Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

[dragonyphoenix]

So my aunt posted this with the Wiccan Rede below it. I don’t know what to think of it so I’m sharing it here. Any thoughts?

I'm not fond of some of the posts someone has been posting, making fun of Christmas practices and/or Christians (but really showing her arrogance and that she believes she's more intelligent than the rest of us), but I bit my tongue until now. I don't want to be mean, I want her to THINK about how her posts must affect her family, because if she gave it any thought at all she wouldn't have posted most of it. We're all entitled to our own beliefs, and no one should be making fun of another's beliefs.

“Ever mind the Rule of Three
Three Times what thou givest returns to thee
This lesson well, thou must learn
Thee only gets what thou dost earn!”

Since I’m the only non-Christian in the family, this is directed at me although she doesn’t name me directly.

So, what have I posted this month?
44 non-holiday
25 holiday related but I can’t see how they’d be offensive (although possibly I’m wrong. Maybe she found the cthulhu tree offensive)
28 holiday songs
11 solstice / yule
1 Kwanzaa

Out of 128 posts, I’m guessing these 9 are offensive (except for the one she did comment on). What might she see as offensive (I’m guessing since she didn’t specify) and why I posted them:

1. Song “The Christians and the Pagans”. Yes, she’s right. This song does (lightly) bash Christians and I’m not thrilled with it for that, but I do find the family getting along despite their differences to be moving. Also I have friends who I know love the song.


2. An image of Santa and snowman lawn ornaments behind a wire fence which talks about the war on Christmas and internment camps. I do not see this as a Christian vs. Pagan image. Some people think there’s a “war on Christmas”. Because I completely disagree, I think the image is funny.


3. Santa and a demon (krampus) sitting close together and the words “Sometimes I fight my demons; sometimes we snuggle.” Krampus is traditional at Christmas in Europe. What I was thinking as I posted it was Pema Chodron talking about sharing a cookie (or cake) with your demons.


4. Accurate nativity play depicting real birth issues. Aunt Alice did comment on this that she found it offensive. It was late. I don’t recall why I posted it.


5. Linus (from the Peanuts) talking on the Pagan origins of the holiday. Okay, I guess I can see this one. I posted it because I have friends who’d enjoy it.


6. Comparing St. Nicholas to a Klingon (and they do look a lot alike). It’s geeky. I liked it.


7. Witches caroling and a family being afraid of them. The depiction of the witches and dragon is cute.


8. There was a fourth wiseman who was turned away for bringing fruitcake. Funny.


9. “We worship nature. Don’t laugh, we can prove it exists.” This was the furthest back. I didn’t even recall it until I went through my December posts. But it does seem sort of true to me. If that’s me thinking I’m more intelligent, then mea culpa.

Comments

[double_dutchess]

I think there's a few things that could be read as digs against Christianity: the red dye number three, only pumpkin pies are burning.

You have a point there. The red dye one does not seem terribly offensive though (unless I just don't understand it) and the one about the burning is pure historical fact -- though I can understand how it would be rather unpleasant to be reminded of.

It's definitely better to take the high ground and prevent things from escalating. But I can completely understand the temptation.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

*laughs* I've already toned down my response once and I'll wait until tomorrow so I can check it again first.

As much as I want to comment on her saying "I don't want to be mean" AND "but really showing her arrogance and that she believes she's more intelligent than the rest of us" in the same post, I think I'll leave that alone and try to come off as the reasonable one.

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

I suppose saying, "I don't think I'm more intelligent than any other person until that person proves it to me" would be wrong, huh?

Grumble grumble holiday spirit. ;)

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

I don't want to completely sound like Sheldon Cooper. ;-)

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

I googled it -- red dye #3 is suspected of causing thyroid cancer.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Even more of a dig now that I know that.

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't think it's like, "ha ha you're getting cancer," more like religion can encourage us to be afraid of other people's beliefs that don't harm us at all rather than things that might actually harm us?

Or maybe that the "traditions" we follow might be more recent than we think about.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

No, I didn't think it meant "ha ha cancer", but that they using candycanes with ingredients linked to cancer does seem like a dig.

I'm all for recent traditions! I just came across that solstice candles on this year and it was quite moving for me. ;-)

[double_dutchess]

red dye #3 is suspected of causing thyroid cancer

Thanks for the info. That does sound really nasty.