Okay, hands up anyone else old enough to recognize that quote. :-)
I just finished watching Olivia's YouTube interview with Jessi Huntenburg (HOORAY, AT LAST!) and was about to drag my tired self into bed when an interesting thought popped into my head that I wanted to put up here as a semi-rhetorical question for y'all.
At some point in the conversation, Jessi (I think) said that part of what drew her to the Craft was a need to take or regain control of her own life at a time she was feeling less & less in control. I know that's always been part of what attracted me to the Craft, and the things I hear others say (especially kids & teens who aren't truly aware of what they're doing yet) make it sound a lot like people are attracted to magick by the idea of having some say in the events & outcomes of their lives, of "having their hands on the wheel," so to speak.
On the other hand, I have friends & relatives who are fairly devout members of one or another major religion, and they seem perfectly at ease with the idea "God is in control," and that any really important events in their lives are His will. (I use that language because all the people I have in mind are followers of one or another Abrahamic faith.) I've begun seeing an increase in the number of "All I need is coffee and Jesus" shirts & bumper stickers, and have known (and actively disliked, LOL) the song, "Jesus, Take the Wheel" for years, and all of a sudden the contrast whacked me in the face.
I know there are Christian witches, Muslim witches (although I don't know any who actually use the term "witch"), and folks who officially call themselves "Jewitch" -- but does it strike anyone else that Crafty people are, at least in general, less willing to say, "You're a big deity so I'll just let You steer me as You see fit even if I don't understand what You are doing at the time"...? Does it sound at least vaguely correct to say that a practitioner of the Craft is someone more attuned to accepting responsibility for self (or at least less attuned to being a passenger on their path as opposed to the driver) than the average person?
Confused minds want to know! :-)
So all this is how I feel and view things. I don’t bash on people for having different opinion and I love to hear what other people have to say. Also this is super long...
I feel it is hard to say all people or most people do “x” thing. I know people who are devoted christians and have been for generations and they believe in “gods will” but they also go out and do what needs to get done because they know it’s not going to just drop in their lap kind of like how it’s person by person in this craft(some witches do the spell but not the work that follows after).
I personally think that each individual is responsible for taking actions to achieve said goal and if you are doing all you can and you still can’t reach it then there is probably a reason weather it is a higher power or the universe saying it’s not time or something just clicks inside you that says “you know what maybe this isn’t for me.” and those people who have gone threw lessons and workings with in them selfs.
Now I know a lot of people on the other hand that don’t try to achieve their goal and who think of its suppose to happen then ’insert higher being here’ will just give it to them. I personally feel that those people have a lot going on with in them and can’t see signs that nudge them to do certain things because its not what they were looking for Or they don’t want to put in the effort.
So shorter version I hope...I would say it’s person by person, we use the crafts to do what we need to achieve said goal. it gives us strength courage and guidance but people of other religions do the same just with a religious backing.
but emphasis on person by person.
Sorry, gang, life got a lot more "interesting" so I *do* plan to respond but don't have the time right now. Interesting points,
you identify the core difference between pagans and abrahamic religions in your own post. people who follow "god" put the power outside themselves, whereas pagans or witches identify that we are the ones in control.
Yes. perfectly said in just a couple words.