"Do Witches Go To Heaven?

Merry Meet Family and Friends!

So, now for some happy news! I recently had an article published on Witchvox! It was the first I'd submitted and was quite pleased that it had been accepted!

For those unfamiliar, Witchvox, also known as "The Witches' Voice" is a World-Wide Networking resource for well...Wiccans and Witches and Pagans! Oh My! So, if you're looking to connect with people of like minds, a group to practice with or events of interest that might be taking place in your area, this is the place you want to visit!

That being said, one of the perks of having an article published is that I've gotten some really great feedback via private email. One such email however, posed a moral and ethical dilemma for me, both as an occultist, as well as a parent.

The email came from a boy my son's age, who had a predicament of his own. He told me that he felt he had the "power" and wanted me to teach him to be a Witch. His great, great Grandmother was a White Witch and he wanted to be one too. Despite his desire however, he was afraid that God might not allow him into Heaven if he practiced Witchcraft. His question to me was, could he become a Witch and still go to Heaven? Seriously, I'm not making this up!

Ya gotta know, it was close to Midnight when I read his email. I wasn't sure if I was even awake enough to give him the answer that he needed or more importantly, the one that I felt was the most spiritually responsible. I sat there, half asleep, staring at his email and thinking, "Crap! This is really hard!"

My first instinct was to gush with excitment as I shared my passion for the Craft. I wanted him to know that I became interested in Witchcraft when I was much younger than his 14 years, and that even as a little girl, I wanted to be a Witch. I wanted to tell him that I would have gladly given up a place in Heaven, if it meant fulfilling my dream!

Then my maternal instinct kicked in and I just couldn't do it. Yes, all that would be true, but was it my responsibility? This kid had obviously been taught to believe in the Christian concept of Heaven and Hell and I wasn't about to negate the teachings of his parents and/or his Church. It saddened me, however, to hear that he was so fearful that the God he was taught to love was a vengeful God that would deny entry into Heaven if he were to follow his heart.

I began to recall my own humble beginnings and those dark nights of the soul when I questioned my Christian upbringing, which trust me, was hardly an "upbringing" at all. I found myself confused by the underlying sense of foreboding as I contemplated the possibility of betraying the beliefs that, although I felt no connection to, were all I'd ever known. I was reluctant to confess, even to myself, that I'd never been a Christian...really. And while I still had an affection for the person known as Jesus Christ, I couldn't claim to be a fan of some of his cheering section. After all, these were the very same people who kept assuring me that should I practice Witchcraft, not only would I lose my reservation in Heaven, but that I might consider dressing for a MUCH warmer climate! Yet, my heart beckoned and I followed, and for the first time in my life I understood why I'd questioned my faith. See, now I'm gushing!

So what words of wisdom did I impart on my little friend? Well, I told him that Witches read...a lot! And that most Witches spend years studying to learn to be Witches. I told him that the first step to being a Witch was learning as much as he could before deciding if being a Witch was really what he wanted to do. I explained that huge responsibility came with practicing Witchcraft, as we were always mindful that our actions were not causing harm to ourselves or others.

I told him, "I believe that the Gods judge you not by whether you call yourself a Witch, but by what's in your heart". I couldn't help but think how much anguish I would have been spared had someone said these words to me when I was trying to make my own choices.

And although I'm personally skeptical, I threw in the good ole' "Threefold Law". Somehow, I think his great, great, grandma would have wanted me to!

In Darkness, Light!


Tracy