I am saddened. I thought the Burning Times were long gone. The Burning Times were a period in history when people were accused of witchcraft, and then burned at the stake, hanged, or tortured until death. Most of the people accused weren't even witches. A lot of them were just healers, or midwives, or even just old and lonely women. It happened because the Christians of the day wanted everyone to follow their religion, and anyone who didn't must be following Satan, which wasn't true.
Today, the persecutions continue. Pagans are losing jobs and their children because of their beliefs. This isn't back in the 1600s. This is as little as a month ago. Some people are losing their homes, or being kicked out of school. There has been one girl, about thirteen, who committed suicide because of all the teasing and bullying at school. There's really no need of that. There's also a case right now in Nigeria, where children - CHILDREN! are being hurt. Their eyes are being burned with dangerous liquids. Their heads are being bashed with two by fours. The parents of these children are taking them to a preacher who does all these things to them. And the parents sit by and watch, believing that the devil is being beaten out of them, quite literally. What scares me is that this isn't the middle ages. This is today, and it's only getting worse.
Why can't people live and let live? Why must they force everyone to be the same? I found the path to follow that is right for me. I'm not going to be threatened into conversion. I'm often told that if I don't convert, I will go to hell. That's a threat. I'd rather find a path that works for me. A path that allows me to fix this life of mine. I have a lot of problems, and I'm going through a dark period of my life. I don't know how long this will last. But I'm hoping that my spirituality will help pull me out of this and get on with my life.
I'm scared that I will one day be persecuted for my beliefs. I'm afraid that I will be hurt, or the people around me, just because I have different beliefs and a different way of life. I don't care what other people believe. Why should anyone else care? Let's all just live and let live.
I want to give a special thank you to my family and friends for accepting that I am a Pagan. I know there are a few of you that had to learn to accept it, but the fact that you eventually got there, I appreciate it.
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It's necessary as a witch to acknowledge the darker side of yourself; to see what you are truly capable of feeling. I know sometimes it may seems helpless, like you are the only one out there that feels this way. The world is a big place so there is room for everyone's beliefs; still with that being said it doesn't make it easy to "come out of the broom closet" to just anyone. Do I believe that wicca is the best path? Yes, but this is just me speaking egotistically. But positively changing the pagan viewpoints of a country that was founded on puritanical beliefs is going to be a challenge. Keep faith, my sistah!! Our day will come where the tides turn in our favor. If you aren't familiar with the book, "The Holy Book of Womens Mysteries" by Z Budapest, you need to stop what you are doing right now and go get it. It will definitely impact your life. How, I cannot say. But I will send positive healing thoughts your way :)
ReplyDeleteBlessed be, Sister!!
Sonja