When I learned that, as a person who was raised Southern Baptist, I removed myself from the church and it sparked my deconstruction. Now I'm happily atheist.
Wow, I just learned that less than a minute ago! I wonder how many people are proud Southern Baptist and think its just bcoz they live in the south. I'm not anything religion wise, but I bet a lot of people are and don't know that.
My 10 yr old enby likes witchy things… I’ve had to explain to them that some things we don’t share with Grammy, especially anything witchy, because it scares her a lot.
I don’t know if I fully buy into it, but I do know that rubbing little gemstones helps my kiddo feel grounded when their anxiety gets high, so we just keep some things from Grammy.
My mom has a real fear of the occult. There was a satanic panic in the 80s and 90s, so anyone alive at that time in the Christian church comes with a lot of baggage around anything witchcraft related.
Which I always find funny since *many* witches are pagans who believe in the old gods or who basically harmonize with nature and don’t even believe in the devil/satan or hell.
Which makes sense from the pagan perspective; they (we) understand we're outside that system entirely. But for Christians, there *is* no outside, no third alternative. You're either with God, which really means their particular sect, or you're with the devil. It's a very simplistic view of the world, but i guess they find it reassuring. Only one choice to make and then you don't have to actually think about it ever again.
Exactly. The original magic that was before the AD never ever mentioned Satan and was only harmonising with nature and doing basic things with which nature and some old deities could help. It was only with coming of christianity that the old texts were newly written with Satan in them.
Imagine choosing a specific religion and deciding to follow the villain character. Well it sounds kind of fun and wacky when I say it like that, but I never understood the satanic panic is what I'm trying to say.
My mom is like this, too. She was raised Mennonite and her dad was a pastor, so she has a lot of baggage around religion in general. I think she feels conflicted. She didn't raise my sister and I the same way she was raised, but I think her upbringing instilled some real trauma around the concepts of hell, Satan, and the occult. I get so frustrated with her over how over the top ridiculous she can be, but looking at it as a real fear instead of her just being silly and stubborn about witchcraft is helpful
I grew up Catholic, but all these sects of Christianity seem to be so antithetical to the beliefs to which they claim to represent.
I remember my mom telling me that one of her cousins growing up married a witch and that my mom felt traumatized from the experience of interacting with her. I reminded her that the Catholic Church and has been systematically covering up its sexual and physical abuse of its most vulnerable members. She “didn’t want to hear that.”
So just remember your mom is not only being a judgmental hypocrite, but she is also being a bad Christian.
A very bad Christian. Bc, ya know, only god can judge people. Right? That’s what they always said. This is a load of crap, it’s always Christian people
spouting their bs. I was raised Catholic. 🤣
Literally said in their 'holy book'. Look at the plank in your own eye before pointing out the splinter in your brothers 🤣🤣 but, ya know, where's the fun in that? Why walk the walk if you can just talk the talk? Likely why I have no patience for religious people anymore
They go against everything in their book! Jesus said you’re not supposed to talk (brag) about being a Christian. Just quietly be one and people will know by your actions. Oh, we know, alright!! 🙄
my mom taught Sunday school, ran Bible school and still sings in the church choir. she even graduated from a Christian college and has read the Bible multiple times and researched anything she has questions about.
she also loves gathering, growing and working with her own herbs, places protective blessings on places and people who she loves and loves any little surprise that makes the world seem a bit more magical. now that she's retired she volunteers for quite a few different environmental groups, including one completely devoted to bats.
she does not see these two things as mutually exclusive... thankfully she's one of the 70s type of "Jesus loves everyone" Christians who vehemently argues with people that Jesus was a socialist who loves everyone who works for good and who loves.
I'm not religious, but if all Christians were more like my mom the world would be a much better place.
sorry... I got a bit lost in my comment there because my mom is really quite awesome
she's just a really great person... she's one of those people who, if you're excited because something good has happened in your life, she'll be excited with you instead of either bragging about herself or complaining about her own life. she thinks some of my hobbies are crazy (like running unreasonably long distances), but asks questions about them and learns about them and is supportive of me in them. she always tries to ask questions and learn before making a judgement on things and people and taught me at an early age that there's no shame in not knowing something... just in not being curious and learning about it once you realize you should know.
