Ask A Witch: Atheist in Albuquerque, NM
Dear Alexandra,
For the past few years I've been studying up on every religion there is with a special emphasis on occult practices. I'm nowhere near an expert on anything but from the broad, shallow understanding I have, I'm still unable to find a faith that I can believe in. Eastern religions seem to want neutralize the emotions - which I find unnatural and undesirable
for the simple reason that I like being happy. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all seem to me to be silly at best, and extraordinarily dangerous at worst.
My inability to have faith in a God, but my extreme need for spiritual guidance and expression have lead me to look at Magick. Now my question is, is it possible for a person of such a skeptical nature to follow your path? I appreciate the fact that Gods and Goddesses can be viewed as symbolic of elements of a great uniting force. This vague and abstract "force" being the only supernatural thing I can coax myself into believing, but I have to ask- is magick real? Can you really tap into and manipulate the force that exists within all things. I'm speaking of course to your personal experience. Do you feel you have done this?
Sincerely,
Atheist in Albuquerque, NM
__________
Dear Atheist,
There are a number of points that I'd like to make in my answer, and forgive me for answering questions you did not ask! Firstly, I'd like to stress the importance of personal spirituality. Do not seek a mere label, and always remember that the journey may be more important than the destination! To that end, doubt and skepticism is always a good thing!
Second, I'm going to twist your words into a common question that you may be wondering, which is, "Can I practice magic without believing in any Gods?" Plenty do, and there are many ceremonial magic practices that study the practice deeply without the belief. Likewise, there are orthopraxic Wiccan paths in which each person can believe different things, but operate under the same principles.
But you asked me if you could follow my path, and asked about my personal experience and beliefs. My answer is that, practicing magic without deity is like driving without a license. It can be done, and done well, but it may not be advisable. Finally, I would like to add that I do, personally, believe that magic is real for me. This doesn't mean that everyone should jump out of their chairs and start chanting for a winning lottery ticket. But, magic works for me to make my life better.
Light!
Alexandra
26 Dec 2003
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