Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by suzanne Buzz on November 10, 2010 at 10:20pm

Also another thing is a few years ago I signed up for a lifetime membership on witchschool.com I can't cancel it because it was a onetime fee for a lifelong membership. So I think I will still visit the site because I like to learn about different religions and the history that goes on behind them even if I don't believe in magical things anymore. For example I took a voodoo class and learned some things about haiti that I didn't know before. So even if I don't believe in actual magic it is still fun to learn about history and other beliefs.

Permalink Reply by Bryan McManus on November 10, 2010 at 10:46pm

As liberating as becoming atheist can be, I myself haven't sold or distanced myself from any of my pagan paraphernalia. Perhaps because I was at odds to completely accept the mythology on faith, I don't actually have much of it. My comments in another thread share that I was not one to have a lot of outward or vocal indication of my beliefs.

Atheism is liberating but I think, given the likelihood that religion or faith in archaic beliefs will not go away any time soon, it's important to know and retain the knowledge that mythology had a purpose for cultures and societies in the distant past. The Christ myth and that of many previous god-heads are metaphoric stories to teach Astronomy. The Celtic wheel of the year is a calendar, little more. We know there's no oak king or holly king, but it's fun(to me) and interesting to know that those stories describe the solstices and equinoxes and the movements of the night sky.

There may not be oak or holly kings or a dragon in the Earth or a golden chariot in the sky but there is this Earth, Moon, Sun and other planets. There are equinoxes and solstices. We can "worship" and honor the splendor of the natural world and its mechanics - we just don't need fairy tales to explain it all. The foundation is still here but advances in scientific understanding and atheism strip off the layers of metaphor and the need to apply divine responsibility for all of it.

I have 11 books about various pagan mythologies and/or tarot and runes. I own a tarot deck. The thought of selling them hadn't entered my mind until I read your post. After further consideration, I may decide to sell them because a) I haven't looked at them in so long and b) I need the money.

I'd like to bring up another angle, though, which is to ask if, as atheists, we are against the concept of faith and religion, why would we pass our pagan books and other effects onto another person? Would we not, in the interest of ridding the world of delusion, rather recycle them or use them to start a campfire?

Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on November 11, 2010 at 5:17am

I did consider the point about passing on delusions, and even thought "does this make me a small-scale charlatan?" but I figured that most of the people who would buy it already had the delusions. Well, I did come across some people who were more curious than experienced, and asked me things like "does it work?" and I wasn't about to lie about that. (A few people asked me why I was selling them; "because I stopped believing in it" isn't exactly a commercial!) But I ended up selling it to someone who already had a firm belief in it.

Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on November 11, 2010 at 5:12am

When I left paganism one of the first things I did was sell all my junk, too. I rounded up the books in my house, and also the spell and divination junk that I had. I don't think I got the maximum price as I sold it on Craigslist. I was unemployed at the time. I was selling it for $40, reasoning that I had gotten most of the stuff as gifts. (I did the same with the jewelry that my friends had given me over the years.) People still tried to bargain with me or trade instead of sell. Then I finally did meet someone who took a look at the collection and paid me $60! How often does that happen?!

Permalink Reply by suzanne Buzz on November 13, 2010 at 6:10am

She cancelled so now she's supposed to come monday to get it I am trying to sell 53 books and tons of other stuff so hopefully I will be able to at least get 200 I really need the money. I figured she would buy it regardless since she seems strong in her belief etc. So in a way I did feel guilty but I need the money for medical bills.

Permalink Reply by exwiccan on March 6, 2011 at 12:21pm

I thought about selling all my books (which were legion) but after a few experiences with people getting all excited and then flaking out on me, I just donated the whole lot to a charity bookstore. The Wiccans can get their books cheap, money goes to charity, and I don't have to deal with the whole issue. 

 

Most pagans are cheap as f@#$ so you will not get a good price for your books. And I just read some of the other answers here and see that others had the same experiences. LOL!! I have to say that finding this bunch has helped me keep my sanity and stop beating myself up about making the ridiculous decision to get as involved with Wicca as I did. You guys are awesome.

Permalink Reply by Brian Garrett on August 5, 2011 at 4:55pm

I gave the tools that were too bulky to throw away (athame, cauldrons, chalices--yes, I had more than one) to my HPS.  She will probably give them to the students she is training in her year-and-a-day classes.  They couldn't exacly be thrown in my complex's trash dumpster (especially the athame!), so _somebody_ had to get them.  But I did throw away my books and I burned my personal book of shadows.

 

I'm only in the fourth day or so of breaking away so this is still kind of a shock to me.  It's hard to leave this path that once gave me so much joy--although, to be honest, the novelty had worn off and I was getting a tad bored with it all.  Still, I had good times with great friends and it's hard to leave them. 

Permalink Reply by Nerdlass on September 19, 2011 at 10:16am

I really enjoyed making wands... only made a few, back in the day, but I had hoped to someday make some really nice ones, after college. I suppose I still could, as an artistic endeavor, but it would make me hesitate, now...

Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on September 19, 2011 at 10:45am

I remember I made this want with a fluorite crystal at the end. It was made of that spiraly vine which is of course an invasive species but it looked cool as a wand. I didn't get rid of that with my other stuff but gave it to a friend who said she wanted a wand.

Permalink Reply by Tabitha McCoy on April 20, 2012 at 10:31am

I gave away all my pagan stuff to my pagan friends. I still have my herbs though. I like to make teas out of them.

50 books! Wow--have fun selling them all. You could sell them individually for a decent price on ebay and get more money that way.

Permalink Reply by Leela on September 11, 2012 at 6:57am

I wouldn't even know who to sell my stuff to. I still have most of my crystals, a wand, a few books, ... all the small stuff. I like the incense that I still have because of the smell, and I am keeping my pentacle necklace. I have no intense hard feelings towards these things. Most of them are not useful to me anymore but somehow they have some value to me... I will keep the rests of my collection, maybe one day I am going to show my child these things > of course for educational purpose, not to teach it witchcraft!

The non-magical stuff about herbs is still useful, and I still make myself teas when I am sick because they do help! Therefore I am keeping the books about herbs in use.

Permalink Reply by Tabitha McCoy on September 11, 2012 at 9:08am

You know, I feel the same way. I have all my herbs, incense, and candles--I still like to make teas and burn all the other stuff for relaxation purposes (it's really nice) but I just don't have that emotional need for them, you know? I did sell my books at Half Price books, though. And I gave some away to my pagan friends. 

I had one friend look at me and was like, "What happened to your faith?" It was actually kind of funny. I told her I was atheist/pantheist (not much difference between the two). She accepted this. Lol.

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