and respect for the spirituality of the plants (this isn't exclusive to witchcraft)
(2) a non-dogmatic and experiential religion

I have no interest in practicing witchcraft, because I don't like rituals and I don't get witchcraft. Why do people label themselves as witches? It confuses me.

 

[SimpleLiving2019]

I'm not a witch, but one of my employees made a comment in front of others in conversation with me that implied I have some interest in witchcraft. I found myself cringing at the thought that Christian family members and employees might treat me less positively as a result.

I suppose I got a taste of the difficulties facing people who practice witchcraft and have family and coworkers and friends who would disapprove if they knew. I had been aware of this, but it is different to experience it for yourself.

I think it is probably easier to be open about atheism than it is to be open about witchcraft.

They’re gonna have the real difficulties if they die in those sins. God doesn’t accept witchcraft either. We fool ourselves if we think our society is better off to coddle witchcraft. Much of witchcraft is manipulation, it is evil, and the spiritual power that backs it is the enemy. It’s not ok. Nevertheless, it’s not our call to be rude or disrespectful to them, but a careful distancing is certainly in order.

 

[cloudyday2]

You had an interest in witchcraft you mean? Well, good thing's the Lord knows you too well so yeah!

Nope, I am not interested in witchcraft. However, I do use incense at times to cover-up irritating smells, and I am growing some flowers that are considered spiritual by shamans and witches and so forth.

 

[splish- splash]

Nope, I am not interested in witchcraft. However, I do use incense at times to cover-up irritating smells, and I am growing some flowers that are considered spiritual by shamans and witches

All good

 

[cloudyday2]

Obviously, you are the boss since you used the phrase, "my employees"

What you described was insubordination, religious intolerance and an attack on the business with all of its employees. Surely, your company has rules about that. Perhaps "Mr. Nemisis" needs to be reminded of that.

The place and context of the remark is also important. You need to temper your remarks to accommodate the intricacies of the situation, but if in any way, it was at a business function, it should be documented and addressed in the business.

If it was at a family function, then the addressing should be done away from the business on a more casual basis such as over coffee. Here, the message should be "lets do a reset" and explain your reasons instead of having a "get on board" message which is done in the business.

In either case, for your protection I suggest that you completely document what you did, and the response of the employee

In either situation, I would include an explanation of terms. Atheism is a thought process, and by definition expresses the belief of no God. Perhaps the term "agnostic" may be better because it expresses uncertainty about any god. It is also a thought process.

Witchcraft, at which you expressed your revulsion about is different because it involves the practicing of certain rites, and that is by definition, a religion.

If it happens again, then the business is an appropriate place. There you can carefully state your displeasure, and have a way for the employee to successfully move on without recriminations by finding a new place of employment because the next time it happens, the meeting that will be a forced choice

Thanks, it wasn't that anybody was expressing intolerance of witchcraft. One of my employees is interested in witchcraft and mentioned a witchcraft shop where I once bought some aromatherapy liquid that I couldn't find elsewhere. Trying to be friendly, I agreed with him that the interior of the shop was immaculately clean (spotless mirrors on every wall and beautiful wood trim). So months later, this employee off-handedly said something like "you said you go to <xyz> witchcraft shop a lot. I found some stuff there you might like. blah blah blah". So nobody was expressing intolerance, but I found myself cringing at the implication that I was a frequent customer of this witchcraft store. Some of the other employees are devout Christians who believe that witchcraft is evil. I don't want them to think that I am practicing witchcraft and possibly find jobs elsewhere. I also don't want my family to think I am practicing witchcraft.

Probably I'm just overly sensitive. In today's culture maybe it isn't the stigma that I imagine it might be.

 

[pescador]

Thanks, it wasn't that anybody was expressing intolerance of witchcraft. One of my employees is interested in witchcraft and mentioned a witchcraft shop where I once bought some aromatherapy liquid that I couldn't find elsewhere. Trying to be friendly, I agreed with him that the interior of the shop was immaculately clean (spotless mirrors on every wall and beautiful wood trim). So months later, this employee off-handedly said something like "you said you go to <xyz> witchcraft shop a lot. I found some stuff there you might like. blah blah blah". So nobody was expressing intolerance, but I found myself cringing at the implication that I was a frequent customer of this witchcraft store. Some of the other employees are devout Christians who believe that witchcraft is evil. I don't want them to think that I am practicing witchcraft and possibly find jobs elsewhere. I also don't want my family to think I am practicing witchcraft.

Probably I'm just overly sensitive. In today's culture maybe it isn't the stigma that I imagine it might be.

Don't worry about it. Witches are just nonbelievers. Nothing more and nothing less.

