Witches and fighting evil

[David19]

Hi Raven,

Recently I read in 'Italian Witchcraft: The Old Religion of Southern Europe' something about how it may be likely for Witches to engage in battling the forces of evil, like The Bendandanti did in the Middle Ages.

It made me quite curious, especially when you said:


Today, Witches may face a very similar situation to that of the Bendandanti. Satanism is on the rise, and appears to be spreading quite rapidly across the United States. Many sub-cults of Satanism are forming, whose actions toward other people and animals can certainly be defined as evil. Once these sub-cults become skilled in magickal practices, then all hell is likely to break loose (so to speak)....I think it is not at all unlikely that Witches in the near future will be faced with protecting their communities from the destructive energies of an evil which is surely coming. Nor is it unlikely that Witches will take the blame for these misdeeds, as we have since the Middle Ages

p.85 (in the chapter on 'The Powers of Light and Darkness').

Like I said that part caught my attention as it's something not many other authors talk about. I just have a few questions, if you don't mind:

Would it be all types of Satanists or just certain types who tend to be more malevolent? (the only one that I can think of that fits the latter category is one called the Joy of Satan (http://www.angelfire.com/empire/serpentis666), although it's more on the crazy side of things (http://www.666blacksun.com) than anything else).

Do you still feel that way about what Witches may have to do one day, or have you changed your mind?.

Thanks for any answers you can provide :).

[raven grimassi]

Interesting question, thank you. My book was written over a decade ago, and surprisingly there has been little media coverage trying to tie in Witches with the misdeeds of others. I guess the media has, overall, realized that much of this craziness comes from Christian fundamentalism, and tends not to automatically accept it as fact.

When GW Bush took power, I fully expected to see a return to some heavy persecution, a tide aimed at Neo-pagan religion and its offshoots. But this ended up minimal. It is nice to have been wrong in this case.

My current views about Satanism are different now than when I wrote the book. And btw, thanks for allowing that authors grow and gain new insights, change opinions when new data comes to light, and so forth. Many people keep us frozen in the time of any given book.

I realize now that Satanism has many different representations, different groups with opposing views. I have met a couple who are anything but evil in intent or philosophy. They view Satan as a liberating force, and they view Judeo-Christian society as a form of legalized mental slavery or indentured servitude.

So, while I believe that Witches must be vigilant against becoming identified with Satanism in its stereotypical forms, I think that the degree is not in keeping with what I wrote many years ago.

[David19]

Interesting question, thank you. My book was written over a decade ago, and surprisingly there has been little media coverage trying to tie in Witches with the misdeeds of others. I guess the media has, overall, realized that much of this craziness comes from Christian fundamentalism, and tends not to automatically accept it as fact.

When GW Bush took power, I fully expected to see a return to some heavy persecution, a tide aimed at Neo-pagan religion and its offshoots. But this ended up minimal. It is nice to have been wrong in this case.

That's a very good thing, and, I think I remember hearing Bush say he didn't consider Witchcraft a religion and he hoped some court would rethink their decision (I can't remember what interview this was, but, I think some court or something had recognized Wicca as a legal religion, in some case or other, sorry if that sounds too vague). He isn't a friend or supporter of Wicca, that's for sure, but, I'd say Arab Muslims (or, just Arabs in general) became his main enemy.



My current views about Satanism are different now than when I wrote the book. And btw, thanks for allowing that authors grow and gain new insights, change opinions when new data comes to light, and so forth. Many people keep us frozen in the time of any given book.

No problem, I realize authors are people and do change their minds and attitudes, sometimes even drastically.


I realize now that Satanism has many different representations, different groups with opposing views. I have met a couple who are anything but evil in intent or philosophy. They view Satan as a liberating force, and they view Judeo-Christian society as a form of legalized mental slavery or indentured servitude.

So, while I believe that Witches must be vigilant against becoming identified with Satanism in its stereotypical forms, I think that the degree is not in keeping with what I wrote many years ago.

Thanks for telling me, like I said, it wasn't something other Pagan authors normally talk about, do you mind if I ask another question, but, do you think Witches, or some Witches anyway, do have a role to play in fighting evil?, it's just you do seem to get examples of that throughout history and in Witch Mythology and Lore, like, for example, the Benandanti (I know they were mainly a Christian group, though), as well as in modern day Mexico, you can Shamanic workers (who may or may not call themselves Witches) fighting the evil Witches and other beings (a good book on that is 'A War Of Witches: A Journey Into The Underworld Of The Contemporary Aztecs' by Timothy Knab (http://www.amazon.com/War-Witches-Journey-Underworld-Contemporary/dp/0813333873), here's a review by Chas Clifton (http://www.chasclifton.com/reviews/witchwar.html)), and I was just wondering, if you think that's a role Witches can or should play too?.

Thanks again for your reply.

David.