What can anyone tell me about Wicca, in general?

Question

I had another question and learned that I was being too ignorant about a friend's faith but she's really busy right now and doesn't have time to explain it to me. (I think she may actually be mad at me for some of the things I said to her before about it...) I don't know what to look for really on the internet, and I wanted to know some of your opinions about Wicca, what it is, and how it is typically followed. Thanks.

Also.. how do you think I should apologize for what I said? I've already said I'm sorry, but I think I hurt her more than that..

Answer 1

You have said you are sorry, it all depends on what you said to her but I am guessing if you are still friends it will soon be forgotten.



Wicca is a henotheistic religion, which recognises its own specific gods, while not denying the existence of gods and goddesses from other pantheons. Wicca itself is a 'hard polytheistic' religion, meaning that Wicca see their deities as specific individual beings. The gods of Wicca are known as the Horned God and Great Mother, these are outer court references meant to be used as place holders for the real names of their gods until the Seeker is initiated and taught those names.



Wicca was founded by Gerald Gardner in around the 1930's, although the exact date is open for discussion, also open for discussion is whether Gardner founded Wicca entirely or whether it was an already existing spirituality which he merely re-introduced and re-invented, either way he is considered the founding father of Wicca. Gardner brought together Paganism with influences from many sources including the rituals and teachings of Freemasonry and Golden dawn resulting in a unique orthopraxic religion. Wicca embraces it's early Pagan roots in history, the history of Pagan faiths and the gods whom they followed and worshipped, Wicca also introduces eastern philosophy into it's primarily western path, along with this possibly one of Wicca's best known features, that of religious witchcraft.



Wicca is gaining much attention due to a change in peoples approach to religion and the increase in public awareness of the religion through media attention and with this attention there has come much change to the face of Wicca with many forms:



Wicca is an initiate only mystery tradition, or more precisely a priesthood, where one can trace their lineage back to Gardner. Initiation is the only way into Wicca, and is carried out by a Wicca coven, initiation into a coven requires formal training after which initiation and a system of degrees is followed.



Wicca follows a strong set of doctrines, one who takes on the name 'Wicca' is also taking on these doctrines as well as practices and beliefs of Wicca, the title of 'Wicca' implies more than that you are a member of Wicca, but also that you have worked long and hard to earn that title.

Seekers are those who wish to become Wicca however have yet to find a Wicca coven. Wicca covens can be hard to find let alone become a member of, often those whom are without a coven continue to study Wicca and surrounding subjects while seeking a Wicca coven to join.



Often Wicca is described as 'Traditional Wicca' or 'BTW:British Traditional Wicca'.



Neo-wicca is a new phenomenon, which is usually wholly eclectic, however like Wicca there are various different traditions. Neo-wicca often learn on their own terms, from books and other sources, but have little or no formal training and no initiation into Wicca. The beliefs of Neo-wicca are generally similar to that of Wicca however the details can often vary greatly as it follows the new age idea of personal belief/spirituality over formal religious doctrine.

Neo-Wicca have varied views of the divine, either following soft-polytheism seeing all gods and goddesses as one god/goddess, polytheism working with gods and goddesses from various pantheons or pantheism working with a single divine present in all.



The 'Neo' in Neo-wicca refers to the New Age approach taken by Neo-wicca that puts emphasis on personal spirituality or belief over the organized religion of Wicca. It also refers to a new take on Wicca, this has less to do with the age of the religion but the idea that this is a belief system which may have come naturally from Wicca if it was allowed to evolve in it’s own time, media influences have brought about Neo-wicca, it develops paralleled to Wicca, but is not part of Wicca.



Often Neo-wicca describe themselves as 'Eclectic Wicca' or 'Solitary Wicca', although not actually Wicca.



Although Wicca is heavily influenced or based upon witchcraft it is not the main belief behind Wicca, the terms 'Wicca' and 'witch' are not interchangeable. The practice of witchcraft fits well with the Wicca way of prayer and ritual, which often involves a highly personal relationship with the divine, the witchcraft of Wicca also works well with how Wicca views the universe as working, however it should be noted that witchcraft can be practiced by many religions as well as by Atheists and Agnostics.



Wicca is not dogmatic, much of the morality and ethics of Wicca are in fact determined by the individuals take on a given situation. Often followers of Wicca will incorporate utilitarianism, which means that an act is carried out for the greater good or elements of their own morality rather then seek to find suitable behaviour based on Wicca doctrine.



