Witches

There's this show on T.V. called Charmed and it is the totally fascinating and realistic chronicles of these 3 young women who are witches. I don't think this show is very popular, it kind of seems like witchcraft has dropped out of the spotlight. But that's really too bad because of the total hilarity of the whole idea of magic.

Witches portrayal in the media

Classic representation of a witch in history.	Modern depiction of a witch. Can you see a difference, I can't. (note: apparently you can catch charmed on sundays at 8/7c on WB)

Since magic is crazy impossible I am not of the impression that witchcraft is dangerous. People who stand opposed to witchcraft often do it precisely because they think its real. I will agree that it is slightly dangerous but only in the respect that it makes people waste a lot of time and energy on beliefs that are preposterous.

Magical powers, give me a break. Anyway, there are so many different kinds of witches. Some even call themselves wicca, or call it magick, which I assume means that they have harnessed the magical ckrafts of wicker. There are the goddess worshipping witches (my favorite). They worship Isis or some other goddess and usually dance around naked except for a lot of eye makeup and jewelry. There are also the buttoned down witches who are just bored old ladies. And there are the earthy hippie witches who are by far the most annoying because they have somehow combined the weakest hippie values such as dancing naked in the woods with the weakest witch values such as trying to control love in the world. Not to mention what I imagine to be the humorously gross occasions of sexual experimentation.

The number of practicing witches probably doesn't ever change too much and it is nothing to be too concerned with except that its so funny. But there are a lot of people out there who believe more broadly in magic. Homeopathy and all the associated myths are growing in popularity at the same time as all the science on earth is showing these things to be make believe.

It's probably because the scientific answers for some things seem bizarre that people naturally start to think the universe is bizarre. Science examines evidence to find provable connections between things, if those connections may or may not appear bizarre it is only because we don't know enough about them. It doesn't mean that everything weird is true.

Because technology has made difficult things possible I think some people have come away with the conclusion that impossible things are possible. But they aren't, the impossible remains impossible. Science seeks to learn the laws of nature, knowing them means you also know you can't break them.

Science and technology get a weird reception in our culture. It seems to me that the general impression of people is that science is useful but arrogant. The laws of nature impose on us without our permission. Maybe this makes us think the people who give us an expression of those laws are pushy. But it's not their fault, they're only trying to help.

I believe people have the right to do whatever they want with their free time as long as it isn't screwing anyone else. If they choose to meditate and imagine a universe populated with magical wonders like unicorns and leprechauns that's their choice, but some of their guru's are frauds.

The people who take advantage of the impressionable or the gullible do it because they are true believers themselves or they are charlatans. Either way, trouble. And the greater commitment they ask of their followers in return, the bigger the trouble.

I have friends who I love and respect who hold spiritual beliefs different from mine. Are they wrong? I am in no position to say. I would be surprised if anyone has a good explanation for the universe and I know I sure as fuck don't. For all we know there are 150 gods playing electronic battleship right now on the top of a wedding cake on Jupiter. But I subscribe to the notion its best to limit wild speculations at least about the unknowable.

Is there a God? I couldn't say. Is there magic? Nope. Should you spend any time or money on magic because it resembles the way you would prefer the world to operate? Nope.

That's the problem. Believing in magic is fun because it means the world gets to work in a way that you like, and you can persuade it. With magic you imagine you can solve your problems, make your luck change, make someone love you, make your kids less fat or stupid. Its about power, or what you do when you don't have any.

That is the sad part. For most of human history women had no power. Of course some women had power, Catherine the Great, Queen Elizabeth, etc. But your average woman was property until recently. Being powerless by law and ignored by men with all the power is a pretty shitty deal. I can understand the desire to believe that you have some power inside you that no one can take away. In reality we do, but it's called will.

Its a crazy over simplification to say that belief in witchcraft is caused by having no practical power in your life, but maybe it has something to do with it? I can tell that I'm stretching a bit here.

What's my point? I can't say how the universe works, some physicists have some pretty good theories and most scientists are seeking to explain their corners of it. Bearing that in mind I will say that any theories that fail 100 percent of the time to provide any actual results should be reconsidered. Witches have way too many of those theories. And so do I. It ain't easy to separate the beliefs that provide comfort from the useful ones and I have zillions of them myself. The worst part is in some cases it is almost impossible to tell which is which.