Witchvox Article

Author: Mirshalak
Posted: August 24th. 2008
Times Viewed: 2,403

This was a mental dialogue/experience I had earlier this morning, in relation to the topic of what's been called, "Coming out of the broom closet, " or telling people that you've become Wiccan. I won't say for sure that I myself becoming Wiccan as such, but I will say that I've recently had a non-Christian spiritual change, and so I think this is something Wiccans (or probably anyone on a non-Abrahamic path) might relate to. I probably would have preferred if I could have posted this anonymously, to be honest...since it relates an experience that some might consider me arrogant to presume that I have had. I also wish to apologize in advance to anyone else here who believes in Kali who feels that I have mischaracterized her or that I am delusional. I have recorded what I felt that I perceived.

I will also confess that I have had to go through a lot of changes in my own thinking; my journey from the beliefs I held during a Christian period has been a long one, and sometimes confronting and frightening. I've had to try and shed a lot of baggage, and a lot of beliefs, which not only limited me, but also were toxic, fear-based, and offensive to others. I still have more developmental work in front of me where that is concerned yet, a lot more.

I know that there are a lot of people out there who aren't Christian, and who have no desire to be. These people, whether Atheists, Wiccans, Pagans, Hindus, or members of the myriad other non-Abrahamic faiths can often be persecuted and made to suffer on a daily basis, simply because they have been touched by an aspect of the Divine with a different name, and in some cases, a different character to that which is described within the pages of the Qur�an or Bible, or because, in the case of Atheists, they, through no fault of their own, have either chosen themselves or been chosen for another path.

I have heard of people losing their homes, their children, their employment, (or being refused as potential job applicants) and essentially made to feel like total non-entities, again purely because of, "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me." Wiccans who practice magick, which is often entirely benign (and may even be actually therapeutic) in intent, are forced to remain underground and erroneously maligned as Satanists.

This is wrong, on a monstrous scale, especially considering that, if I am honest, during my own Christian period, nearly all of the most compassionate, altruistic, principled people I knew were avowed non-Christians. It does nothing to bring people closer to God. Also, despite all of the chest beating about their own supposed persecution that some Christians do, I suspect that their own memories of it are not as clear as they suspect...otherwise they perhaps would surely not be so willing to engage in such (at times) vicious and relentless persecution of people of other faiths themselves.

I have noticed that the only time many Christians ever try and engage in any sort of peaceful dialogue with members of other faiths is when they themselves are a minority; this is vile hypocrisy in the extreme, and I feel that it is a form of hypocrisy that Jesus Himself actually would have been opposed to. We can remain hopeful that eventually a day will come where it does cease.

If there's anyone else out there though who has recently converted to another faith, and is suffering due to being unable to share with others the joy that they have found...I just wanted to let you know that you aren't alone. Jai Ma!

-

I'd just got out of the shower, and was sitting on my bed thinking about an atheist I'd known some years ago on IRC who converted to Christianity. When he did so, there was a lot of the usual talk in the Christian channel where it happened about how the angels of Heaven cheered every time it happened, etc. I found myself thinking with some bitterness that although my own recent conversion *away* from Christianity had made me very happy, they would be saying some things that were very different.

As I thought this, I had the impression of another mind touching my own; for some reason I thought "preacher, " or "pastor."

The accompanying energy was harsh, aggressive and fearful; I didn't like it, although it initially also contained a superficial degree of sorrow.

"And now you are lost to us. You have turned away. You have become damned."

I answered with a verse from the New Testament, John 10:28.

"'I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.' If I was ever truly saved, I still am. Nothing can change that. I have had much help, over the space of years, and I have conquered my fear of hell fire. The truth has set me free, as it was promised."

"Yet after his having died for you, in order to give you that, you have still spat in Jesus' face by going to Kali, " was the answer. Can you not see that this is what you have done?"