 

[Kenny'sID]

Why do people label themselves as witches? It confuses me.

Got me.

I just dont get the point unless it's for attention.

 

[pescador]

Got me.

I just dont get the point unless it's for attention.

People refer to themselves as witches because they believe in the power of witchcraft. I don't think it's for attention.

 

[cloudyday2]

People refer to themselves as witches because they believe in the power of witchcraft. I don't think it's for attention.

Many witches don't believe in supernatural and ascribe any results from spells to psychology. Also, most witches seem to be more interested in worship of nature gods rather than casting spells to get practical results.

"Witch" seems like such a negative word in Abrahamic cultures (up until the last 20 years or so as Wicca became more well-known to outsiders).

 

[grasping the after wind]

I'm not a witch, but one of my employees made a comment in front of others in conversation with me that implied I have some interest in witchcraft. I found myself cringing at the thought that Christian family members and employees might treat me less positively as a result.

I suppose I got a taste of the difficulties facing people who practice witchcraft and have family and coworkers and friends who would disapprove if they knew. I had been aware of this, but it is different to experience it for yourself.

I think it is probably easier to be open about atheism than it is to be open about witchcraft.

That is because atheism is not seen as superstitious nonsense.

 

[cloudyday2]

That is because atheism is not seen as superstitious nonsense.

I think the stigma of witchcraft arises from the negative mentions of witches (of various types) in the Bible and also from a real fear that witchcraft can harm people (curses for example).

 

[grasping the after wind]

I think the stigma of witchcraft arises from the negative mentions of witches (of various types) in the Bible and also from a real fear that witchcraft can harm people (curses for example).

I don't think so. Most people simply think it is crackpottery and they don't have time for crackpots. .

 

[Greengardener]

I'm not a witch, but one of my employees made a comment in front of others in conversation with me that implied I have some interest in witchcraft. I found myself cringing at the thought that Christian family members and employees might treat me less positively as a result.

I suppose I got a taste of the difficulties facing people who practice witchcraft and have family and coworkers and friends who would disapprove if they knew. I had been aware of this, but it is different to experience it for yourself.

I think it is probably easier to be open about atheism than it is to be open about witchcraft.

Just a thought, for what it's worth:
It might be in our US culture today that the stigma is toward any who would try to usurp power over others, something that the indoctrination of the media have overall supported. I tend to believe that God made it clear that trying to have an undue authority over another is not desirable, whether it's in the command not to tolerate a witch to live or in Jesus' instruction to His disciples to not follow the example of the Gentile leaders who "lord it over" others, and that a better position is that of obedience to what God says will work and to the goal of living in His functional community serving others.

 

[cloudyday2]

I don't think so. Most people simply think it is crackpottery and they don't have time for crackpots. .

There are probably many people with that opinion of witches, but I doubt that it creates a stigma of witchcraft. Most people are tolerant of other religious beliefs even when they seem far-out. The stigma arises from a judgment that witchcraft is evil rather than merely crackpottery.

 

[cloudyday2]

Just a thought, for what it's worth:
It might be in our US culture today that the stigma is toward any who would try to usurp power over others, something that the indoctrination of the media have overall supported. I tend to believe that God made it clear that trying to have an undue authority over another is not desirable, whether it's in the command not to tolerate a witch to live or in Jesus' instruction to His disciples to not follow the example of the Gentile leaders who "lord it over" others, and that a better position is that of obedience to what God says will work and to the goal of living in His functional community serving others.

My mother is a devout Christian and has sometimes said that witchcraft is about control. Casting a love spell for example supposedly usurps the power of the person to choose a wife/husband.

I suspect the stigma of witchcraft comes mostly from the Bible's negative opinion of witches.

Another factor might be the stealthiness of witchcraft. A person might slip on a banana peel and break his leg and suspect that a witch cursed him. However there is no way to prove the claim. And the corollary is that there is no way to disprove the claim. So a bad harvest can be blamed on a witch and the witch can be burned at the stake with little evidence.

 

[Greengardener]

My mother is a devout Christian and has sometimes said that witchcraft is about control. Casting a love spell for example supposedly usurps the power of the person to choose a wife/husband.

I suspect the stigma of witchcraft comes mostly from the Bible's negative opinion of witches.

Another factor might the the stealthiness of witchcraft. A person might slip on a banana peel and break his leg and suspect that a witch cursed him. However there is no way to prove the claim. And the corollary is that there is no way to disprove the claim. So a bad harvest can be blamed on a witch and the witch can be burned at the stake with little evidence.

Thankfully, God delights in justice and lovingkindness, His word is truth, and His laws are a lamp to our path.