| These are some letters that I have written to others. They may help answer some of your questions. There maybe a lot repeated here, but I wanted to post them unedited, except that part that may revile someone’s identity. I’ve numbered the letters so you’ll be able to tell if new ones have been added. I hope this helps. Please, feel free to write me anytime. Be blessed, Starlight 1. Merry Meet and Hello, First my disclaimer, these beliefs are mine and mine alone. I don’t speak for anyone person or group, but for myself. Your acceptance is not needed to validate my beliefs. My relationship with my Deity is very personal. I hold respect for all who walk a path of peace and love. My name is Starlight and I'm a Christian Witch. Yes, there is such a thing and there are more of us then you think. It all depends on what you definition of Wicca and Christianity are. I've read all of Scott Cunningham's books except one, that I know of. As far as he is concern, a Wiccan can believe or chose not to believe what other Wiccans believe in. There is no creed. According to him, there is no set rule of what a Wiccan believes in. Most believe in a God and a Goddess, reincarnation, the Sabbats and Esbats to tune into the cycles of the Earth, magic (he doesn't use the "k"), karma, no satan, no hell, spirits, divination, (I can't think of any more right now) . LOL The fact is you can believe in this and not in that and still be Wiccan. If you believe this to be true then I'm Wiccan. I cast circles, call the Elemental Guardians as well as the Archangels, My Deity is God as Father, Goddess as Mother, Jesus as Son. All in One God/dess. My Trinity. I celebrate Sabbats and Esbats, read runes, meditate, believe in reincarnation, karma, spirits, angels, fairies, etc. . .. As a Christian it is harder because most Christians believe it's all or nothing. I think they're wrong. The deeper the Bible studies I have been in at my church, the more flaws I have found in the Christian faith. to me if you really boil down Christianity all it really requires is that you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior. There are Christian Wiccans who do not believe in a need for a Savior, but believe in Jesus and follow his teachings, therefore making them disciples of Christ or Christians. As a Christian I believe in a need for a savior, therefore I believe in sin, Satan, and hell (but not the lake of fire type). I’m not pagan, but I would never tell God who he/she can or can not be. After all, All Gods are one God, all Goddess are one Goddess, and all Gods and Goddess are part of The One. I hope this helps explains how a person could blend Christianity and Wicca together. My Christian preacher has no problem with me, but I can’t join the local Wiccan group. Go figure! LOLI do see Christians moving towards the Wiccan Way, so someday some form of Wicca maybe a branch of Christianity, but like everything else, I’m sure they’ll call it something else. Brightest Blessings, Starlight Hi...I was curious about your being a Christian witch...can you tell me more about it? I am a Christian, but I am very much interested in Wicca...I feel torn between the two...and I want both. I would appreciate an insight you might be able to share. Thank you. 2. Hi, I understand why you would feel torn between the two. As Christians we're taught it's this way or the devil's way. There's no in between That's why I put up a website, to show that you can combine the two without turning to Satan. I'm not sure if you got my email off my website so here it is in case you didn't. www.oocities.org/starlightcwa/home.html Even on my site it's hard for me to explain. It's more of a feeling. I was raised in a Christina home and really came to accept Jesus as my Savior when I was baptized. I know what it's like to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Also, going through my teens I felt a power raise up in me. That's when I first looked into witchcraft and all I found was about the dark side. Well, I tired it and it scared me, so I didn't mess with it anymore. I still felt this power, there is more to me then what I am, kind of feeling. Well, it wasn't until a year and a half ago when I learned about Wicca and good witches. I've always been drawn to the Earth. My favorite Bible passage is Be still and know that I am God. Only in nature can I be still. Then I see that God is everywhere and in everything. Trees, stones, earth, wind, water and fire God is there. That is how Wicca sees the God and Goddess as well. Everything with Wicca clicked for me except for a few things. One being the many gods thing. I have only One God that is God and Goddess. I use God/dess to express that. I do believe that there is an evil force that tries to lead us away from God/dess. How do I know that I'm not be deceived now by this force? "You shall know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16)and "a house divided against itself can not stand" (Matthew 12:25). My new faith has brought me much closer to God not evil. I see God now as Mother and Father, so God is more complete to me. I see God/dess with all of creation, so I live a religious life every day not just Sundays. My awareness of the power of the Holy Spirit within me has grown as I learn about magick. The power of the Holy Spirit is within each of us to use, not just in prayers, but for everyday life. God/dess speaks messages of love, healing, patience through my runes and tarot cards. Remember you will know them (false prophets and spirits) by their fruits. Test the spirits (1John 4:2) Every spirit of God confesses that Jesus is of God. Even Christian witches and Wiccans that do not believe that Jesus is the son of God will say that Jesus came from God. All prophets who bare good fruit come form God. I believe in the love that is in my heart and not what the men of the church tell me regardless of their source. For years I have taken the bible to be the word of God and did not dare to