Depending on who you are and how long you've known me (read my posts or watched my videos, even), you may or may not know that I have always been the type of person who will say what everyone else is thinking just to get it said. In elementary and high school I wasn't always like this; I didn't want to be that person. But toward the end of high school and definitely upon beginning undergraduate school, I quickly learned that it was better just to ASK, or SAY something, than sit there silently and wonder.
Sometimes, I do this even though it will probably receive a backlash. I do it because I know I'm not the only one who wants to say something. I'm not the only one wondering. Chances are we are never the ONLY one in the world thinking anything--if we were, it would be a very lonely world. So why am I bringing this up now?
This is an image that showed up on my tumblr dashboard, and a bunch of people who had previously reblogged it showed negative reactions to it. One said "This is wrong. All wrong." Another said "NO." emphatically, and then "*throws things*"
My question is this: What is SO WRONG with these ideas that people would virtually throw things in response?
Not every witch follows the Rede, so that one is an obvious place for disagreement. Knowing the ways of the old can be arguable... I personally concentrate more on what it's like NOW than on trying to live the way they did then, which may no longer be applicable today. So maybe people are upset with that one? Not all witches follow the moon! Maybe that's it. But I just can't see why else the rest of this would be SO wrong. It's certainly not a detailed list of what being a witch is. This is a basic look at it, for sure. Maybe that's why it's wrong. But I can't imagine that loving, seeing further, being one with whatever deity you believe in (not all witches believe in any deity, so maybe that's their beef, too, actually), studying and learning, acknowledging Truth and so on could be so dreadfully "wrong."
Now, maybe that's because I AM a solitary witch. It's also because, frankly, I am not these people. To these people, commenting thus, these things are wrong. Clearly they are not wrong for ME and my life, but maybe they are wrong for them. This is a point their comments leave out. They think it's wrong, but not all of us do. And I think that's okay.
So why did I bother reblogging it, sharing my opinion and confusion, even though I recognized one of the usernames as someone who has insulted me and my beliefs before? Why risk the conflict?
Because I think it is valuable to remind people that their way is not the only one, not the only correct one, even. And I think it is valuable because if there are other people out there thinking "Hey, wait... What is so wrong with this?" then it is beneficial for them to know that they are not the only one confused. It's hell to feel alone on something as personal as your beliefs. When other people are telling you flat out that you're "wrong," it's good to know at least one other person does not think so.
Never be afraid to believe what you believe.
Blessings~
-C-
