Playgans FAQ, taking the most asked questions sent to Dela and answering them as simply as possible.
So, you've read the wiki, you've either loved it, or hated it, and now you either want to tell [Delladreing] how wonderfully funny her bouts of psychosis are, or you are going to try and threaten her. Either way its helpful if you read this page first. I've listed some of the most f.a.q. that I get, and then answered them as best as I can.
It helps before you message me if you want to ask about certain things. But by all means don't let reading this prevent you from giving her name a click and sending her a message, its always incredibly flattering to be told someone admires your work, and also highly amusing to argue with the fools who think they can win against someone as stubborn as me. -[Delladreing]
(P.S. - these are actual messages I have gotten, not all of them from et/ep though as yes indeed Playgans is also on a few other communities I am on.)
1. Wow, I loved your rant, where did you come up with the idea and where did you find your information?
-
My information comes from years of extensive research, I've worked extremely hard to be good at this. Mostly from books, word of credible mouth and from reading up on a lot of history. As for how and why I wrote Playgans that is on the wiki itself. I quite simply snapped.
I have been defined as somewhat zealous when it comes to my faith, Wicca is not my faith but its so similar I had to do something. The fakes were getting out of control and it was beginning to annoy me no end.
I'm not sure about every pagan but I am the kind who says her prayers every night, thanks the Gods for what good is in her life and has complete faith in her religion. The fact that there are people (if you can call them that) prancing about using it as a fashion statement or trying to be "cool" was pissing me off beyond the edge of pissed offness. Thus Playgans was born.
*
2. Omg! I just read your page playgans and iam so mad.
how dare you say that about wicca, you dont know what its about. your just a close minded xian like all the others!!
-
...first off, learning to basics of spelling and grammar wont kill you.
Second off, don't say "xian" call them Christian, its the correct term, you'd get offended if someone called you a "wic".
Thirdly....wtf mate? How from any of my wiki have you concluded me to be a fundamentalist Christian?
It says on the wiki "I am a witch", it says in my bio "I am a witch", can you not read? And ooh I dare, I dare to stand up to the little fakers who know nothing about Wicca but claim to know everything, and I dare to because I know my stuff very well.
*
3. I've just started learning Wicca. Will you teach me how to not be a playgan then? I don't want to make mistakes and be a playgan.
-
Being new to a faith and not knowing things, does not make you a playgan. Claiming to know it all regardless of the fact that you don't does. Do not worry about making mistakes, do not be afraid to ask for help, don't worry, we were all new to this at some point (well most of us) just try not to rush it and learn as much as you can from credible sources. If you are struggling to find credible sources contact me and I will give you some pointers :)
*
4. So you really wont teach me?
-
I'm sorry no, but I am not qualified to properly teach, and in my own opinion you cannot properly learn this properly over the Internet. I can be helpful and give advice and so on, but I am not qualified to teach anyone anything. It'd be arrogant of me to say I could.
*
5. I really repsect you.
-
Thank you, I am honoured, flattered and somewhat scared by that.
*
6. You make some good points, but your sarcasm makes it less educational.
-
People learn in different ways, some people learn by straight forwards facts. In my own personal experience they learn better when they laugh, they remember the things that made them smile, my sarcasm does that, it makes reading facts entertaining, it also means you can worry about my sanity.
But thank you, I will take this in to consideration but I doubt I will change my writing style.
*
7. You're a really good writer, are you going to write a book on this? I'd be really interested.
-
Again, so overly flattered and honoured. And the answer is yes, I am working on a book. The book will be less "sarcastic" than the wiki, but that's not to say you will find it less entertaining. It will also be more educational and factual, along with more info on what exactly my faith is. There will also be a wiki up soon related to it.
But yes, in years to come, possibly a book, who knows.
*
8- So what exactly
are you?
-
Human?
*
9- Thats not what I meant. What is your faith if you are not a wiccan?
-Ah. See it helps to be more expansive. I am a traditional Greencraft Scottish Witch, I follow a faith that has its roots (no pun intended) in the folklore and rituals from here in Scotland. The older worldly appealed to me more than the new age. This particular sect of pagan faith was brought to my attention by a family of trad fams (traditional family pagans) who, though married into a Catholic household and who's children attended Catholic schools were carrying on the tradition of their ancestors. The did not once claim to be the direct descendants of old world pagans, they were merely the descendants of those that had researched the history and ideals of those faiths and then decided to make that path their own choice of religion and have done so for quite a few generations. I was fortunate enough to be shown what it was, historically, ritually etc etc by them and have now found the faith of my life.
*
10. Why does the caged bird sing?
-Because I have incriminating photos.
*
11. I've seen
Playgans written by different people.
How do we know its really yours?
- I can bet you anything the names you have seen it written under are [Delladreing], Dela, Silver Joy, Joyous Incarnate and possibly even Zelia. It just depends on my user-name for the community. If you happen to see it under any other name please contact me and let me know, I have had problems with people plagiarizing in the past, I would appreciate the help in keeping my work as just that, mine.
*
12. Why do you defend Christians? I mean look at what they did to the pagan faith during the Burning Times.
- Have you read all my pages? If you had you would know that the "Burning Times" as it has become known was not carried out by Christians in general, but the Spanish Inquisition under the rule of the Catholic Church at the time.
It was their will to turn everyone to their faith. Those that denied or did not conform to their faith and the will of the Pope were put to death usually either dying through torture, many admitting acts of heresy of which they had not committed just to be allowed to die, or being horribly executed.
