The following is a transcript of a conference on
 witchcraft held in the Women's  Forum July 21, 1983.
     LORI
     I thought I would start with a historical background.  The
 origins of witchcraft date back as far as 20,000 to 30,000
 years ago during the Palaoelithic Period.   Primitive man had
 little concept of anything not pertaining directly to his
 survival and found nature so awe-inspiring, he assigned gods
 to control these forces. This belief, called Animism, is the
 most potent factor in the evolution of religion. Hunting was
 the mainstay of man's survival.  He needed meat for food,
 skins for clothing and shelter, and bones for tools and
 weapons.
      In order to have a successful hunt, he had to gain the
 favor of the gods. When a hunt failed, man accepted the gods
 were not pleased. So a tribal member, usually the shaman or
 witchdoctor, dressed in the skin and head of the animal to be
 hunted and led the others in a mock hunt by stabbing a clay
 statue with their weapons. When the ceremony was completed,
 the men were convinced the hunt would be successful. As late
 as the nineteenth century American Indians continued this
 practice.
     The counterpart of the god of the hunt was the Earth
 Goddess, whose domain was fertility and rebirth.  She came
 into  prominence about the same time man began establishing
 villages and learned cultivation and domestication. Humans
 prayed to her to perpetuate their crops and animals. When an
 area could no long support the population, a small group would
 seek out new lands, often encountering other groups with the
 same purpose.
     Just as they joined forces, so did their beliefs merge.
 Throughout history the names of the dieties changed, but the
 concepts remained the same. Long before the birth of Christ,
 these groups had migrated and settled much of western Europe
 and the British Isles.  One group in particular, the Druids,
 had a profound effect on the    development of witchcraft.
 They were probably the first to create definite form in their
 rituals, complete with a hierarchy of priesthood. Much of
 their practices survived the Inquisition to be passed down to
 us.
     In 313 AD Christianity was established as the official
 religion of the Roman Empire.  Priests of this new religion
 spread throughout Western Europe seeking converts. They met
 with little success among the peasantry because the religion
 had so little to offer. The majority of the converts were
 townspeople and the nobility. Interestingly enough, many of
 those converts continued to worship in the old manner, somehow
 adjusting to both religions. In an effort to stamp out the old
 religion, the priests tore down the offending idols and
 temples. When this effort    failed, they tried another
 approach. By purifying and    dedicating the structures to the
 new god, the priests hoped the people would continue
 worshiping there and gradually convert.
     The major flaw in that thinking was that the only workmen
 available to do the rennovations were followers of the old
 way. They managed to carve the images of their gods and
 symbols inside the structures, and some of these carvings
 still survive. To further hinder the old worship, buildings
 were erected on sacred ground, and recalling that cemetaries
 were always adjacent to the churches, it is easy to understand
 the idea of witches wandering around    graveyards. That was
 as close as they could come to their   sacred ground.
     Another method of attack used by the Christians was to
 invent a devil by using the image of the god of the hunt,
 complete with tail and horns. For a long time the charge of
 devil-worship has been leveled against witches, but
 considering the devil was strictly a Christian invention and
 the Craft pre-dates Christianity, that charge was    and is
 ridiculous. For several centuries the struggle between
 Christianity and the old religion continued with neither
 gaining the upper hand.
     But slowly the constructive aspects of the old way were
 interpreted as destructive, as in the case of fertility rites
 blamed for famine and sterility. Around the end of the
 fifteenth century, the Church lost patience and  declared
 all-out war. In 1484 Pope Innocent VIII issued    an edict
 against any religion based on the worship of fertility.  He
 also named two Germans to travel the countryside and seek out
 the followers of the old religion. Thus the Inquisition began,
 a period of insanity when    whole families and sometimes even
 entire villages were wiped out.  As estimated nine million
 people were slaughtered during the 300 years of the
 Inquisition.