The rede plays a large part in the morality and ethics of Wicca, there are many takes and much documentation on the rede that can be found in many places, the rede however in itself can be clearly understood by the quote below given by Gardner himself.



"[Witches] are inclined to the morality of the legendary Good King Pausol, "Do what you like so long as you harm no one". But they believe a certain law to be important, "You must not use magic for anything which will cause harm to anyone, and if, to prevent a greater wrong being done, you must discommode someone, you must do it only in a way which will abate the harm." Gerald Gardner, The Meaning of Witchcraft, p 127 in the 1982 and 1999 printings



Another aspect of the Wiccan ethical philosophy is that of the 'law of return' often known as the 'three fold law' which is similar to that of western karmic philosophy, that anything you do either good or bad will come back to you. Law of return is often more closely associated with magic ethics rather than the everyday ethics covered by the rede or other Wiccan ethical beliefs, however is often thought of as cause and effect. This is also often referred to as the 'rule of three' or 'law of three'.

For the most part the rede and law of return are ideas taught to Seekers and new initiates to Wicca as a means to make them understand the consequences of their actions, most Wicca follow their own moral and ethical code, and many Wicca do not take on the ideas of the rede or law of return.





WICCA LINKS:



http://amberandjet.spiralpaths.org - Amber & Jet

http://www.cyprian.org/Articles/gardchron.htm - Gardnerian Chronology and Bibliography

http://www.wargoddess.net/index.php - Enyo`s Workshop

http://wicca.timerift.net/ - Wicca: For the Rest of Us

http://www.homecircle.info - Homecircle

http://www.starkindler.org/ - StarFire Rising

http://www.asiya.org/ - Asiya`s Shadows

http://www.whywiccanssuck.com - Why Wiccans Suck

http://www.newwiccanchurch.net - New Wiccan Church International

http://members.tripod.com/~Moonpfyr/gardnerian.html - Gardnerian Tradition

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Agora/2416/wildrose.html - Wild Rose Outer Grove

http://members.shaw.ca/stoneandcauldron/ - Coven Of The Stone And Cauldron

http://www.oldeenchantments.com/coven/ - The Hollywood Coven

http://www.geocities.com/DesertHenge - Desert Henge

http://www.geocities.com/firestonecoven/ - Firestone Coven

http://draknet.com/proteus/proteus.html - Proteus Coven’s Webspace

http://belladonna.hypermart.net/Sage-and-Sickle/index.html - Sage & Sickle Coven

http://paganwiccan.about.com/ - PaganWiccan

http://www.cogcoa.ab.ca/ - Covenant of Gaia

http://www.chasclifton.com/ - Chas Clifton

http://www.ravenwood.com/coven.htm - Ravenwood

http://www.avalonia.co.uk – Avalonia

http://www.rosemoon.com/ - Rosemoon

http://www.geocities.com/k_garber/wicway.html - The Wiccan Way

http://www.wildideas.net/temple/ - The Temple

http://www.candledark.net/silver/ - Pour Down Like Silver

http://www.thewellhead.org.uk/ - The Wellhead

http://dasa.on.ca/qs/ - Quicksilver Site

http://www.gis.net/~nagel/grovepage/ - Page of the Mists

http://www.geocities.com/gwydionfl/ - Pagan Place

http://www.geocities.com/reikihealer2001/ - NFTD

http://www.nectw.org/ - N.E.C.T.W.

http://www.doreenvaliente.com - Doreen Valiente 1922-1999

http://www.boniface.us/CTW/index.html - Compact of Traditional Wicca

http://www.pagansunite.com/ - Witch/Pagan Resources

http://www.geocities.com/thespiraloak/ - The Spiral Oak

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/4177/ - Manor-House For Wiccan Studies

