Hating Your Familiar

[Moon_Stone]

Okay, Ravenari- you are correct:

Shamans or Indigenous practitioners were here first, and I still tend to believe that they are as much, if not more so, concerned with environmentalism as a religion than Wicca and Witchcraft.

-I hadn't thought of that, and you are definitely correct there. :28:

I do still tend to think a great deal of the reason we have developed the bad "rap" though was due to our more "heathen" activities in that day, because the spell or ritual called for it. I think the mainstream populous was moving to a more "civilized society" so to speak, and not only were Witches not understood, but feared- for what they may do to them. (And at no end, with no boundaries, it seemed). Either way though, neither of us can say for sure, we were not part of that time. That is just your opinion and this is mine... and that's just fine.

So far as the sacrifice discussion, I think this is more a debate of beliefs of the traditionals/some witches versus wiccans- and yes, Juliaki- it's a matter of the individual. I don't agree with it, by any means- but I recognize that some other traditions do. I just hope that any use of the traditional beliefs is not ever mis-used, and that no creature, no matter how great or small or what their relationship to the Witch, should ever have to suffer.

~BB~

[gingerkitty]

Hi there,just a querry,if a fimiliar gives its life for your protection dosent that mean IT will die there and then or in a short time of the spell? rather than YOU killing it?How is one surpose to know if it's protecting you if you decide to kill it?

[juliaki]

It depends....

There's an amazing story about Sybil Leek in one of her books. When she was a child, she became deathly ill. The doctors said that she was in her last days of life. Her grandmother consulted the omens, and then brought in Sybil's pet bird into the dying child's room. She asked Sybil if she loved the bird, and Sybil said yes. She told Sybil that she was dying, and asked the young girl if she wanted to get well or to die. Knowing what price had to be paid, Sybil said that she wanted to live. The bird was taken out, and the next day Sybil made a "miracle recovery" that puzzled the doctors.

In that particular case, the bird had to be sacrificed to save her life.

[gingerkitty]

Hi there,that was interesting,but the bird was not the childs familiar it was a pet that was used as an offering in place of the childs life.it still leave the question open .

[juliaki]

No, it was a familiar. If you'd like to read the original story in context to understand why, I believe it is in "Diary of a Witch". That explains some of the variance in terminology within hereditary traditions as well.

[gingerkitty]

Hi there, thank ill give it a go it sounds interesting.

[HPCrowley]

I'm sorry if this steps on anyone's toes, but the idea of deliberately using an animal as a psychic shield is appalling. Granted, I'm sure that a loyal pet would risk it's life for their master (guard dogs do it all the time), but if a person went to hurt my beloved lower life forms, i'd jack their shit up with no second thought. Our Chow mix, Cocker Spaniel, and cats mean more to me than some mean-spirited losers well-being. A familiar is a pet that goes beyond loyalty to a psychic bond; to harm them is to harm their owner, and vice-versa.