Do witches truly exist?
The simple answer is, yes...
Now, are they the same witches that you see in movies, on television, and read about in books? Most likely not. Very few forms of media show witches in a realistic light, because it wouldn't be as sensationalist and exciting if they showed the real thing.
When thinking of witches, most people will conjure up one of two images in their mind: that of the Salem witch, or a black-hatted, wart-nosed, green-skinned Halloween witch.

The truth is, witches existed long before the Salem Witch Trials, and while they do have a very significant tie to what is now known as Halloween, they certainly don't look anything like the typical Halloween witch costume.
Witchcraft, or at least the rituals and activities that we now refer to as witchcraft, can be traced back as far as written history goes. It was not tied to one single geographical area, nor one religion, nor one culture. Some cultures had shamen, some medicine women, some simply village healers, all of which would now be referred to as witches.
Ask any witch what type of witch he or she is, and the answers you will get are as varied and colorful as the people themselves. That's because witchcraft itself is not one set religion with one set of rules; it is not even a religion. Some witches choose to blend religion with their witchcraft, but you can be a witch without being any certain religion (or any religion at all).
There are Celtic witches, Gardnerian witches, green witches, white witches, Wiccans, shamanistic witches...the list goes on. Generally, we can be referred to as "Neo-Pagans"; "neo" meaning "new", or "revived", and "pagan" meaning simply not being Christian, Jewish, Muslim or Hindu (the four most popular religions).

Even though they do come from varied backgrounds, cultures, and practices, there are certain things that tie them all together:
Non-Christian witches do not worship Satan. They do not even acknowledge his existence. Satan is a creation of Christianity, and "Satanism" is a branch of Christianity, just as "Catholicism" or "Protestantism" is. You must be Christian to believe in Satan. Yes, there are Christian witches and yes, they believe in Satan. You'll find though, that most real witches are not Christian and therefore, do not believe in Satan.
They believe that each person is responsible for themselves and their actions; whether they're a witch or not.


*My thanks to John Nelson for the howling wind! Thanks, buddy!

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