The 60's (or so I've heard) were a rather tumultous era, and my pop was not unexcepted into the phenomenon. He is actually pictured, with his first wife, in a book intitled: The Summer of Love. He one day plans to write a book of his experiences in the Haight Ashbury during the Summer of Love intitled Tales of Love In the Haight. Shnazy grip, huh?

Well, to get down to the point, there was an awful lot of political and social upheaval, and religious. Afterall, the 60's were following the 50's, when everyone was being convicted of being a communist and people were desperately trying to prove their humanity through their religion.

"Look. We're good, White, Christians."

Now they have a dreaded Irish Catholic as president, and well, you know the story. So, there was my pop, in the thick of it, joining a witches coven.

Growing up with a pop as warlock is... um... well... interesting. Our bookshelves with filled with books and panflits on Wicca, herbs and other flora, numerology, palm reading, telepathy, ghosts, etc... all over paranormal shpiel.

We had four family shows: Americas Most Wanted (I have actually seen family on that show), Married With Children, Are You Being Served, and Unsolved Mysteries. When Unsolved Mysteries came on, my pop would turn the volume on the television set way up so you could hear that creepy music throughout the whole neighbourhood and we'd come running from every corner of the Earth.

My childhood was filled with incantations, wild stories, and ceremonies. So, my pop and I had a falling out some years back. I won't go into a huge thing about my lousy childhood and all, but I'll tell you, I moved in with him when I was fourteen and within four months his bitch kicked me out. I was living on the streets, and I haven't forgiven him to this day. But, about a week ago he shows up, out of the blue, unnanounced (of course) like he thinks he's the Goddamn Messiah or something, and gives me this book: Teen Witch.

I have to admit. I was a bit offended. I hadn't spoken to the man in over three years and he gives me this dorky book with some over-sexed looking teenagers in front of a full moon on the cover of it. I mean, I'd grown up with this bullshit. I can read palms, I can create concotions, evoke spirits, all that jazz and he gives me this lousy book as if it's supposed to make up for three years of silence.

The book, as of now, is sitting on one of the old bookshelves. I flipped through it the other day, and despite it's almost mirthfull cover and title, it's not too bad. It has some usefull information, so I'm thinking of setting up the old shrine and all. May be that's just his way of breaking the ice. He never was too good as saying sorry.

It's always...

Woah, I just experienced a mental anomaly. No further details.

It's always sad when an idiotic adult brainwashes a child to buy into the same ridiculous beliefs they hold.

First things first: I'm having a really hard time believing in the truth of this story, for one reason: you constantly refer to your dad as a "warlock". This is not a term used by witches. "Warlock" is an old Scottish word meaning, "oathbreaker", and is regarded as a dire insult. Hollywood latched onto this term, because is sounds scary, and because the stereotypical "witch" is female. Anyone who had actually studied Wicca, as you say your father did, would know this, and would not use that word to refer to himself. Witches are witches, male or female. The only exception to this I've seen is Raymond Buckland's reference to a male witch as a "Wicca" and a female witch as a "Wicce".

The only people I've ever seen refering to themselves as "warlocks" are slimy (usually, but not always, young) men with no lives who are desperately in need of attention.

Ok, now that that's said...

I can absolutely sympathize with your feelings. Your father has done you wrong in every way. I too left home at age 14 and it was very hard to survive.

It was also very callous and insensitive of your father to just show up at your door with a book, sans apology or even *recognition* of the pain you suffered. He sounds like a man with some major issues.

He's also just not a very good witch, in either sense of the phrase. Witchcraft expressly forbids forcing your religion on someone else. If I were to have children, I would naturally want them to grow up to accept my faith, because it makes me happy, but I would give them the opportunity to learn about many spiritual paths. This is the way most Pagan parent do things. It is also considered unethical to initiate a child. Only adults can make the informed choice to accept initiation.

Unfortunately, this is another one of those situations where you have no control over anyone's actions but your own. I came froma very abusive household. A lot of this abuse was centered around the Roman Catholic Faith, which I was raised in. I don't blame the Church for this abuse, but I blame them for some of the ridiculous, bigoted policies they hold.

