Wicca and Satanism are two distinct religious practices that often get misconstrued and associated with each other. While both involve elements of paganism and involve the worship of deities, they differ greatly in their beliefs, values, and rituals. Wicca is a nature-based, modern-day pagan religion that focuses on reverence for nature and the worship of both a God and a Goddess. Wiccans believe in the concept of duality, where the feminine and masculine energies coexist harmoniously. They celebrate seasonal festivals known as Sabbats and perform rituals to honor the cycles of nature. Wicca promotes tolerance, harmlessness, and personal responsibility, and it emphasizes the practice of magic or spellwork for positive purposes.
Pretty waterfalls, floating leaves, baby jaquins.
The Magic Within is an emotional special that really digs deep and forces the characters to examine their family ties and how far they re willing to go in forgiving someone just because they re related. From swallowing Mateo s planet decorations and saying he ll have to get them back later, to hinting to Elena that she s always wanted a big sister parade float, Flo brings a lot of lightness into a pretty hardcore episode.
Wicca promotes tolerance, harmlessness, and personal responsibility, and it emphasizes the practice of magic or spellwork for positive purposes. On the other hand, Satanism is based on the worship and adoration of Satan. However, it is important to note that not all Satanists actually worship or believe in a literal Satan as a deity.
Review: Elena of Avalor “The Magic Within”
Carnival is fast approaching, and Estebon and Elena’s other family members have big plans. But unfortunately, Ash does, too. She’s discovered the location of the Maruvians Crystal Forge, and is on her way to claim its power. Elena and Mateo go to stop her, and in the process, Elena falls into a magical well and gets a supercharged scepter and a lot of sparkles.
It turns out that falling to the well of chrysalis supercharged Elena as well, and now all her big emotions produce big magical powers. Even singing a happy song about loving life makes Isa’s parade float model come alive! The new creature gets named Flo, and gets into a lot of mischief that’s revealed by Elena’s ‘tattletale vision’ power. When the subject of the day of Shuriki’s arrival is brought up at dinner that night, Estebon gets nervous, and makes a grab for Elena’s new scepter. Becoming suspicious, she uses the power on him.
When it’s revealed that he helped Shuriki attain power, he’s sentenced by the Grand Council to be banished, and locked in the dungeon. But he escapes thanks to a hidden key supplied by Higgs – and he frees the Delgado’s too. Elena’s powers go haywire when she’s informed of this treachery, causing the parade floats to come to life. She and her friends chase after the escaped prisoners and the runaway floats. She’s eventually able to tame them by creating feelings of love caused by singing her mother’s Carnival song. Even though the day is saved, Esteban and Ash getaway.
Our Take:
Wow. What an amazing special episode! It’s no wonder Disney decided to premiere it in primetime, because it’s definitely one of the best Elena specials in a long time. And it’s also one of the most emotional. We’ve known about Esteban’s deal with Shuriki for a long time now, but Elena never has until now. Finding out that the boy she considered a brother was responsible for the deaths of both her parents is a major shock, and really puts this episode into more mature territory for the show. Even without all of Esteban and his misdeeds, there’s Elena herself. Her new powers are directly tied to her emotions, and they can work very powerfully in wrong and right ways. Though the special wraps up bittersweetly, I think that’s the perfect note to end with.
The main thing to come out of this is Esteban’s revised role. Before this episode, I was fairly confident that he had changed, and that he wasn’t the person he used to be. Even after he’s sentenced to banishment, I was holding out hope that Elena would recant her decision after the Carnival. But after defying her trust by breaking out of the dungeon and then freeing the most heinous criminals the Delgado’s and joining their side? I’m pretty sure Esteban is a goner at this point. It’s kinda cool that a show on Disney Junior is willing to do that with an established ‘good guy’ at this point in the show. It’s a testament to how far Elena has come with lore and the depth of character development. Long running series have more freedom to shake things up like this, and continuity-heavy shows like Elena are enhanced because of it.
It’s not all tragic, though. Surprisingly, Flo ended up being one of my favorite parts of the special. She started out as a simple model parade float made by Isa based on a creature from Vallestrella, but she’s brought to life by Elena’s song. Flo is hilarious. From swallowing Mateo’s planet decorations and saying he’ll have to get them back later, to hinting to Elena that she’s “always wanted” a big sister parade float, Flo brings a lot of lightness into a pretty hardcore episode. Usually, cute animal sidekicks are sweetly naive and innocent, just there to become a plushy later in stores. But Flo’s sassy demeanor and mischievous ways make her stand out in a way I haven’t seen before in a similar character.
Naomi and Gabe’s short side story where they get enlisted to perform with Dona Paloma is alright. It seems to build on the last episode in a way, with the whole Gabe/Naomi pairing thing. And it gives Naomi a chance to be very sarcastic towards Dona, which she’s great at. “Are we being punished?” Naomi quips upon seeing the costumes made for them. (I have to say I’m a little upset at Gabe for not putting his on. He stands out like a sore thumb on the float, and it might send messages to kids that getting dressed up is beneath a man.)