question it even if it made me uncomfortable. They call it faith. Now I question all of it and believe what my heart tell me is true. The church has been one stumbling block after another in my relationship with God. Wicca has brought me closer to God/dess. I have faith, not in a book corrupted to fit mans' agenda, but in the power of the Holy Spirit to revile to me the truth as best as I can understand it. There is but one truth. The problem is that as humans we can't get it right. When we are with God, then we will know the truth from lies. For now we have to listen with a heart of love and do the best we can. I hope this helps. Bright blessings, Starlight About the Unitarian Universalist Church 3. It's interesting that you should mention the UU church. I quit going to my church because the congregation made the preacher apologize for using a prayer that opened with God our Mother. I live in Arkansas and it is very conservative. My preacher said the Methodist Church is much more liberal up North. Anyhow, I miss going to Sunday school class and discussing things, so I went to a UU church last Sunday. They said they use to have a pagan circle, but most of the members moved so it got dropped. It was really nice to find a church that welcomes people from all faiths. In class we meditated to music and talked about it. Real nice. BB, Starlight Dear Starlight, I found you on Yahoo today, and it seems like we are so much alike, that I just had to write. I went to your website, and the others you recommended - some of which I had found earlier - and just had to say hello. I'm a wife, mother, grad student (school counseling), and step mom in So. California. Other than that, my interests are yours. I'd love to talk with you sometime, since this is a new thing for me... Christian Witch path... and would love any advice or insight you might have. I'm exploring the UU church, even applying for a DRE position at one out here. I would love to hear how you came to this path, how long you've been on it, and how it works for you. Blessed Be 4. Dear , Merry Meet and I'm glad you found me. I would be happy to chat with you sometime, but I usually don't spend a lot of time on the Internet. I get maybe 10 min here and there between stuff to get on and check my mail or the Christian Witch club messages. You may want to join the club. There are quite a few that are new and old to this path. We have a great DRE at our church. The only thing is that she has to stay neutral on expressing her beliefs so that everyone in the church feel that they will be treated fairly. Just like the preacher has to be. She's Christian Witch as well, so it's really neat to meet another one face-to-face. I really like that I can be myself at that church. As far as advice and insight goes I love to share my thoughts and listen to others. I've only been at this for a year and a half now, but it seems like I was born to it. The power of the Earth and the power within us is there for all to discover and just because the Bible doesn't address it or is afraid of it doesn't make it wrong. I feel that the bible we use now, was written for ignorant people who needed/wanted the church to tell them what to do and what not to do. Divination is against the bible, but when I cast my runes and ask for God's guidance I know that it is God who will answer. Some of us, not all, are much stronger in spirit and wiser then those the bible was addressing. We can handle the fact that we don't have to have all the answers. God is a God. God, Goddess, it doesn't matter. These are mundane thing and not spiritual. It's like a churches getting hung up over whether to immerse or sprinkle. It really doesn't matter. What matters is that you believe that you are a child of the Holy One and that you live a life of love. Towards the earth, each other and yourself. Remember in all that you do, show love. Write to me anytime. Bright blessings, Starlight This was in a conversation where I was called a neopagan. Since then I have learned that neopagans see all gods and goddess as being One Divinity. So, it is the category I would be put in. Since Christians see God as only male I would not be considered a Christian just on that aspect alone. 5. Merry Meet, You mentions a word that I have heard, but do not understand. Neopagan. Could you please explain it to me? Is neopagan everything Wiccan except the Deity concept? I agree that One God is not a pagan view. That’s why I do not call myself a pagan. As for a label of what to call myself. For now I like Christian Witch or Wiccan because my path is a blend of the two. Because Neopagan uses the word pagan I would probably not like that title. I know that calling myself a Christian Witch (CW) is offensive to some Wiccans because of the persecution of the past and still going on, but I really hope to be able to teach other Christians about Wicca. I really feel if they new the facts they would see for themselves Wicca is not the witch of the Bible. BB, Starlight 6. MM, As far as invoking Deities. I asked a friend of mine that is a Christian Wizard since the 50’s and has been in others circles, how he felt when they invoke the pagan Deities. He said he just does his own invocation to himself while they are doing theirs. You should only invoke those you are comfortable with. I’m comfortable with God, Goddess and Jesus, but would never ask someone to invoke them for me or with me unless they are OK with it. I think if a Wiccan and a Christian Wiccan are going to be in the same circle they should each have equal time to invoke the Deities they are comfortable with or use a general title like Lord and Lady. Brightest Blessings, Starlight 7. MM, Religion has never been seen as a pick and choose kind of thing. It was always assumed that the common people were too ignorant to comprehend how to have a relationship with God. After all the Bible was preached in Latin and how many people do you know that understand Latin. As the Bible got