Ma'iingan's Mashup

Pagan Events at Religious Venues

I don't think I can ever understand how some people think. There are more venues out there in the country than Church basements and Knights of Columbus halls.

I've seen a few blogs and forum posts complaining that venues with religious backgrounds denied them access to their hall for use in Pagan events (i.e. Pagan Pride, Tarot events, Study, etc). Do these people only know of these religious venues or are they just looking to cause trouble.

How can some people be so blind to the logic that a CHRISTIAN or CATHOLIC organization is going to deny them use of their facility for PAGAN based events? It's almost like going in already knowing they're going to be denied just for the pure fact that they can complain about it. It's a Fricken Christian Organization!!

There are other venue sites like Legions/VFW's (though many owners/members of such places may be highly religious so you may have to be careful with these), Hotels, Reception Hall's, etc. Why can't you go there? It's completely redundant to ask a Christian church if you can use their basement to hold circles or coven gatherings. Of course they're going to deny usage.

Reality TV and Witches
It seems to be a rather popular subject in the last few days...would you participate in a reality tv show that portrayed Witches, Wiccans or other Pagans?

In all honesty, I'd say no. Reality tv is not actually reality. Take "The Real Housewives" series. Do people REALLY think that's what housewives are and do? If people want to know what REAL housewives do, please, come to my home and observe a REAL housewife.

But I digress. Reality tv is just a medium to make more money, seeing as so many other genres have been used up to the point of boredom. If anyone were to make any sort of reality show about Pagans and Witches, chances are it'll be just as grandized and flamboyant as any other reality show out there, showing nothing of the true reality of what Witches and Pagans do. If anything, the producers of such a show would embellish the show, at the expense of truth and fact.

When a Witch casts a circle or even a spell and nothing grandiose appears, you better believe they'll add special effects or make them do something that has nothing to do with anything based in "reality". They'll play up every act to make it more interesting to the audience. And that's what they want...an audience.

They'll also make it so political, with cat-fights and the like...because we all know, the public love cat fights, and backstabbing. So, real (note sarcasm).

Film Freakouts!
I'm so sick and tired of "Witches" and particularly Wiccans getting their panties in a bunch over this new "Hansel and Gretel" movie. I think it's absolutely ridiculous to get so pissed over FICTION. Witches in fiction have ALWAYS been evil. How many people protested over "The Mist" regarding the over-the-top Christian lady "Ms. Carmody"? Did she accurately portray Christians? Hell no! What about the portrayal of "Ned Flanders" on the Simpsons...is he an accurate portrayal of all Christians? NO! So why are people getting so bent out of shape over this movie?

Personally I think it's the persecution complex coming out in "Witches" again (and I use the term loosely here). I as a Witch of about 12 years now, have no problems with this movie. In a non-biased, totally neutral stance, I think it looks rather cheesy, but my husband wants to see it (only cuz there's violence, and probably because of the scantily-clad, but bad-assed looking Gretel...but there's a man for you lol).

Why do I have to be offended by this movie? I know it's fiction. I can tell the difference between what's fake and what isn't? Why can't anyone else?

In all honesty, it's probably all those McWiccans, and Fluffy Witches out there who are the majority of the offended. Those who are getting upset for the sake of getting upset; just to cause a rise and gain (negative) attention to Witches. I'm almost POSITIVE there's going to be at LEAST one news story about this, and the "Boycott" that's going to be done by "Witches" out there...and again, it's not going to be legit Witches out there who are doing the boycotting...but those who want attention.

It makes me sick. I never saw anyone get all upset over Nicolas Cage's "Season of the Witch" (and I saw it...wasn't bad either) In fact, I saw lots of people speak positively about the movie...yet it was about Nicolas Cage's character, a Christian knight who had to arrest a "Witch" and bring her to justice at the church (or castle...I forget which). Or what about the movie "Black Death" about the Black Plague? There was a Witch in there and she was portrayed as evil.

What makes me sick is the picking and choosing of which movies to get offended by. If you're going to be offended by a movie that portrays Witches in a negative light, then boycott ALL Witch movies...because they ALL inaccurately portray Witches. Bewitched, The Craft, Wizard of Oz, Practical Magic, The Witches, Season of the Witch, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Sleeping Beauty...ALL of them. If you're going to hate one movie and like another...then you, my dear, are a hypocrite!





Ma’iingan