Why do people practice Wicca?

Question

Wicca continues to fascinate me. Everyone I've met who's Wiccan is younger than 30, college educated, and pretty open-minded.

So why would people become Wiccan instead of just being irreligious like most of generations X and Y? I thought it was hip and trendy, but people told me it's not. But I'm curious about the appeal...

Not to be insulting... But what's the point? What do you get from Wicca? Do you literally believe in spells and whatnot or is it more about the rituals and activities?

Answer 1

I Wiccan, but i am not under 30 and i am not gen x. I am 54 about the middle of the baby boomers. I chose wicca because it is rich in ritual, the magic is okay, but if you live a positive goal oriented life and have strong faith in yourself that is all magick really does is to give us the beleif and faith to make things happen.

In my studies Raymond Buckland a well respected wiccan author and high priest said that religion is man's attempt to explain the unexplainable. This hit home with me. I was Christian for 25 years, but of course some Christians deny i ever was a Christian to discredit my bible knowledge, but even at my highest point in Christianity i had problems with the scripture of having to carry out the geat comission whcih I did, but it also says to be ready to defend the faith and to give an answer to everyone who asks a reason for the hope of your calling.

Denominational people would attack me on a regular basis and I had to carry a bible around to defend the faith. i don't have to do that in Wicca. Denominationalists attack me tuff tooties, I am not bound to debate them unless I just want to out of boredom.

Just look here in Y/A how quick the co called Christians are to debate to the point that if you disagree with them, they will email you if you allow it and bug the daylights out of you.


With Wicca I have no command to beleive a holy book or to carry the message and be a nuisance.

Answer 2

You haven't met many Wiccans. I'm over 50, and Wicca has been around a long time now.
Why be Wiccan?
Well, why be Christian, or Moslem, or Buddhist, or any other religion? It's the religion that encompasses what I believe.
You don't have to get it. It isn't your religion, so you aren't required to understand. Just find the place where you belong.
It is not 'hip and trendy'. If you are doing it right it is a lot of hard work. You are expected to learn many different disciplines, such as botony, geology, astronomy, and several others. You are required to be tolerant of all other beliefs. You are supposed to be available to help others with their problems. And you are to never give in to feelings for revenge or domination. Not easy, huh?
Yes, we do believe in spells and rituals. Just like every other religion. Spells are a means of focusing your mentals energies on accomplishing a goal; same as prayers. Rituals are just the way that practitioners celebrate holy days; same as any church service.

Answer 3

I'm 43 and I've been practicing Wicca since 1990, long before "Charmed," long before it was easy to find books about Wicca in your average bookstore (I got my first books on the subject on a visit to San Francisco). It wasn't yet "trendy" then, and even now for the most part I stay low key about it in my professional life, since I'm an instructor and a) don't want to worry my less informed students, b) don't want to distract them with discussions of what my faith means when, in fact, I'm there to teach them composition :-)

As for what I get out of it? All sorts of things. When I learned that Wicca was real, and not just something from fantasy novels, it felt like coming home. The belief in the feminine side of God, for example--being a woman myself, that meant a lot to me. The way the holidays are structured around the wheel of the year also fit for me, because I've always been so deeply aware of the seasons' passing. I do believe in magick--using "natural means," nothing flashy--but I don't "cast spells" that often, because I have a fairly comfortable life and have no need to take time out of it for special requests. The ethics of Wicca as well--"harm none," the "rule of three," and the importance of not interefering in other peoples' lives unless they ask for help, all also resonated for me.

Thanks for asking the question! A great source of information about modern paganism in general, and Wicca in particular, would be Margot Adler's "Drawing Down the Moon."

Answer 4

People get the same things from wicca that they get from every other religion. Religions in general provide a sense of more order in the world and give people a sense of purpose. They also provide moral codes to live by. I'm pagan but not wiccan, but I find that religion helps me to be a better person and also to be more loving and accepting of both myself and other people. My choice of religion had nothing to do with spells, but had to do with the fact that in paganism, no one is going to tell you you're completely wrong in your religious views, or not good enough, or going to hell or stuff like that. I believe the spells work, but I believe they work by causing changes in the way the caster behaves, which can in turn affect what others do around them.

Answer 5

It's about the spells. What Wiccans call "Magick" is really more of a religion. They basically do spells for the sake of doing spells without any real thought to success. It leads to a lot of superstition too, i.e., "I can't leave the house without my Pentagram, or I won't be protected".

Once you really to say to yourself, "OK, I'm going to cast spells that really work. I'm going to stop kidding myself. It has to really work and the results can't be something that would have happened anyway, or no results at all.", then you realize it doesn't work.

And whoever told you it's not hip and trendy are deluding themselves!

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkNruoCslQnOJAayBh1Tahjsy6IX?qid=20070107154847AAuU3cD&show=7#profile-info-7474ab293c66b550fe4794603dd2cb8eaa

Answer 6

It may be trendy to join now but I doubt we can call the Wicca religion itself (which predates Christianity) a trend.

For those Wiccans I know it seems to be less about spells and rituals and more about a true religious belief.

Answer 7

The appeal, for me, was that it is the only faith that fully matches my beliefs, and that emphasizes the beliefs I hold most dear.

Many people believe in a deity, but can't fully commit to the mainstream religions because those systems are outdated and full of flaws. Some of these people seek out alternative faiths, and that is how a lot of us come to Wicca.

Do I "believe" in spells? That's like asking a Christian if they "believe" in prayer. I know spells and magic to be reality.

What do I get from Wicca? For one thing, I get a direct connection to the divine. I don't need a book, church, or pastor. I am able to see divinity in everything. I am able to define and ask for my own needs without feeling selfish.

Best of all... I no longer feel I must believe in this or that out of some vague fear of damnation. I will not follow a fear-based faith! And I have a much better understanding of the nature of the universe, in particular, that the whole universe is one big gray area - there is no good or evil, no saint or sinner, but simply life trying to survive and make its way in the great pattern.

Answer 8

Wicca isn't bodily or spiritually or magically risky if you're nicely examine, nicely prepared and nicely suggested in the previous doing any practice. of direction there are actual disadvantages such; as candles and hearth, oils and pores and skin burns, incense and allergies etc etc. in case you advise demons or devil skill or beings it really is a load of garbage. once you've linked nicely with the elements, made a magic circle (if required) and chance-free your self spiritually by ability of herbs, crystals or the different correspondence appropiate you'd be fantastic. it truly is been written that individuals favor to be careful of adverse skill in magic (no longer evil or undesirable) yet adverse and distructive magic. alongside with hate, resentment and anger they're oftentimes hurtful and this magic could by no ability be despatched out to every person or every person even as preparation magic. some human beings believe contained in the karma rule, and it truly is going to come lower back cases 3 inspite of you deliver out. yet it truly is your determination in case you suspect this or no longer. i wager commence out with small spells or rituals and artwork your way as a lot because the more effective stepped ahead stuff. the in consumer-friendly words risk is lack of understanding. Take your time with it, examine a lot, ask others, and practice, practice, practice.

Answer 9

ur questionis interestingfor i amawiccan myself though i might think diffrently on it i dont do wicca for the spells but for the peace i get from it

Answer 10

Please do not allow yourself to be drawn into this doctrine of demons.

One of the reasons it is more popular now is because of the positive media about it. But most media is for fun and feels no responsibility to tell the truth. All sin is fun for a season, but in the end leads to death. Guard your heart and mind and turn to your Creator for directions on what to do. (2 Timothy 3:16All Scripture (the Bible) is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. - parenthesis mine)