     One factor that appears to have perpetuated the frenzy was
 whoever was accused of witchcraft had their property
 confiscated. This property was then divided among the judges,
 the priests and the accuser. A great number of wealthy people
 were executed. The last recorded trial and execution of a
 witch was in Scotland in 1727.
     Although the Church claimed a mighty victory, the old
 religion did not die. A small handfull of people survived the
 Inquisition period and continued to meet in secret. Very few
 outsiders were aware that the practice was continuing and for
 over 200 years the surviving members of the Craft kept it that
 way. Since few written records survived the Inquisition, the
 knowledge was passed secretly within the covens on the  pain
 of death if anything was ever revealed. That basically is the
 background of the Craft.
      MYSELF
      Certainly the devil per se was a Christian invention but
 did not the concept of the 'evil one' come from the ancient
 Hebrews?
     Yes. But the Hebrews were geographically limited.
     LINDSY
     Were most of those accused members of the Craft, in fact?
      LORI
      Lindsy, no.  Very few were actual witches.
      LINDSY
      Why is Halloween a special time for witches? Is it
 geological/astronomical?
     LORI
     Halloween is a day of great power. There are eight such
 days each year when the position of the earth generates a
 special cosmic influence. Partly astronomical/partly
 geological. Halloween was stolen from us.
     MYSELF
     I understand that the name of the holiday was All Hallows
 Eve, which was contracted to the present Halloween.
     LINDSY
     What are the other days?
     LORI
     Beltane, Candlemas, Lamas, and the four seasonal changes.
     LORI
     True, Myself, but Halloween represented the end of the
 harvest season, the last celebration before the coming of
 winter. A part of the celebration was to invite all mankind to
 join -- past, present and future. From that came the idea that
 the dead and demons walked the earth on that night.
      MYSELF
      Right. Sort of like Thanksgiving, which also coincides
 with the end of the harvest season.
     LORI
     The Christians declared Nov. 1st as All Saints Day.
     The power is higher than most other days. A skilled witch
 (or psychic) can utilize that power to make contact.
     MYSELF
     With what or whom do you attempt to make contact? And why?
     LORI
     Those who have the ability attempt to contact what you
 might call spirits or ghosts, who are beings on another plane
 of existence. Sometimes, such contacts are used to foretell
 the future, or just to gather information.
      MYSELF
     Is that the same as the so-called spiritualists trying to
 call the dearly departed?
     LORI
     In essence, yes. Spiritualism came out of the Craft long
 ago but fell into disuse during the Inquisition,  
 unfortunately, there are a lot of charlatans out there.
     MYSELF
     Of what use then is calling the dead? How can they,  being
 thus dead, be of help to us and why should we listen to them
 after death? (Note: many of us don't listen to them while they
 are alive.)
     LORI
     For those who believe in such things it is thought the
 dead like to have contact with this plane, to meet their loved
 ones again. Also, sometimes the spiritualist seeks specific
 information, such as locating something that has been lost or
 a glimpse of what will happen. However, if    one does not
 believe in such things, there is no real answer. It depends on
 faith.
     LINDSY
     What about cats, big hats, brooms, etc.?
     LORI
     Cats were often kept as pets and to destroy mice. Many of
 the people accused of the Craft had pets of one kind or
 another. These pets were thought to be familiars, or demon
 spirits, used to carry out the "foul" deeds of the witch.  
 Sometimes just having a pet was enough to be accused but
 beyond that, cats are night creatures and  mideval man
 believed only evil stalked the night. So cats were evil demons
 and their owners witches. As for the hats, that came of the
 time period in which the Inquisition was taking place. It was
 one of the styles of dress and had no significance to the
 Craft. Broomsticks are another matter.  People believed
 witches flew to their sabbats on    broomsticks or the backs
 of demons. Actually the broomstick was the witch's wand
 disguised as an ordinary implement.
     MYSELF
     Is there any relationship to the evil stalking the night
 being darkness and demons being powers of darkness and the
 present day problem among the races, specifically the blacks
 and whites?
