If Wicca is evil, because.....?

Question

First off I see no evil in, "An it harm none, do what ye will"
Though people claim I am going to hell because I am Wiccan, and those who do say this, are of course the ones getting it out of the Bible, and if they are quoting out of the Bible, then does that make those who worship Budda, Allah, Jehovah etc. evil as well? Why when I say I believe in a GOD, I am still considered evil because I am tagged with the label Wiccan? I was born and raised this, it's been in my blood for a long time, and many of my family was murdered for this belief, by the church of course, but if we all believed in God in general, the main creator, and still loved him and his many creations, then why bash Wiccans? And like I said, by bashing us, you bash all others that are not mentioned in the Bible, I'm sure the other religions have their sources as well.

Answer 1

First of all, I don't believe in bashing people over the head with my Bible, shoving my beliefs down their throats, or screaming, "You're evil and you're going to hell." That's not a very loving way to approach someone, and you have every right to get defensive. As a Christian myself, I apologize profusely if some other misguided Christian has approached you in such a way. My brother was a practicing Wiccan for a number of years, and I knew that if I pushed my faith, I would just push him away.

Christ commands that we love each other, but part of that love is to share the truth that has been revealed to us. It's wonderful that you recognize that there is a higher power than yourself and that you appreciate the beauty in the creations of the Creator.

But there is only One Creator of the universe. If you recognize the fact that there can only be ONE, then it's important to play by His rules because we can't just make up our own. According to His rules we can't just all follow our own path and yet still end up at the same destination. The God of Heaven and Earth has declared through His Son, Jesus, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me." -John 14:6

The reason Christians are so compelled to share their faith is not because we think we're better than everyone else (I know I'm certainly not - I have plently of faults of my own to deal with) but because we were once lost and blind to God's truth too. We share because we care, because God commands us to, and because I personally feel sickened and my heart aches at the thought of anyone being condemned to hell.

If you knew someone you loved was going to suffer a terrible tragedy, wouldn't you want to try to prevent it? If you knew the cure for some horrible sickness, like cancer or AIDS, wouldn't you want to share it?

I am happy to report that my brother finally did accept Christ as his Savior. I didn't push. I left it in God's hands, and I just answered any questions he threw at me, honestly, even when the truth was not always easy to share. And I spent a lot of time in prayer. All the credit goes to God. He's the one who saves, not us. Just because you were born into a Wiccan household does not mean you must remain one. I encourage you (and will be praying for you) to "seek with all your heart" the higher power that you have acknowledged; for He has promised, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart," and "seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

Answer 2

As a fellow Wiccan I have run into this same problem many times over, the bible is not the only thing that breeds this hate, ignorance, as made very clear in some above posts, is the major reason for this kind of hate. People fear what they have been taught to fear, and to fear what they do not understand. And for that little guidance comment, the Wiccan Rede, which the original poster quoted, is much longer then that. Perhaps get your facts straight before you go on spouting ignorant comments about other peoples religions. I have lost many 'friends' as a result of my religion and I am better for it. Love your religion, it sucks having to defend your life choice but I would never have it any other way. Be strong Lo and Blessed Be.

Answer 3

First let's look at evil. We all know that evil is relative. It cant be determined by a book or one single person. So why do we listen to what the Christians say. It has no bearing on Wicca because Wicca isn't a Christian religion. So what they say frankly doesn't matter to us. It's what they do that worries me. There are Christian groups who are still trying to interfere with religious freedom in the US. It's really scary. I am so grateful that we have a liberal congress right now.

Answer 4

People sometimes are closed minded. They only believe that their religion is right. That and they are afraid of what they dont understand and know. They think that being Wiccan means you do work for the devil, but thats not true. The truth is, no one knows whos religion is right, and whos is wrong. But we should not judge others for having a different faith/religion then us.

Answer 5

Witches are mentioned in the bible. I find it hard to believe many of your family members were murdered for being wiccans. I also find it hard to believe you've been a wiccan your entire life. You mention believing in a creator God but nothing of the Goddess? I am assuming you are quite young and are trying to impress an opinion. I have agreed with some of your post's in the past but your really need to seek the knowledge and find your path.

Blessed Be

Answer 6

As much as I agree with this, I have to give you the news that you are wasting your time. The people you are addressing believe that ANYONE who isn't a God-fearing Christian is evil, Satanic, and going to burn in Hell. You can quote the Rede until you are blue in the face...it isn't going to change their minds. Best thing to do is ignore them and rise above them, by proving them wrong about you by being the best person you can be.

And to Tam-Tam: The Rede does not mean to do whatever you want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. That is a gross oversimplification. It means to strive to discover your true Will, your true higher purpose, without infringing on the Will of others.

Answer 7

And the first post was the typical Christian non-answer to the question.

The notions of Wicca do not include the nessecity of "salvation" from an magical illness that Christians try to insist everyone has. "Sin" or "Original Sin" have no meaning in Wicca...and since Christians have no evidence that such things even exist outside their own mythology, perhaps they might want to rethink their position regarding Wicca.

Wicca is not "evil". It is a different way of looking at the world around us. Less obsessed with guilt and marching in lock step and more in tune with the world as it is around them.

Answer 8

DO WHAT THOU WILL SHALL BE THE WHOLE OF THE LAW , LOVE IS THE LAW LOVE UNDER WILL, EVERY MAN AND EVERY WOMAN IS A STAR -This is the law of THELEMA yet we are persecuted as are Wiccan by our christian brethren its easy to see who is the religion of peace and love when we choose not to retaliate to your persecution but to offer you forgiveness

Answer 9

First of all asker, no one in your family has been murdered for being a Wiccan since it only dates back to the 1950's!

