Who doesn’t love a good movie, or a binge worthy show, right? But when we as witches watch these forms of media, are we watching mindlessly, or are we truly seeing what’s in front of us?
Sadly, and it’s not just recently either, many of the movies, shows, etc we grew up with or currently consume do not paint us in a kind way at ALL.
I used to watch these types of things, and say to myself “Yeahhhh, but I can discern fact from fiction, so it’s fine.”
(Morgan Freeman voice over) “Mike would soon learn that indeed, it was not fine.”
See, shockingly you can still to this very day find reports of hostility and demonizing of witchcraft and witches themselves by association. The “green face” persona of witches is still everywhere, and movies portray us as child stealing, satan worshipping, hex and curse casting demons more or less. Some are very extreme with their portrayals, some more campy and fun.
See, the problem becomes that while we try to personify perfect love and perfect trust, not everyone does. While we can discern fact from fiction, not everyone can.
So the question becomes, is this type of thing affecting us? In short…YES.
You can google and find this, but in recent years, one even last month (outside the U.S.), people are still being sentenced to death for being suspected or branded as witches.
Yes, read that again…in todays times, even recently…much like what is oft referred to as the “burning times”, people are still being accused and murdered, sentenced to die before firing squads, etc for being…A WITCH!
There was an article about a man in Florida last year, who approached a car with two women, opened fire with a 9mm…because he “knew they were witches, and was worried they were going to curse/hex him.” Yes, that’s actually the statement made to the police when they arrived. We won’t even dive into the question of what would make him think this…seems like someone had a guilty conscious and may have done something to make him worry they would retaliate. Things that make you go hmmmmmmmm.
Shop owners of metaphysical/spiritual/witch stores are constantly being vandalized, doors spat and urinated on, etc.
There are numerous lawsuits, recent ones even that made headlines because people were wrongfully fired/terminated from their jobs for being witches and/or practicing magick because their fragile coworkers worried they worshipped satan sacrificed others, etc. Lawsuits for millions of dollars. Good for them, I hope they win!
The point I am making, and the question I ask myself and the rest of you is this…”Have we become apathetic to our historical, and sadly even current plight as witches?”
If the answer is yes, then maybe it is upon us to change this. To actively speak out against the studios, books, etc that portray us this way, perpetuating fear and hatred towards us. Some of you reading this may be thinking what I once did as well, “Ahh, Mike…people aren’t that gullible and easily convinced.”.
Well, to that I say two things:
1) Read the accounts I spoke about above again, even research yourself and see even more than mentioned here…and ask “What gave them these misguided views and ideas about witchcraft, witches, magick and more?”
2) Take a look back at the recent years just in the United States alone. Is it really so hard to believe that some, not all, but many can be easily convinced to believe whatever they are told, whatever they see on t.v., without actually researching to determine if it is fact or fiction???”
I think we all know the answer to that.
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