His words stung, and I was rendered unable to reply. For the first time in days, I experienced pain. I could freely admit that I barely knew anything about the accompanying religion that She was from; the only thing I did know was that in the short time since I had acknowledged and begun to worship my Mother, I had experienced a degree of joy more intense than virtually any other that I had ever known. I did not know or understand how that could be demonic in origin.

Then, once again, my mind was filled with Her image, and the warmth that always accompanied it. I sensed a tinge of anger initially, but that vanished almost immediately. A warm smile slowly spread over my face, which I could picture also on Hers, and then Mother Kali answered my accuser. Her words were a whisper, but I felt that they were also laced with laughter and a sense of infinite patience.

"No. Jesus is not that insecure. You yourself may be. He is not."

Copyright: Duplication/citation in any medium for any purpose is permitted. I do ask however that it not be modified unless the author provides clear indication that any alteration that they make is theirs, and not my own.

ABOUT...

Mirshalak

Location: Sunbury, Victoria

Other Listings: To view ALL of my listings: Click HERE

Email Mirshalak... (No, I have NOT opted to receive Pagan Invites! Please do NOT send me anonymous invites to groups, sales and events.)

Home - TWV Logos - Email US - Privacy

News and Information

Chapters: Pagan/Heathen Basics - Pagan BOOKS - Traditions, Paths & Religions - Popular Pagan Holidays - TV & Movies - Cats of the Craft - Festival Reviews - Festival Tips - White Pages (Resources) - Issues/Concerns - West Memphis 3 - Witch Hunts - Pagan Protection Tips - Healing Planet Earth

Your Voices: Adult Essays - Young Pagan Essays - Pagan Perspectives (On Hold) - WitchWars: Fire in the Craft - Gay Pagan - Pagan Parenting - Military - Pagan Passages

Pagan Music: Pagan Musicians - Bardic Circle at WitchVox - Free Music from TWV

Vox Central: About TWV - Wren: Words, Wrants and Wramblings - Guest Rants - Past Surveys - A Quest for Unity

Weekly Updates: Click HERE for an index of our weekly updates for the past 6 years

W.O.T.W. - World-Wide Networking

Your Town: A Link to YOUR Area Page (The largest listing of Witches, Pagans, Heathens and Wiccans on the Planet)

VoxLinks: The Pagan Web: 8,000 Listings

Your Witchvox Account: Log in Now - Create New Account - Request New Password - Log in Problems

Personal Listings: Pagan Clergy in Your Town - Adult Pagans - Young Pagans - Military Pagans

Events: Circles, Gatherings, Workshops & Festivals

Covens/Groups/Orgs: Local Groups Main Page

Other LOCAL Resources: Local Shops - Regional Sites - Local Notices - Global/National Notices - Local Skills & Services - Local Egroups - Political Freedom Fighters

Pagan Shopping: Online Shops Index - Original Crafters Sites - Auction Sites - Pagan Wholesalers - Pagan Local Shops

Web Site Content (including: text - graphics - html - look & feel)
Copyright 1997-2013 The Witches' Voice Inc. All rights reserved
Note: Authors & Artists retain the copyright for their work(s) on this website.
Unauthorized reproduction without prior permission is a violation of copyright laws.

Website structure, evolution and php coding by Fritz Jung on a Macintosh G5.

Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren’s Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches’ Voice, Inc. TWV is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization.

Sponsorship: Visit the Witches' Voice Sponsor Page for info on how you
can help support this Community Resource. Donations ARE Tax Deductible.
The Witches' Voice carries a 501(c)(3) certificate and a Federal Tax ID.

Mail Us: The Witches' Voice Inc., P.O. Box 341018, Tampa, Florida 33694-1018 U.S.A.

Witches, Pagans
of The World

Current Topic
Editorial Guide

NOTE: The essay on this page contains the writings and opinions of the listed author(s) and is not necessarily shared or endorsed by the Witches' Voice inc.

The Witches' Voice does not verify or attest to the historical accuracy contained in the content of this essay.

All WitchVox essays contain a valid email address, feel free to send your comments, thoughts or concerns directly to the listed author(s).