Witchcraft and Wicca, the Heart of the Harry Potter Controversy

Ok, first go and read this article. Think about it. Develop your own opinion, obviously.
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Ok, here is the comment I left on Witchvox, who post the article there, too:

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I Have To Agree.... Jul 16th. at 5:34:36 am EDT

Rev. Heidi Andrews (Pittsville, Maryland) - Email Me - Web

with Rev. Jasper. (for some reason, the part got deleted from my actual comment on Witchvox)

Not all Christians are out to get us!

Personally, I have more Christian friends than Pagan friends, and they know what I am and are cool with it. In fact, my best friend asked me to be Matron-of-Honor in her wedding, so I flat out asked her if anyone would have a problem with that considering my beliefs. She said of course not, and if any did, they could stick it.

Yes, there are fundementalists out there that believe we're all evil Hellspawn and that we should be converted, exiled, jailed, roasted...whatever. But they are just that....fundementalists. There are many more of the regular type that are interested in hearing what we have to say and trying to understand us even if they don't believe the same as we do.

Don't lump them all together and stereotype them. It's not fair to them and not a smart move for us.

Rev. Andrews

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After leaving this comment on the site, I received an email from Mr. Hubbard. First off, I'll say straight up that he got the war comment wrong. Rev. Japser made that statement, not me. Here is his response:

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Hi, Rev. Andrews,

You state not fair, not smart, and avoiding a war. I guess that these things mean to me that you do not read the same things I do. Or even read the same thing on witchvox.com that I do.

But as to war, I am fight a War that was declared in the early 90's, and I am fighting it with every tool I have. The Culture War has been a major battle and let me state that it is not a war I started, but yes I am a soldier in it.

And Yes, I am winning many battles. I learned a long time ago that if we don't stand up and make noise, then we can end up at the end of a concentration camp. Myself, my great grandparents ended in one.

My grandmother always said the biggest mistake people make is to accept the status quo, when they are saying you a not what they want in their lives. When it happens you either have to live or you fight, but to simply stand there waiting is to wait for death itself.

Consider yourself. Consider your children. I have.

Unto Seven Generations.

Blessings

Ed

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Ok...polite...if not just a little off in my opinion. And finally, here is the response I sent him:

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Greetings Mr. Hubbard.

First, let me say the "starting a war" comment was not mine. That
was Rev. Jasper. However, I did state, and believe, that it is not
smart or fair of us to lump all Christians under one banner of
religious intolerance and bigotry, because that is just not so. Daily
I hear from Pagans, new and old, that cry and while about how
Christians are to blame for it all. They cry about how persecuted they
are when, in truth, they have absolutely no idea what persecution is.
I'm sorry, but having someone ignorant of Pagan beliefs telling you
that you're evil because you're wearing a pentacle isn't persecution,
it's just ignorance and stupidity.

On the "war" comment, however, I will say that, yes, I have fought
my own battles for my beliefs. I'm no stranger to the concept of war,
being a direct relative of Gen. George S. Patton Jr. I am not afraid
to fight for my beliefs, and quite vociferously at that. But I also
fight for others beliefs and their right to express them. I have no
problem with Christians in general and am quite happy that many of
them are so happy in their paths. If they follow true Christianity,
they are no threat to anyone, Pagans least of all. It IS the
fundementalists and extremeists of Christianity, and indeed of any
religion, that are the problem. They are the one actively seeking to
stamp out any beliefs but their own. But just simply being a
Christian, Muslim, or Jew does not make one a fundementalist. It
doesn't make them all our enemies.

So, on that note, I make my argument again, that it is not fair or
smart to lump them all together and stereotype them under one banner
to which many of them don't flock.

With All Do Respect:
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Rev. Heidi L. Andrews
VP & Asst. Senior Pastor
Church of Eclectic Pagan Fellowship

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Opinions now.