I’m sorry @anne2 and I know this is difficult and uncomfortable. I basically echo what has already been added by our wonderful group here. And like @praecog29 and many that closed thought process is something that was drilled into me since I was a child. I’ve gone through what I call the phases of disconnection with it. From just going through the motions to appease family and friends, to being indifferent to shunning Christianity completely. I’m finally in a mental space now to recognize the similarities of what I believe now and what was taught/preached to me in the past. However, I’m also in a place where I can immediately feel and point out the “rules, laws and doctrines” that were added to Christianity as fear tactics by humans’ need for power. It’s taken me some time to tune into that, and I’m still working on it but having that calm “knowing” feeling is what keeps me from going off the rails. Like mentioned, try to be as vague as needed and if pressed to say something specific, there are some biblical passages that fall in line with Wiccan beliefs (probably the other way around actually!). Sometimes saying that may be enough to get them off your back. Again, I’m so sorry. I have not directly experienced what you’re going through but I can only imagine that it’s scary and anxiety inducing. Definitely try some of the suggestions posted. This forum is such a treasure box of knowledge and help. I hope you get some peace 
Hello and welcome, also just as I said in the profile name of mine call me whichever name you’d prefer out of anne2 or Margaret, @elizabeth7 and @robin77 ,
I’ve actually the same thing as you said in the first part, the only difference here this time is that after I learned that the Hebrew bible has no accurate transliteration in other languages and that the branches of Christianity are still in debates about what’s the accurate version I actually partly stopped reading Sol Scriptura because of that while the other was because I’ve accepted that Christians especially the more close off minded ones will never accept the knowledge of learning that all this time they were harboring a subconscious user of magic in their ranks
Though what finally sealed my decision to leave was due to a dream of my mother’s deceased father who urged me to leave the group of Catholics I was once part of for the sake of my own peace of mind…I don’t regret it because for the present I have the freedom I never really used to have in the past to explore about spirituality and mythology which is good for me cause I do need to learn to stand on my own as well in the long run as an individual
One of the transliterations in one of the bible there included something like God is against witchcraft, divination and paganism, I already forgot which part it was written there though, which is one of the reasons why the Christian that’s been attempting to evangelize me chose to have a conversation with me which can sometimes turn into a debate between both sides, so yes this one’s doing it in an attempt to save me from the Christian version of Hell though to me honestly I feel like like my soul will potentially end up in Norse Hel instead in the afterlife
I’m coexisting with this Christian cause whether both of us get along or not with each other, we both intend to play Shogi, hopefully with enough time…I end up skilled enough for the Eastern chess to play for the Philippines online next year, the lover I have suggested I try it out since we played it before where I had taught him how to play it as well
Blessed Be,
-Martinez, Margaret
Honestly, This happens alot for some reason and espessialy because the media depicts other beleifs as evil and such wich is rediculous of chourse.
don’t let others put you down over something they don’t understand, even if you try to explain people will still criticize and that’s just how they are.
when people make me feel bad i just try not to let them in my life anymore.
blessed be
Dear Margaret, I’ve found the best way through this is to simply say Thank you for your concern and I’ll dance naked in the woods for you. Don’t join in this argument it isn’t good for anyone. Hope this helps. Bright Blessings.
Hello and welcome @summer2 and @audre , At this point, I ended up recalling what the Atheist friend I had taught me in the years of senior high. Don’t use logic against Christians, You’ll never hear the end of it from them, They’ll just keep fighting back until you either submit to their belief or you’d end up excommunicated from their side of faith.
As for the rest of my family members I have I ain’t telling them yet that I choose a different faith from theirs, especially cause one of them is a church member. I’ll just to be real careful if I’m found near the relative or if I’d be forced to watch them burn anything that assumed demonic, I’ll have to act indifferent in front of them, even though I’d know that sort of happenings will likely bother me when I’m alone when no other person is watching me, just hope none of the nephews or nieces I have will notice it if something’s bothering me when those times occur, I do have a soft spot for them.
I did manage to actually cut contact with the bullies that did manage to state a bunch of names before though that is likely due to me switching schools in elementary years it only stopped in junior high to senior high, college though has me switching campus due to it has to be paid for here in most colleges unless you’re in a state college.