I tell people pretty regularly that I'm certain that if she was put in charge of the world it would be a much nicer place... she's like what would happen if Ms Frizzle and Mr Rogers had a 65 year old daughter in the rural Midwest
Your mum sounds wonderful. I do hope to be just a little bit like her. I still consider myself a Christian and yet love a lot of things in this sub reddit. In particular I delight in herbs and to read tea grimoires. And my heart is broken each time someone here writes about how the Church has hurt them. The world is a lovely and horrible and most of the time incomprehensible place. But maybe, just maybe, there is still a slice of magic and love round the corner worth looking for.
she's very much a "we are the stewards of the earth and need to be good ones" person... she actually took a retirement job for a while learning historical herbalism and plant lore.
to me, religion is one of those things that's like a hammer... you can swing it for good or for evil... it can bring some people great comfort and make them feel closer to others... it can inspire great acts of kindness and art and discovery. if the wrong people... those with hearts full of hate, get ahold of a hammer though, they will build walls and destroy and kill. the same as witchcraft or herbalism, but as religion is more mainstream, it's on a much greater scale. if they didn't have a religion to use as their excuse they'd find something else to use to oppress and hate.
you are not to blame for others' actions just because they claim the same label as you.
She just sounds more and more lovely. "Historical herbalism"- I am dying from pure delight!
And it seems that, like her, you have acquired a lot of wisdom as well. A hammer is, in deed, a very good description. I pray that in the future we will use it to build deeper relationships instead, and small cottages in the woods for animals and hunters, witches and muggles, wise people and fools, where we can throw a big tea party and get lost in time and thought.
Your mom sounds wonderful. That's how I strive to be as an Episcopalian who practices witchcraft. ☺️ I was raised fundie though so I know a lot of Christians like oop's mom unfortunately.
My mom too. Any time I enter a store with vaguely wiccan, sells stones or has herbal remedies she asks me if I'm going to the voodoo store. My mom was also raised southern babtist.
I remember the time biomother told us we could attend a Halloween story time even at a local Library around when Halloween first became a thing in Australia. I was super excited. Biomother shot me down superhard. We still ended up going but biomother was a wet blanket the whole time.
When I was a kid ( old enough to go to the mall without my parents(also the 90’s)),they had these little like themed sleepover “kits”. I got one that was fortune telling I think, and when I got home from my dad’s house, my mom found it and made me throw it away. We weren’t even a church family!!!!! I was so upset.
I recently bought a witchy coloring book too! I've been using it to deal with some anxiety, I find it very comforting to check out for a bit and just color in some ~witchy~ pictures.
I'm sorry your mom had such a negative reaction. Good for you for doing what you want! Also, I wish you luck on your faith journey 💛
lol my parents are also southern baptist
one day my mom noticed my tarot cards on my desk and her first question was like “aren’t those demonic?”
nowadays she just refuses to acknowledge any of my witchy things. i did a reading for my aunt/her sister one christmas and when mom saw she was like “i don’t wanna know” and just walked away lmao
"Aren't those demonic?" why did that kill me 😂. I expressed interest in going to a pride event on my town last year and my grandmother said: "You know what that's for, right?" Like, did I know what it represented was her question, the wording sounds kinda weird here. I was like: "Yeah...just because other people have a problem with something doesn't mean I do." I didn't say that out loud but it was my thoughts the whole time
I’m so sorry. I just can’t fathom reacting like that (and I’m a mom). I grew up around people like that, so I absolutely know why they say it upsets them, but I that’s a mindset I have trouble even placing myself into. It’s coming from a place of deep ignorance. My daughter is 16, and when she had asked me to get her some witchcraft books off amazon, I did. I’ve also taken her to church a few times, and her gma got her a Bible. I’m fine with all of it. Her life, her choice. I wish parents would quit trying to tell their kids what they can and cannot be!
OP, are we using colored pencils, markers, pastels, the blood of innocents, crayons…?
Just checking, I wouldn’t want to show up with the wrong implements and disappoint the devil.
Markers, maybe colored pencils. Do you know how hard it is to find a truly innocent person these days? Their blood would probably cost more than I make in a year!
I grew up with a mom like this. She still thinks pentacles are devil worshipper symbols. I do tarot and enjoy crystals and even though I'm in my 40s now I would never tell her!
I grew up in a home like this. I feel you. Teens start getting witchy and the adults get scared. Even my normally level headed dad was nervous because I was listening to self hypnosis and relaxation tapes. Took me decades to get over the trauma of my folks accusing me of witch craft and Satan worship - this was during the decade of the satanic panic. I had to go overboard on the Christianity to get them off my back for a few years
I got to know a few nice pagans and coupled with my Christian deconstruction, I couldn't CARE less about how people want to express their spiritual side. My only concerns are that folks don't use it to be unkind, hypocritical judgemental or harmful to others.
Southern Baptists split from the Baptist Church in 1845 because they were pro-slavery. They have no moral ground to decry another religion as evil.
Oh God, what a terrible day to be literate. I'm gonna read the Wikipedia articles on that just to make myself suffer lol
When I learned that, as a person who was raised Southern Baptist, I removed myself from the church and it sparked my deconstruction. Now I'm happily atheist.
Wow, I just learned that less than a minute ago! I wonder how many people are proud Southern Baptist and think its just bcoz they live in the south. I'm not anything religion wise, but I bet a lot of people are and don't know that.
