Hmm, I'm not happy with my descriptions, so here is the final definition of spellwork: Prayer/Ritual + Strong sense of will power = spell. Your will, plus a ritual to make yourself feel yourself start to accomplish something, equals doing spellwork. It doesn't have to be some elaborate thing with candles and incense and a boiling cauldron filled with herbs and random animal objects. It can just be taking a few deep breaths, and repeating a word over and over again until something happens. Spellwork is the least important part of Paganism, and I very rarely do spellwork. I use my tarot cards more than I do spells, and I think I've done 20 readings in my entire life. It's mostly a connection to nature and realizing that divinity can be more than just male. Everything in the world is balanced between males and females, so why must the creator be assigned to just one half of it's creation? That's majorly what Paganism is. Spellwork, like I said, is just kind of a side thing that you can incorporate.
Aaaaah, thanks. You know, it's sort of weird cause what you just described totally reminds me of when I was about 7 years old and I couldn't find my little stuffed hedgehog and obviously, I couldn't sleep without him. So I sat on my bed, closed my eyes and kept asking over and over in my head 'where's my hedgehog? where's my hedgehog? Please if someone up there hears this, please show me where my hedgehog is.' and when I opened my eyes, I felt like pulling away the blanket and there he was, between my bed and the wall. I'm not saying it's some spellwork or anything, cause I really really wouldn't know, but I think it's quite funny how it's a bit alike of what you just described. lawl, that sounds ridiculous now that I read it back. Aaah, so naive. :') I think I'll research a bit tomorrow, cause it's late now and I gotta go to bed.
I do believe in magic and spells and things but I haven't tried to do any. I was told by someone that they believed that what ever you can imagine, it is real. I don't go to that extent though yet I do believe that if you can think of it, there must be the possibilty that it's true. An example would be that I don't really believe there is such a thing as hell but I believe that there's a possibility of one, and that possibiltiy does indeed frigthen me, but there's nothing I can to about that except live with it. I've also been interested in pegansim for a while.
Oh, I just wanted to address something I missed a while back. I said atheist's hell as a joke more or less. It was so I could use the phrase "no way in hell" but note that I am an atheist. But to be fair, it is possible for an atheist to believe in an afterlife in which those who are immoral are punished. As long as they don't believe in God, they are still atheists. Most atheists don't believe in such an afterlife though. And Rachel, thank you for your definition. I also agree divinity, if real, has no reason to be male over female. Of course, to me, an non existent male or non existent female aren't really too different though.
it's good that MTV is addressing serious stuff. but this is to get attention from the young crowd since it is darker stuff. if it was any other religion then they would get less attention. im not bashing it, though. the article is informative! thanks.
I think he just means that when people first think of Paganism or Witchcraft they think of Satan and Black Magic and such. And even though that is not what Paganism is about, people still *think* it is dark and could start watching it due to that.
Wanna know why Paganism is associated with Satan? Catholicism. Catholics wanted Paganism to be eradicated, because it was threatening their religion. Interesting, if you ask me.
Yeah, Christianity on the whole more or less came along, stole Paganisms holidays, then said it was evil and Satanic <_<
And besides, Satanist don't worship Satan. I dated a Satanist (he claimed he was an Athiest, but his beliefs were more Satanist if anything). Satanists believe that they alone have the power over their lives. That's why the pentacle is upside down, Spirit descending into matter. They are their own God, their own Devil, their own Right and Wrong. No great creator can rule how they live their life, only they can. And yes, some of them do magic and some of them don't. Besides, they based Satan's description off of Pan, a god of wildlife. Lucifer in the bible ain't half goat, he is the most beautiful angel God created, and is then described as a dragon with 7 heads and 10 diadems when he cast out from heaven.
Which is why I can't stand my parents religious attitude, because they're still of the belief that Paganism is Satanic. And it's not. I know someone who's into Satanic rituals and stuff. Trust me, from what little I know of Paganism (still learning, lol), and what I know of Satanism, they're so far apart it's not funny.
Both do, sort of. There are people who's Satanism includes elements of the common stereotype, and then you have Anton Lavey's Satanism where Satan is used to represent a philosophy. I see what you mean though. The latter isn't really a religion to me, not that it's necessarily supposed to be.