Delaware's U.S. Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell created a stir by declaring, in a televised political ad, that she is not a witch.

While meant to ease the concerns of evangelicals over reports of her interest in witchcraft many years ago, the ad has offended real witches by implying they are evil, says Jacksonville's Judith "Holly" Charland.

"If someone is mad they'll say, 'oh, what a witch she is' - they're just using the [word] in a derogatory way," said Charland, high priestess of the Temple of the Mystical Ancient Circle in Arlington.

Witchcraft is simply a part of paganism, which Charland described as "an Earth-worshiping religion."

As a third-degree witch, Charland conducts weddings, funerals and other nature-based rituals and tries to get the word out that pagans are not devil worshipers who cast spells on people. Given the publicity surrounding O'Donnell's controversial "I am not a witch" TV spot, The Times-Union asked Charland to explain more about what witches are - and aren't.

What is a witch?

A wise woman or man. We're not the creatures people have made us out to be with pointy noses and green faces.

How did you become a witch?

I found out I was that way because of the behaviors I had had. I had always gardened, had always had my eye on the moon. That was when I was a practicing Christian ... about six or seven years ago. When I found out I was a heathen - which is what the Bible calls it - I thought, "Oh my gosh, what am I going to do?"

Does that mean people who like to garden may be witches?

By all means no. We are more of an Earth-worshiping group. ... We're more in tune with the gifts of the earth. ... I happened to come across a website, just that talked about doing crafts at home - like making beeswax candles we use in spellwork - and come to find out that is what pagans have been doing all along. I believe it's something the goddess picks you to understand. It's more or less that you are picked.

What goddess are you talking about?

There are many different deities out there. ... They're there to help guide and protect us. It all depends on the spellwork we are doing.

What are spells?

It's like a prayer but with a little 'oomph' to it. It's like praying for someone's health. We're always on the good side of what we do because we believe in karma and whatever we do to people will come back to us threefold.

Do you actually cast spells on people?

I don't put spells on people because people have their own free will. ... If I do that, something bad is going to happen. I put them on myself. Say, if I need some money, I'll do a money spell that gives you the drive [that] helps manifest things to happen for you down the road.

Can spells be used in an evil way, and do some witches do that?

Yes, but you have that with any religion. You always have a few [who are] bad.

What's it like being a witch in the Bible Belt?

I've really never had any problem. I am definitely out of the closet. ... I do a lot of public rituals to inform people of what it is we do. My family, my friends, my job, everybody knows I am a pagan.

Were you a Christian before becoming a pagan?

I grew up Roman Catholic. We did things ritualistically. They have the robes, they have the incense, the altar, the water. So the step over to paganism was easy for me.

"The Wizard of Oz" - good or bad movie?

(Laughs). That's where the green face for the witches came from.

jeff.brumley@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4310