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[soulfire]

For me being a witch is what and who I am.  It is a part of my every day life, my spirituality and my worship.  I practice a craft that does not limit itself to petty good and evil definitions.  I do what it takes to get the job done.

AMEN

[cheese]

There is food for thought here.  I think I understand what you're saying.

For example - I use reiki.  My knowledge of energetic healing can be turned to destructive purposes, if I choose.  But I would not say that my unwillingness to use this knowledge for destruction doesn't limit my effectiveness as a healer.

Make sense?

[Earthbound Spirit]

A Wiccan is a witch, but a witch isn't always a Wiccan. Wiccan = practitioner of Wicca, Witch = umbrella term for a vague practitioner of magic.

This is an incorrect statement.  Not all Wiccans are witches.  A Wiccan, who is a witch practices magic.  Not all Wiccans practice magic.  So for those people to call themselves a witch would be a lie and bestowing a title upon themselves that they do not deserve.

[Snake-Man]

When some of us call people on their laxity it isn't ALWAYS just to be RUDE.
Five mnutes and a quick trip through "search" could have answered this quite nicely without the THREE HUNDREDTH ASKING of the same old question....

Except for the fact that the "search" option on this site does not work!!!  Seriously...every time I've tried using that thing, I click on it and...nothing happens.  Click on it again.  Nope.  Nothing.  It's broken...defunct...kaput...FUBAR.  I don't know why we even still have it there, really.

But...on the subject of Wicca vs. Witch:

I am just a Witch.  When I first left Christianity and began researching witchcraft, I started with Wicca first.  But, the more I read, and the more I researched it, the more I realized that I didn't much like the religion aspect of Wicca.  Too rigid, too many rules.  So, I looked around some more.  Found a book called "Nocturnal Witchcraft" by Konstantinos.  Read it.  And then, it all made sense.  I could follow a witchcraft path without being bound by the rules and regulations of Wicca.  And so it now is.  I threw the Wiccan Rede out the window years ago.  I now follow my own personal Code of Ethics.  They may not work for you, but they work for me.  They are:

1. Harm None?unless provoked.?I can usually get along with most anybody, and it takes a lot to get me angry.  I will give ample warning if I am getting ticked off, however, if these go ignored, I will strike hard, fast, and with much vengeance.  I am also not against casting evil spells or curses if I feel it?s justified.  I believe in revenge, and I am very methodical in the way I carry it out.  I treat people the way they treat me.  If you?re nice to me, I?ll be the same to you.  If you?re a complete jerk, expect the same from me in abundance.

2. Speak little, listen much.?I usually tend to be quite quiet, unless I have something to say.  Most of the time I quietly sit and observe people, learning their personality traits.  I can read people like a book.

3. Honesty and Loyalty are valued above all else.?I am loyal to those who are loyal to me.  I also hate liars.  Those that choose to befriend me, find that I am a very powerful ally.  Choose to be my enemy, however, and I will make your life a living hell.

4. Always speak the truth?tell it like it is, no matter how painful it may be.  Don?t lie.

5. Show respect only to those who truly deserve it.

6. Kill not for the sake of killing.? I won?t kill another living creature without a good reason to.  For example: when I kill a deer, it?s to provide me with food for the year.  The exception to this rule is vermin, such as mice and rats.  I hate those little bastards.

7. You do me a solid, I do YOU a solid.?In other words?if you do me a favor, I?ll do you a favor.  And vice versa.

8. If someone gives you something (like a gift), give them something in return.

9. Help those that truly need help, but look after your own well-being first.

10. Don?t charge money for services that don?t cost you anything (such as Tarot readings or performing weddings).

[soulfire]

Snake-man, *applause and cheers* for that post!  I am there wholeheartedly and live by similar principles.  I especially like the last one. 
People always look at us weird for not charging $ for certain things.  I say, if the Universe gives it for free you should too.  Reiki/energy healings, readings, GUIDANCE.  I would rather teach someone to fish than have them beholden to me for a lifetime so I teach others how to use their own intuition.  We are not rich and some would say we are foolish for not capitalizing on these things. I say I would rather be poor and sleep good at night. 

ps, we keep the mouse traps set in the house too.

[Earthbound Spirit]

Except for the fact that the "search" option on this site does not work!!!  Seriously...every time I've tried using that thing, I click on it and...nothing happens.  Click on it again.  Nope.  Nothing.  It's broken...defunct...kaput...FUBAR.  I don't know why we even still have it there, really.