The Delgado’s have family troubles of their own in the special. There’s been tension between Ash and Victor for a while now, but it finally comes to a head after Carla almost falls off the side of the mountain. Victor realizes things are going to far, and insists that they stop with all the evildoing in order to focus on their child. But Ash won’t accept this, and turns him into a statue as Carla watches in shock. She sticks with him, even though Ash tells her not to. Esteabon, on the other hand, can’t ignore the instruction of someone as powerful as Ash. He’s in over his head, and things won’t end up working out for him I have a feeling.
The Magic Within is an emotional special that really digs deep and forces the characters to examine their family ties and how far they’re willing to go in forgiving someone just because they’re related. Esteban has made his choice, and it’s going to be interesting to see what consequences that will have for him later on. The voice acting in this entire special was amazing. I want to give major props to Aimee Carrero, for always imbuing Elena with so much emotion purely in her tone. Kether Donohue really stands out as Flo, too. And Myrna Velasco’s performance as Carla broke my heart when she told Elena about Ash not loving her after all. Family is funny – it can be as strong as magic, but it can also break from betrayal in the blink of an eye.
Ooh, look at that! It's a big me!
Some forms of Satanism, such as LaVeyan Satanism, are atheistic and primarily focus on individualism, self-empowerment, and questioning societal norms and religious authorities. LaVeyan Satanism rejects the idea of a higher power and upholds the principles of indulgence, freedom, and secularism. While both Wicca and Satanism are considered to be alternative spiritual paths, they have different ethical codes and philosophies. Wicca promotes the idea of 'harm none' and advocates for positive intentions in spellwork. It emphasizes personal growth, harmony with nature, and the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. On the contrary, Satanism, particularly the atheistic varieties, emphasizes individualism, self-interest, and the rejection of oppressive structures and moral judgments. In terms of rituals, Wicca emphasizes ceremonial practices, such as casting a protective circle, invoking deities, and using various tools, herbs, and crystals. These rituals are often performed during Sabbats or other significant occasions. Satanism, on the other hand, may involve rituals that focus on self-empowerment, such as symbolic acts to challenge societal conventions or manipulation of psychological emotions. In conclusion, while both Wicca and Satanism have elements of paganism and involve the worship of deities, they are distinct religions with different beliefs, values, and practices. Wicca centers around reverence for nature, the worship of a God and Goddess, and the pursuit of spiritual growth. In contrast, Satanism, particularly atheistic Satanism, is more focused on individualism, self-empowerment, and questioning societal norms. It is crucial to understand and respect the differences between these two practices to dispel misconceptions and promote religious tolerance..
Reviews for "The Ethics and Morality of Wicca and Satanism"
1. John - 1 star
I found "Wicca vs Satanism" to be a highly disappointing and misleading documentary. It claimed to provide an unbiased view on the two belief systems, but it only focused on the negative aspects of Wicca and Satanism. The information presented seemed haphazardly pieced together and lacked credibility. As someone who was genuinely interested in learning about these religions, I found this documentary to be a complete waste of time.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
I was hoping that "Wicca vs Satanism" would provide a balanced comparison between the two religions, but unfortunately, it fell short. The documentary seemed heavily biased against Wicca, while attempting to portray Satanism in a more positive light. This created an unfair portrayal of both belief systems. The lack of in-depth analysis and reliance on stereotypes further undermined any value this documentary could have had. I would not recommend it to anyone seeking a genuine understanding of Wicca or Satanism.
3. Mark - 1 star
"Wicca vs Satanism" was a sensationalized and poorly researched documentary. It failed to provide any real insights into the two religions, instead opting for fearmongering and perpetuating stereotypes. The interviews with practitioners felt staged and cherry-picked to fit a predetermined narrative. If you're looking for an accurate and respectful representation of Wicca and Satanism, look elsewhere.
4. Emily - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Wicca vs Satanism", expecting a thought-provoking exploration of these two belief systems. However, I was left disappointed by the lack of depth and nuance in the documentary. It seemed to rely heavily on surface-level comparisons and did not provide a comprehensive understanding of either Wicca or Satanism. The sensationalized elements and occasional errors in the information presented further undermined its credibility. Overall, the documentary failed to deliver on its promise and left me wanting more substantial content.
5. Alex - 1 star
"Wicca vs Satanism" felt like a cheap attempt to capitalize on controversy rather than providing an insightful analysis. The documentary lacked objectivity and seemed more interested in sensationalism than in accurately portraying Wicca and Satanism. The biased narrative and cherry-picked examples did not do justice to either belief system. It's unfortunate that a documentary with such potential ended up being a shallow and misleading portrayal of Wicca and Satanism.