Paganism has helped and healed me a lot. Whether it is right for you or not is purely your choice. Only you can decide that. I say, if it feels right, go with it.

Regarding your relationship with your father, I can only reiterate that the only personyou can control is yourself. So, you can't keep your dad from being a jerk. You *can* choose whether or not you wish to alow yourself to be mistreated. You have the right to exclude him from your life, if this is what you need for peace of mind.

Personally, if I were you, and he showed up at my house, I'd not open the door, especially now that it is obvious he thinks he's done no wrong. (and especially because I've heard "Teen Witch" is a lame book!) But, I burn bridges.

You might also want to consider some therapy, to help you cope with your feelings of abandonment. If economic factors prevent you, there are many agencies that offer a sliding scale pay system.

I hope you find a spiritual path (or lack thereof) that makes you, and nobody else, happy. You will know in your heart what's right.

blessed be

00goddess

Hmmmm

This is interesting

Ya know my mom is a practicing solitary, and raised me that way too. So in defense of the poor little girl. I am not fully educated on the "OLDE TERMS" such as where warlock came from. We simply use such terms due to lack of other better ones, popularity is a factor here. But i do also agree. One of the first things i learned is that anyone taking up the craft or variation of especially the estoric kabala based systems should undergo psycho therapy at least once in their lifetime. Just because the forces and factors involved here can, unchecked wreak havoc on your mind. I have seen lots of haggered old witches, maybe bitches is the better word here. Most who proclaim power and knowledge, etc.. etc.. But are in the end just manipulative $@$##%'s. So my addition to this conversation is 2 things

ONE: a highly recomended book for anyone studying or practicing any form of the craft
it contains dam near everything anyone could ever need or has reference to other books on the feild I'm serious if you only ever buy one book buy this one it is very complete and doesn't preach "MY WAY OF THINGS"

THE MAGICIAN'S COMPANION
a practical & enclycopedic guide to magical & religious symbolism
BY BILL WHITCOMB
published by LLEWELLYN PUBLICATIONS
isbn 0-87542-868-1


TWO: I am so sick of witchcraft being only for women, its not but there is a serious lack of male role models in the craft and most books are written by women for women and of women.

ok so i added one more
THREE: Tolerance is a virtue, and understanding is more valuable than water in a desert. Please don't call people liars even if it appears that the shoe may fit

Perhaps you're right about my father just putting on a show. I could not claim to know more than him, therefore I go off of only what he's taught me.

Furthurmore, I have a very firm faith in Judaism. I believe in God above no other and am very loyal to my religion. I only except Wicca as part of my life due to the fact that I was raised with that taste of it.

Thank you for telling me it's a lame book, but I could have easily guessed from it's ridiculous cover. They say never judge a book by it's cover, but that's an old expression. Now the cover is to tell you what's in the book, therefore it's pretty safe to judge a book by it's cover.

Also, I already am in therapy, and I have been ever since I was 13 with Child Protective Services and DHS got a hold of my mum and pop and my mums lover. I've been forced into going ever since, and while it's done my siblings and my mum good it's done nothing for me.

Thank you.

Interestingly enough, I was checking out the "My God Can Beat The Shit Out Of Your God" forum, and what did I see? Another post from Lost Girl, all about how her Jewish upbringing and uncertain ethnic identity.

So which is it, Lost Girl? Were you raised Jewish, or raised Pagan? Or do you just need attention?

I'm a Pagan whose best friend is Jewish, and your stories ring false to me.

00goddess

nah, i think i saw something on her web page saying something about something, but im too tired to check it out. i don't know what im saying anymore.

Hey Lost_Girl, You need to figure out what religion you are first you are wiccan then you are a die hard jew , I'm not knocking either one. I personally Beleive in the wiccan religion, you need to figure out what you are then let us all know!!

