She’s a Witch!

Witch. Pagan. When one hears these words, almost immediately negative connotations are associated with it; evil, ugly, hag, worships the devil, or harms others. It is in television shows, movies, and books that witches and pagans are evil. It is even in the Bible. So how does one believe that they are good with all this negative association? First, one has to look at how either term is defined by society. One cannot just look at how one section of society views these terms. They must take in all of society’s associations with them to get the whole picture. Next, one should look into why the negative connotations are perpetuated and by whom they are perpetuated. Most negative connotations about pagans and witches comes from scriptures in the Bible where they actually use those terms or call them “idolators.” Are pagans and witches really idolators or is that just a loaded term to give them a negative connotation? How other religions respond to witches and pagans is another important piece of the puzzle. Lastly, one should look at the violence and prejudices toward witches and pagans. Only looking at all of this can one truly understand why these two terms are loaded with such negative connotations when in today’s society those associations are out of date.

In the days when Christianity was spreading, the term pagan was used for those that followed the old gods and old ways before they were converted to Christianity. They often lived in the country and were considered peasants (8). The word was tainted to Christians; it meant that those people were idolators because they were worshiping a different god from them. The term had a negative connotation. However, in the last few decades, there has been a change in how this word is defined by many. It has become something to be proud to call oneself and is not a slur like it once was (8). Today pagans are often considered those that practice a polytheistic, nature-centered religion: something that seems relatively benign compared to how Christians define it.

If one goes on to define the words witch or witchcraft, one is met with even more negative connotations than with pagan. These two words carry enough weight to inspire fear and unease in some (1). Witches are often seen as evil, if not demonic. However, with the revival of the word today, many people are trying to take back the word and make it mean something good. To some, witch means an initiate of Wicca; others say it is someone who does magic and some consider the magic is secondary- it is the religion and actions that make one a witch (1). Even some pagans and Wiccans have reservations about the word due to the connotations placed on it in history (1). There are so many stereotypes surrounding the word that one woman admits to only calling her self that in private (1). However some are very adamant about changing the connotation of the word for the better.