I’ll just have to tell this Christian not to attempt indoctrination to me because even I have a time when I could suddenly snap out in anger when it feels like that disrespect is occurring, this one’s surprised though that no matter how irritated I may be at the words in their book used by their side there has never been any curses I’ve replied back to the believer/s, Why would I even curse? The Threefold Rule or Rule of Three exists for a reason and I’d rather not have this law work against me
Blessed Be,
-Martinez, Margaret
This was such an interesting thread. I agree that it is more difficult to be different in a group in many social contexts, but religious differences can seem particularly acute. When I thought about your problem, to me, it had two dimensions: the practical and the cultural. Practically speaking, you have a boundaries challenge. There is a person in your life who is crossing boundaries to a degree that makes you uncomfortable. You are wondering how to set or reinforce social boundaries in a way that allows you to keep your self-respect and dignity, and preserve the relationship, if it is important to you. You also have an acceptance challenge – you have to come to terms that no matter how logical or reasonable your explanations may be, people who are not ready to hear information simply will not hear it and there isn’t much you can do about that but wish them the best and live by your own principles and values. If this was an important relationship or social connection that you wanted to preserve, you would take a different approach than if they were an acquaintance with whom you spent little time and could potentially avoid. You mentioned fearing that your property would be burned however, and that is a completely different level of problem. It is one thing to worry about whether a person in your life may burn your Book of Shadows simply because they do not share your beliefs and another altogether to have supported basis to believe they might actually do such a thing. You reasonably know that no one can lawfully enter your home without your consent. You can take precautions to protect your property. But if they already live in your home or they have voiced or committed criminal acts, you have another problem. You can ask them to live elsewhere or you can enlist the help of law enforcement, or you can come to an understanding about boundaries, depending on the true severity of the problem.
Culturally speaking, I am less certain about how I feel about it. Am I defeating the purpose of tolerance by choosing to conceal some of my practices from public view? Or is my individual choice for privacy a legitimate one? I am still on the fence about that. Intolerance among humans is an enduring characteristic, but so is acceptance. Any group that is in the minority faces the challenges of disenfranchisement, from shunning to job discrimination and even violence. We have more choices in the 21st century than we had before. How we choose to deal with intolerance of our values and practices is an individual choice that infrequently results in actual harm to life and property. Of course it happens, but in the grand scale of our experience, it is now rare. Laws prevent it. Social ostracism is the more likely consequence but even that may not be as great as we fear. Employment discrimination is a threshold for many of us, self included. Not sure how many parents would be delighted to know the teacher of their children casts spells but I’m not about to press the point because I need to be employed. We cannot change other people but we can change ourselves. I personally believe that to be accepted socially, if that is one’s wish, the odds of acceptance increase by embracing prosocial behaviors, such as being generous, grateful, forgiving, cooperative, solution-oriented, understanding, kind, tolerant, patient and friendly. And a sense of humor often helps. That can be done while remaining true to one’s religion. I know Wiccans who have these qualities. They may not choose to identify themselves as Wiccans with everyone they meet, because they recognize the stigma that exists with being in a very small minority - 1/3 of 1 percent of Americans identify as Wiccan. My Wiccan friends don’t endorse the stigma that exists but they prudently recognize it. They have found tolerance and acceptance among their friends of other faiths because they act in prosocial ways. I am sure they wish they were more accepted but they don’t try to be something they’re not, either; they don’t try to “pass” as Christians. But they are VERY careful to make it a non-issue at their workplaces. Is that fair? Maybe not. Is it bearable, for them it is.
As you know Paganism and Wicca are religions, but witchcraft is not. I’m a Christian witch that chooses to incorporate aspects of Wicca and paganim into my spiritual life and I also choose to leave behind some aspects of Christianity that do not sit right with me. For example, I personally do not believe that people are born in sin and I believe Jesus was a real person who made mistakes, sometimes. In a group of other Christians, I might share those beliefs if I felt strongly about it and felt reasonably assured it would not backfire against me, but I also do not feel ashamed if I do not disclose my personal views to others. How willing is someone to listen to me with an open mind? My sister would listen to my thoughts that Modern Christian practices and ancient pagan practices and customs have a wealth in common. My sister would smile tolerantly if I breezily opined that Jesus was an uncommonly powerful witch. There isn’t too much difference between a prayer and a spell and if you walk into my church, you will see candles, flowers, offerings, water, wine, incences, chalices and an altar and if you look at my circle, you’ll see those, too. I recognize that I have the privilege of having my Christian customs and values being widely accepted, that I can “pass” as a Christian whenever I wish, because I feel I am a Christian and many Christians would agree that I am (and a few would not). I try to balance the scales by making an increased effort to be aware, informed, moral and tolerant. I try to be the change I want to see. I am an eclectic Christian that calls the quarters and feels close to God. But I also recognize that being fully transparent about my craft practices with every person I meet or my employers would potentially result in social ostracism and discrimination and other negative consequences. I would defend a Wiccan person in my classroom or workplace if she were bullied but I might not come right out and announce that I cast spells to the class. We all make and choose our paths and it is a question of discretion and trust who we bring on those paths with us.
Wow, Hello, welcome and many thanks @mary25 ,
I was not expecting this long paragraph when I entered this website for another topic not related to the practice to ask for aid from and neither did I expect I’d type this long paragraph either when I first read your reply, I did tell the individual from a different Christian church that I actually do not care about ending up in Hel or any other equivalent for where the spirits of the dead dwell when they’re not here in the mortal world watching over their parted loved living ones. This one is starting to accept that no matter the amount of whatever sort of preaching method used at either him then directed to me it just doesn’t work, the only emotional weakness I have is my younger sibling’s health and safety just as it always has been in the past.