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~sjgavula/wiccahist.html - History of Wicca in England

http://geocities.com/sphinxmuse/wicca/index.html - Wiccan Religion

http://davensjournal.com/index.htm?Header.xhtml&0 - Daven`s Journal

http://www.pangaeasanctuary.org/darkwood/ - Darkwood of PanGaea

http://www.wicca.utvinternet.com/ - Wicca na hErin

http://www.tryskelion.com/ - Tryskelion

http://www.mothersmagic.net/ - Breathless Noon

http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm - Wicca, the religion

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/religions/wicca/faq/ - Wicca FAQ

http://www.allonewicca.com/ - All one Wicca

http://www.cuew.org/cffn/index.html - Coven of the Far Flung Net

http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/gbos/index.htm - Gardnerian Book of Shadows

http://www.paganspath.com/ - The Pagan`s Path

http://www.rantingwitches.com/ - The Ranting Witches

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca - Wicca

http://janus.spawnfar.net/ - The Janus Gate

http://www.hiddenmuse.com/ - Hidden Muse

http://www.geraldgardner.com/ - Gerald Gardner

http://beaufort.bravepages.com/index.html - Beaufort House`s TradList

http://www.tradwicca.org/beginnings.html - A Traditional Alexandrian Coven

http://www.waningmoon.com/ethics/rede.shtml - The Wiccan Rede

http://www.glasstemple.com/home/ - Glass Temple

http://www.witchipedia.org – Witchipedia

Answer 2

Well first off i dont like some of the answers that people are postiing to this question. Wicca is not a Satan based religon, infact we do not believe in giving evil a name. We are a quiet people...we do not offer blood sacrifices and scream to the gods at the tops of our lungs like barbaric savages. We believe that there is a common good that is in all and nature is the focus of our beliefs. God is in all of nature and we respect it. Some of us are humanitarians, some of us are conservationists, while others help the world in our own ways. I worship only one God, this is the way that i see it, I see God as a female, the Goddess. People can call God male or female and I choose to view her as a sweet loving nurturing mother entity that gave birth to the earth and to me. I still believe that Jesus is the divine son. Also that MAry conceived without sin carried Him in her womb. The maghic that i practice connects me to Goddess, because the magic always needs Spirit in the atmosphere to bless it for success. All spells are in her hands. If the spell was not meant to be cast, she does not allow it to manifest but sometimes when I need to learn something she lets it come to be. I do not use it to harm ppl although I am sometimes tempted. What you said to yr friend was said without knowledge of the subject. Please understand what i have told you. Blessed be.

Answer 3

Wicca is a Neopagan religion and a religious movement found in many different countries. It was first publicised in 1954 by a British civil servant named Gerald Gardner[1] after the British Witchcraft Act was repealed. He claimed that the religion, of which he was an initiate, was a modern survival of an old witch cult, which had existed in secret for hundreds of years, originating in the pre-Christian Paganism of Europe. Wicca is thus sometimes referred to as the Old Religion. The veracity of Gardner's claims cannot be independently proven, and it is thought that Wiccan theology began to be compiled no earlier than the 1920s. Various related Wiccan traditions have since evolved, or been adapted from, the form established by Gardner, which came to be called Gardnerian Wicca. These other traditions of Wicca each have specific beliefs, rituals, and practices. Most traditions of Wicca remain secretive and require that members be initiated. There is also a movement of Eclectic or Solitary Wiccans who claim to belong to the religious movement, but do not believe any doctrine or traditional initiation is necessary in order to substantiate the claim.

Answer 4

Wiccan ideals stem from a mixture of druidism, paganism and so-known as witchcraft. There is a robust perception in an Earth Goddess....and gatherings are geared towards therapy the Earth and tapping into the average vigor throughout us. There are, of path, posers who say they're Wiccans and haven't any clue what they're speakme approximately....simply as there are persons who declare to be Christians or Buddhists, or something, and are without problems striking on airs.

Answer 5

#1) search for " witchvox " and do some more research.



#2) if she's still hurt or mad, don't just say that you are sorry, explain that you never meant to offend her, denigrate her or her beliefs, that you now know that your statements were made in ignorance and arrogance, and that you are obviously in desperate need of instruction in these matters, which she is evidentally empowered to give you, and ask what action you should take to make it up to her and return the good feelings between the two of you.



I'm not a Wiccan but I know many of them.

I don't wish to be redundant, but Wicca is a religion that makes use of magic(k) to connect its participants with Nature, the local planetary gods and goddesses of nature and of past (usually Celtic or Italian) cultures.

Every religion makes use of magic, but most of Wicca doesn't try to hide it or make it something that only the clergy are able and encouraged to do.

Wiccan rituals focus on celebrating aspects of Nature, like the turning of the seasons, the reflections of gender in everything, and things like that.



Unfortunately there's no 'typical' way of following.



If you have access to some money, one over-the-top apology could be registering you and her to go to Pantheacon in San Jose on President's day weekend in February, when you could learn in person about all the flavors of Wicca, and she could learn more of whatever she was interested in.

