Pagans: Why do you think people are so quick to ask about spells, rather than seeing a doctor/psychiatrist?

I haven't slept in three months thanks to that spell you put on me, Tawaen!!

Thanks a lot for THAT.

I'm going to hit both questions.

Why od they ask for spells - because they have some misguided, Hollywood fed view of witchcraft that says a spell is instant and cures everything. They don't realize that in reality, spells are akin to prayers - and we know prayers are instantly answered, if at all.

Why are they also so ready to attribute a bad day to a curse, or an evil spell, etc. Again, it's a matter of belief. they think their lives are the next best thing to perfect, so if something goes wrong, it must needs be because of something someone who hates them did, rather than their own fumbling humanity. It's superstition, unwillingness to take personal responsibility, apranoia and laziness all wrapped into one.

And, of course, complete misunderstanding of the whole thing is the underlying cause of both situations.

EDIT - hey Mick, just because thoughts of Tawen keep you "up" all night doesn't mean she bewitched anything more than your mind, which in turn bewitched your anatomy - LOLOL!

Hey Rave4life - ummm, YOU need to do more research. Clearly you don't understand paganism is a blanket term for all religions and beliuefs sets not of Abrahamic teachings. That leaves literally thousands. Some have magic as an intregal part of their belief set, others find magic to be the most evil thing of all and avoid it. Others just have no magic. Your response shows you are uneducated in the world's religions - all pagans are NOT earth worshipers - just most. Oh, and please lose the persecution complex - it's not a reality.

There's a vast difference between a request for healing energy (mentioned in the link) and a spell (mentioned in your question). When Christians hold healing services, they do not check for Christian ID at the door. All are welcome. As a Christian, I find it a sublime honor to be asked for prayers. It shows trust. It shows respect. It shows that we at least have the capacity to be one global family. Why should Pagans and Wiccans feel any different? I haven't met a single one here who is so callous they would deny a request. Most of them are kind and thoughtful. Loaded with brightness and love. Now, if some poor dear wandered up and asked me to pray that they got a specific boy or girl friend, I think I'd react the same way as a Wiccan or a Pagan asked by someone they didn't know to work a love spell. I'd say no. It's tampering with someone's free will. To pray, or send healing energy, for the person meant for them - that's the right thing to do.

Do you mean a spell to cure? I think it is because a spell is something you can do yourself and asking a doctor to intervene is admitting you cannot get better alone. It is natural to crave independence and eschew weakness. Mental illness is not a weaknes, anymore than being diabetic is a weakness. There is nothing wrong with needed help. Yet, it does not feel that way to those facing the hurdle. The stigma of mental illness is difficult to face. Also, the quick fix that offers relief is always more attractive than being told you will suffer with an illness for life. "Spells" do not require insurance or massive amounts of money either. I find it perfectly understandable, though not necessarily wise for a person to look for the most attractive outcome with the least struggle involved. In most cases, I find the best approach is a combination of medication, therapy and self directed methods of healing which can include prayer, spell work, divination, Reiki, physical exercise, etc.

People look for the easy way to anything and everything. My beliefs is magic is you last resort. People are lazy or put faith into their problems being solved by someone other than themselves.

I'd say the majority are uneducated about it all. Or maybe misinformed is a better way of putting it.

EDIT Rave4life, this Pagan has a lot to do with magic. Maybe you need to get your facts straight before making the statement that Pagans don't have anything to do with magic.

Namaste sister

For the non-believer of the different forms of paganism, it is the lack of respect for the human energy that sends them to the "witch doctor". Or else they would have seen a doctor first and with no result would try a mystical way.

For the pagan in any of his forms and beliefs, it is a mistrust of modern medicine that sends us. We have honored the human condition and found value in it's teachings of applied energies and entities.

Evil doesn't enter into either but is an excuse for the the organized religious base who like in the dark ages, found that the "pagan" (country dweller) could heal themselves and others thru formulas handed down from generation to generation. When you have pagans who can cure and heal the medical community gets left out. Also, the religious community looses their hold on ppl when it's found that illness isn't something that god gives you for an unknown reason, it's just something that happens that can be taken care of without prayer, forgiveness, and tithing to the church.

UGH I wish they would read their own literature.

I am a big fan of the potion penicillin and Advil myself.

I don't immediately turn to either. I asses the situation and go from there. The fact is that if my kid has the flu, fluids and sleep will go a whole lot farther then a spell or a doctor. A doctor is just going to tell me to give them fluids and rest!

My kids are pretty healthy. Unless their fever is over 101, I let their body fight it off and we only use cold relief of any kind at night so they can rest (that was before all the warnings came out. Now we use nothing.)

I use a little spell called "Common Sense"

they have an incomplete understanding of the nature of magic, possibly due to an over-exposure to 'charmed'.

but, for the healer, a person's mental/ spiritual state can manifest in illness. once it manifests as physical symptoms, mundane action is unavoidable, so the responsible healer always instructs his patient to see a medical doctor. but techniques like reiki, chakra cleansing, crystal therapy, and spell work can be effective in helping the patient heal himself. it's always the patient's responsibility to follow thru, and a lot of people are under the misguided impression that there's a magic wand that will take all their troubles away.

Because they think spells are free and doctors are not. Spells are also cooler.

I would agree with all of your suggestions as to why people blame their problems on witchcraft. In addition, I would like to add "refusal to accept responsibility." It's not my fault. A witch must have made me do it.

I don't do well with pharmaceuticals, which means doctors are are a waste of time for me and often dangerous.

If I thought that spells would work, I'd ask for your (collective) help. They certainly couldn't be any worse than some of the things the medical profession has done to me.

I've been contacted privately by a catholic who wants healing for a terminal illness. I guess sometimes desperation can be a motivating factor. Most people have the misunderstanding of what is and is not possible.