I have a sister who is into this bc of her lovely husband she married or she said they had a wickening can anyone help? Questions answered with maturity only please.
2006-06-26 14:32:48 · 9 answers · asked by jessie_317 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
"Pagan" is hard to define; a lot of people think of it as "any religion that's not Christianity, Judaism or Islam." I don't think that's quite accurate, but it's okay to start with.
Since your sister talked about a "Wiccaning" (not "wickening), she's talking about the pagan religion Wicca (and here's where I start quoting Wikipedia): Wicca is a religion, and although its adherents often identify as witches, Wicca and witchcraft are not necessarily the same thing.
Wiccans may worship a Goddess and/or a God; they observe the festivals of the eight Sabbats of the year and the full-moon Esbats; and they have a code of ethics that most live by. Wicca is thus generally considered to be distinct from witchcraft, which does not of itself imply any specific religious, ethical or ritual elements, and is practiced in various forms by people of many religions, as well as by atheists.
Wicca does, however, incorporate a specific form of witchcraft, with particular ritual forms, involving the casting of spells, herbalism, divination and other forms of magic. Wiccan ethics require that magical activities are limited to good purposes only.
According to Gerald Gardner [the one who brough Wicca into modern public awareness], the religion derives from a secret but widespread witch-cult of early modern Europe, which incorporated all of the key religious beliefs and ideals and the distinctive ritual structures found in modern Wicca. While this historical interpretation is now much criticised, it makes it difficult to conclusively say whether Wicca is a religious form of witchcraft or a religion incorporating witchcraft.
2006-07-08 09:30:46 · answer #1 · answered by Elfwreck 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Okay you've gotten several ignorant responses to this question and for that I apologize. First lets start with the definition of "pagan." Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "a country dweller" or "civilian") is a blanket term which has come to connote a broad set of spiritual or religious beliefs and practices of natural or polytheistic religions, as opposed to the Abrahamic monotheistic religions. Pagans DO NOT worship the devil. In fact most pagans do not even believe in the "devil." It is a spiritual path based on finding harmony with the natural cycles of the world. Many of the Christian holidays are actually based on pagan markings of the seasonal cycles (Christmas and Easter being the two most famous ones). While many pagans may indeed call themselves witches, this is another term, like pagan, that has been given a negative meaning predominantly by the Christian faiths. Witch is really an old term for a wise person. While the way your sister and brother-in-law practice their faith may seem different to you, I can almost guarantee you that it is not a negative thing. I would recommend you read Gus diZerega, Ph.D.'s book Pagans & Christians: The personal spiritual experience, as a wonderful way to learn more about your sister's new faith and be able to have an open and honest conversation with her about her beliefs. Please do not judge her as she, I hope, does not judge you according to your faith. She is still your sister and you may find her "new" path still has much in common with your own.
2006-07-02 08:15:06 · answer #2 · answered by cidhi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a Pagon is someone who rejects religion. Some even believe in witches, the devil and other things. Wickening has to do with witches. I sure hope that your sister knows what she has gotten in to. If she needs help find a pastor or priest who has had experience with this stufff. If she believes in it, this is a free country and not anything you can do about it. Be open to helping her get out of it if she needs to.
2006-06-26 20:00:45 · answer #3 · answered by clcalifornia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A pagan is someone who believes and practices a religion other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. End of story.
2006-06-26 14:38:17 · answer #4 · answered by quietwalker 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pagan is a person that doesn't worship God but something else. Look at the link below to get your information about it.
2006-07-07 06:52:52 · answer #5 · answered by talkshoe 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A Wiccaning is like a baptism. It's when you dedicate yourself to the path.
Pagans don't reject religion, we believe deeply in our religon and are very dedicated to our paths.
As for what is Pagan, this is the most common question I hear, so I put it on my website for quick reference http://www.sacredhearth.com/Whatispagan.html
Hope this helps!
2006-06-27 05:20:20 · answer #6 · answered by kaplah 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they do not believe in God. Pray for them. May the Loed forgive them , and lead them home before it is to late for them.
2006-07-10 11:39:31 · answer #7 · answered by ldp999000 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the occult. You should not get involved.
2006-06-26 14:47:54 · answer #8 · answered by daisy 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
? srry
2006-07-05 02:59:00 · answer #9 · answered by sammie s 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