While I have not been in on this discussion and do not know what sparked it and the need to fuel such fires.
I myself am a practicing Strega Witch and would like to say a few things based solely off of this posting below. When it comes to defining evil to a religion, I do not consider any Religion evil, I do however, consider those men who run it to be mislead and in the manipulation of its’ teachings to create evil and from that more evil is breed. The true Jesus Tradition was not focused on such hate toward others or their beliefs it was based on opening one’s eyes and heart to the Truth, the truth that existed and does exist within each of us as well as within the Earth herself. To many have taking their own liberties to make Christianity what they want it to be instead of what it is truly. It should be about the Christ nature that is within us all, whether we are of the Old Ways of Philosophy and Magic knowning that our Gods and others live in the dimensions and heavens Above Us, and knowing that they too live within us as we live So Below. They are the Dark and the Light and you cannot have one without the other, both and necessary for balance in all things. To Know Thyself is to know this and to Nothing in Excess is to understand that this exists in order for us to be of Balance.
Do not get me wrong I do not condone any of the evil in which the Church has put on our community and its’ people this dating all the way back to the times of Hypatia and the first Pagan Kings, Emperors and those persons who were open to the Ways of Old and the Old Religion. It was out of fear that they do what they do, for they are ignorant and do not Know Thyself. And those who have and do continue to commit such evils will be expected to pay a very high price, for karma is collected now, not in the next life. Karma is “action”, be it good or bad you will always be held accountable as an individual and as one who leads a Religion. Never assume you evil doers get away with your acts, your actions are always seen and always known and the Gods will allow you room and then they come for full payment.
As a Strega I respect all faiths for to stick my nose up at one I do the same to my own, to point a finger at another I point that same finger back at me. Yes, it is true that we are the Only Religion that has NEVER waged a war, or started a war in the name of Our Gods and we Never will, for it is not who we are or our Gods. The Gods As Above do what is necessary and they give us information and knowledge, they give us hard times to see who and what we are made of, are we worthy to be their Priestesses and Priests this is our test. Do we mistreat another person simply based on colour, religion, race, creed, No I think not. We give to those that come to us for help no matter what they seek.
Diana herself never turned away any man, woman, child or animal from her Temple she always opened the doors for all, for in the end the one things that defines who we truly are, is our Heart and nothing more. In the Halls of Maát when one passes all the tests of the 42 Gates and gets to the point of final judgment of the weighing of one’s heart by the Scales of Maát, if her feather is outweighed by ones’ heart it is known that, that person has done wrong and they will be devoured to never be reincarnated to human form and to never be at peace for they are NOT allowed to pass to the Afterlife, however, if one’s heart is of equal weight one is seen for their Soul and is allowed to continue their journey into the Afterlife and to one day be reincarnated back to the family they are of or that their heart is of.
Ariana
