What do Wiccans believe?

Question

Are they different than Pagans?

Emily, this question is for you to answer. Thanks.

Thanks for the answers and the links!

Answer 1

My name isn't Emily, but I figured I could answer, too.

Wiccans are Pagans. Wicca is just a sect of Paganism. Kind of like Baptists are a sect of Christianity.

Wiccans, depending of the tradition, believe in the duality of deities. So, there is both masculine and feminine energies. We also believe that for everything to work properly, there has to be balanced polarities. Both light and dark; Yin and Yang.

Of course, it doesn't end there, we believe in lots of stuff, but that would take me all night to type out. If you would like, you should check out Scott Cunningham's "The Truth About Witchcraft Today", or visit the links below.

Answer 2

Aww thanks Chris! *blushing*

Actually to explain this I need to explain my path.... I was raised Christian. When I was 12, my parents urged me to explore other religions so that I would be sure I was making an educated decision. My cousin and aunt introduced me to their religion, Wicca. At first I was scared. Everything I learned about witches was bad. But I started learning. I spent 5 years learning. Then I did a couple spells that didn't work. (silly young me... I still didn't realize that FAITH was more important than the spells.....) Anyways, over that next year or two, I found I needed strength. I started my studies again.

What I've come to know is that Wicca by definition is undefinable. It has a basis, but since there is no central church, there is no set doctrine. There is something called the Wiccan Rede and it is the only guideline (this is a short and to the point version):

"An ye harm none, do as ye will."

We do not sacrifice things as that would be HARMFUL. A lot of us believe in many gods, some believe in one specific, but one thing I've heard quite often, "All Gods are One God." And I consider every god and goddess, to be both light and dark, since no human is perfect either.

We follow nature closely, and celebrate accordingly. A lot of our holidays coincide with christian holidays. When my family celebrates Christmas, I celebrate Yule. Instead of Santa and Jesus Christ, I have The Holly King and Oak King. I believe Jesus existed and that he was very spiritual.


Basically, every Wiccan that you find will have a different answer. It is a very personalized religion. You suit it to yourself, because you are your own priest or priestess. I hope this helps as a small insight into it, though it is only ONE small insight.


**edit**
i forgot to explain the pagan thing: yes: all wiccans are pagan but not all pagans are wiccan. wicca is a "young" religion using many ideas from ancient paganism.

Answer 3

Wiccans are a type of neopagan/pagan belief. Sort of like how Lutherans are a type of Christian belief.

There are some things that are common to different pagan groups - generally belief in multiple deities, ritual use of magic, etc. - and things that are specific to the individual paths (Wicca, Asatru, Shamanism, Druid, etc.)

Wicca is a recently created, Neopagan religion. The various branches of Wicca can be traced back to Gardnerian Witchcraft which was founded in the UK during the late 1940s. Wicca is based on the symbols, seasonal days of celebration, beliefs and deities of ancient Celtic society. Added to this material were Masonic and ceremonial magickal components from recent centuries. In this respect, it is a religion whose roots go back almost three millennia to the formation of Celtic society circa 800 BCE.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_intr.htm has a lot of great information on Wicca and Paganism.

Answer 4

Wicca is kind of a denomination of Paganism. All Wiccans are Pagans, but not all Pagans are Wiccan, you know? Kinda like all Baptists are Christian, but not all Christians are Baptists.

Wiccans worship a Goddess, embodied in the Earth and the Moon, and the God, embodied in the Sun and the cycle of the seasons. They revere nature and the elemental forces.

The website I have below explains it better.

Answer 5

Wicca is worship of the earth. Some leave it at that, others do ceremonies and cast spells to enhance their lives. Most of their beliefs are based on earlier pagan religions, and although Wiccans are Pagans, many other religions are also classified as Pagan.

Answer 6

Wicca is Goddess centered. Woman being the giver of life. Although we worship the essence of both Lord & Lady, we focus more on her, because we are here to celebrate life. It's a strange duelism, not really one better or worse than the other, for we know that both are equally important. I think alot of the focus on Goddess has actually sprouted from the remains of 2000 years of male dominate Christian society that demeaned & degraded woman to the leave of a 'lesser being'. Now in return, we are claiming our position as the givers of life. For what would this world be like w/o mothers! We are all Goddess' ! ; )
Blessed Be...

Answer 7

All wiccans are pagans but not all pagans are wiccans.

Answer 8

ummmmmmm ...

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