Is there a reason why Wicca (Paganism) is not widely recognised as a Religion?!?

Answer 1

So far, all I can see is small minded people believing Wicca is a CULT!!!!!!!!!! For god sake see the big picture here, Wicca is Ancient - Wicca and Paganism was almost the first belief in the land and spirit.

Wicca is a neo-pagan religion based on the pre-Christian traditions of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Its origins can be traced even further back to Paleolithic peoples who worshipped a Hunter God and a Fertility Goddess. Cave paintings found in France (and dated at 30,000 years old) depict a man with the head of a stag, and a woman with a swollen, pregnant belly. They stand in a circle with eleven mortals. These archetypes of the divine are worshipped by Wiccans to this very day. By these standards, the religion that is now called Wicca, is perhaps the oldest religion in the world.

In 1951, the laws against Witchcraft were repealed in England. A man named Gerald Gardner was the first to come into the public eye with a description of what modern witches were practicing. His information came from the traditions of a coven called the New Forest Witches, and from Ceremonial Magick and the Cabballah. He began what is now called the Gardnerian Tradition of Wicca. From Gardnerian came Alexandrian Tradition, and a host of other offshoots that today number in the hundreds.

Misconceptions

For two thousand years the image of the Witch has been associated with evil, heathenism, and blasphemy. These ideas have their origin in Christian myths created to convert members of the Old Religion to that of the new. By making the Witch into a diabolical character of ill intent and action, the Christian missionaries were able to attach fear to a word that had once meant Healer, Wise One, and Seer. These fears are present to this day. When we think of the archetypal image of the Witch, we remember the evil enchantress of childhood tales. We think of an old, wrinkled hag with a nasty wart on her nose. We think of hexes, and devils, and foul incantations chanted around a bubbling cauldron. While we modern witches have been known to stir up herbal remedies in a cauldron, we are a far cry indeed from the horrifying Wicked Witch of the West!

Witches Do Not Worship Satan. To believe in Satan, one must subscribe to the Christian mythos. We do not. Wicca does not have any belief in, nor do we worship a concept of evil incarnate. All life is perceived as a constant flow of positive and negative energies, which intertwine to create the balance of life. [From my own experience, I must say that the only evil I have ever observed in the world has come from Man. There are no ax-murderers, or child-abusers to be found in the animal kingdom, or in nature as a whole.]

Witches Do Not Cast Evil Spells. Modern Witches have a very strict belief in the Law of Return. Whatever we send out into our world shall return to us, so even the most ill-tempered Witch would not consider doing magick to harm another being. The spells that we do involve things like Healing, Love, Wisdom, Creativity, and Joy. The "potions" that we stir might be a headache remedy, or a cold tonic, or an herbal flea bath for the family dog.

Beliefs

Immanent Divinity. Wiccans believe that the spirit of God/dess exists in every living thing: in the trees, the rain, the flowers, the sea, and in each other. This means that we must treat our peers, and all the beings of the Earth as aspects of the Divine. We attempt to honour and respect life, in all its many and diverse expressions.

Nature. Wiccans learn from and worship nature by celebrating the cycles of the sun, and the cycles of the moon. We look into ourselves for the cycles within that correspond to those of the natural world, and try to move in harmony with the movement of life. Our teachers come in the form of trees, rivers, lakes, meadows, and mountains, as well as other humans who have walked the path before us. This belief infers a reverence and respect for the environment, and all of life upon the Earth We revere the spirits of the elements that create our world. Air, Fire, Water, and Earth combine to manifest all creation. From these four elements we gain wisdom, and understanding of how the universe unfolds. The rhythms of nature are the rhythms of our lives. Wiccans attempt to dance in step with the pulse of the Earth.

Other Faiths.Modern Witches believe in freedom first! We do not choose to look at our path as the "one true right way," but as one path among many to the center. We do not convert new members to the Craft, nor do we advertise or prosteletize. We believe that anyone who is meant for this path will find it through their own search. Wiccans practice tolerance and acceptance toward all other religions, as long as those faiths do not preach or commit harm to others.

Afterlife. Most Witches believe in reincarnation of some sort, whether it be the Eastern version known as the Transmigration of Souls (the spirit incarnating one body after another in an effort to learn all the life lessons that it can), or Ancestral Incarnation (where the spirit and life lessons of the grandfather transmute to the granddaughter, and so on down the genetic line). The latter is a more traditionally Celtic approach, but both are accepted.

Sin.In Wicca, we do not have a specific concept of sin. There is no heaven or hell that souls will go to based on their worldly actions. Wrong-doing is governed and determined by the individual conscience. With the belief in the Law of Return, one's actions will determine one's future. The individual is therefore responsible for his or her own fate, based on what he or she chooses to do internally and externally in the world.

