There Are Now More Practicing Witches In The U.S. Than Ever Before

Witches are rising in numbers in the U.S., because maybe if we all just learn spells we can fix this mess

Considering, you know, the general state of things, this news should come as no surprise. According to a number of surveys conducted in the last few decades, the number of witches in the U.S. has been steadily rising, and is now at an all-time high. It makes sense, because things are so awful, why wouldn’t we all just start trying to learn spells and stuff?

Researchers say more and more Americans, particularly millennials, are turning away from traditionally dominant religions like Christianity. A study conducted in 1990 showed there were probably around 8,000 practicing witches nationwide at that time. Recent studies looking at practicing Wiccans and Pagans indicate there could be as many as 1.5 million in the U.S. now. That officially eclipses Presbyterians, who number about 1.4 million.

To be clear, we are talking about the actual Wiccan and Pagan religions, which have nothing to do with riding broomsticks or, generally, cauldrons, spells, black cats and warty noses, like the witches of the pop culture vernacular. Think tarot cards, crystals and a strong connection with nature.

“It makes sense that witchcraft and the occult would rise as society becomes increasingly postmodern,” religion writer Julie Roys told The Christian Post last month. “The rejection of Christianity has left a void that people, as inherently spiritual beings, will seek to fill. Plus, Wicca has effectively repackaged witchcraft for millennial consumption. No longer is witchcraft and paganism satanic and demonic, it’s a ‘pre-Christian tradition’ that promotes ‘free thought’ and ‘understanding of earth and nature.”

This doesn’t, by any means, indicate that witches are outnumbering Christians in the U.S. — the Pew Research Center still finds that 70 percent of the country’s religious population is Christian. But witchy aesthetics are definitely on trend. Plus, the world is kind of terrible right now and it’s not like mainstream religion (or anything) is fixing it. Who can blame people for trying out something new?

And the rise in witch numbers is already doing good things for our collective morale as we navigate these trying times. Remember when the witches banded together to cast hexes on Brett Kavanaugh during his Senate confirmation? That’s something we can all get behind.

And anyway, black is the new black, and it looks great on everyone.