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Giving Witchcraft a bad name -- Crescent
I found this on http://www.cnn.com. I don't think that she knows the difference between Satanism and Witchcraft.
Posted: September 18th, 2010 03:05 PM ET
From CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Christine O'Donnell is the GOP Senate nominee in Delaware.
(CNN) – Newly-minted Delaware Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell – who already has had to contend with a string of controversial statements she has made in the past – once said she “dabbled into witchcraft.”
The latest eyebrow-raising comment was revealed Friday by liberal comedian and talk show host Bill Maher, who, as host of the now-canceled show “Politically Incorrect,” had O’Donnell on his program several times as a guest.
“I dabbled into witchcraft - I never joined a coven. But I did, I did. ... I dabbled into witchcraft,” O’Donnell said during a 1999 appearance on the show, which ran from 1994-2002 on ABC. “I hung around people who were doing these things. I'm not making this stuff up. I know what they told me they do.”
She then described one of her first dates – with a witch “on a satanic altar.”
“I didn't know it,” she said. “I mean, there's little blood there and stuff like that. We went to a movie and then had a midnight picnic on a satanic altar.”
Maher showed the clip Friday on his HBO show, “Real Time with Bill Maher,” and pledged to unveil additional clips every week if O’Donnell does not appear on his current show.
A spokesman for the O’Donnell campaign did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
O’Donnell, the Tea Party-backed candidate who scored a surprise win over establishment pick Rep. Mike Castle on Tuesday, has largely run on a socially conservative platform.
Tags: news, politics, witchcraft
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by MoonFyre on -
I've found the same experiences when people find out I'm a Witch/Wiccan. For years now I list my religion on forms such as hospitals. I've never experienced a hateful remark or even look and am more likely to get interest. I think that is what shocked me about the reactions I saw in the clip. The worst I've ever gotten was shock that I "didn't believe in God" and once I explain that I just believe differently they seem to take the time to think about it.
That being said, I've known others who have less friendly stories to tell. I do, and have always, believe that the more positive exposure people get the less they believe Hollywood. It's a lot like a new mom and pop store opening up, word of mouth makes all the difference! Those people at the doctor's today will remember the nice Pagan they met the next time they read or hear about such stories.
Thank you for sharing your positive story!
Amber
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Permalink Reply by Adaria Tigermoon on -
This is definately an interesting story. I heard about it last night on PT but didn't get to read this until this mroning.
I shake my head slightly here at this. I kind of want to knwo what exactly rbought htis out. I mean it was a random passing comment, and frankly, I'd like to see teh clips of when it was originally brought up. Of course it's going to be blown way out of proportion because that seems to be the case when politics are involved. It certainly gives people another chance to dig their hooks into Paganism and attempt to twist what it relaly is.
Though, despite this being somewhat bad publicity yet again, I have to agree withw hat wa s said last night on Pagans TOnight that we need to promote our own self image or let otehrs do it for us. It is itneresting how we are discussing this internally and externally. I mean, we are all discussin it here and meanwhile it's ebing discussed outside our own community.
I find myself eeling very annoyed at htis because it shouldn't be brought out in such a major way, but becuase it is a politician holding such position and it is so agianst the grain it is going to raise up some kinda gossip which of cousre spreads like wild fire in our twitter and face boko drivenw orld.
I would like to knwo mroe abotu the story, myself, she interchanges witchcraft and satanic a couple tiems formw aht i can tell, which big difference between teh two. Yes tehre are satanic witches, but sounds to me like she doesn't really knwo the difference or well I dunno.
I doubt she'll elaborate on the subject further, but it woudl be itneresting if someoen could interview her on it and draw out mroe of the facts on it, you knwo set things right in a way. From the quote in the above something along the lines of I knwo what these peopel wer doing, etc, it almost comes off as a bad thing like tehre's something dark and hidden there. But of cousre this is lways the case when it's discussed it seems like, for the msot part by peopel who don't udnerstand what paganism relaly is.
I dunno, just my verbalizing my thoguhts here. I think we can take thsi bad publicity adn turn it good though if we try to, but it certainly makes me wonder... it really does. I can think of a few peopel who will use this as an excuse to possibly attack, for lack of abetter word, some of our lovely ommunity.
anywho... all for now. Blessed Be, until later...
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Permalink Reply by MoonFyre on
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I love having this place to share our thoughts and feelings! It has allowed me to really sort how I feel about it. I too would love to see more clips (or better yet the entire episode). I used to watch that show sometimes but obviously missed that one.
I do think we may have this wrong though. I am no longer seeing it as negative publicity. I see a lot of people outside of our community discussing who and what we are. They may not always get it right, but it's out there. It also shows that this next generation of politician was exposed to more and experienced more than their predecessors.
