Posted on 06/24/2005 10:05:27 AM PDT by dead
A remake of the old TV show "Bewitched" will be in theaters Friday, a Hollywood version of that lovable sitcom from the '60s and '70s, where Elizabeth Montgomery's Samantha cast spells and twitched her nose to get her husband, Darren, out of jams. Ever wonder if witches really exist? Ever wonder if one lives next door?
Pearl Essence and Syren Star are two suburban witches who have come out of the broom closet. A year ago, the pair started Gypsy Wagon, a pagan-friendly online group. "We do not worship any sort of god or goddess, we focus on the elemental form of magic," says Pearl, 25, a bartender. "Being a witch is a lifestyle, not a religion. But in Bergen County, it's hard to find people who are open about their witchy lifestyle."
Gypsy Wagon has 15-20 members and holds monthly rituals and socials. On a recent Sunday evening, they held a new moon rite in the back yard of Syren's parents, under the big tree just behind the statue of the Virgin Mary. Candles were lit, a circle was cast, and words from the Book of Shadows were read. Leaves, sticks and incense burned in a caldron next to an altar, as a symbol of the womb of the mother earth. Donning dark robes, the witches at the solemn service were presided over by Wiccan priest Shaun Beresky, 24, known as Reverend Crowstar. A mysterious and formal set of ritual etiquette was followed in the rite, which lasted about an hour.
False folklore and Hollywood have distorted the art of witchcraft, the pagans say. Witches can be male or female. Not all witches cast spells, and rarely do they perform sacrifices. "Someone hears witch, they think we're casting spells or worshiping the devil," says Syren, 24, an artist. "I am an eclectic elemental pagan. I came from the earth and I'll go back when I die, Goddess willing. [But] people tell me I'm going to hell. I'm evil. Pagans and witches have been discriminated against forever. It's human nature. People fear what they don't know."
Syren's neighbors, who are Catholic, are comfortable with the rituals next door. "After I explained I wasn't sacrificing anything, they were accepting." Born a Catholic, she says the church didn't answer all her questions. "Here there's no church; every coven is different."
Pearl's grandmother in the Philippines taught her about spells. "I was complaining about how hot I was. She told me to whistle three times. I did. Shortly after that a breeze came along. She taught me how to talk to the wind. Anything can be a spell. Anyone can be a witch. A witch is about being one with nature. Witchcraft is about faith."
If I look out my window one day, and see my 24-year-old daughter out there looking like that, I'm moving and not leaving a fowarding address.
Dude, why not use magic and get yourself a better job so you can move out of your parent's basement?
Well I'm glad she has answered all her questions now.
Ok, we need a picture of Azrael Abyss to go with those names...
Heh...When the church doesn't answer all of your questions...just go ahead and make the rest up.
TRICK-OR-TREAT!!!!
Poor, deluded, misguided fools. I love how they think this is something "new" or "different". Pagans have been dying and going straight to hell since the dawn of time. There's nothing new under the sun, indeed.
King of the Hill had an episode on last night where Bobby joined up with a bunch of freaks like this. Funny stuff.
"...I came from the earth and I'll go back when I die, Goddess willing." [says Syren]
Y'all might want to get your story straight before the reporter conducts the interview.
When I had to battle for child support, the defendent attorney was a witch. Only known one admitted to argue before the supreme court. My attorney and I are committed Christians. You could sometimes feel the tension.
"Here there's no church; every coven is different."
Seemingly the best part of it. You can make it up as you go, never be wrong, and even call yourself a cool D&D name like Crowstar. "Pearl Essence", though, sounds more like a porn name.
You can whistle and have the wind obey, cast spells, and otherwise have immediate effects on the physical world greater than your own physiology suggests. Which sounds like a mindset for losers.
Only losers obsess over their own powerlessness in social circumstances, dwell on their imagined discrimination and victimization at the hands of bullies, and fantasize about being powerful.
Funny, that's what most Western religions tend to say about others, or even other sects with their own religion. Pagans being the main exception.
Lonely housewives, people going nowhere fast. Trying to breath magic into their colorless lives.
Looks like a lesbian with a gaggle of Hitlers.
Our daughter in Springfield MO had these kid of neighbors. I asked her if they ever did a nekkid dance at night. We all hoped not as both the busband and wife weighed close to if not over 300 lbs.
I was just thinking of that episode when I saw the picture!! It has some of the best King of the Hill lines.
"No, we don't have your cat."
"Yeah, a cake of tremendous power!"
"You guys are so nerdy even I feel like giving you a wedgy!"
BOBBY: This looks like something out of Harry Potter.
WARD RACKLEY: Dude, I just vouched for you.
BOBBY: Uh... if Harry Potter went to hell.
I thought of the witches in A Mighty Wind, too.
I think that's the name of my shampoo.
They do fall sadly short of Veronica Lake and Kim Novak.
The other night there was a special on A&E about various murderers. They said that Jeffrey Dahmer admired Darth Vader and wished that he had his power.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
