What do "Witches" believe in?

Question

respectfully asked.

Answer 1

As to my understanding, modern day witched believe in the natural powers of the earth, in a sort of way that mixes Native American spirituality with the notion that God exists not as an omnipotent diety like Christianity demands, but more like God is the earth itself. They also attempt to cast spells to affect the world around them. I don't know if anything they do actually works, but it seems to make them happy thinking that it does. Whatever floats their boat, I suppose. :P *l*

Answer 2

SelenaD is pretty close. GodsBird2006 needs to read more.

Witches do believe in deities. Generally, according to the path (denomination if you are more comfortable with this term), the religion of witchcraft (solitary or otherwise), casts (prays,spells,speaks,hopes) to the four winds (directions) and asks assistances from the God(s) and Goddess (es) that they feel are best able to help.

There are some covens that allow outsiders to observe thier rituals. This may include the coven being skycald (nude). But it is a general practice for those present to wear what ever they feel comfortable with. You would find a great deal of ceremony and love present, as in most any religion.

A witch would not consider those that would wish harm on others a witch, as a person that follows an established path believes and trusts in the power of 3 (not at all like you have seen on Charmed, in fact most witches call for the ban of this show). The power of 3 states that what ever energy you put out into the universe, ill will or good will, comes back upon you threefold.

Paganism is different from witchcraft in that it does in a broad scope include all religions not otherwise affiliated with an established path (voodoo is its own path, those of native american cultures and those of ancient celtics would fall under the heading of pagan).

Witches do believe in Jesus by the way, they view him as a good teacher generally, but have doubts as to his being the son of a deity. Witches do not follow/worship the Devil, the Devil is purely a Christian manifestation. A Witch may cast for Pan, or the Man of the woods, who appears in the ancient texts to resemble in appearance a horned and muscular man-beast, but is not a manifestation of evil, but of the hunt. some equate this with him being the deity of Death, wich is understandable but off the mark.

The pentagram is an established symbol in Witchcraft, the point of the star in the circle is pointing up for Witchcraft. Satanic worshippers in the 1900's perversed the symbol and turned the point down, thereby making it harder still for Witches to seperate themselves from the image of being Devil worshippers.

So the next time you meet/greet a Witch, you will know they mean you no harm, because as that Witch would say "If it harm none, So shall it be".

From,
A pagan shaman of the Native American traditions

Answer 3

It depends on the Witch. There are literally thousands of types of witchcraft out there and not all Witches believe in a higher power either. I have even known agnostic Witches who don't believe in or worship any Higher Power.

You'll hear about Wicca a lot, but not all Witches are Wiccan. Wiccans worship Divinity in the form of a God and a Goddess and revere nature and the Earth. They use their magic to help better the Earth and the environment around them for their fellow humans and will focus mainly on things such as healing and protective magic. For more info on Wicca check out http://wicca.timerift.net

You have Satanic Witches who use magic for more material gains...sex, money, etc. These Witches don't worship the devil...in fact Satanism is more closely like humanism/agnosticism. They use the term "Satanic" to mean that they are adversaries to conventional mainstream dogma and thought...in other words, to be rebellious. You can find more info on them at http://www.churchofsatan.com or http://www.xeper.org

You have Witches who are neither but maybe part of some other Neopagan belief system such as Asatru (Norse Paganism) or Druidism or Hellenism (Greek Paganism). You have Witches who practice Voodoo, Santeria, Brujeria, or any of the other Afro-centric religions.

A complete list of the different beliefs Witches hold is impossible to come by because Witches believe different things. Hel I've even known Christian Witches. All you can do to get an idea of what a Witch believes is, if you run into one, ask her or him.

Answer 4

Some witches believe in God and Satan. Some in various powerful beings, Gods & Goddesses if you like. White witches try to do good, some might be Christian, others just believe in God.
Black Witch Craft may call on Satan or various demons to to assist them. So, by calling on either God or Satan, they admit their existance.

Most embrace much of the Druid philosophy. Mother Earth and all of the nature,and the Goddess force in all creation.

Answer 5

The religion believes in the forces of nature and using these forces for either good or bad. They may not believe in a personal God. Nature is the most important part of the religion and dates back to pre-Christian England. Other polytheist faiths also have Gods referring to forces found in nature. Poseidon, is a Roman God of the Ocean. and of horses. I am a Christian, but I feel that if you mean no harm to others, you are not a bad person. The forces of nature have always fascinated human beings, it is just natural. Nothing can match the power of a hurricane or of an earthquake.

Answer 6

A witch believes in the Goddess, the mother earth and all the energies..we believe in free will(spells are no more then prayers), helping others, respecting our elders, harming none, basically the golden rule..we don't believe in satan, but we do believe there is evil and for the most part there should be balance..that's it in a nut shell, there's more depends on the path you follow..kinda like denominations..

Answer 7

There are two types of Witches. Those who practice Black Magick and those who practice White magick. Those who practice white magick are usually belonging to a coven. Those who practice Black are usually solitary, but Witches practicing White magick can also be solitary too. "Black Witches" usually are only practicing magick to bring good to them selves and to harm on others. "White Witches" are usually wiccan, believing in Mother Earth and Father moon. "White Witches" can also be Paganists. But, I can not really explain Paganism to you. Allthough most would agree that Wicca and Paganism is pretty much the same except for a variaion of how Magick is practiced and worship. Mother Earth is the equivilant to the Christian "god", there is no beliefe of a "satan" in the wiccan faith. Any other questions don't mind to email me, I am Wiccan.

Blessed Be, in all that is good,
Mandi

Answer 8

As I have read they believe in a god and a goddess that watches over the world (christain forms of the creator) They believe that mother nature needs taken care of, they are very peaceful they don't worship the devil and so on, They do practice sending out good energies (spells) into the world and they are very connected to nature.. .

Answer 9

Witches believe in their powers. Some witches used their power telling fortunes like a contract. Some other witches used their powers as dark arts to make misfortunes.

Answer 10

They believe in wiccan. I don't exactly know what that entails. But I know that it exists. By Christian standards they are pagans that worship a god or goddess instead of Jesus Christ.