Wiccan people... you sound like an interesting group... what are you all about?

Question

I don't want to read about it in a book, I'd like to hear from Wiccans what their beliefs are, if they have a church, if they have a version of god, do they have a sort of holy book, place?

Answer 1

Wicca is only about 60 years old, with roots in Masonic practices, ceremonial magic, and the Romantic era's ideas of classical religions. It is in many ways a postmodern faith, embracing religious relativism, and one that resonates powerfully for increasing numbers of people.

The central tenet of the Wiccan religion is the Wiccan Rede: "If you harm none, do what you will." This is a deceptively simple "commandment" which can take a lifetime to contemplate and to master.

Wiccans honor Deity as both male and female, God and Goddess -- or at the very least as Goddess. We believe that the universe is the body of God/dess, and therefore that all things contain Divine energy and that the world itself is sacred. Some Wiccans are polytheists (many God/desses); others are duotheists (God and Goddess, of whom all other Gods and Goddesses are simply aspects); others are monotheists (God and Goddess Themselves are simply aspects of an unknowable Source).

Wiccans do not believe that God/dess is separate from the world; therefore, we have no concept of salvation, since God/dess is present to all and always. Many Wiccans believe that God/dess is too big to fit inside one religion -- all religions/spiritual paths are ways of reaching the same goal, and atheism and agnosticism are honorable perspectives on the mystery of life.

Wiccans do not have a holy book, although there are several pieces of liturgy that are commonly accepted and used. As far as we're concerned, the universe itself if the "holy book" of the God and Goddess. Individual Wiccans and covens may have what's called a Book of Shadows, which is a collection of hymns, liturgy, ritual forms, spells, recipes, and other information that the individual or coven bases his/her/its practices upon.

Each Wiccan operates as their own priest/ess. We do not have a distinction between clergy and laity. Therefore, each Wiccan is responsible for their own personal development and for forging their own relationship with God/dess.

Wiccans do not usually have churches. We create sacred space as and where needed, by casting "circles" of energy which function as temples. When inside those circles, we invite the spirits of the four Platonic elements (air, fire, water, and earth) to join us, as well as the Goddess and the God (or at minimum the Goddess).

Many Wiccans practice witchcraft, which we see as working with the Divine energy that permeates the world to bring about change. In accordance with the Wiccan Rede, the vast majority of Wiccans will not curse or perform magic to bring harm upon anyone else.

A relatively objective (non-Wiccan) set of articles on what Wiccans do and believe:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm

Answer 2

I am Pecti-Witan (aka a Hedge Witch, not Wiccan) so I can't tell you what coven life is like because I do not know. Some have said that Wicca, as a religion is only about 60 years old, this is true.. But as I said I am not Wiccan! I do not now nor have I ever followed Gardner or Crowley. Some might call what I practice "wiccan" (small w) butI have no problem calling it what it is, Witchcraft. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE DEVIL SO OBVIOUSLY DON'T WORSHIP HIM! He is a Christian fabrication used to try to frighten people into becoming Christian. As a Pecti-Witan and a Pict, I have a number of Goddesses and Gods, just as the Native Americans did for centuries. The only 'holy book" I have is my own "book of shadows", basically a record of spells, rituals and help I have received feom the powers that be. My church is any place in nature that feels right, no buildings. That is also my "holy place", We do not try to convert anyone nor will we tell them that what they believe is wrong. Unlike some other religious people we do not condemn others for what they do or do not believe. Wiccans are much more into the worship of the goddess & God and set rituals than I. I prefer communing with nature and doing the best I can to help others and the planet. My mother was a witch in the 40's so you can obviously see that what Gardner wrote in the 50's is irrelevant. I am the great grand daughter of a Comanche Medicine man, so it runs in my family. I am an herbalist and also do candle magick and have great faith in the power of stones (crystals and the like). I also read Tarot cards, rune stones and a number of other divination methods. I live by the rede "do as thou wilt and in it harm none" 24/7.
I am a bit stressed today, I need to stay out of Y/A and get away from the Religious Reich. I am really tired of the name calling and condemnation, the ignorance and close-mindedness. If they would bother to learn a little about us, as you are doing, perhaps they would realize that we are not evil. I know a lot more about Christianity than they do about Wicca, which may be part of the reason I chose to follow the path of my mother rather than my father. Sorry for the ranting!
Blessed Be
)O(