Answer 6

I gave you some links on your other question. Religioustolerance.org is a great place to start. Also go to the Wicca/Paganism section at About.com. Just look around and you'll find something.



The BEST thing you can do is explain to your friend how sorry you are (if you really are) and why you reacted the way you did. Once you two are talking again, ask her. That'll be your best bet!



Blessings! )O(

Answer 7

Oh dear, Epona, you appear to have a clone - Epona Widow.



All the above links are useful in telling you about what Wiccans do and believe. We do not believe in the Devil nor would we try to convert you, it isn't our way. If people want to become Wiccan, that is their choice, it is not for everyone.



BB

)0(

Answer 8

Epona should be along any time now. In the mean time, I hope this link helps. Its for another religion that is similar to Wicca, but isn't as much about magick.

Answer 9

try this site:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm

Like most religions, Wicca is silly and fanciful. Wiccans, I know this one hurts but, you nor anyone will never, ever, ever, ever be able to cast spells to any effect that is not purely random coincidence. If people were able to really do this it would eventually go to someone's head and they would flaunt their 'power', that part would be inevitable as people tend to crave attention, fame and power.

The part I do like about this religion is the acknowledgement of the part of nature in the religion. However, to believe in sprites, elves and trolls is a whole other ball of wax and those people need to seriously seek help.

As for apologizing to your friend.....depends on what you said. Did you mock her religion w/o knowing anything about it? Whatever you said, within reason, she will eventually get over it (really, she will). Just keep being her friend and don't bring it up again.

Answer 10

http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_stat1.htm



Here's the Wiccan Principles of Belief

Answer 11

Wicca is the belief in witches and spells. I have a friend that is into really deep and loves it. I myself believe in Jesus and would never practice wicca. Read more about it on the web.

Answer 12

Go to www.world-religions.org

This site explains all religions without bias. Try to be more tolerant. You don't have to believe in something to have respect for those who do.

Answer 13

I used to be a solitary Wiccan myself. Maybe you should ask your friend to read about the lives of famous occultists:



http://usminc.org/famous.html



Then ask her to decide if it's worth persuing. Any rational person would have to say "no".



In the 19th century a romaticizing of things Pagan began. Godfrey Leland forged a spurious book called Aradia:Gospel of the Witches that implied that witches were pagans who worshipped Diana (and Lucifer). He plagarized materials from two previous books he wrote (Etruscan Remains and Gypsy Sorcery). Although the word Wicca isn't mentioned, it was the great-great daddy of the whole thing.

Later on quack anthropolgist Margret Murray hatched her own theory about the witches of the European witch trials actually being survivors of a Pagan cult in her books. These inspired Gardner to create his own witch cult witch he called "wica" (at first spelled in lower case and with only one "c"). Gardner insisted Witch meant "Wise one" claiming the word derives from the Old English word "wicce". "Wicce" actually means "to bend", and this is where the word "wicker" comes from. The word "wicked" also comes from "wicce" (as in a wicked person being "bent").

The word "witch" has a nefarious meaning in every language on earth,including English, but for some reason Wiccans still insist on calling themselves "Witches" (with a capital "W") and their religion "Witchcraft". They feel that the reason people are afraid of them is centuries of "xtian propaganda" meant to defame them. But even if they went to Vietnam ( a predominantly Buddhist country) and said they were a Phuy Tay (Vietnamese for witch), people would still be afraid of them. Of course, a tiny few Wiccans have stopped calling themselves witches, but most probably enjoy the shock value wether they admit it or not.



If there is any truth to the old saying "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.", that truth is found in the occult, and Wicca in particular. Silver Ravenwolf has written close to a dozen books on the subject of "The Craft", and claims she has been studying it since about 1969, which is almost as long as I’ve been alive. She has written a book on how to cast money spells, and includes a chapter on how to do so in her Teen Witch book. But the thing is, she doesn't particularly sound all that prosperous herself. Ravenwolf writes,



" For years I couldn't afford to go to a hair stylist (still can't, it's shop and chop for me). I got pretty good at stying my own hair from looking at magazine pictures" [SOURCE: Teen Witch, Llewellyn Publications, 2003 edition, page 145]



OK, she so rich she can't go to the hairdresser. Hey, get me a copy of that Prosperity Spell book!



