Witchcraft and Polytheism

the demonising of some forms of magic as 'witchcraft' predates christianitism, and was always about political control
it's amusing to see in the writing of the elites their decrying of this and that form of magic, except the kinds they practice
then read another elite author decrying the exact same things, and the thing the guy before him practiced
i think it raises questions about conceptions of the aeon before the one that is passing
there's an idea that polytheism is a religion of cities and states, of organising large groups around a shared understanding
but the phenomenom of witchcraft speaks to an individual strain and aspect, that never got elite approval, so was never preserved in writing, but was no less valid
no less valid an interaction, and no less valid a recognition , of the gods

the temple and the settlement are men together
the witch beats the wastes

*it's about more than that though
it's about the consolidation of spiritual authority
if there is room for magic there is the risk that someone with more mana will be able to demonstrate their spiritual gifts
and usurp your claims