Pagan and Wiccan?

Question

Does anybody else understand the difference between Pagan and Wiccan and the other occult sections? Everybody seems to think they're the same thing. They're not, and I'm getting tired of everyone thinking all pagans are wiccans. Does anyone else know the difference?

Answer 1

Neopagan groups are clearly influenced by Wicca. They call the quarters, they invoke the "four elements" and believe in magic spells, have chalices and daggers, etc. http://usminc.org/other.html

And chances are you have some Wiccan books on your shelf, don't you? Lets see some hands...yep, one two, three, hey, hey, someone shot me a bird, be nice, four...yep quite a few. In some people's minds Neopagans are just Wiccans who don't like being called witches.
Modern Neopagan sects (sometimes there's only one practioner to a "sect") are about as far removed from Wicca as Santeria is from Voodoo.

In the occult, the lines get blurred. Edred Thorson is considered a Neopagan, but he is also a member of The Temple of Set (a Church of Satan offshoot). So is he a Satanist or a Neopagan? Thelemites aren't Satanists, but their leader called himself the Antichrist, and there are Satanic influences in Thelema. But they also worship Pagan gods like Horus. Since Wiccans call themselves Pagans, it's not hard to see how people think this. Wicca isn't very old, but modern Neopagan groups are simply someone's imaginings of a what a Pagan religion was like, and aren't old either. There's usually no idol worship, or animal scrifice, or the kinds of things we see in ancient Pagan religions.

Hinduism and Shintoism and a few Native American religions (practiced on the reservation by Native Americans, I see you with the Sun Bear Workbook, it doesn't count), and various tribal cults in Asia and Africa scattered about are authentic Pagan religions that made it into the modern age.

Paganism was abandonned in Europe and even Ronald Hutton believes it was gone by the 12th century A.D. or so. Sure there might of been one or two superstitions, but one or two superstitions does not a religion make. Neopagan groups don't really have a direct connection to the ancient Pagan cults of Europe. The favorite motif seems to be Celtic (and yes I said it with a hard "C"), but there are Celts still alive today in the U.K. and elsewhere, most prefer no religion or Christianity, it would seem.

So yes I understand the differnce between Wicca and Neopaganism (and Enochian, and Thelema, and Rosicrucians). And I'm also familiar with the lives of famous occultists and how they fared too (which is part of the reason I gave up the occult).
http://usminc.org.famous.html

Answer 2

Paganism is any religion that is not abrahamic in origin. Meaning any religion besides Christianity, Islam, Judiasm, Bahai Faith, and Mandeanism.

Wiccan is a specific religion that has it's own set of different sects. Some of those being Traditional Wicca, British Traditional Wicca, Neo-Wiccans, Ecclectic Wiccans and more. Neo-Wicca or Modern Wicca was founded in the mid-20th century by Gerald Gardner, Traditional Wicca is considered the old path by many as it is a tradition that has been secretly passed down through the ages. Across the board Wicca is a nature based religion that believe in a dual divinity (Goddess and God).

So if you are Wiccan than yes you are also by default Pagan. But if your Pagan you dont automatically fall into the Wiccan religion. lol I could confuse everyone and add the word Witch in there and how it adds to the mix, but I wont overload your brains. hehe

Answer 3

I understand that all Wiccans are Pagan and not all Pagans are Wiccan. Poeple make these assumptions because they are uneducated and assume that since Wicca is a popular Pagan religion then all Pagans are Wiccan. Just ignore them. I know how tiring it can be having to explain your religion to everybody all of the time. I get alot of people calling me satanic and then I have to explain my beliefs so they will stop doing the finger cross thing.

-Wiccan Teen )O(

Answer 4

OK I will put this simply...
Just like Christianity has different Sects of belief ( Baptist, Catholic)
Paganism has Sects too (Wiccan, Dianic, Fae)

Pagan is a broad term that could mean the person believes anything, the other terms are more specific allowing you to actually pinpoint an individuals beliefs.

For example: a pagan could believe you have to do ritual while in a robe, but we know from doing the reading that we all should do that most hard core Gardinarians believe that ritual should be done skyclad....

Answer 5

Oh dear gods yes. I even get that from other Pagans from time to time, thinking that things that apply to Wiccans apply to all Pagans. Even "Wicca is to Paganism as Catholicism is to Christianity" isn't a good analogy, because that implies similarities within the Pagan religions that aren't always there. Wicca and its offshoots are by far the most popular of Pagan religions, and the easiest to get information on, but certainly not the only Pagan religions out there.

Answer 6

Yes, I understand the difference between the definitions of Pagan and Wiccan. I am a polytheist but I am not a Wiccan. I am not around many people who confuse the terms, but I do see folks who don't understand the terms witch, neo-pagan and neo-wiccan. I guess if people want to learn what the definitions are, they'll either ask or look them up. That's what I do when I'm not sure what definitions are. If they don't want to learn, well, there's not too much you can do about it. Chin up---it'll get better!

Answer 7

do you really want me to explain it or just to confirm that it exixts.

I am a Ordained Pagan Minister.

Pagans,

can fall under any pantheon of gods and goddesses. from the Celtic (me) to the Greek and Roman, the Egyptian and the Norse.
or all if they choose.
Pagan religions are ancient and have historic proof of their existence long before christianity. or recorded history.
Many pagan religious customs are seen in the usual Christian celebrations.because as a way to preserve their customs they infused the christian holidays with their customs.

euro pagans have well over 300 gods and goddesses to call upon. (that is just the Celtic pantheon) i do not know how many other gods there are in the other pantheons.

Wiccan

Wicca was started in the 40's by Gerald Gardner. some believe that it pre-dates any other religion and that Wicca was from an ancient line of european witches, however no historic eidence of the existence of this religion exists before the 1940.s and Gerald Gardner.

Wicca incorperates many aspects of european paganism and witchcraft, but they focus on 2 gods, simply referred to as lord and lady,, sometimes the Tripple goddess and the hormed god.

Wiccans follow the Wiccan Reede, and even though the reede is very long it is summed up in the last line

"as ye harm none do what ye will"

this is a belief that most pagans do not have simply because just by being alive we cause harm to something else. the Druids were called to be judges and arbitrators in disputes and were fierce warriors, Harm None would hardly apply to most of them.


do i have to go on here...i do not think so you all get my point...

Answer 8

Wicca is a form of Paganism but generally only Christians refer to non-Christians as pagans. Wiccans consider themselves an earth religion and worship the goddess. Any religion that isn't Christian, Jewish or Islam maybe referred to as Pagan. The term was coined to describe the many religions the Romans came across in what is now modern day UK.

Answer 9

Yes. I also am pagan but not wiccan. The people who assume they are one and the same are usually the narrow minded ones that can't be bothered to learn anything because "if it isn't their way, it's the wrong way". I've come to realize that in these situations, you must consider the source. If the person's opinion matters, then you need to educate them. If their opinion doesn't matter, be a duck, let it slid off your back. I do understand you being tired of this problem, but I find that unless they're willing to be educated as to the differences, don't worry about them. Just take care of yourself.

Answer 10

Yep. I'm a pagan, but not a Wiccan.