Silver Ravenwolf seems to have inadvertently discovered that Wicca makes things worse, but won't ever admit it as such.

In Teen Witch she says



"A lot of people tell me how bad their lives have gotten after casting a spell and tell me they won't do Witchcraft anymore. I tell them their lives would have been much worse for not having cast the spell".



Don't you would think a lot of people would be saying things like "Hey, Silver Ravenwolf, my life has improved tremendously with Wicca!" if Wicca is as great as they claim? Instead it makes lives much worse, and even Silver Ravenwolf admits she hears this a lot!!!



Why? Because sometimes, things are just as you think they are. Most average people will tell you the occult deals with black magic and demons, and demons are evil beings who wish us harm. This is how it is my friend. The occult is evil, and brings bad happenings into a person's life, and Wicca is an occult religion. When you stop trying to rationalize it with inaccurate data and just use common sense you will realize this. Some occultists are of above average intelligence, and I think part of the problem is they have book smarts but not common sense. There are two forces at work in this universe: the counterfeit and the genuine. Wicca’s source of power is not the genuine. There’s just simply no way Wicca (and thus the copycat Neopagan religions) can be created from the black magic writings of “The Great Beast 666", the bizarre sexual practices of Gardner, the spiritual “guidance” of the Watchers (Nephilim=fallen angels mentioned in Genesis 6) and still be a source of good!



Sometimes when you speak the truth, you make people mad. Maybe if you apologize for hurting her feelings and explain to her what you know now, you will have a better affect on her.



My opinions aren't popular with Wiccans, you can see why. Peace in Christ sister.

Answer 14

Here are some non-biased links that will help you understand the basic of Wicca.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm

http://www.religioustolerance.org/paganism.htm



Blessings )O(

Answer 15

Don't get involved that that bullSh*t. It'll seem new and cool and others will make you think you can control people and nature with a few spells and burning fingernails and twigs.



After you realize that none of that works, that all these spell-casting dumb-asses are avoiding reality, you'll be embarrassed you ever got mixed up in that.



And all you can do is sincerely say you're sorry. Then the ball's in their court and all you can do is hope they come around.

Answer 16

the link has wonderful info

Answer 17

Baloney made up out of whole cloth!

Answer 18

It's very spiritual

Answer 19

A form of witchcraft. Had a sister in law into it. An EX sister in law!

Answer 20

I think wicker is good and strong. I don't leave mine out in the rain because it develops a smell that is hard to remove.

Answer 21

Here's a Christian article about the Wicca religion from the Answers button @ http://web.express56.com/~bromar/





Wicca Spells - What is Wicca?

What is Wicca and what are Wicca spells? While it is rooted in ancient pagan beliefs, the Wicca religion, as it is practiced now, is only about 50-years-old. Wicca is a belief system cobbled together in the 1940's and 1950's by Gerald Gardner from a variety of religious traditions and beliefs as well as Freemason rituals. Since Gardner published several books espousing his system of worship, many offshoots and variations of Wicca have sprung up.



There is no particular agreement between Wiccans, or "wise ones" concerning what they believe and worship. Some worship the "Goddess," some worship the "God," and some worship both. Others worship nature. Some Wiccans say they embrace Christian doctrine, while others reject it. Most promoters of Wicca believe in reincarnation.



One thing most Wiccans agree on is the fact that Satan is not a part of their pantheon and they vehemently deny Satan-worship as one of their practices. This is because they disavow the notion of moral absolutes. There is no such thing as good or evil, because it is all relative. Wiccans have only one law that they bind themselves to, called "The Rede." It simply states, "Do what ye will, harm ye none." In other words: "Do what ever you want to as long as no one gets hurt." The Three-fold Law governs consequences, and is a law of returns that states, "All good that a person does to another returns three-fold in this life; harm is also returned three-fold."



Wicca Spells - Mind Control

What about Wicca spells? Not all Wiccans practice witchcraft (which they call "magick" to set themselves apart from illusionists and magicians). Magick is to Wicca what prayer is to Christianity. Wiccans claim that the practice of magick is simply using their minds to control matter, while Christians call upon God to heal people and to intervene and work in their lives. Because the Rede forbids harming others and the Three-fold Law sets forth consequences for those who do, Wiccans view themselves as "white witches" or "nature witches."