It sounds to me like you enjoy the attention calling yourself a Wiccan brings you.

I left Wicca and returned to my Christian faith and I'm happy for it. I don't "bash Wiccans", but I expose the invented history of Wicca.

In the 19th century a romaticizing of things Pagan began. Godfrey Leland forged a spurious book called Aradia:Gospel of the Witches that implied that witches were pagans who worshipped Diana (and Lucifer). He plagarized materials from two previous books he wrote (Etruscan Remains and Gypsy Sorcery). Although the word Wicca isn't mentioned, it was the great-great daddy of the whole thing.
Later on quack anthropolgist Margret Murray hatched her own theory about the witches of the European witch trials actually being survivors of a Pagan cult in her books. These inspired Gardner to create his own witch cult witch he called "wica" (at first spelled in lower case and with only one "c"). Gardner insisted Witch meant "Wise one" claiming the word derives from the Old English word "wicce". "Wicce" actually means "to bend", and this is where the word "wicker" comes from. The word "wicked" also comes from "wicce" (as in a wicked person being "bent").
The word "witch" has a nefarious meaning in every language on earth,including English, but for some reason Wiccans still insist on calling themselves "Witches" (with a capital "W") and their religion "Witchcraft". They feel that the reason people are afraid of them is centuries of "xtian propaganda" meant to defame them. But even if they went to Vietnam ( a predominantly Buddhist country) and said they were a Phuy Tay (Vietnamese for witch), people would still be afraid of them. Of course, a tiny few Wiccans have stopped calling themselves witches, but most probably enjoy the shock value wether they admit it or not.

There were examples of witches who did evil deeds in history (such as the Weirs and LaViosin) but Wiccans don't equate themselves with such people since they were Devil worshippers.

According to Adian KIelly, Wicca was basically created by Gardner so he could be beaten by strong willed women. He was a sado-masochist and nudist.

Wicca borrows heavily from the writings of Aleister Crowley, a man who called himself "The Great Beast 666". The Watchers (fallen angels mentioned in Genesis 6 and the apocryphal Book of Enoch) are called the "gods of Modern witchcraft" by Paul Huson and Raven Grimassi. A religion based on these things can't be good in my view.

While most Wiccans are on a harmelss ego trip, deluding themselves into believing they have magical powers, not all Wiccans are harmelss http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApAoSUAVIXdCJ3IGjzmXx98jzKIX?qid=20060920141547AA0e3fT

Answer 10

All you can do is educate... try this:

This was first published in the Newton Kansan daily newspaper in November of 2002.

This article was written so that non-Pagans could have a better understanding of where we are coming from and who we are. Several of my friends and acquaintances have found it useful in sharing their religion/faith with family and non-Pagan friends. If it will help you, please feel free to use it.

The cliche among Pagans is - if you ask that question of twelve of us and you will get at least thirteen answers. Paganism is a non-dogmatic approach to spirituality. Paganism is recognizing that we are a part of nature rather than above and apart from nature. Paganism is basically monotheistic in that many of us recognize a single transcendent divine entity and our gods and goddesses are like Christian angels and saints. Paganism is any non-Abrahamic religion, ie: not Christian, Jewish or Islam. Paganism is essentially private spirituality - not to say that it cannot be practiced with a group. It is having a one to one relationship with your creator without anyone else's structures or controls placed on it. These are answers that I have gotten from Pagans I know who are living in and around Newton.

As you can tell there is no simple answer. There may not even be a single complex answer. One of the features of Paganism is the tolerance of differing ideas. Some traditions (like Christian denominations) may have certain dogmas, but they will not impose their ideas on anyone outside their group. The ethical codes followed by most Pagans are some variation or other of the Golden Rule.

The Pagans of my acquaintance are generally very well educated, highly literate and intelligent individuals. We are also, with but a single exception, well aware of Christian teachings. Most of us were raised Christian and for one reason or other found that it did not meet our spiritual needs. Many of us believe that Jesus existed and we admire his teachings. Our disagreements with Christianity are not with the founder, but rather the direction which churches have taken. As one individual stated, "I studied myself right out of the church."

Paganism is not a single path. It is not a single religion. It encompasses a wide range of beliefs and practices. Most people who identify themselves as Pagans are in actual fact Neopagans, as opposed to say Buddhist, Hindu or Taoist. Neopaganism is a modern attempt to return to ancient pre-Christian generally European forms of worship. Some Neopagans are very scholarly in their approach and go to a particular culture and research literature and archaeology in an attempt to accurately recreate the way the religion of that culture was practiced. Others are more eclectic in their approach. They take the general structure of an ancient religion and adapt it to fit their modern lives, often fitting disparate pieces into what becomes, for them, a cohesive whole.

Despite the variety, there are a few generalizations that can be made, bearing in mind however that no generalization will apply to every Pagan you encounter. There is a recognition of a divine entity or entities. Divinity is seen as immanent in all things. Freedom to follow the path which works for the individual is highly encouraged. Causing unnecessary harm to anyone or anything is frowned upon. The attitude reflected in Jesus statement, "love your neighbor as yourself" is preferred in ourselves and in those we choose to associate with. While sharing ones beliefs with interested people is acceptable, proselytizing is frowned upon.

We repect a Christian's right to follow her or his religion freely. However, most of us have made a conscious decision to follow another path. We ask only that you respect our right to follow our own religion as freely.

If you fear for my soul because that is what your religion teaches, fine. You may pray for me, but do not try to reconvert me. If you must try, the please follow the example of one Fundamentalist Christian of my acquaintance whom I highly respect; live as a shining example of the best your religion has to offer.

Copyright 2003 by Chandra Glick. Permission is granted to freely distribute this article so long as credit is given to the author and this notice is attached.