Coexistence is a tricky subject but I have learned that sometimes what the person could be projecting in their terms could be the subconscious fear of the individual at least that’s how more close minded Christians are, The more this one has told me to repent, Yes, I get Facebook gif images or videos of it from this person, relentlessly, if not daily then its every other day, or I’d be sent with a link to one of their studies which I’d rather not be involved in all over again, the more it ends up ringing as part of the truth in my perspective that something has this individual subconsciously terrified yet is unwilling to admit that he’s likely afraid, Also comes the challenge that this Christian under the Born Again branch has confessed to have feelings of love towards me, Is it really love though or just lust on his end? I have yet to even tell my lover about that part yet due to us both having different time zones and conflicting schedules communication becomes a challenge for both him and me.
Let’s hope when that happens nothing terrible will occur for either side, jealousy and envy changes a lot of people, a decisive and harsh fight between the two different athletes of the same sex in the same board game I would play for both fun and potentially professionally is the last thing I’d ever want to deal with…Also some Filipinos in this country are just truthfully frankly speaking creepy, you know the stalker type of person? Regardless of religious or spiritual backgrounds, they exist and pretty much find their prey whether it be online means or ends up searching where you’d study or live at to know what your everyday life is. There is also the crime rate and criminal syndicates which are not uncommon, I’ve been nearly kidnapped in different occasions before outside school or house or the subdivision’ or near the ministry’s walking distance grounds last time it occurred again was a year ago under Tourism course, rates of it though have decreased as one of the perks of the CoVid19 Pandemic where every place is under lock down for the National Capital Region
It’s also thanks to Odin, well references to him by another Pagan I forgot the name of in Youtube said that “War is the natural order of things whether it be for personal gain or survival” is the reason why I’m calmly accepting any potential war to occur which a bunch of other Christians predict in this country will start due to China and Russia. Though if that occurs I feel both sorry and terrible for the Global economy which is another issue with CoVid19’s presence at current Asia. I just hope whichever president ends up elected for next year for the country is not foolish enough to instigate a war that can’t be won realistically against China, America may have aided us in the past but in the present? Every head of state already has problems within their own borders, that would be asking for too much on our end already.
I will likely be excommunicated by the local church and those who conform to society here when truth comes out, there are those with discernment in spirits in them, so it may come out regardless if I do be discreet or not, but well I honestly can accept that fate, if it meant peace and quiet away from other societies or groups I’d accept it, but I do have to thread carefully in that part, I need to take into account that anything I would do to others here in the country is associated to my parents in an instant and my younger sibling may end up suffering its after effects as well so before that potentially occurs I have to leave them with enough money and the tools to be able to sustain their own selves as well, this way even if I am shunned or am reluctantly accepted by others, they can stand on their own as well even when I’m long gone from the country in the future.
Blessed Be,
-Martinez, Margaret
Conversation Update just a few minutes ago this occurred, also to the other witches who may be followers of Christ, I do not mean to undermine your faith either in this conversation,:
“In the olden days, it is the diwata who select those who can become a Babaylan . Many are stricken by very serious illnesses to the point of death or they encounter a series of events, accidents or phenomena that drive them to the point of insanity. A common scenario is that they are almost beside themselves because of some kind of trauma, illness or accident that happens to them, and that the only way for them to surpass it, is to be initiated into the fold as a priestess/priest.” - me
“yep…it’s probably a path for me, a certain mindset is like a requirement to become one” - me
“Your loving Father in heaven waiting for you to come back to him” -Christian
“I’m sticking to Abba” - me
“Dont let worldly wisdom lead you astray from the true path of life , in jesus, jesus died for your/our sins , he died for us we become son of God , to inherit eternal life” - Christian
“if we humans are made in God’s image then why does God who’s omnipotent and omniscient permit mankind to do harm and then call us all to be sinners? either the entire new testament is a war between linguists interpreting Hebrew to Greek that then became English” - me
“you dont have holy book to which rely only on worldly wisdom” - Christian
“and the original new testament came from Greek accounts” - me
“humble yourself sister let God holy spirit lead you to understand his wills to us to obey and trust” - Christian
“sorry, no, I have come to accept I am a doubter now, question, trial and error, research, The New Testament tells the story of the life of Jesus and the early days of Christianity, most notably Paul’s efforts to spread Jesus’ teaching. It collects 27 books, all originally written in Greek.” -me
“so the truth of God word not with you, God the Father don’t have love letter to you and your fellow pagans, that love letter found only on holy bible only” - Christian
'if were condemned its better to ask questions instead of following blindly, besides unknowingly or not branches of Christianity took Pagan traditions and made their own spin off of the old Pagan holidays, also I said if before I don’t mind ending up in Helheim" - me
“God grand plan of redemption because of adan and even sins , we have wall before God the Father , only christ sacrifice on the cross has open the door for us to be acceptable before him” - Christian
“See? if we’re made in your God’s image doesn’t that make him a sinner as well?” - me
“baliw k tlga , mas marunong k p kay Lord thy God, English translations: You’re crazy, your acting like you know more than Lord thy God”" - Christian
Or the God you guys have just as Ocean said ay (is a) pathological liar (Interpretation Argument) - me
Link reference: The Bible - HISTORY
The Interpretation Argument - YouTube