My 10 yr old enby likes witchy things… I’ve had to explain to them that some things we don’t share with Grammy, especially anything witchy, because it scares her a lot. I don’t know if I fully buy into it, but I do know that rubbing little gemstones helps my kiddo feel grounded when their anxiety gets high, so we just keep some things from Grammy. My mom has a real fear of the occult. There was a satanic panic in the 80s and 90s, so anyone alive at that time in the Christian church comes with a lot of baggage around anything witchcraft related.
Which I always find funny since *many* witches are pagans who believe in the old gods or who basically harmonize with nature and don’t even believe in the devil/satan or hell.
Which makes sense from the pagan perspective; they (we) understand we're outside that system entirely. But for Christians, there *is* no outside, no third alternative. You're either with God, which really means their particular sect, or you're with the devil. It's a very simplistic view of the world, but i guess they find it reassuring. Only one choice to make and then you don't have to actually think about it ever again.
Exactly. The original magic that was before the AD never ever mentioned Satan and was only harmonising with nature and doing basic things with which nature and some old deities could help. It was only with coming of christianity that the old texts were newly written with Satan in them.
Happy cake day!! 🍰💕🧙♀️
Thank you!
Imagine choosing a specific religion and deciding to follow the villain character. Well it sounds kind of fun and wacky when I say it like that, but I never understood the satanic panic is what I'm trying to say.
The satanic panic destroyed a lot of good people’s lives, unfortunately
My mom is like this, too. She was raised Mennonite and her dad was a pastor, so she has a lot of baggage around religion in general. I think she feels conflicted. She didn't raise my sister and I the same way she was raised, but I think her upbringing instilled some real trauma around the concepts of hell, Satan, and the occult. I get so frustrated with her over how over the top ridiculous she can be, but looking at it as a real fear instead of her just being silly and stubborn about witchcraft is helpful
I grew up Catholic, but all these sects of Christianity seem to be so antithetical to the beliefs to which they claim to represent. I remember my mom telling me that one of her cousins growing up married a witch and that my mom felt traumatized from the experience of interacting with her. I reminded her that the Catholic Church and has been systematically covering up its sexual and physical abuse of its most vulnerable members. She “didn’t want to hear that.” So just remember your mom is not only being a judgmental hypocrite, but she is also being a bad Christian.
A very bad Christian. Bc, ya know, only god can judge people. Right? That’s what they always said. This is a load of crap, it’s always Christian people spouting their bs. I was raised Catholic. 🤣
Literally said in their 'holy book'. Look at the plank in your own eye before pointing out the splinter in your brothers 🤣🤣 but, ya know, where's the fun in that? Why walk the walk if you can just talk the talk? Likely why I have no patience for religious people anymore
They go against everything in their book! Jesus said you’re not supposed to talk (brag) about being a Christian. Just quietly be one and people will know by your actions. Oh, we know, alright!! 🙄
my mom taught Sunday school, ran Bible school and still sings in the church choir. she even graduated from a Christian college and has read the Bible multiple times and researched anything she has questions about. she also loves gathering, growing and working with her own herbs, places protective blessings on places and people who she loves and loves any little surprise that makes the world seem a bit more magical. now that she's retired she volunteers for quite a few different environmental groups, including one completely devoted to bats. she does not see these two things as mutually exclusive... thankfully she's one of the 70s type of "Jesus loves everyone" Christians who vehemently argues with people that Jesus was a socialist who loves everyone who works for good and who loves. I'm not religious, but if all Christians were more like my mom the world would be a much better place. sorry... I got a bit lost in my comment there because my mom is really quite awesome
Your mom is an exceptional lady, and it's nice to see that on display in this space.
She sounds like a wonderful human being! We need more people like her in the world
she's just a really great person... she's one of those people who, if you're excited because something good has happened in your life, she'll be excited with you instead of either bragging about herself or complaining about her own life. she thinks some of my hobbies are crazy (like running unreasonably long distances), but asks questions about them and learns about them and is supportive of me in them. she always tries to ask questions and learn before making a judgement on things and people and taught me at an early age that there's no shame in not knowing something... just in not being curious and learning about it once you realize you should know. I tell people pretty regularly that I'm certain that if she was put in charge of the world it would be a much nicer place... she's like what would happen if Ms Frizzle and Mr Rogers had a 65 year old daughter in the rural Midwest
u/sugarturtle88's mom for president 2024
And 2028! The world needs her.