     LORI
     Yes, it does have some relationship because black people
 were automatically thought to be evil, so marked by God as
 descendants of Cain.
     MYSELF
     And then much of our prejudices extends to the pre-dawn
 and the earliest religious practice and distinction between
 good/white and black/evil?
     LORI
     No, it dates to the Inquisition period of Christianity,
 not pre-dawn religions.
     LINDSY
     Everything you say indicates that witches were and are of
 both genders. And I was told by a gay man that gay men were
 burned as kindling during the Inquisition (hence the term
 "faggots") So why is the image of the witch invaribably female
 -- and a certain kind of female, at that?
     SCORPIA
     You mean old and ugly?
     LINDSY
     Big nose with warts, etc.
     LORI
     Witches are of both genders, but women seem to be able to
 utilize the powers better than men because our emotions are
 not blocked. As for the image, what else would someone do if
 they were attempting to discredit a different    religion but
 represent the members of that religion as hideously as
 possible.
      LINDSY
     But the devil is kind of a sexy fellow. And when a man is
 described as "devilish" it's a compliment. Witchy sure isn't.
 There's no encouragement for women to be witches, at all.
     SCORPIA
     Why should anyone want to be a witch?
     LORI
     The devil was depicted as handsome in order to seduce the
 "good" people of Christianity.
     MYSELF
     To what end?
     LINDSY
     So why not a glamorous, dragon lady kinda witch?
     PAMELA
     Tell us something about modern-day witchcraft.
     LORI
     Modern witches still follow a lot of the old    traditions
 in practicing their Craft, but we have also incorporated a
 number of newer ideas and techniques that work better, i.e.,
 mediation practices of the Hindus and Tibetans. As for what we
 do, we try to make our lives    better by influencing the
 proper forces (or people) that can help us.
     SCORPIA
     Personally, i think witchcraft is bullshit.
     LINDSY
     That's because your religion is PAC MAN!!!
     LORI
     Scorpia, that is your choice.
     SCORPIA
     Lindsy==> dont be gauche.
     MYSELF
     There is some truth to it all.
     SCORPIA
     Self==> if so, very little.
     MYSELF
     Perhaps, but faith is the cornerstone of any belief, and
 if you honestly believe, things can work.
    PAMELA
     I've heard about "white witches" and "black witches".  Is
 there any such thing, and if so, what are the differences?
     LORI
     A "white" witch was one who only performs "good" or
 "beneficial" magic. A "black" witch tries to cause harm. 
 Actually, there is no real difference because the power is the
 same -- only the way it is utilized is different, but    there
 is little percentage in performing "black" magic    because
 eventually it will come back to haunt you.
     PAMELA
     Exactly how do witches get their power? Do they harness
 the forces of nature, or a force within themselves? And what
 kind of "magic" can they perform? Just how powerful can a
 witch be?
     LORI
     Their power comes from within, but witches are taught   
 how to tap that power. And we believe all things    contain
 power to some degree that can be tapped -- universal power. A
 witch can do just about anything if he has the proper
 training.
     MYSELF
     What you describe is essentially the basic idea of The
 Force (Star Wars) which is itself a two-edged sword  having a
 balance of good and no-good.
     LORI
     Money can be good or bad depending upon its use. The same
 is true of power.
     LINDSY
     Could you tell you how you personally discovered the
 craft?
     LORI
     I have been interested in psychic phenomenon and    the
 occult for years. After trying different philosophies to find
 the right one for me, I decided to give the Craft a try. I
 went to a local occult store and told the man there I wanted
 to become a witch. He gave me a form to fill out    to enroll
 in the classes that were held there. I never    regretted that
 choice.
     LINDSY
     Did it represent a big change from the religion you wre
 raised in (if any)?
     LORI
     A very big change for me personally. It fit with many of
 the things I believed in.
     MYSELF
     A two-part: One, what is the size of the normal or average
 coven?
