What Are Some Differences and Similarities Between Wicca and Paganism?

Question

Just recently my friend gave me a book about paganism and it seemed like a very interesting religion. So, I am thinking about becoming pagan. However, I am not sure how different the two religions are because the book was fairly brief. Dont get me wrong I love being wiccan I'm just curious.

I want to know more about dark paganism to be more specific

I know that wicca is a part of paganism I just want to specifically learn more about dark paganism.

O yeah and the name of the book was Gothic Grimoire by Konstantinos. Just so you know what I'm talking about

Answer 1

Wicca is a beautiful pagan path but there are quite a few other pagan paths that you may be interested in. Here are some links for information about some other polytheistic paths besides Wicca.

For descriptions of various pagan traditions:
http://www.witchvox.com/_x.html?c=trads

For definititions of polytheism and some excellent articles on the subject:
http://www.manygods.org.uk/

For some basic information about Druidry:
http://www.wildideas.net/cathbad/druid.html

Descriptions of various reconstructionist paths:
http://www.pfpc.ca/

A site specifically about Celtic Reconstructionism (my personal path):
http://paganachd.com/faq/

A very good forum where you can learn a lot of information about various pagan paths:
http://www.ecauldron.net/

Answer 2

Well, people are going to get mad at me for saying this answer and I'm probably going to not be around anymore in a few weeks, but here it is anyways:

Both religions are sort of originated from the Christian's vision of subdued religions (meaning religions replaced by Christianity and such)

Paganism, as a matter of fact, was how Chistians converters said "false religion" in the middle ages.

Nevertheless, Neo-Paganism resembles more the religion it seeks to the definition of than Wicca. Oh, Neo-Paganism is technically how Paganism is called, which I think is pretty honest. It's admitting that it's not the old 'Paganism', but a new version of it.

Wicca was funded by a guy in the 1980s based on a Dr's work that implied confessions during the Burning Times were real. If you know a little bit about history, you know this confessions were tortured out of the accused, who said them only because that's what they knew about "witchcraft" from books like "Malleus Maleficarum" (written by condemning, witch-hunting Christian devouts, not real witches at all). The accused had to confess something convincing so that they might be "purified" and not burned at the stake.

Paganism, on the other hand, while obviously not being the original religion, which would not call itself "False Religion", is more based on the "Pagan's" vision of the religion (From actual practicioners, not innocent people who were accused of practicing it). So in Paganism you never ever do potions (A lot of Wiccan branches don't do either, but the most important ones do). It's kinda more like making amulets and reading signs and adivination.

And if you look around the Internet, you'll also notice that Paganism is less commercialized and not made so domestic and boring as often as Wicca is. (Sorry guys, had to say it)

Witchcraft was the name the Church gave to religions it wanted to discourage people from being a part of. It defined a made-up religion. People who practiced it, did so not because there was such a thing as real witchcraft, but because they wanted to defy the Church and they did what they thought was against it. And so people who confessed to it, innocent or not, confessed to a made-up religion. And saying those confessions were true, is not being intelligent. But that's what the creator of Wicca did. Wicca is based on Witchcraft.

Paganism, however a misnomer, and implying false tales, referred to an actual religion.

I'm by no means saying it's better than Wicca. I actually like traditional Wicca more. But since Paganism is based more on an actual religion and not on someone's vision of a religion, it has a much smaller tendency to be re-edited for worse.

I know this sounds clumsy, but I'm not just saying it because. I had to do some projects on Witchcraft and I did a pretty lengthy research and this is what I came up with. If you want the sources and everything, contact me, I might even have the project itself still.

THE NUTSHELL VERSION: Paganism is not made up, Wicca is, and since it's made up, people keep re-defining it and making spin-offs and branches and such.

Hope this somehow helps.

Answer 3

"Pagan" is an umbrella term to describe any spiritual path that is not derived from the Bible (in other words ANYTHING that is not Jewish, Chrisitan or Islamic - or their myriad offshoot religions). This includes the hundreds of millions of people who follow Hinduism, Buddhism, Aboriginal/Native religions, and also the newer paths of Wicca, Thelema, Druidism and so on.

"Neo-Pagan" is used to describe earth-based religions that sprang up within the past 100 years or so. Modern Wicca is included within that term, since it really got its start with Gerald Gardener in the first part of the 20th Century.

Read more books. This one doesn't seem to understand the terms as they are currently being used. I reccomend books by Issac Bonewitz.

Some of the other replies (like the one that claims Wicca is an offshoot of Christianity) are way off base. Paganism and Neo-Paganism are based on spirituality that was around before the time of Jesus (Neo-Paganism is an attempt to revive what some believe are the practices of Northern Europe before the advent of Christianity, but serious research casts some doubts on that).

Answer 4

Wicca is a scaled down version of witchcraft beginning about 1964. It calls for goodnes and light in whatever you do. Paganism is not all goodness and light and can include such things in itts rituals as animal sacrifice. It is also not above a true pagan to use dark magic. Wicca is more for teenagers than for adults. Read this book
'CARNIVAL OF THE SPIRITS' by Luisa Teisch. It dabbles in both worlds and will give you a more well rounded survery. Ase Ase

Answer 5

Konstantinos basically pushes a variant of traditional, initiatory witchcraft, only without the coven requirements. All his "dark paganism" concepts are what religious witchcraft was 30 years ago, only it wasn't called "dark" then, because nobody had decided Wicca meant "harm none and be nice to everyone."

Working with lunar energies, with the darker aspects of the psyche, reclaiming the power generated by people's fear of the unknown, embracing pain and death as parts of life--these are very much part of traditional Wicca.

It's only the book-taught eclectics who think Wicca is a "light," friendly, all-loving religion.

Answer 6

Wicca is a path within Paganism. Paganism is a very broad term taking in many different cultural religions such as Greek, Celtic, Egyptian, etc. It has come to mean one who believes in many Gods and Goddess'. But there have been cases of "pagans" being monotheistic.

Answer 7

Okay, here's the story: Wicca is a type of Pagan religion sort of Baptists are a type of Christian religion. Get it? Pagan is a broad, general category like Christian. And just as there are many kinds of christians there are many kinds of pagans. Now get back to your readings :)
--a Wiccan

Answer 8

Paganism is very very broad in its spectrum of beliefs and variations, whereas Wicca is more focussed. Wicca has the Rede that everyone follows, and the belief in the Lord and Lady which is concistent throughout all of the traditions. Paganism includes any type of earth-based belief system.

Answer 9

A similarity is that they're lies, if you want to know the truth
(Not trying to "convert" you, just sharing what I know)