I don't know what to tell you man.  It works fine for me.

[C_A]

Whoa...Snakey is right.  I tried all sorts of search terms. 

After the wife's lunch hour I'll try it on the "home" machine, but in chrome and FF it doesn't do scratch.

Sorry about that!  It always worked for me before when I would remember "something" but not the where-&-when of it.  I'll try it on the guestroom machine, (WXpP w/IE8), and with the laptop, (W7 w/IE9), and see what happens. but I KNOW that EbS uses FF and it works for HIM....Hmmmmm....

[C_A]

I'm going to reboot this machine into Fedora and use the browsers in that and check.  After that I'll boot into LMint and see what shakes....

[C_A]

RIGHT NOW, I'm in FF5 from Linux Mint 10.  The search box works JUST FINE....

I think I'll start a support thread.  Used to have one years ago, might as well have one now.  I'll put it in the Kiva.

[cheese]

Fwiw, search works fine on my Droid phone.

[Earthbound Spirit]

I am running Firefox 3.6 and it works fine.  I dumped Firefox 4 because I didn't like it.  Never tried the search function with it.

[Jewel]

My thanks to Snake-man and Soulfire for their input and to all who took their valuable time to enter a post on this. I have been practicing for a very long time and not until my sister-in-law chose Wicca did I feel there was a difference. There are huge, looming differences that I perceive and I can honestly say...I FIT INTO NO KNOWN CATEGORY. I am just myself and I am attached to the Mother by silver threads. Every particle of my SELF is attuned to her and her wishes. I am fully capable of handing out destruction if provoked, although I have a high tolerance for aggravation. Not always, most mostly.

[Jewel]

I have Windows 7 and the search feature does NOT work for my computer.

[Nightsinger]

Your definition of a witch is highly insulting.

Please learn the difference as well as how to post it respectfully.

Pray tell? how was I insulting or wrong? That's a curiously specious post if I ever heard one, 20 words telling me that I've been insulting isn't particularly very useful if you don't back it up with an explanation.

Frankly, Labels can mean anything, and the word 'witch' is exactly that, a label. Witch can and does mean anything, I could write reams and reams of explanations offered to me regarding the definition of witch, and they vary as much as pagan beliefs. I assure you, "umbrella term for a vague practitioner of magic" is as good a definition as any.

Taking offense over something so... meaningless is your prerogative to make. Its mine to ignore you O_o

This is an incorrect statement.  Not all Wiccans are witches.  A Wiccan, who is a witch practices magic.  Not all Wiccans practice magic.  So for those people to call themselves a witch would be a lie and bestowing a title upon themselves that they do not deserve.

Okay, I think that is an acceptable criticism, but then I might have to question exactly where you draw the line with magic. Surely any expression of intent is magic, even if that expression is through purely mundane and physical means. Though beyond that, it isn't as if conceptual rituals are required for intent to be expressed spiritually, how on earth can there be anyone in the world that doesn't, to a lesser or greater extent, express themselves on the spiritual plane? even if we're just talking about a unconscious wish? And if the practice of magic is as you say, a pre-requisite for being a witch, then surely everyone is a witch. Don't we all use magic?

See, I'm also not sure about that last sentence either, since when has 'witch' been a title? as i sorta stated in the previous bit of this post. Isn't this word very nondescript anyway, it has many definitions, so how could there be any meaning in its application. I mean when I call someone a haggled old witch, I'm pretty sure its not a requirement that they be practicing magic, just that they look like the old traditional fantasy stereotype of a witch?

Beyond that, I've hardly seen Witch used as actual title, at least not seriously. I've never heard of a Witch Smith, rather than a Mr. Smith, in the lieu of say Father Smith. And I don't think there would be an point of bothering to do so either, as even the organisation and dogma of Wicca isn't sufficient to support an institution like that. No-one outside of a sect or coven of Wicca would take it seriously anyway?


Funny side note: the spell check on the forum keeps asking me to change 'Wiccans' to 'Vicunas', lol. A Vicunas is a wild llama. I'm going to take that as proof that Wicca is really about llamas rather than all the other stuff

[oldghost]

Please all of you lets not start any more verbal fights here okay . If you think on it you are all right to the degree of your own understand. Aren't we suppose to be the one that tolerate all others  Wiccan , Pagans , Withches ,Druid etc. should we not stick together . Is there not enough trouble in the world without us fight over simple words . Come on be nice and let it pass , shake hands and lets do something much better okay , lets help each other .