Wiccans, I want to know something?

Question

Wiccans, I have a serious question.

Why do you feel the need to keep the word "Witch," only within your religion? I saw a post that said, "That's stupid since witches don't believe in Satan or Hell."

Witches were around long before Wicca was [and please, do not spout the old religion thing, it's almost 60, and it's only BASED off of older faiths, like Christianity.], and yet you are acting like All witches are Wiccans.

Seriously, Witches come from all faiths [Quiet Christians, take a deep inventory of your faith before you say you are witch free]. witchcraft is not a belief, but a practice.

The logic~

All Wiccans are Witches [Which is not always true mind you].
Therefore all Witches are Wiccan.

doesn't work.

Not to sound rude, but please read my profile. I am in no way ignorant of religious history.

Correct, there is a saying along that line too, however if you read my question, you'll notice the fact that wiccans are pagans was never in question.

Answer 1

Good question. Part of the problem is that due to the mythologizing of Wicca's origins, some Wiccans feel like they own the past and any terms, imagery, and practices that come along with it. However, this is a selective ownership - human and animal sacrifice have gone by the wayside, the consideration of the several gods as real entities having independent consciousness is considered too primitive, and the Catholic past is something that most Wiccans would rather pretend didn't happen. In the same vein, the past that is affirmed is part of a bizzaro world where the ancients knew that Aphrodite was just another face of Athena, and Apollo had to wear his Pan mask every once in while. Women really ruled everything and it was much more peaceful.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente come up with some stuff (some powerful, juju imbued good sorcery, if you ask me) and we're supposed to believe that it accurately reflects the faith of the ancients. Not only that, but we're also supposed to buy that those who come after them, those same people who play with pop physics and psychology to come up with this Bubblegum witchery that Llewellyn tries to throw up into our bookstores on a weekly basis - which largely has no research behind it, we're supposed to believe that this people own the trademark for magic, sorcery, and witchcraft.

Yeah, right. Honestly, the word "witch" has been so abused by its claimants that I'm pretty well inclined to give it up.

Hail Satan,

Lazarus

Answer 2

Not all witchcraft is Wicca. Strega is not Wicca, Asatru is not Wicca, Voodon & Santeria are also not Wiccan. Are they all witchcraft? Yes.

Ok, look there is a reason why you hear folks say wicca when they mean to say they are a witch. Years ago when Witches started to get into interfaith, it was decided to use a term that did not set people off the way the word witch did.

Out of deference for those who were BTW, Brit Trad Wicca it was decided to use the word wicca (small w), or wiccan as the answer when asked what religion do you follow. This gave those of us in the craft room to breath without having to worry about angry mobs of religious zelots. It gave us a chance to show folks what we really do, instead of being held to the stereotype of pointy black hat and a warty nose. The word witch is still a twitch word among the religious fundamentalists.

Over the years the word witch fell to disuse in favor of wiccan, many of the younger witches have only known the term wiccan. Because there is no real quality control among authors a lot of writers have used Wiccan when describing their practice and the general public who doesn't know any better has taken them at their word.

Are all Wiccans witches? yes

Oh, by the way, there are Christian witches. That oft' tossed around verse? "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live"? a mistranslation. Try "Thou shalt not suffer a poisnoner (of wells) to live. If you live in an arid climate who would be the most dispised of all people? One who's act can doom hundreds of people to death, a poisoner of wells.

Answer 3

You are quite correct. Not all Witches are Wiccans, and not all Wiccans are Witches. I am a Witch, with some Wiccan leanings, but I don't call myself Wiccan.

You are also right that Witchcraft is is not a religion, but a practice. Wicca is the religion and is not thousands of years old. It's roots are old, but it has changed so many times that it is now as we see it today.

I wish others would realise that the two are seperate and are not the same thing at all.

BB
)O(

Answer 4

Actually the saying is all Wiccans are Pagans but not all Pagans are Wiccans. Paganism is one of the older faiths and there are a lot of religions based on Paganism. Christians will battle before they are associated with Wicca. I for one believe that Wicca (witchcraft) is a belief and a practice, just like any other religion. Do some more research and you will learn more. Blessed Be

Answer 5

I have only two words to say to you: THANK YOU. It's far too infrequent that people actually get this.

"Witch" is not a term owned solely by Wiccans, and has been used by other groups prior to Wicca's birth/re-emergence (whichever view on Wicca's history you prefer - I'm not even going to get into that here.) Many Wiccans certainly make a big claim to the word, but it's not the sole claim.

I *have* seen a few Wiccans who claim not to be Witches/witches. Not too many mind you - they seem to be a very distinctive minority. I'm not 100% sure I entirely grasp their reasoning, though it seems to center around the specific practices, which seems a good enough justification for me.

Answer 6

Not all witches follow the religion of Wicca. One who practices magic need not be religious at all. All witches do not follow the rede, or believe in any type of "law of return". A witch practices magic. That's all. It may be of any of the different magical systems that are practiced over the world.

Although I seldom refer to myself as a witch, I actively practice magic and have for a few decades (my nickname is because of my mischievous nature, not because I use the word witch to describe myself). I don't believe in the Wiccan rede, laws of return, or in the absolute law of karma. Since I practice magic, by definition, I am a witch. But although I am a neo-pagan, I have never been a Wiccan. I enjoy learning about the outer court teachings of Wicca and have great respect for them, but I don't follow their particular religion.

Answer 7

Some call themselves witches that follow other paths. I do not feel that Satanist are Pagan in that they are monotheists and simply upside down Christians. Them using the term witch confuses the general public. As for Wicca you are correct it is a tradition started in the '50's by Gardner, however paganism is far older than any Christian trad. Wicca is based off of these old Pagan traditions NOT Christianity. Christianity is based off of Paganism. Check your encyclopedias for verification of this. All holidays celebrated by Xians are based on earlier Pagan holidays. Also there were at least 16 dieing and resurrected savior gods before Jesus.

Answer 8

witches are not all Wiccan. Witches are. The two words actually come from the same root word. As for Wicca being only 60, well actually it was publicized then, but is actually older because of the Christian-inspired anti-Witchcraft laws that barred publicizing anything related to Witchcraft Wiccans call themselves Witches. Yes there are people who practice the magickal arts that do not follow Wiccan principles, but they are not from the Craft of the Wise.

Please name me which teachings Wicca took from Christianity.

If you meet a Wiccan who says they don't practice magick, they haven't studied magick enough. There are many types of magick. but they can be categorized in to two groups. Passive magick and active magick. Passive magick is something we do with every action and thought we do. Active magick is more focused and conscious.

Because Wicca one of the worlds fastest growing religions and THE fastest in Canada and the US, it's a common assumption when a Christian associates Witchcraft with Satan in some way, shape or form, that they are speaking to the Wiccan Witches.

The truth is that anyone who calls themself a Witch who doesn't follow Wiccan principles is actually using the word incorrectly. They are Magick Practitioners.

I should add that there are people who follow Wiccan teachings and are still Christians. These people sometimes believe that Satan exists.

I have never. in all my encounters with Magick Practitioners, met a Witch that worshiped Satan in the Christian sense. I hope this clears some things up for you. Thanks for reading.

Answer 9

Well I personally never said, "All witches are Wiccan" because I DON"T believe that.

As to your original question, why do I call myse;f a Witch?

I preform Magick on a daily basis. It's "low magick" rather the "high Magick" of Ceremonial Magicians, hence, I'm a Witch, rather than one of the other terms for magick users.

Answer 10

You are correct, except for all Wiccans are witches. I've seen the contrary stated in several books written by Wiccans.

Like any other belief system, some followers get a concept wrong here and there.