Witchcraft and the Law
There is a reason why at the top of my blog it says "It's only safe to practice witchcraft when the world doesn't believe in magic." - and this is why.
Australia, because it was once a British Colony, inherited many of the archaic laws of Great Britain, including the Witchcraft Act of 1735. This was an act of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1735 which made it a crime for a person to claim that any human being had magical powers or was guilty of witchcraft.
You wouldn't think it, but for people practising witchcraft at the time, this law was actually a good thing. With this act, the law abolished the hunting and execution of witches in Great Britain. The maximum penalty set out by the act was now a year in prison. When you consider that the previous punishment was death by hanging.... a year in prison doesn't sound so bad does it?
Now let's get back to the present. Surely old laws Iike this aren't still around.... right? Wrong - scraps of this law remained part of the criminal code in the states and territories of Australia until only recently. Each of the states and territories must manually get rid of these laws. This relies on the government of each state/territory not believing that witchcraft is real and that tarrot readers mean no harm...
To put it into context:
In New South Wales the Witchcraft Act of 1735 was repealed by the Imperial Acts Application Act of 1969. However the offence of fortune telling [Section 4 (2) (n) of the Vagrancy Act, 1902, NSW] wasn't repealed until 1979 by the Summary Offences Act.
In South Australia, the Statutes Amendment and Repeal (Public Offences) Act of 1991 abolished the Witchcraft laws. However, this act came with a new section [Section 40] which means that it is a crime in South Australia if "A person who, with intent to defraud purports to acts as a spiritualist or medium or to exercise powers of telepathy or clairvoyance or other similar powers".
Queensland's Criminal Code Section 432 'Pretending to Exercise Witchcraft or Tell Fortunes' was only omitted from the Code by Justice and Other Legislation Bill in 2000. This previously meant it was a crime in Queensland to: a) Pretend to one to exercise [or use] witchcraft [or sorcery or enchantment or conjuration]. b) Undertook to one to tell his [or her] future fortunes. c) Pretend to one , by virtue of a pretended skill in [or knowledge of] some occult science, to discover where [or in what manner] certain goods supposed to have been stolen [or lost] might be found.
Victoria's Attorney-General Rob Hulls introduced legislation repealing the Vagrancy Act in 2005 which made it an offence to profess or pretend to tell fortunes or use any kind of witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment or conjuration.
In the Northern Territory, the Witchcraft Act of 1735 was only recently repealed in 2013 by Attorney-General John Elferink. The Act was however was replaced under the Summary Offences Act of 2016. It is still currently illegal on the Northern Territory to "tell fortunes, or use any subtle craft, means or device, by palmistry or otherwise, to deceive and impose upon a person" [NT Gov, 2016, 57 (1) (d)]
Tasmania, Western Australia and the ACT have no laws against witchcraft.
Okay, see what I mean? Now, many of these modern Australian laws against witchcraft and fortune telling are trying to protect people against fraud or getting ripped-off or deceived by someone. However, they can just as easily be used to prosecute anyone practising witchcraft who offers a service to someone else (and they don't like the outcome of that service).
Now, there are many countries around the world where things are a lot worse for those practising witchcraft. But it's important to remember that just because there is an accepting witchcraft community online does not mean it is safe to practice witchcraft. If you're an Australian practising witchcraft; know the laws that apply in your state/territory. If you're from another country; know the laws that apply to witchcraft in your country and stay hidden.
If you are travelling to another country and you don't know their laws on witchcraft - do not post about your practice online under your real name. Be safe, stay hidden if necessary and remember: It's only safe to practice witchcraft when the world doesn't believe in magic.
- Marci
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a little king of cups for your dash
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Recently, I've started secondary account on instagram just to have fresh data for my art and see what algorithm does. I've discovered that I was true with my suspicions about ig did not liked my main account.
I've been using it for 4 years or so and had breaks during it. I've been trying to revive it from my last and longest break and it did not work well. On the other hand my secondary one is growing slowly and ig is pushing it more towards people that doesn't follow me. I have a strategy in mind if this works out- I'm gonna be mad and jealous on my experimental account.
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Heyy I heard you do readings, i have a question about my love life. Just who? Or just an overall reading that's all. You can be as brutal and honest 😂❤️ thank you love <3
Since i cannot do a reading on who, I'll do one for ya thats on your love life! And thank YOU.
For the reading the cards drawn were;
Two of cups: the binding of two, platonic or romantic
Seven of swords: A bold thievery or a time when you can face a prominent fear
Queen of Wands: be creative; a strong, supportive shoulder to lean on.
Based on the question, I'd say that soon you'll find your someone, but will have to overcome your fears, and when you do, they will be a supple partner. Contact me if you'd like a nine card reading (Past, Present, And future)! Have an AMAZING day!
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My interpretation of The Star tarrot card. This went through a lot of drafts, my professor and I had fun working out how I'd go about what I wanted to do
Since it relates to time, I wanted to keep an hourglass look, with the bottom part being a water-like reflection
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My tarrot cards told me i have to rest and if i dont rest will be forced upon me 😵💫.
I mean i know theyre right but damn...
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