Recently on another forum, we Pagans there have met a stint of misrepresentation and heavy ridicule because of this site. "Become a Dragon/Mermaid/Vampire/Werewolf" spells? Magic Carpets? And not only this, but spells that are submitted by ten to fifteen year olds? I ran some numbers; the average age of users here (out of 52) was 18. Many still many years from adolescence. There was - no kidding - a user born in 2002, making her ten. TEN.
And spells to turn oneself into a dragon or have some "Freaky Friday" body swap? This is not the Disney Channel, nor some Hollywood movie of "The Craft." Stuff like this is causing serious harm to the Pagan community, because your general zealous christian finds sites like these and then just loads their guns with further ammo to ridicule. And rightfully so, if there be those who actually think they can become a dragon.
Spells are not Harry Potter. You cannot throw fireballs from your fingertips or fly or kill someone by willing it into a mirror. In all my years of studying and practicing Pagan arts, this has never been seen or done short of in myths and legends. Spells are the exertion of Spiritual Will, forces that drive our essence and inspire our imaginations. True magic is a song or music that touches your Spirit, or those long dead lending their wisdom through books and age-old instruction. They are incantations and rituals that bolster our bodies in ways we cannot readily do, to fight infection and find locked strength. As a christian prays, Magic for us is communion with the Gods, it is their Slovo in action in our lives.
Please, from one Pagan to this community, don't do us a disservice. It is hard enough living in a predominantly christian society, but to have them thinking we all believe we can throw fireballs and turn into dragons is Earth-shattering.