I love witches and while I am not one, at least I have not actively seeking this route at the moment, I consider myself a pagan too. Born of pagans and maybe at some point I will seek out the Latvian deities fully. From my experience it truly is seeking the connection with nature and being in tune with it, using the natural treasures for healing and protection of those close to you. It is beautiful. Only when religion enters the picture things go south quickly. As everything that is beauty becomes evil, dirty, works of the devil. They twist and ruin the beauty.
I normally do not judge whatever people choose to believe in as long as they leave others to choose for themselves and leave them be.
Aww M, this reply is one of the many reasons why I absolutely adore you😊 You always are your authentic, amazing self, and I am just so happy to have got to know you.
And I hear you loud and clear. I know many beautiful, kind religious people, but unfortunately my life experience with religion has been similar to what you describe. Humans seem to take advantage of hierarchal structures and use them to suppress and silence instead of empower and support. They just cannot seem to leave them be.
You get all the hugs today! Hope you are out enjoying some of that magnificent Latvian nature!
!PIZZA
You must have had some very unfortunate experience with "religious" people. Some religions do, indeed, mess things up, but not all of them. Apparently you haven't had any positive encounters with people who are not just "religious," but have a real relationship with God. I hope some day that changes.
For me it is the judgment and shunning from people who flock around some religions that really upsets and bothers me. I have seen it first hand. I have grown up with it too. To see the hypocrisy and blindness to their own flaws while passing judgment on other people around them. I agree. I have had bad experiences. Far too many for me to go near all that stuff.