Greetings, everyone.

[ShadowGryffindor]

Hey there all, I go by the name ShadowGryffindor. I am a 40 year old woman who has been married seven years now to the most wonderful woman in the world. We live in Washington state and currently are taking care of our beautiful three year old son (through artificial insemination).

I was a Christian up until nine years ago. I hid my sexuality for the longest time, feeling disgusted with my orientation (as taught me by the denomination I grew up with). I met a woman and became friends with her - she was a Wiccan, and eventually helped me to become one as well when I realised it was the right religion for me. I soon learned she was a lesbian as well, and now, well, she's my wife!

I hope to have fun here - I have rather good knowledge of Christianity (educated from kindergarten to college in Christian schools/college - I recently went to a secular college and got a degree in Geology), so I like to debate all sorts of aspects of it, all the while defending my faith in Wicca from people trying to give it a bad name, and correcting people with misconceptions about it.

[Goat]

Hey there all, I go by the name ShadowGryffindor. I am a 40 year old woman who has been married seven years now to the most wonderful woman in the world. We live in Washington state and currently are taking care of our beautiful three year old son (through artificial insemination).

I was a Christian up until nine years ago. I hid my sexuality for the longest time, feeling disgusted with my orientation (as taught me by the denomination I grew up with). I met a woman and became friends with her - she was a Wiccan, and eventually helped me to become one as well when I realised it was the right religion for me. I soon learned she was a lesbian as well, and now, well, she's my wife!

I hope to have fun here - I have rather good knowledge of Christianity (educated from kindergarten to college in Christian schools/college - I recently went to a secular college and got a degree in Geology), so I like to debate all sorts of aspects of it, all the while defending my faith in Wicca from people trying to give it a bad name, and correcting people with misconceptions about it.

Welcome. I hope you find your stay here fruitful. Since you say your partner is your wife, did you go up to Canada to become legally married up there?

[ShadowGryffindor]

Welcome. I hope you find your stay here fruitful. Since you say your partner is your wife, did you go up to Canada to become legally married up there?

Ah, very good question. No, we have not become legally married (however we have become spiritually married through our coven), we just prefer to use the term "wife" over something like "life partner" or such. However, we will soon be joined in a domestic partnership - Starting in July, domestic partnerships will be legal in Washington state, and it will give us many (but not all) of the rights that legally married couples have - hopefully someday soon marriage here will be legal for us.

Thanks for the welome!

[ShadowGryffindor]

Welcome. I hope you find your stay here fruitful. Since you say your partner is your wife, did you go up to Canada to become legally married up there?

Ah, very good question. No, we have not become legally married (however we have become spiritually married through our coven), we just prefer to use the term "wife" over something like "life partner" or such. However, we will soon be joined in a domestic partnership - Starting in July, domestic partnerships will be legal in Washington state, and it will give us many (but not all) of the rights that legally married couples have - hopefully someday soon marriage here will be legal for us.

Thanks for the welcome!

[Goat]

Welcome. I hope you find your stay here fruitful. Since you say your partner is your wife, did you go up to Canada to become legally married up there?

Ah, very good question. No, we have not become legally married (however we have become spiritually married through our coven), we just prefer to use the term "wife" over something like "life partner" or such. However, we will soon be joined in a domestic partnership - Starting in July, domestic partnerships will be legal in Washington state, and it will give us many (but not all) of the rights that legally married couples have - hopefully someday soon marriage here will be legal for us.

Thanks for the welcome!

I have a friend who lives in Seattle that did go up to Canada about 4 years ago to get legally married up there.

I suspect they will go through the paperwork for 'domestic partnership' too, so there is some kind of legal protection for them in Washington.

How much did the rejection of Christianity to your orientation vs the acceptance of that orientation by Wicca play in your adoption of Wicca? There seems to be much variety in the practice of Wicca. How did you get what your particular practices are? Did you learn from your wife, and adopt her practices?

[otseng]

Welcome to the forum.

We have our share of geology debates here as well. The best debate topic of 2005 as voted by our members was the Plate tectonics thread.

[ShadowGryffindor]

I have a friend who lives in Seattle that did go up to Canada about 4 years ago to get legally married up there.

I suspect they will go through the paperwork for 'domestic partnership' too, so there is some kind of legal protection for them in Washington.

How much did the rejection of Christianity to your orientation vs the acceptance of that orientation by Wicca play in your adoption of Wicca? There seems to be much variety in the practice of Wicca. How did you get what your particular practices are? Did you learn from your wife, and adopt her practices?

I think the acceptance of my orientation by Wicca played a little larger role than the actual rejection by Christianity toward my orientation (although that still did play a strong part).

Yes, there is quite a variety in the practice of Wicca. You are correct - i pretty much learned from my wife and adopted her practices. I worship the Lord and Lady along with a Celtic pantheon (I view each in the pantheon as aspects of the Lord and the Lady who, in turn are aspects of The All).

Welcome to the forum.

We have our share of geology debates here as well. The best debate topic of 2005 as voted by our members was the Plate tectonics thread.

That sounds great. I'll be happy to join in on anything geology related.