Please explain to me the difference between wicca and a witch?

Question

where does druid fall into this category? In your book of knowledge for any of these three who is the author?
Thanks for any information you can give me to clear my confusion

Answer 1

Wicca, sometimes called "The Craft" or "The Craft of the Wise" is one of many earth-based religion. The religion which is closest to Wicca in America is probably Native American spirituality. Traditional Wicca was founded by Gerald Gardner, a British civil servant, who wrote a series of books on the religion in the 1940's. It contains references to Celtic deities, symbols, seasonal days of celebration, etc. Added to this were components of ceremonial magic and practices of the Masonic Order. A more recent form is eclectic Wicca which involves a combination of Wiccan beliefs and practices, combined with other Pagan and non-Pagan elements. The various traditions of Wicca are part of the Pagan or Neopagan group of earth-based religions.




Witchcraft, in various historical, religious and mythical contexts, is the use of certain kinds of alleged supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a person who practices witchcraft, and may be male or female. In historical, mythological and demonological contexts a male "witch" is more frequently termed a wizard, sorcerer, warlock, or simply a magician.

Practitioners of Neopagan witchcraft generally identify as "witches" regardless of their sex, and shun the term "warlock" as connoting a witch who has broken their oaths and betrayed their fellows.

The term witchcraft can have positive or negative connotations depending on cultural context; for instance in European cultures it has historically been associated with evil and the Devil, while most modern practitioners see it as benificent and morally positive.

Answer 2

wicca is a name for the religion, the people in it would be wiccan or a witch. People wanting to avoid the stigma of the term witch might prefer the term wiccan... on the other hand, some want to push the issue and insist proudly they are a witch.

That is why this is confusing! Witches are independent minded people, who tend to like doing their own thing, and so this variability comes up in the terminology.

I don't know anyone who calls themselves pagan or druid, can't comment on that. Maybe these terms refer to specific traditions, druid being British...pagan being any European pre-christian faith.

Answer 3

there is not really a book af all knowlege, most of us have a very strong oral tradition.

in pagan circles,

a witch,

is generaly a person that can focus natural energy into a desired positive effect.

A Wiccan,

Is a follower of the religion of Wicca that was made popular by gerald gardner in the early 40's
many claim that it is the oldest religion in the world, and Gardner claimes that it was direct from a line of european pagans,

however no proof has been found of this..

A Druid,

was a history keeper, a judge and a arbitrator of disputes to the celtic People. many Druids were also powerful priests, but they did not have to be. it took 20 years of study to be a Druid. you had to memorise the entire history of your people and be able to tell it back word for word. NO changes. they were also Bards and storytellers.

but it has sprung Druidcraft, a new age type of earth magick.
many confuse the 2.

hope that this helps.

****************************************************
I call myself a pagan, but i would not call myself a druid, as i do not have the knowlege that would be required of a druid to have.
full history of the celts and such...

Answer 4

wicca is the religion of witchcraft, witches can practice magick without being part of the religion, druids are the priest class of the ancient celts and we know little about them as the celts had no written language. there is no real author, its all handed down from ten thousand years of pagan beliefs, first verbally handed down, usually from mother to daughter, then when people started to write more they made books of shadows in which they recorded the laws, the rituals , the holy days or sabbats and esbats. and the herbal knowledge, as well as portents in nature. if you would like to read a good book i suggest starting with "To Ride A Silver Broomstick, by Silver Ravenwood. or Wicca a guide for the solitary practicioner, by Scot Cunningham.
I see quite a few missconceptions here, and i wont labor the point but ive been a witch for 30 yrs, and would be happy to answer questions if you want to send me a message. our one law is Harm None, Blessed Be and Merry Part

Answer 5

Unless you are talking about TV Witches, the answer is simple. Wicca is a belief/practice and a Witch is someone who holds to that belief/practice. It's similar to asking the difference between baseball and a baseball player. Druidism is the ancient belief structure (now lost), the remnants of which are the basis of Wicca. It was practiced by the ancient Gealic peoples. Some research has ben done linking Druidism to the Vedic belief/practice system, and Gealic to Sanskrit. You can find much on this on line.

Answer 6

Is there really a difference?? Guess I am still under the preception that wicca practice witchcraft (which they do) therefore that makes them a witch of the sorts. But, from the wiccans I know, they will argue to the bitter end that they are not witches.

Answer 7

A witch is a Christian image of independent women back in the day to make them seem evil.

Wicca come from the root word wic, which means to bend. It's a nature based religion.

It has NOTHING to do with the devils. Those who practice Wicca don't even believe in the devil.

Answer 8

Wicca is the fluffy invention of the 20th century that professess goodness and light, do as thy will but harm none. It tells its followers to do what they do without bringing harm to others. A witch can take things in either direction depending on the circumstance and will and can cause harm to others. Ethically wicca is politically correct whereas witchcraft has not ethics and what must be done will be done, without reservations.

Answer 9

Neither is different. They both don't trust Christ for salvation. In fact, the concept of what happened way back for everyone involved in Wicca may not even be fully understood, but Christ was sent as a sacrifice for the sin debt we all have as totally depraved minded sinners.

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, what he did on the cross, by becoming a sacrifice for sin, and you will be saved from the wrath to come and seen blameless and holy before God.

Other than believing in Christ for your eternal salvation, and recieving a free gift from God of grace....who cares what's the difference between Wicca and Witch....they both lead down the wrong path extrememly quick.

Answer 10

most are kinda consider them the same, but a witch is able to cast spells on her own, wicca is more involed with nature, and if they try to cast spells, they base it on the earth granting it.