I think it depended on the times and what was popular. People dabble in the occult all the time, though only certain people have an actual innate ability to pull it off. Not everyone who dabbles has that, and not everyone who has the ability dabbles. And there are those through history that have felt things are evil, whether they have the ability or not, and they persecute people who show signs of ability or interest in practicing.
[She gave a shrug with an annoyed face.]
More modern groups, while some exist that still feel like people and creatures involved in magic are evil, mostly just want to stick them in labs and study them and dissect them... which is probably worse.