Wicca is basically a religion that is about minding your own business and living peaceably with your neighbors and environment. Wiccans are eager to draw parallels between themselves and biblical Christianity for the sake of earning credibility, but what does the Bible have to say about this religion? You won't find the word "wicca" in the Bible, so let's evaluate the beliefs in light of what God says about them.



Wicca spells are idolism - Romans 1:25 says, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things, rather than the Creator…" Who wants to settle for second best? In Isaiah 40, God paints a very cool picture of how much greater the Creator is than His creation. If you are worshipping anything besides the Creator, you are just spinning your wheels.



Wicca spells bring false hope - Hebrews 9:27 says, "…Man is destined to die once, after that, to face judgment." God says we get one chance at life, and that is it. There are no do-overs. If we don't accept God's gift of Jesus in our lifetime, He judges us as unwilling to be in His presence, and we are sent to Hell.



Wicca spells bring disillusionment - Mark 7:8 says, "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men". God is God, and we are not. We have a decision to make. Are we going to take God at His word and adopt His worldview, or not? Knowing God is hard work that takes a lot of discipline. Wicca is a religion that takes a pack of lies, ties it in a romantic ribbon, and searches out a well-intentioned, but lazy and gullible mark to sell its hollow doctrines.





Wicca spells bring rebellion - Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says, "Let no one be found among you who… practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells…Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD..." Wicca witchcraft is a sin and God hates it. Why? Because it is an attempt to cut off our dependence on God and get answers apart from Him.



Wicca Spells - Separation from God

This is what sin is all about. Sin isn't just a heinous, socially disagreeable action. Sin is our decision to disagree with God on any topic - to rebel against Him. Sin is saying, "God, I want to live my life MY WAY." Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death…" This isn't bodily death, this is spiritual death: eternal separation from God and all the blessings that His presence brings. This is the definition of Hell: the absence of God's presence. That is what our sin buys for us.



Thankfully, Romans 6:23 doesn't end there. It goes on to say, "…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." God knew that we would all rebel in one way or another, and he provided a way for us to avoid that separation.

Answer 22

something about the magic and your surroundings thats all i know

Answer 23

all



i know



that crap dosent woerth my time





so shouldt waste urs etiher

Answer 24

It's really just a load of crap.



Blessings )O(

Answer 25

I'd start by sitting your friend down, to expain that you are sorry to jump to conclusions and that you've done some research, and talked to Wiccans about their faith.



FAQ's of Witchcraft (Print Version)



Author: Wren

Posted: February 2nd. 1997

Times Viewed: 41,394



Substantially Updated

Monday, March 1st, 1999



What is Witchcraft? Who are these Witches anyway?

A practitioner of a nature-based belief system or religion. Not all Witches follow the same belief system. Some practice what is called the "old religion" which has its roots in pagan pre-monotheistic folk ways and beliefs and usually follows the seasonal cycles. These belief systems or "traditions" of Witches are often based upon the particular culture from whence they originated. Many Witches believe in a polytheistic deity structure (usually based upon the local gods and goddesses of the area of origin), but some simply practice magick (sometimes spelled with a 'k' to differentiate it from stage magic). Witches may practice alone as 'solitaries" or in covens. There are also family groups or traditions which trace their practices and beliefs within the same close group throughout several generations.



Traditional Wicca:

A modern form of Witchcraft is called "Wicca." Traditional Wicca is based on the teachings of Gerald Gardner, is coven based and each coven can trace its lineage (line of teaching passed on by initiated Traditional priests and priestesses) back to Gardner himself. There are offshoots of Gardnerian Traditional Wicca such as Alexandrian Wicca, Georgian Wicca and many others. Traditional Wiccans are considered a 'mystery' religion, require initiation by the coven and have a "degree system" or different levels of rank based upon coven training and the readiness of the initiate to accept the duties and responsibilities of that degree. They have a core of inner knowledge-often called the "Book of Shadows"-which is known only to initiated Wiccans. Most Traditional Wiccans believe in the balance of male-female divinity. Traditional Wiccans are seldom solitary except for those 'Elders'-usually former priests and priestesses-who may have retired from active coven involvement.



Other Forms of Wicca:

A newer form of Wicca has developed since the 1970's which is looser in structure and practice than the Traditional Wicca. These practitioners may follow a mixture of various or "eclectic' pagan and/or non-pagan beliefs. Some have formed 'traditions' or covens of their own, with or without a degree system, and have written a "book of shadows" outlining their own belief system and coven structure. Many are solitary practitioners who practice their beliefs and formulate their rituals in their own way.