It is also opening up a door for our leaders and even all of us to present our views. People are talking and asking questions. They may start out by saying how horrible it is, but it's an opening. We can then say, "I'm a Witch, but I am not a Satanist". This opens the dialog. If we don't run from this but instead accept it as our chance to educate, our community will come through this stronger and I think better accepted.
Just my thoughts.
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Permalink Reply by Laramie Roush on -
Most Pagan paths practice magick, and not all of those who practice are Wiccan. All people practice magick, whether they are aware of it or not. Not all witches are Wiccan. All Wiccans, however, are by definition witches . . . even those who never practice magick ceremoniously. Satanists are considered witches, and they are quite a way down a different path from Wiccans; they are the most misunderstood of us all. Solitary practitioners who are living repositories of arcane knowledge are called "wizards", at least according to Oberon Zell.
Rev. Don is so right. People need to know what all these things mean. Regular folk who are uninitiated will hear about the practice of modern witchcraft and immediately think that means Wicca. Most people also think that Wiccans are Satanists, and that Satanists kill and eat babies (they don't, and neither did the Jews in pre-WWII Germany). Therefore, Wiccans must torture, kill, and eat babies. I'd just like to say, for the record, that I haven't eaten a baby in days.
Now . . . some trads keep what they do so secretive that its no wonder that people are suspicious. Not only are witches within those traditions worried about those outside, they even worry about those whom they practice with. While an oath bound tradition is very cool (see: secret elitist clubs for big kids), there should be some sort of outreach to the communities in which the members live, and beyond. Nobody needs to give up their cool secret initiations, rites, and clothing (or lack thereof). What we DO need to do is to make the public aware of what a diverse group of sub-groups paganism is, and yet how much like everyone else we really are.
Blessed Be
Larry
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Permalink Reply by ranjit prasad on -
oh i have eaten enough babies. sometimes i make it as my meal, baby carrots, baby potatoes, baby corn, baby okra, et al. (i am a vegeterian, so i stop at eating vegetables) larry said that he had 'not eaten babies in days' i hope he mans that this is not our practice, else if he had eaten babies it is one of the accepted things like what i have eaten.
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Permalink Reply by Laramie Roush on
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Nope. Never eaten a human baby. "Never" entails many days . . . and a macabre sense of humor. ;)
BB,
Larry
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Permalink Reply by MoonFyre on
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I got this in my Facebook from WitchVox:
http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/christine-odonnell-stirs-...
I thought you would like to read it.
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Permalink Reply by Laramie Roush on
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It sounds like Webster needs to update some definitions.
Oh, and the spike that occurred in the last 30 days . . .
people googleing witchcraft . . . .
That was all me ;)
Larry
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Permalink Reply by John Thomas on -
Twitter has also been an enormous influence on the search for these words.
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Permalink Reply by Laramie Roush on
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LOL, I'm sure they have, John.
. . . and I hope you know I was only kidding.
A truly "Erisian" statement, to quote Ed Hubbard.
BB
Larry
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Permalink Reply by Zaracon (Larry) on -
OK I am gonna play the devil(pardon the pun) advocate here.
This twit is just the tip of an old iceberg, lets face the truth witchcraft and paganism in the world already has a "bad" name, It is time we put some positive views out there for people to see.
there is an old saying there is no bad publicity , we just need to use this time to show people what we truly are and to put our best foot forward.
This is a good opportunity to show folks we are not satanists and not evil.
Some of our leaders are out there , like Selena Fox and Don Lewis showing people the true face of Wicca, in this time of Popularity for lack of a better term.
as the old saying goes kill-em with kindness . and lets pull the bad contations of the word witch into the light and watch the negatives drop off and the true beauty of the path shine through. imo Zaracon
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Permalink Reply by ranjit prasad on
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i dont tihnk this killing with kindness gonna work.
however much we summon positive energies, and create miracles, this is acceptable coz jesus himself created many miracles and thus miracles are part of christianty too. that it is the positive side of witchcraft is incidental.
i have a vedio, (please, i cannot upload) in which in US, a person cuts a lady in half, just by asking her to lie down and asking two other ladies to pull her apart. he taps her stomach while these ladies are pulling and the top portion and bottom portion seperate. top portion goes round screaming for 20 second, while bottom portion is in sitting portion with legs tapping. dont know how much is true and how much is trick photography, but this gets instant attention. so witchcraft is evil. (incidentally being a hindu i have read bible, i am also an ordained minister in an online church after doing christian studies, having recieved baptism, communion and ordination. religion is not my profession.)
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