Here in Scotland it was the custom to hang a "witch" (the term used to refer to any heretic) until dead, then burn his/her body to be sure that there were no chances of the individual being resurrected in some way. It was the belief at the time that one needed ones bodily remains come judgement day in order to be resurrected and then depending on the judgement your body would go to hell in the decayed state it was in, or you would be granted a "new" one and live again in the kingdom of God. Everyone who did not conform was branded a heretic, Protestants, Jews, even some followers of the Catholic faith who dared to sympathise with the victims. It was possible that actual pagans were put to death in such ways, but the number of other innocent people of "mainstream" faiths probably outweighs that number a great deal.
Also, why don't I hate them? Because not all Christians are bad people. You make the same assumption that "they" make about us in generalising us all as being "evil devil worshippers". You cannot judge someone for their God, you can however judge them for the person they are, which is why so many of my close friends despite having a difference of faith are my friends. It is not the faith that makes the person good or bad, but the person themselves.
*
13. What about the Salem Witch Trials! You can't deny that one.
- I think you will find I can. The Salem Trials was a tragedy that should never have happened.
The events which led to the Witch Trials actually occurred in what is now the town of Danvers, then a parish of Salem Town, known as Salem Village. Launching the hysteria was the bizarre, seemingly inexplicable behavior of two young girls; the daughter, Betty, and the niece, Abigail Williams, of the Salem Village minister, Reverend Samuel Parris.
The girls claimed to be under some form of curse, supposedly brought on them by their nanny who I believe used natural remedies. Evidence later concluded in years to come from artifacts left over that the girls convulsions and fits were brought about by poisoning. Their talk of witches and curses was nothing more than cruel slanders and the want for attention.
In February, 1692, three accused women were examined by Magistrates Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne.
By the time the hysteria had spent itself, 24 people had died. Nineteen were hanged on Gallows Hill in Salem Town, but some died in prison. Giles Corey at first pleaded not guilty to charges of witchcraft, but subsequently refused to stand trial. This refusal meant he could not be convicted legally. However, his examiners chose to subject him to interrogation by the placing of stone weights on his body. He survived this brutal torture for two days before dying.
It is remarkable 552 original documents pertaining to the witchcraft trials have been preserved and are still stored by the Peabody Essex Museum.
Eerie memorabilia associated with the trials, such as the "Witch Pins" used in the examination of witches and a small bottle supposed to contain the finger bones of the victim George Jacobs can be found there as well.
Of course now Salem is renowned for being the "Witch City" and residents such as Laurie Cabot and her occult shop and the image she portrays often does very little to help the allegations of actual witches being killed there. Many of them as with my above answer shows, were merely innocent people convicted by spiteful rumours and fearful minds.
There is now a memorial graveyard in Salem honouring the innocent victims of that time.
*
14. Wow, you know so much on that, have you been to Salem?
-No, I have not been to Salem, but I have friends who have been there and who actually now reside there. I intend to go one day for a look. Although I think I may stand out somewhat from the other resident "witches" for starters I don't own enough Gothic clothing, crushed velvet or make-up ;)
(If you don't know what I mean, type "Laurie Cabot" into Google Image Search.)
*
15. Do you plan to write any other books on paganism, other than the one you are working on just now?
-Possibly, it depends on if the book does well and if there is a demand for more, I don't want to waste my time doing something that will go unappreciated. It will also probably be written under a pseudo name as I do not want my "informative" writing to be confused with my fictional.
*
16. You seem to dislike ouccult shops that stock "new age crap" to quote yourself, ever considered setting up your own?
- Yes actually, many times, I even have the name of it, the design layout I want and a small business card I made in Photoshop. Someone also gave me something to put on the wall of it for when I have it as a focus of the shop altar. I even have a list of people who have already asked to work there if such a thing happens. Its something that I would maybe like to have in my retirement or as a weekend thing. I am currently studying to be a teacher of English. Were I to set up shop somewhere I would also like to run workshops there for people wanting to learn practical things about witchcraft. I suppose I could always own the shop and let someone else run it and occasionally pop in from time to time, that way I would have control over what was stocked and so on.
The only reason the shop is not a sure thing is because I would have to reveal my faith to members of my family who would in all likelihood disown me for it.
But it's certainly an idea for the future.
*
17. Can I come work for you if you do?
- Hehe, sure why not :)
*
18. I think you come off as a bitchy and spiteful person and you write tripe. What do you say to that.
- I say you are entitled to your opinion, but I also say you are outnumbered by quite a bit. I'm sorry if you think fact over your own delusional fantasies sounds like tripe, but someone had to pop your bubble at some point, it was that or have you sterilized to stop you from breeding and passing on the stupidity gene, although if you continue to message me the way you have been I may just go ahead and do that anyway :)
19. BITCH!
-Aww so sweet of you to notice, now toddle along kiddies, Dela has a real life to attend to that doesn't involve being talked to by people like you who think being called a bitch will damage my self esteem in anyway :)
*
20. Why don't you do stand up comedy?
-Because I am too lazy and would rather be sitting down.
*
21. Can I join Playgans even if I don't believe in your religion, or any religion for that matter?
I don't really believe in anything mainly because it's a BIG question and I don't like to think of it.
I DO however believe in your 'Right to Rant' and to educate the fakers out there.
I knew a "witch" once and believe me I know how annoying they can be when they are THAT deluded.
-Sure thing. You don't have to be religious or even believe in anything if you want to support Playgans. What you support here is the education and clarification of the myths surrounding modern day paganism :)
-
Playgans
Stumble!