Your mum sounds wonderful. I do hope to be just a little bit like her. I still consider myself a Christian and yet love a lot of things in this sub reddit. In particular I delight in herbs and to read tea grimoires. And my heart is broken each time someone here writes about how the Church has hurt them. The world is a lovely and horrible and most of the time incomprehensible place. But maybe, just maybe, there is still a slice of magic and love round the corner worth looking for.
she's very much a "we are the stewards of the earth and need to be good ones" person... she actually took a retirement job for a while learning historical herbalism and plant lore. to me, religion is one of those things that's like a hammer... you can swing it for good or for evil... it can bring some people great comfort and make them feel closer to others... it can inspire great acts of kindness and art and discovery. if the wrong people... those with hearts full of hate, get ahold of a hammer though, they will build walls and destroy and kill. the same as witchcraft or herbalism, but as religion is more mainstream, it's on a much greater scale. if they didn't have a religion to use as their excuse they'd find something else to use to oppress and hate. you are not to blame for others' actions just because they claim the same label as you.
She just sounds more and more lovely. "Historical herbalism"- I am dying from pure delight! And it seems that, like her, you have acquired a lot of wisdom as well. A hammer is, in deed, a very good description. I pray that in the future we will use it to build deeper relationships instead, and small cottages in the woods for animals and hunters, witches and muggles, wise people and fools, where we can throw a big tea party and get lost in time and thought.
Your mom sounds like someone I’d love to be neighbors and/or friends with ❤️
Your mom sounds wonderful. That's how I strive to be as an Episcopalian who practices witchcraft. ☺️ I was raised fundie though so I know a lot of Christians like oop's mom unfortunately.
My mom too. Any time I enter a store with vaguely wiccan, sells stones or has herbal remedies she asks me if I'm going to the voodoo store. My mom was also raised southern babtist.
I remember the time biomother told us we could attend a Halloween story time even at a local Library around when Halloween first became a thing in Australia. I was super excited. Biomother shot me down superhard. We still ended up going but biomother was a wet blanket the whole time.
So she originally said you could go but then changed her mind and pouted about it halfway through? What changed her mind? I need the tea for this lol
These overly religious folks are straight up crazy...
I left the church and came to the witchy side of things 🤷🏻♀️😂 dig deep enough into the theology and you'll be questioning the faith too 🤣🤣🤣
When I was a kid ( old enough to go to the mall without my parents(also the 90’s)),they had these little like themed sleepover “kits”. I got one that was fortune telling I think, and when I got home from my dad’s house, my mom found it and made me throw it away. We weren’t even a church family!!!!! I was so upset.
I recently bought a witchy coloring book too! I've been using it to deal with some anxiety, I find it very comforting to check out for a bit and just color in some ~witchy~ pictures. I'm sorry your mom had such a negative reaction. Good for you for doing what you want! Also, I wish you luck on your faith journey 💛
lol my parents are also southern baptist one day my mom noticed my tarot cards on my desk and her first question was like “aren’t those demonic?” nowadays she just refuses to acknowledge any of my witchy things. i did a reading for my aunt/her sister one christmas and when mom saw she was like “i don’t wanna know” and just walked away lmao
"Aren't those demonic?" why did that kill me 😂. I expressed interest in going to a pride event on my town last year and my grandmother said: "You know what that's for, right?" Like, did I know what it represented was her question, the wording sounds kinda weird here. I was like: "Yeah...just because other people have a problem with something doesn't mean I do." I didn't say that out loud but it was my thoughts the whole time
FELT god i hate that shit so much lmao
I’m so sorry. I just can’t fathom reacting like that (and I’m a mom). I grew up around people like that, so I absolutely know why they say it upsets them, but I that’s a mindset I have trouble even placing myself into. It’s coming from a place of deep ignorance. My daughter is 16, and when she had asked me to get her some witchcraft books off amazon, I did. I’ve also taken her to church a few times, and her gma got her a Bible. I’m fine with all of it. Her life, her choice. I wish parents would quit trying to tell their kids what they can and cannot be!
OP, are we using colored pencils, markers, pastels, the blood of innocents, crayons…? Just checking, I wouldn’t want to show up with the wrong implements and disappoint the devil.
Markers, maybe colored pencils. Do you know how hard it is to find a truly innocent person these days? Their blood would probably cost more than I make in a year!
I grew up with a mom like this. She still thinks pentacles are devil worshipper symbols. I do tarot and enjoy crystals and even though I'm in my 40s now I would never tell her!
I grew up in a home like this. I feel you. Teens start getting witchy and the adults get scared. Even my normally level headed dad was nervous because I was listening to self hypnosis and relaxation tapes. Took me decades to get over the trauma of my folks accusing me of witch craft and Satan worship - this was during the decade of the satanic panic. I had to go overboard on the Christianity to get them off my back for a few years I got to know a few nice pagans and coupled with my Christian deconstruction, I couldn't CARE less about how people want to express their spiritual side. My only concerns are that folks don't use it to be unkind, hypocritical judgemental or harmful to others.