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TexasMadness Profile
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Pagan topic: can you call yourself what you want?


I don't know if you guys follow any online pagan hubbub...

About a week ago, the paranormal show Ghost Adventures went to Salem to investigate. While there, they meet with a local in the pagan community - Christian Day. Day is trying to revive the term 'Warlock' for use by male "witches". So in the show, they refer to him as such. And boy did it open a flood gate of criticism! Loads of people think the guy is a nut, silly, and just poking fun at the whole paganism bit.

On the other hand, some folks think he has every right to call himself what he wants and is even doing a splendid job of revamping the term.

Read more:

LiveJournal with loads of derogatory comments

Broom with a view defending the use

What do you think? Guy just reaching for some publicity or a legitimate name?

2/28/2011, 11:43 pm Link to this post Send Email to TexasMadness   Send PM to TexasMadness
 
Queenyforever Profile
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Re: Pagan topic: can you call yourself what you want?


I think he's legit in his mind. What I mean, is that are as many Paths, names of gods, goddesses, demi and other wise, as well as other 'religions' that fall under the umbrella of Paganism....so that many people call themselves different things...
BUT...Warlocks are things invented by Alistair Crowley, aka Alasdair Crowley to call male witches. This is not a name that goes back to the ancient ones.
So, I guess it depends on what path you are following and whose version you are studying.
Our own Muladzh once said: - "I don't think of my self as a witch, I think of myself as wysart in green, which is a more accurate description, but that does not make me anything other than a witch following the Ancient Path."
I myself prefer to study the very ancient teachings...I call myself Pagan, Solitary, possibly an Empath, a definite Nature (as my goddess and Alara as my Spirit guide)...

Last edited by Queenyforever, 3/1/2011, 7:47 pm


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Re: Pagan topic: can you call yourself what you want?


Actually the word is older and dates back into Old English.

Meanings of word change over the centuries but this is not a meaning I would like traced to myself.

warlock Word History

Date of Origin Old English [OE]

Etymologically, a warlock is a ‘liar on oath’, and hence a ‘traitor’ or ‘deceiver’. Indeed, the word originally meant ‘traitor’ in English. It soon broadened out into a general term of abuse, and it was also used as an epithet for the ‘Devil’, but the modern sense ‘evil sorcerer’ did not emerge until the 14th century. It started life as a compound noun formed from wǣr ‘faith, pledge’ (a relative of English very and German wahr ‘true’) and -loga ‘liar’ (a derivative of lēogan, the ancestor of modern English lie).

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Saijen SilverWolf1 Profile
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Re: Pagan topic: can you call yourself what you want?


Personally, I don't think it should matter what a person calls themselves, as long as they live properly. A title is just a label...if this guy wants to be known as a Warlock and it has negative connotations, but he wants a more positive light shone on it..then it's up to him to make that positive light.

I think, from what I've read so far, that maybe he is looking for a bit of the 'lime-light' and possibly wanting something very real for himself in reclaiming the word.

I found this in a search I did while replying to this thread
http://ladyoftheearth.com/witch/warlock.txt

and wonder if perhaps the word wasn't intended as 'ward locker'... shortened to 'warlock' If what I was reading is right, this would make some sense...and may be a way to help reintroduce the word if someone were really wanting to push the issue.

However, I don't much care what lable/title people stick on themselves, as long as they live the best possible life they can, and remember that Karma forgets nothing..and will bite you in the ass if you do something stupid!

Christian Day, in my humble opinion, does want the publicity, but I also think he's wanting to bring something back and possibly give it a newer, fresher, more positive meaning.

I think you can call yourself what you want, keeping in mind that you may have to answer for it at some point, depending on what it is you're calling yourself. A name, as with a word, means nothing until something is attached to it.

Last edited by Saijen SilverWolf1, 3/21/2011, 3:06 am


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Re: Pagan topic: can you call yourself what you want?


I agree....unfortunately just saying you are "Pagan" will get you shunned in many circles.
I thought my son's attending doctor when he went in for his Gamma knife surgery was going to run off to the chapel when she asked Chris on the "surgery" form....what religion are you and he said "Pagan"...she went white as a ghost. emoticon
Then he wears his pentacle and he's walking through WalMart and some Spanish gentleman grabs his young son, pulls him away from Chris and points to his pentacle saying in Spanish, " el Diablo"...the Devil. emoticon
Unless in certain certain circles, among friends or when asked right out...I will not offer up that I'm Pagan, I won't deny it either though.... emoticon

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Re: Pagan topic: can you call yourself what you want?


Funny, here people usually aren't asked about their religion, at least not in official forms. I like that.

Sadly, there is no good word to translate Pagan to in German. Asatru are beginning to be recognized as religion, but I'm not following their path, either. So it's a bit difficult to know what to call myself. At least people will understand shaman ... but that's also only coming close. At least shamans get respect here.

 emoticon

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Queenyforever Profile
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Re: Pagan topic: can you call yourself what you want?


Well that is the strange thing here...if you are an American Indian and you happen to be a Medicine man or Magic man..you are very respected. Even here in the Southwest they have them perform ceremonies for things....
Same in Australia...I remember at Steve Irwin's Memorial, they had an Aboriginal "magic" woman...give a blessing.
But you mention Pagan or Wiccan, or Witch...and here you are some freaky, goth, devil worshiping weirdo! emoticon

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Re: Pagan topic: can you call yourself what you want?


It would be nice if America were more like Germany. It's sad that just a word can elicite such negativity from people who really don't bother to find out what it really is...who that person truly is within that path. If you're a WitchWiccan/Pagan, then you're to be shunned, and pitied for your stupidity in following the devil. Yeah, OK...so SOME Pagan paths may follow the devil, but not ALL are that way, and the Satanic ones are few and far between in the larger picture...but no one wants to LOOK at the larger picture and see the GOOD paths...because believing they are all bad is so much easier than trying to figure out which is good and which is bad. Little do they realize, it's not really all that hard! Look to see who's destroying the Earth and themselves (BAD PATHS) then look to see who is working to save the Earth and ground themselves in Nature and Peace (GOOD PATHS) I know..I know..some show one thing to the public and another once they have you trapped (THE CULTS)....but if you're studious enough...you CAN tell!

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Re: Pagan topic: can you call yourself what you want?


I think it's because the "Devil" (which really in Wicca there is no actual devil)...worshipers are so in your face. And the kids think it's cool to "act and look" as such.
In other words it's easy for society to SPOT the "Devil worshipers"....but the every day Pagans are just amongst the crowds. Fearing to speak out, fearing to be persecuted.
That was surprised me the most about Son's College having the Pagan Student Union....but they have other religious groups and so had no choice to allow them in. NOW....they are learning that these kids are awesome...they work harder in the community to get their credits, they raise more money to support their meetings and celebrations and rely less on the school...these kids are changing minds and I love that.
OH just for the heck of it...I made a shirt from my GINGER cat...and put it for sale on my Zazzle site....you all might get a kick out of it...
Not sure if this link will work or not....LINK

Front of shirt...enlarged to show detail

Image

Back of shirt....the Pentagram is almost transparent..

Image

SO...enlarged to show the Pentagram superimposed over MY GINGER...

Image

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“Freedom and democracy are dreams you never give up.”

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Justbec Profile
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Re: Pagan topic: can you call yourself what you want?


I wear a Pentagram necklace. I also had a picture of of a girl with one on her arm. One of my co-workers came over and said "Oh that's the sign of the devil!" I looked at her and said what is? She pointed at the necklace. I just busted up laughing.

Here is the necklace

Image



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