Lost_Girl
In point of fact you can be Wiccan and Jewish. (For that matter you can be Wiccan and Eastern Orthodox Christian or any other religion with out a conflict between either belief system.) The key is to not violate the Wiccan "Read" ("An' it harm none, do what thou wilt.") you can chouse to fallow a single god and adhere to the tenets of the faith that has grown up around that god as long as "you harm no one, including yourself". Wicca is a path of respect and learning, a way of seeing the world around you. Part of that path is learning about "God" in whatever forms you find in the religions(and prepceptions) around you and chousing the one that sets a resonance in your soul. For some people that means they chouse a Pantheon of gods just as the Greeks, Romans, and many ancient people did. For others that means studying Judaism. For both it means extensive study; to learn what your belief is, and what it is not. (For a "Pagan Wiccan" this is a bit more intensive as that person has to read a lot more. There are a lot of people out there and just because this person does it one way does not mean it should be your way.) Judaism is a rich an wondrous heritage as is Wicca even if you feel compelled to chouse one or the other let it be an informed choosing.

My heart felt advice:
1. Study and learn all you can, do not let any one book tell you how to believe. (Even in Christianity the bible is made up of several books even though we tend to see it as one.)

2. Do not let public opinion sway you away from you heart. Strength comes with knowledge; time and study will show you things you never knew, but that is no substitute to listing to your own soul.

Knightwind

and kaballah kicks ass! Go Jewpagan!

um, I hate to bring, you know, like logic inta here, but uh, just cuz her father was well, whatever, doesn't mean she is. She's never claimed to be wicca.....

Bah, Details!

I like what knightwind had to say about this whole thing , but I must put in my input. Lost girl you should go with what feels right not what everyone else says is right, including your parents,so go with what feels right to you and no one else.

FYI, kiddies. The term "warlock" is most commonly used (in the modern age) to denote practitioners of the "black" arts, not witchcraft. Lost_girl, unless your old man was carving up babies in the kitchen when you were a kid, I doubt he'd qualify as a warlock. Also for what its worth, I agree about being able to "split" religons. I am a Celtic shaman, but I do recognize Christ as the greatest shaman who ever lived. I have to say Moses was a damn sight better than I am too... It's all a matter of format, really.

what, like wide screen as opposed to pan and scan, or is it more of a NTFS vs. FAT type of thing?

More like the difference between Sony and Magnavox. Maybe it's because of my shamanic practices, it gives one a more holistic viewpoint. All religions started with shamanism, so we tend to share a universal respect for one another on that level. Or at least we should.

[This message has been edited by Shadow (edited 07-19-2000).]

well yeah, in a perfect world. But do you really think that commmon ancestery would engender any kind of respect or love? Brothers hate brothers all the time, and there are plenty of people of the same race that hate each other. If anything, the common ancestry card will most likely increase someones dislike of you or what you represent if you present it as an argument, since it pretty fundamentally rocks their religous world.

Never said anything about brotherly love. When shamans of different cultures meet, there usually aren't too many problems. It's when shamans and orthodox-type priests meet that sparks usually fly.

hmmm...
define shaman...

Read the "Book of Fools" you may learn a lesson from it. I did.

I know of several Book of Fools! Is that the book in title or..? Give the author is all.

How many of these kiddies do you think get up every Sunday and put on their khakis and cole-haans and pile in the family van with mom and dad to head off to church? Just wondering.....

And you people think I'm an ass!

At least I waited until I showed myself competent before I went around spewing filth.

Where did all of the Pagans go in this forum.
Were they intimidated?

'Warlock' can mean any number of things depending upon the frame of reference, or further, time and space where it is used.

Set definitions and rules seem like a form of confinement by authoritarians.

I could be a warlock, or a Star Sorcerer, and with your rigid definitions you would probably not even know what those are.

You either Are what you represent yourself to be, or you are pretending to be that, or following some kind of routine.

Which is it? I didn't read this whole page.

Z3M, if you make it back to this forum can you explain in simple terms what your Alternative belief or philosophy is? I hear you criticize much but not reaveal what you believe, so what are we supposed to do?

There is extra-sensory phenomena that can enter into the picture so there may be people who can be considered as sorcerers, witches etc.

Maybe not though, depending upon your reply.
I'm lost Z3M. Just tell me where it's at.

again... too damn late...