So, You‘re a Witch. Do You Worship Satan?Author: Lady Abigail
WITCHVOX - I have to admit that this subject is one that is sensitive at best. Most of us accept that not everyone is going to agree on the subject of a devil or a deity called Satan. Yet, I find that most within our community of Witches and Pagans have to deal with the discussion of a devil at some point. Very often we must try to explain that ‘NO’ we do not worship this deity since we do not believe him to be real.
"So, you‘re a Witch. Do you worship Satan?"
I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked that question. It does not seem to matter what tradition you may happen to work with; Eclectic, Druid, Celtic, Wiccan, and so forth, you have most likely been asked this question yourself. Somehow, if you do not believe in the Christian male god of everything, you must believe in and therefore worship Satan. Occasionally, the name may be different, according to whom they see as this entity of evil. (Devil, Satan, Beelzebub and Lucifer being only a few on a long list of names.) Yet, the question is continuously asked.
Most of us have tried to respectfully explain to people that we don't believe in a devil or a hell. This often gets a few strange looks, or a question of what we do believe in.
I believe that some of the people who ask this question, "Do you worship Satan?" don't really care what the answer is. They are those people who believe they already have all the answers and most of them what to tell me what that answer is.
So I have decided that rather than try to explain to them that my beliefs do not consider Satan as valid, I simply say, "No, I don’t worship any of the Christian/Judaeo Gods, good or evil."
That always brings an immediate response. "What do you mean, Christian/Judaeo Gods?"
I reply that Satan, by whatever name he may be called, is their God of Evil, not mine. I have to say, I have received more than a few puzzled looks, not to mention, shock, frustration, and some extremely nasty words. The idea that Satan is their god of evil enrages many within the some of the mainstream faiths. (I am not judging all those within these faiths. I have friends and family whom are both of the Christian and Judaeo faith.)
But, the truth is, Satan is considered by many as evil personified. He is the enemy of their one God. There are a few additional faiths that believe in a concept of an evil godlike being, although it has been my experience, that none of those give him such absolute power and reverence as those of the mainstream religions. Numerous followers of the Bible consider Satan to be not only real, but also created by God to be ruler of Hell. Satan, the God of Hell, was put in this position of authority over all the horrors that occur in human life, via the God of Heaven. Satan is distinguished in this arrangement as the God of Evil. He is seen as a very real and valid part of these mainstream religions.
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