Pagans:

Since the terms Witch and Wiccan are often mistakenly interchanged, many simply call themselves "pagans" or Neo-pagans" when talking with others who may not be familiar with the complexity of the different belief systems. But just as not all Christians are Lutheran or Catholic, so not all pagans are Witches or Wiccan. Neo-paganism is a term used most often to describe people who follow an earth-based belief system or religion. Druids and the Norse tradition of Asatru (who tend to prefer the term 'heathen") are considered to be pagan belief systems, but their adherents are neither Witches nor Wiccans. Neo-paganism should also not be confused with the "New Age" movement as pagans are almost exclusively involved in distinctive nature religions or earth-based practices while New Age spirituality draws from many sources and esoteric spiritual techniques.



Q: Are you a good Witch or a bad Witch?

A: When you ask if someone is a "good" Witch or a "bad" Witch, it is the same as asking someone if they are a "good" Presbyterian or a "bad" Presbyterian. Wiccans adhere to the Rede, "An it harm none, do as ye will." Witches, Druids and other pagan belief systems and religions have their own ethical standards. There are good and bad people in every society and in every religion. When a person breaks the laws of society or the tenets of their religion, they are called to account for their actions. To judge a person as either "good" or "bad" based upon nothing more than their religious preference alone has a label, too. It is called bigotry.



Q: Do you worship Satan?

A: Satan is a part of the Christian and Muslim religions. Since pagans are neither Christian nor Muslim, Satan is not part of our deity structure at all.



We believe that each and every human being is completely responsible for his or her own actions. To us, evil is a choice, albeit a bad one, that a human might make, not an embodied entity to blame our actions upon.



If an individual chooses to do evil, most pagans believe they will be punished via the laws of karma or as a result of "cause and effect.". In other words, "What goes around usually comes around."



Many Witches and Wiccans believe in some form of reincarnation, that the results or karma of past deeds can follow a person from one life to the next. This may also help to explain why terrible things sometimes happen to wonderful people or why some people seem to have been born with certain skills and knowledge. It may also explain why some people seem to lead a 'charmed" life.



Some pagans believe in an after-life spent in another plain of existence. Known as Summerland, Avalon, Valhalla or simply the "Other Side', they believe that they will be reunited here once again with friends and family.



Q: So why do you use that "Satanic" symbol?

A: The pentagram, or five pointed star, is not Satanic. Pythagoras used it as a symbol of health and his followers wore them in order to recognize one another. In Medieval times, some Christian knights used the pentagram as their symbol. To modern Wiccans the pentagram means many things; The five points correspond to the elements Air, Earth, Fire and Water with the top point corresponding to "Spirit". The pentagram in a circle may also represent a human with their legs and arms outstretched, surrounded by universal wisdom or the "Goddess" - humankind at one with the environment. Many Witches and other pagan practitioners do not wear the pentacle at all, but have other symbols of special meaning to them.



Satanists turn the symbol upside-down, which puts the elements of Fire and Earth at the top (Fire symbolizes willpower and passion and Earth, prosperity and earthly goods) and Spirit, spirituality, at the bottom. Satanists also turn the cross upside-down. This, in itself, does not make the cross or pentagram a Satanic symbol. In some Wiccan traditions, the reversed pentagram is a symbol of "second degree" status - one who has been elevated from "initiate". To members of these traditions, the reversed pentagram is considered highly positive and has no connection to Satanism. A symbol is simply an image or mark in itself. It is the mind and the beliefs of the beholder which attribute to it a particular meaning.



Q: Do you do blood sacrifice?

A: Goddess NO! The nature of sacrifice is to give up something of one's own in order to gain something more important. Wiccans believe in the sanctity of all life. Most pagans believe that animals are part of the same natural cycle of life as humans are. Witches have long been associated with animal companions known as "familiars."



Q: Do Witches and Wiccans cast spells?

A: Yes. Well, some do anyway. However, the term "spell" is widely misunderstood.



Spells, are somewhat like prayers and are used to create needed change in one's own life or the life of a loved one. But while prayers are a petition to an external Deity to create the change, most Witches and Wiccans believe that Deity is present in everything, including ourselves. Spells, then, are the channeling of our own divine selves, our own energies, to create the change.



