People always fear what they don't understand and most people know nothing of Wiccans. In addition, the majority of people associate witchcraft with evil, as portrayed in many films, ie., something/someone working against God, and children's fairy stories are full of 'wicked witches', so it's something we learn in childhood.
2006-11-13 05:25:22
·
answer #1
·
answered by uknative 6
·
4⤊
0⤋
To a degree, yes. Nature is is neither good nor bad just like magick (witchcraft) Nature is simply that....nature. Witchcraft depends on the intent of the user as to whether it is good or bad. I think a lot of people don't necessarily hate Wiccans, they just don't understand them or Wicca. It does have a lot to do with stereotypes and the fact that Christianity routinely says that anything not of "GOD" is evil, therefore, closing the door on the possibility that what we believe could ever be good. I have been Pagan for 13 years now and I too still have lots to learn. BTW (as I'm sure you know) ....All Wiccans are Pagan but not all Pagans are Wiccan.
Blessed Be
2006-11-13 13:37:26
·
answer #2
·
answered by PaganPoetess 5
·
2⤊
0⤋
- "Well honestly, The star represents the goat if you turn it upside down.Kinda like a cross is christ and an upside down cross is antichrist. The goat is the symbol for the devil, satan, or satanist.
There are two known horned Gods which i know of The first is Behomet which is another name for the Devil and, There is Moses, The Moon God." -
Neither of these so called 'Horned Gods' are part of Wicca. Also, the name Behomet is wrong, it is actually Baphomet, and Wiccans don't were the pentacle upside down, unless they are second degree initiates, which simply means they have learned more about their path, not because it represents anything evil.
Archetypes of the Horned God are - Pan, Herne, Cernnunos - These are the favourites, and I personally like Pan, who was turned into the Devil by Christians who didn't like his Goat foot appearance, or his sexual virility. He is by no means evil, and simply likes to dance and have fun with Nymphs!
There are others that people will use as their archetypes, but none are evil.
BB
2006-11-18 06:25:31
·
answer #3
·
answered by Anonymous
·
0⤊
0⤋
It took me many years to understand that Wicca and Witchcraft are not the same thing. Not all Wiccans practice Witchcraft or do spells, and not all Witches believe in Wicca. But aside from that, you are correct, Wiccans and Witches do not believe in the Devil or Heaven and Hell, and we do not sacrifice animals or any other living being.
People will always hate or fear what they don't understand completely. It is simply the nature of human beings.
BB
)0(
2006-11-13 14:40:17
·
answer #4
·
answered by Seph7 4
·
1⤊
0⤋
Some people "hate" not just Wiccans but any other religion because it either denounces everything they believe or they believe their religion is the only true religion and therefore everything else is "wrong."
It doesn't matter what Wiccans believe even if it is all good. It doesn't matter what Buddhists, Muslims etc believe because to some people their god is the only god. These are the same people who would rather preach their faith than try and learn about others. Most of them don't even know what any other religion is about but because it is not their own it therefore must be evil even if it isn't.
Stay strong in your own faith. Believe what you will, have tolerance of others and respect others faiths. That is how us Wiccans rise above the persecutions and misunderstandings and become examples to other religions. That is how we show them we are not the Satan worshippers they think we are. That is after all called Satanism.
2006-11-13 13:44:34
·
answer #5
·
answered by Ersabette 5
·
2⤊
0⤋
If wicca and witchcraft are the same to you, then that is fair. There are many involved in witchcraft who do very directly worship Satan.
Satan, hell and heaven were definitely not an invention of the Christians. Christians are an offshoot of the more ancient religion, Judaism. Judaism, like Islam, began roughly in the 7th century as a new monotheistic religion.
Both these monotheistic religions refered to satan. Islam called him "shaiten".
Having said that, Christians have persecuted wiccans and pagans historically. It does get complicated though, and it's not all black and white. Christmas is, for instance, a pagan tradition, one of many that the two faiths share.
2006-11-13 13:40:57
·
answer #6
·
answered by jeffo 3
·
2⤊
0⤋
You must be aware that Wicca/witchcraft is probably the least understood and most misrepresented belief system. Most of the misunderstanding comes from people's assumptions that witches cast spells of evil, whereas in reality - as you rightly said - any spells cast are good and 'nature-loving'. There is also more instant accountability in witchcraft, making it a wholly more responsible practise. Added to all that it predates 'organised religion' by many thousands of years, and this is why those of other religions wish to try and dismiss it - they don't like a religion which has more relevance and common sense than their own.
Good luck with it.
(from an atheist).
2006-11-13 14:12:42
·
answer #7
·
answered by Musicol 4
·
4⤊
0⤋
All Wiccans are not witches, though most witches are Wiccans.
I had a huge long answer for you, but unfortunately Yahoo wouldn't let me post it, something wrong with their site.
The Horned God is a nature deity who represents the masculine in Nature and most specifically the sexual potency of the male. He is extremely beneficial if you are trying to conceive (not that you are, and if you aren't I wouldn't ask for his help).
In the 19th century the Horned God's image was perverted to be the image of Satan because popular art was harkening back to Greek and Roman mythology and Pan images were everywhere. Christianity decided to adopt Pan/the Horned God as a specific image of Satan to turn people away from that movement. This is largely why people think that we're Satanic when we in fact have nothing to do with Satan.
People also still believe very strongly in the faerie tale type witches because those symbols were created based on certain fears to turn people away from and against women who practiced "old" religions (most of them involving herbal healing) as a way to strip power away from women, since powerful women have long been unpopular with Christianity and Christians have long been in power.
You're on the right track. Keep learning, and blessed be, sister!
)O(
2006-11-13 13:33:37
·
answer #8
·
answered by wyvern1313 4
·
5⤊
0⤋
In everyday use, 'witch' is a stereotype, not a description.
Most of the 'witches' who were burned and persecuted probably weren't wiccans or satanists; they were herbalists and 'cunners' (traditional climate/biology/social scientists; the name comes from 'cunning', meaning knowledge, not trickery).
Most people know very little about 'eskimos', so it is possible to believe all sorts of rubbish about them (like, they're chubby, live in igloos, have 27 words for snow, etc).
Similarly, an idea like 'witch' can take details from all sorts of lifestyles and beliefs that are undesirable, and roll them all together into a mythical 'bogey man'; which is exactly how the authorities created the original Witch Hunts, and exactly what they are trying to do with 'muslim clerics' right now.
2006-11-13 14:49:57
·
answer #9
·
answered by Fitology 7
·
1⤊
0⤋
There are people who hate any given group. Frankly, it's just human nature to hate things that are different. (For a good example, see all the christian bashers here on this site.)
I'm Mormon, and you wouldn't believe how many people sneer and say nasty things to me when they find that out. The Mormon religion is all about having loving families, serving others, and being good citizens.
I know some Wiccans and they are some of the nicest people I've met. I'd like to learn more about it.
2006-11-13 13:26:16
·
answer #10
·
answered by Open Heart Searchery 7
·
5⤊
0⤋