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one day we’ll talk about how ex-Christians witches & pagans use their religious trauma to be antisemitic and islamophohic
just kidding, we're talking about it now because i'm thinking about it
disclaimer: this is obviously not at all ex-christians / witches / pagans. this will also focus on antisemitism as its the topic i'm most familiar with. Muslim & other Abrahamic witches, feel free to chime in
disclaimer: this is obviously not at all ex-christians / witches / pagans. this will also focus on antisemitism as its the topic i'm most familiar with. Muslim & other Abrahamic witches, feel free to chime in
Some pagan witches were raised Christian.
their experiences with Christianity obviously didn't lead them down the Christian path, so they left it & became pagan. Wiccan or not, they left Christianity as an organized religion, but this doesn't mean that they left the beliefs
their experiences with Christianity obviously didn't lead them down the Christian path, so they left it & became pagan. Wiccan or not, they left Christianity as an organized religion, but this doesn't mean that they left the beliefs
The Christian teachings and interpretations of texts, specifically Jewish texts, are MASSIVELY different than Jewish interpretations.
the very basis for Christianity & Judaism are so different that all that comes after is different
but that isn't necessarily what they're taught
the very basis for Christianity & Judaism are so different that all that comes after is different
but that isn't necessarily what they're taught
Christianity teaches MANY different things about Judaism & from what I've seen & researched, as well as heard from Christians, the vast majority of it is incorrect & fueled by historical antisemitism by the various churches.
even those without overt antisemitism teach some of it
even those without overt antisemitism teach some of it
popular ones:
judaism is christianity minus jesus
jews are "incomplete christians" who haven't accepted Jesus
jews are going to hell for being heretics
jews are ancient & don't exist anymore
or
jews are the special people & we worship them, but don't agree with their beliefs
judaism is christianity minus jesus
jews are "incomplete christians" who haven't accepted Jesus
jews are going to hell for being heretics
jews are ancient & don't exist anymore
or
jews are the special people & we worship them, but don't agree with their beliefs
Whatever they are taught, they do have not scratched the surface of the complexity of Judaism.
I've taken college religion classes. i know what is taught. i had to correct my professor on BASIC things (like what a mezuzah is, why there are rituals for men & not others, etc)
I've taken college religion classes. i know what is taught. i had to correct my professor on BASIC things (like what a mezuzah is, why there are rituals for men & not others, etc)
these people are speaking on topics they do not know about & in the end, they are damaging Judaism far more than they know.
or maybe they do know, but just don't care because they still believe the lie that Jews = Christians - Jesus
or maybe they do know, but just don't care because they still believe the lie that Jews = Christians - Jesus
one example of this is a popular witch on the app TikTok. They are a fairly reasonable person. they make content about their celtic heritage & discuss their views on veiling & paganism
they also frequently discuss how Christianity was NOT for them, despite being raised Christian
they also frequently discuss how Christianity was NOT for them, despite being raised Christian
they also consistently speak about how toxic the "Abrahamic" religions are.
A month or two ago, I kindly commented on how the use of the word "Abrahamic" being used instead of Christianity was implying that the trauma they had at the hands of Christianity was the fault of
A month or two ago, I kindly commented on how the use of the word "Abrahamic" being used instead of Christianity was implying that the trauma they had at the hands of Christianity was the fault of
all Abrahamic religions (there are 10+, but we're focusing on the big 3 rn), and how it ended up furthering antisemitic rhetoric & tropes by doing so.
This also directly impacted practicing Jewish witches like myself.
their answer was "k".
This also directly impacted practicing Jewish witches like myself.
their answer was "k".
now, a month or two later, they've posted a video with the sound, “see that toxic person? we’re walking the other way”
on the screen were "paganism & Christianity"
the screen changed to "Paganism & Abrahamic religions"
on the screen were "paganism & Christianity"
the screen changed to "Paganism & Abrahamic religions"
this witch has specifically stated that they were raised in Christianity & have never been Jewish or Muslim.
And yet... they feel that the use of the word Abrahamic is best because they have experience with one of the 3 large religions....
obviously, this is not a huge deal
And yet... they feel that the use of the word Abrahamic is best because they have experience with one of the 3 large religions....
obviously, this is not a huge deal
is it frustrating? Yes. but the real issue comes from the snowball effect that comes from these sweeping generalizations.
there are roughly 15 million Jewish people left alive. The law of return recognizes more, but those people generally don't identify with judaism.
there are roughly 15 million Jewish people left alive. The law of return recognizes more, but those people generally don't identify with judaism.
Historically, Christians have sought to eradicate Jews. When witches say "Abrahamic", what they are doing is proving that Christians were successful in their erasure of Jews as we're now seen as an extension of Christianity, even though we are our own culture & religion.
by promoting the idea that Jews are Christians, they confirm the idea that we are no longer our own people. the erasure of Jews has been so successful that it does not matter if they are actively hurting jews, because they feel that we are not our own people with our own beliefs
this results in rampant antisemitism, both online & in person.
as a publicly practicing Jewish witch, I constantly have to negate the lies spread about Judaism by ex-Christian witches
"the Abrahamic g/d hates you!"
"you have to convert!"
"Yahweh hates witches"
as a publicly practicing Jewish witch, I constantly have to negate the lies spread about Judaism by ex-Christian witches
"the Abrahamic g/d hates you!"
"you have to convert!"
"Yahweh hates witches"
these antisemitic stereotypes snowball quickly.
a tiktok comments section went from, "Abrahamic religions suck!" to "and jews control the world & the Catholic church" in a matter of 5 comments.
this basis for antisemitism on the back of religious trauma is constant.
a tiktok comments section went from, "Abrahamic religions suck!" to "and jews control the world & the Catholic church" in a matter of 5 comments.
this basis for antisemitism on the back of religious trauma is constant.
I do not say this to negate the very real experience of religious trauma, nor do I say this to pretend that it is exclusive to Christians.
i say this bc i consistently see ex-christians use their trauma as a shield for the way they erase & degrade Judaism by means of conflation
i say this bc i consistently see ex-christians use their trauma as a shield for the way they erase & degrade Judaism by means of conflation
there are very easy ways to stop this phenomenon....
just say christian.
that's it.
if you mean Christian, say Christian.
don't say Judeo-Christian, don't say Abrahamic, say what you mean.
just say christian.
that's it.
if you mean Christian, say Christian.
don't say Judeo-Christian, don't say Abrahamic, say what you mean.
back to the witchtoker:
their caption mentioned that, "they were toxic for me!"
who is they? you were only ever Christian.
how are you going to state that ALL Abrahamic religions were toxic when YOU were only ever CHRISTIAN?
shoving trauma on marginalized religions isn't cute.
their caption mentioned that, "they were toxic for me!"
who is they? you were only ever Christian.
how are you going to state that ALL Abrahamic religions were toxic when YOU were only ever CHRISTIAN?
shoving trauma on marginalized religions isn't cute.