Spells such as those which use love magic to gain the attention of a specific individual, or curses, are considered "manipulative". Most Wiccans believe that anything manipulative-that goes against the free will of another-is considered wrong. Many other pagan paths have similar codes of conduct based upon the tenets of their tradition or belief and almost all believe that the responsibility for their actions will lie with them.



Q: Are Witchcraft or Wicca cults?

A: A cult by definition is a group of people who blindly follow one leader. As Witches, Wiccans and pagans tend to be free-thinkers, there is no one person that we consider to be THE leader. Thus we cannot be called a cult.



Q: Do you have ritual orgies?

A: These rumors come from our lack of taboos regarding sex. We have no rules which prohibit homosexuality, nudity or pre-marital sex. Sex as the generative force in nature is seen by most pagans as something utterly sacred. We feel that the physical act of love is to be approached with great respect and responsibility.



Q: Why do all Witches/Wiccans wear black?

A: We all don't. Many Witches/Wiccans actually seem to favor green and/or purple. Black, however, is in many cultures a symbol of clergy. Priests, Ministers and Rabbis all favor black as the main color of their ritual garb.



Scientifically speaking, color is energy. The colors you see are the ones which are reflected and not the ones absorbed. Therefore, what appears to be white, which is the culmination of all colors in the light spectrum, is actually reflecting all colors and absorbing none. What appears to be black, is absorbing all colors and reflecting none. This is evident in the fact that when one is wearing white, one feels cooler - as the fabric is sending the heat energy outward, and when one wears black - the heat energy is absorbed in the cloth that one is wearing, making one feel warmer. Many Witches feel that wearing black attracts and holds more natural energy.



Q: Aren't all Witches Women?

A: No. Neither are Wiccans or those in other pagan paths. Witches can be either men or women. The term "Warlock" is never used to describe a male Witch as it is considered to be a religious slur. "Warlock" is an old Scottish word meaning "traitor" or "oath-breaker". Men and Women alike can be Witches, Wiccans or pagans.



Q: Why would anyone want to be a pagan, a Witch or Wiccan?

A: People are generally drawn to Wicca and other pagan paths for several reasons. Many women feel left out of more mainstream religions because of the lack of feminine divinity. For them, the Wiccan concept of the Goddess as Mother of all Living fills an empty space in their spiritual search. As a nature based religion, Witchcraft also appeals to those who feel a strong need to "get back to the Earth" and places a major importance on protecting the environment, which we are a part of, not apart from. People drawn to the mystical find pagan belief systems much more accommodating as we do not see anything unnatural about psychic ability or the use of magic to create needed changes in one's life. It gives us the freedom to make our own decisions about what is best for us.



Q: How do you convert new Witches/Wiccans/pagans?

A: We don't. We feel that the attempted conversion of others is a form of religious bigotry. i.e. If one tries to convert another to his/her religion, s/he assumes that the other person's beliefs are not as valid as his/her own. We feel that all paths are equally valid as long as they do not infringe upon the basic civil rights or free will of another. According to our beliefs, it is up to the individual to choose his or her own path. We do not try to manipulate others into our way of thinking, we only try to educate others about our religion so that they may better understand us. We do, however try to help guide those who have already expressed an interest in the pagan belief systems or religions.



Q: So what do Witches/Wiccans/pagans DO?

A: Pretty much what everybody does. We come from all walks of life. We raise families, go to work, throw steaks (or vegetables) on the "barbie" and hang out with our friends. We practice our religions and belief systems, celebrate our holidays with festivals and continue to study and explore our past while contemplating our futures.



Many covens and groups meet once a month to worship together under the moon. Pagans tend to hold ceremonies or "circles" out of doors as we feel that being with nature brings us closer to the divinity who creates it.



Some pagan beliefs may seem strange to those who have not heard much about them before. Pagans, on the other hand, are usually very well versed in the beliefs of other religions. They find the various religious systems interesting and often encourage their own children to learn about these other religions. Pagans believe in free will and free choice and that an educated choice is always better than blind obedience to any religion or dogma. We are not "against" other religions. We have simply made our choice to be pagan and we expect others to respect that choice as we respect theirs.



All that we ask is that we are allowed to practice our religion without prejudice or interference as is our right guaranteed here in the United States under the Constitution and as outlined within the constitutions of many other countries. The freedom to practice religion -or no religion-as you choose-whether it be Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Pagan-is the freedom to follow your spirit and your heart. This precious freedom must be defended, protected and treasured by all or it will no longer be guaranteed for anyone.