Ethics.Wicca has but one law of action and ethics. It is called the Wiccan Rede or the Wiccan Law, and can be found under the Reading Room category of the same name. "And ye harm none" covers almost everything that the Ten Commandments do: don't lie, don't steal, don't cheat, etc. It encourages us to strive not to harm any living thing - including ourselves - except perhaps to survive. Whether this means that you must become a vegetarian or a passivist is up to the individual. The Wiccan Law serves as a guideline to action, not a mandate. The only law that the Ten Commandments express that is not covered by the Wiccan Law is that of marriage and adultery. In Wicca, love itself is sanctified, with or without government authorization. As long as two individuals share a sincere bond of love that does not harm either party, it does not matter if they are legally joined, if they are heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or interracial.

Leadership vs. Hierarchy. There is no Arch Bishop of Wicca. There is no one person or organization that determines the practices and beliefs of Wicca as a whole. Instead, Wicca is formed of small nebulas groups and solitaries who are charged with the leadership of themselves. Wicca is a religion of clergy, not followers. Each person who seriously pursues the Craft, whether it be through study in a particular tradition, or through self-teaching and private learning, has the choice to become a priest or priestess of Wicca. Most modern traditions of Wicca offer a three year program of learning that will bring the student to the level of High Priest or Priestess.

Churches and Temples. Wiccans do not usually have churches created specifically for the worship of the gods. Our temple is found in nature, among the creations of the divine. We meet in a circle that represents the Circle of Life, and the equality that we share. There is no head, no top, no beginning and no end. When necessary, our circles take place indoors in houses, apartments, or wherever we can find a sacred, protected space. But ideally, a circle will take place in a grove beneath the stars, with the silver moon shining down from above.

Answer 2

For a start Wicca is not so much a religion as it is a priesthood, another reason is simply down to the fact that very little is known about Wicca in the mainstream, because Wicca is oath-bound and initiate only the inner teachings that make up the basis of the belief, practice and doctrine of Wicca are not known to anyone but those who are Wicca.

Wicca itself is a very small religious grouping, most people who claim to be Wicca are in fact not Wicca at all, but instead Neo-wicca, Pagan, Witches or any number of other things. So much misinformation and such a small group of people it will probably never be widely recognised as a religion, as it is sociologically speaking Wicca is a cult.

Answer 3

The major religions don't like to give credence to modern Wicca, if they did they'd have to treat it's adherents with respect.We still sadly get sensationalist reports in the national media with regards Wicca/Paganism, what these tabloids don't know they make up.
Just because Paganism does'nt have a written lineage going back to pre-xtian times I don't think this invalidates it.
With regards certain US tv progs etc that we get in the UK, they're entertainment for the younger masses, & should be seen as such.Pagans don't evangelise & those that come to the faith do so willingly.There are plenty of other sects & cults on the go within christianity that do brainwash it's followers.

Answer 4

So what is the difference between a religion and a cult? Christianity was considered a cult at the start, in the Roman Empire. Is it that a religion has a lot of members and political clout, where a cult is something outside the mainstream? A belief is a belief, a faith is a faith. Wicca is outside the mainstream...and Christians will never accept any faith other than their own as a legitimate faith...then again, neither will any other religion, as they are too full of themselves to accept any other choice.

Answer 5

because of early Christian teachings yet many pagan celebrations have ben subsumed into the Christian religion. For example Christmas day is the same day as Roman Saturnalia and Sol Invictus celebrations.

Answer 6

exactly its seen as a cult, u need a coven or certain number of members in order to carry out some practices

witches and witchcraft has a bad reputation throughout history, it is very secretive and some members can seem brainwashed

which does not help the outside worlds view

Answer 7

I live in a nation (France) that officially keeps considering that "Wicca" is a cult.

Anyway, I suppose that each religion was first considered as a cult. Maybe Wiccans have to get their own "Pope"/"Papess" first...

Answer 8

It is recognized as a real religion by both the US Government and Armed forces, that is as real as it gets. It is also, bar none, the fastest growing religion and religious movement in the US. By 2012, by studies done, if its' growth sustains, it will be the 3rd largest religion in the US.

Answer 9

Modern paganism is fairly new. It only came about in the 60s and 70s. It's spread remarkably quick though. Probably because there are so many depressed, teenage goth girls looking for the meaning of life.

Answer 10

Because the majority of 'Wiccans' are stupid trend-whore teeny-bopper fluffy bunnies who actually think it's an ancient religion and that people burnt 'real' witches at the stake or hung them.
Therefore no one could possibly take it seriously. They just think 'like, witchcraft and stuff is like totally cool! like OMG! LOL.' They just want attention or something to do.

And then, hopefully, they grow out of it and try maybe learning about real Pagan religions.

Oh yeah, and it was created in the 1950's by a gross and perverted man named Charles Gardner who liked molesting young men and women and calling it part of a 'ritual'.

Answer 11

I'm not too sure where you get that it is not recognized because it is recognized by the government. If you mean it is not accepted, because most people that have not researched this religion believe that it is a form of Satanism or they just do not accept it because it is not what they follow.