translated into common languages it was also edited so that you knew only what they wanted you to know and that it would reflect the churches dogma therefore making them look like they had it right all the time and that you still need them. That is the reason why books have been thrown out of the Bible and considered not inspired by God. We’re a lot smarter now then back then and we have found that life in general is what you choose it to be. There are things that happen that we don’t chose, but how we deal with them is our choice. We pick and choose what to believe and how to behave why not include our relationship with the Deity. It’s harped over and over in churches that Christ is our personal Savior. So, I chosen to make it very personal. I have always felt that there was more to my connection to the Earth then as a steward. After all from dust we came and to dust we shall go. Wicca has more in common with the church then you might think. The big difference is that Wicca really practices what they preach. Christians believe that God is the creator. Then why should it be such a big step to celebrate the changes of the year (equinox and solstice)? They believe that God provides for us, so planting and harvest festivals should be no problem. They believe that through prayer the power of the Holy Spirit can perform miracles. Why should that be seen any different then casting spells? They believe that God speaks to us in many ways, so why should he not use runes, tarots and the like? God has a long history of using dreams. The "church" has determined for all its people that because pagans do these things we should not. To question the church and act on God’s will outside the authority of "the church" was a crime punishable by death. As many pagans and just about anyone the church didn’t like found out.We are encouraged to seek God’s will for our lives and God’s will for me and many is to break the bonds of do’s and don’t and seek God in many different places. For me to find God’s will for my life is to pick and choose what my heart, seeking God’s will, decides what is right for me. When I found that God is the perfect Mother whose love is so unconditional, it set my heart free and my life became magickal. I have Wicca to thank for that.Our faith/fate is not set in stone. We can still learn to grow and become wiser for the experience. What I believe in now will change as I grow older, but I fell that too is a part of God’s plan for my life.Blessed be to the God/dess, Starlight 8. Merry Meet and Hello, Wicca and Christianity have in common is that they both adopted practices from the pagan/ancient religions. I don't think you could find a Christian who would say that Christianity came before the pagan religions. Anyone who reads the Bible will know that having one God was what made the Jews stand out from the rest. As for Wicca, it has only been around since the fifties, as stated earlier and Christianity is older then that. Wicca and Christianity have similar practices, but follow two different path. There are generalizations. Christianity seems to be more concern with saving souls and Wicca is concern with re-establishing its connection to nature and a Divine source. I have found a way to blend the two, but I'm definitely more Wicca in my practices. That is because the Earth/Divine connection takes a lot more work and gives me more joy. I don't feel the need to save souls because I know God/dess will be done. I see more Christians being drawn to Wicca because for the Goddess, rituals and earth-based connection. All these things are offered in the Bible but not taught at the pulpit. I have the Gnostic text as well, but you can learn about Sophia in any Bible under Proverbs 8. God as Mother, in Isaiah 49:15 and 66:13 I'm sure there are more, these were the easy ones to find. I’ve showed these verses to people in my church and never heard from them again. The "church" has tried to gut out the Bible to only serve their purpose, but some of the "good stuff" is still in there. You just have to find it one your own. I like reading the Gnostic text, because it's the stuff the "church" doesn't want you to know about. Some churches are embracing aspects of Wicca. See the unofficial confessing movement @ http:umcpage.orgMy preacher has no problem with me being a Christian Witch/Wiccan because I see all gods and goddess are coming from one Divinity. I still believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. As I see it Christians need to realize that the Bible is not perfect, but that doesn’t mean that it’s all wrong. Then they will learn to listen to others and think for themselves. Maybe then they will really learn how to love thy neighbor.Brightest blessings, Starlight 9. Well put to all, By explaining how I feel comfortable with mixing the two I did not mean to imply anything by that. I just wanted to show that for some it is not a hard thing to do. I do understand the negative reaction towards Christianity and pray that some day the liberal Christians will become the majority and after a few hundred years of loving our pagan brothers and sisters we can look at each other without this negative baggage. Maybe here with just the few of us the healing process can start just by being peaceful and respectful of each others beliefs. I walk a path between a meadow and the forest. It is not a path that is clearly marked. Sometime, I may follow a butterfly and dance in the meadow The warmth of the sun welcomes me into the light. At other times I may follow the sound of a babbling brook and find myself deep in the forest where the coolness of the air invites me to sleep and dream. Where ever my path my take me I am there. Within me I carry the Spirit of My Mother and Father their love will never leave me. I wish love and peace to all whose path I may come across and ask that you grant me the same. Our time together is such a brief moment And as children we should play. Waving back at ya, Starlight |