     LORI
     Traditionally, a coven was 13 or multiples of 13   
 depending on the size of the meeting place and population.
     MYSELF
     Two: is there any significance or relation between that
 and the fact that Christ had (initially) 12 disciples? And
 what is the significance? A curious coincidence?
     LORI
     13 people usually gathered, six couples and the leader. I
 know of no special significance between that    and Christ and
 his 12 disciples. Coincidence or deliberately designed by the
 mideval priests.
     LINDSY
     Why couples?
     LORI
     To represent the duality of nature -- male/female.
     LINDSY
     I've always read that the concept of "duality" is a
 late-blooming, Christian, patriarchal kind of concept -- that
 the old female goddess religions were more expressive of unity
 of nature. From what you say, is that not true? (I personally
 find that yin/yang leftbrain/right brain stuff used to put
 down women and also gays.)
     LORI
     Duality is an ancient concept, buried for a long time but
 coming back into focus. Nature is dual and therein lies its
 unity. Its concept has been twisted for other purposes.
      PAMELA
     Is the Craft a religion, a way of life, or both? And since
 a religion implies worship, who or what is worshipped?
     LORI
     It is both. We worship the Horned God and the Mother
 Goddess symbolized by the sun and moon, the male and female,
 etc.
     LINDSY
     Why is the guy the sun?
     LORI
     Strength and power. The moon represents the softer
 emotions, the nuturing aspects of the female.
      LINDSY
      Could you be more specific about what witchcraft offers
 you that the other philosophies you tried failed to give you?
     LORI
     It shows how to control your own life. It is not as
 fate-oriented as most religions. For me, personally, it helped
 me achieve an inner serenity that helps keep me on balance. I
 tried various kinds of religions, astrology, and some new
 philosophies you might not have heard of.
     LINDSY
     Such as?
     LORI
     Translation, for one. An interesting concept, but not too
 practical.
     LINDSY
     Do you have inscribed rules re food, sex, etc.?
     LORI
     None.
     LINDSY
     How about general guiding ethical concepts?
     LORI
     The basic principal my group uses is to use the power for
 good, practical purposes. Define one's goals and proceed to
 achieve them. Obviously a million bucks is not going to just
 fall into your lap. But if you want that million, you have to
 work for it. It teaches discipline.
     PAMELA
     What do witches believe about an "afterlife"?
     LORI
     I can't answer for all witches, but I believe in an
 afterlife. I believe it is another plane of existence,
 different but just as real as this one.
     LINDSY
     If you were discriminated against in housing or something
 because of being a witch, could you be protected by
 constitutional and civil rights laws regarding religion?
     LORI
     No, because witchcraft is not recognized as a religion.
     LINDSY
     Is that their idea or the government's?
     ALEX
     I think that would depend on locale.
     LORI
     It is not one of the world's recognized religions.
     LINDSY
     Well you have more an historical track record than the
 moonies and others who claim legal protection.
     ALEX
     There are some areas where Wicca claim and receive the
 same constitutional protections as other religions. Oddly
 enough, one of these is Salem. But I suspect that the more
 fundamentalist an area, the less likely would be the Wicca's
 chance to be recognized.
     LORI
     Very true, Alex.  There is still a great fear of
 witchcraft. People still believe we sacrifice virgins, kill
 and eat babies.
      LINDSY
     Do witches (modern) use drugs in ritual?
     LORI
     Some do, Lindsy.  My group doesn't.
     LINDSY
     Are the people in your group close friends, or just people
 you relate to on this level? Did you know them before? And can
 you choose them?
      LORI
     Like any group, some are good friends and some i don't
 know well. No, I didn't know them before. And yes i can choose
 my own friends.
     ALEX
     I think that the inability to choose one's own friends is
 the prime dividing line between religions and cults.
     LORI
     Lindsy, my group is a teaching coven. We train people in
 the craft. Very true, Alex.