Answer 3

on the grounds which you asked for comments, No, it would not sound such as you're arranged. in case you're asking on appropriate right here, it shows which you have doubt. Your doubts would desire to be addressed completely first. what's the rush to boot? isn't this a lifelong dedication? if so, take it sluggish to think of of it over, learn diverse techniques, and comprehend precisely what you % any why. Does this group have any outer-courtroom docket events which you will attend? Why will by no potential be able to you build friendships with the contributors for my section first interior the previous reworking into a member of the coven? Will they only confer with you while you're a member? you do now no longer say how long you have typical those human beings for my section and characteristic been getting to comprehend approximately their coven. yet as quickly as you chosen to attend until there is little question that it particularly is the particular coven you go with to connect, then reworking into a member of would have a plenty deeper proceeding to you. i've got faith who ever stated which you will envision "Covencraft". If this coven would not like the certainty which you will probable extremely wait and study a sprint greater advantageous first, i'd ask your self approximately their motives. i do now no longer comprehend why they're now no longer encouraging you to benefit first. all the respected covens in my section require that a ability member get to take excitement in the coven contributors appropriate and that they learn diverse pagan paths as appropriate theirs so as that the guy could make an advised determination and that their dedication is lasting.

Answer 4

OK. here it is. you can not put us all into one group were all different even down to what we believe in. but I'll share with you what i believe in.
1)my beliefs are that all gods are one god. that different types of of people just worship the same god in different ways.
2)do we have a church no and yes. no we don't have a building ty church like most religions. but yes. all of nature is our church.
3) do we a version of god. oh yeah. some of us believe in one god and one goddess.(like me) others believe in no gods just the divine. and some believe in tons of different god's and goddess's.
4)do we have a sort of holly book no. the closest thing we have is the wiccan reed.

Answer 5

Ha. HARRY POTTER? ARE YOU SERIOUS? No, not that at all. Wicca is the belief that there isn't just one God. There's the God and the Goddess. It's a positive religion, based that if you do something good or wrong, karma will either punish or reward you for it depending on what you did. Wicca also believes in reincarnation. And here's what I find most interesting about Wicca. Lets say you do something bad. Like kill someone. But you never had to pay for it. No jail, no one found you out, nothing. But then you die, and you're reborn into a house that's unstable, and you wind up getting killed yourself. Karma is inescapable, even after death, which could explain a lot of the people that don't have such great lives. Anyone who follows Wicca doesn't believe in Satan. To give something evil a name is stupid. If you did something wrong, you'll pay for it on Earth. Also. Wicca came from Shamanism, I believe it was reawakened, not created by Gerald Gardner.

Answer 6

Hmm...I was a Wiccan and lived with a guy whose internet nickname was very similar to "starryeyed".
Quite the coincidence.

Answer 7

Wicca is an old earth religion, and we've lost most of our ability to connect to it, thanks to the Church.
Anyway, there are two basic rules:
1- An it harm none, do as ye will. (Do unto others, with absolutely no restrictions otherwise.)
2- That which you do in the name of magic you feel the wrath of threefold. (Karma, basically.)
Am I wiccan? No, although I lived with one, and i was a sympathizer.
I will never believe in anything...
but it would be nice to honor our earth, our moon, our seasons, the three seasons of woman (newborn, mother, and old crone), and take part in the Turning of the Wheel.
Just, I don't get into symbolic ritual.

Answer 8

Just read The Good Witch's Bible by Gavin and Yvonne Frost. It will answer all your questions.

Answer 9

Former Pagan of 2 years, I'll say it in a quick manner. It's a nature-based religion that includes symbology, plant life, the spiritual realm, goodwill, ritual, healing, multiple gods and goddesses of power, and have nothing to do with the christian devil.

The only ones who worship the christian devil are the Luciferians. Even the Satanists wouldn't worship a devil. That would be dumb.

Answer 10

I became a Wiccan when I was at college years ago. Wicca believes in a god and a goddess, magic spells, and claims to be a religion that went underground during the Dark Ages. In reality, it was created in the 1950's, and I think Dr. Zoom Zomm covered that thoroughly.

Wiccans still cling to the idea that somehow Christians "invented" the idea of the Devil...and even the concept of evil,,,just to slander Wiccans centuires ago. This is a ridulous idea, which I realized after I took comparative religion. Shintoism, Hinduism, most Buddhist sects, Islam, Zoroastrianism, and even the ancient Pagan religions had beliefs about demons and devil like creatures, as well as a Hell like place for souls of evil people. Many of these religions pre-date Christianity by thousands of years, and had little chance to be influenced by them in some cases.

It also became apparent to me Wicca was copied from the rituals of Aleister Crowley, not the remnants of a Stoneage Religions, nor a "revival of Shamanism".

Wiccan Third Degree Initiation From The Gardnerian Book of Shadows

O Circle of Stars
Whereof our father is but the younger brother
Marvel beyond imagination, soul of infinite space,
Before whom time is bewildered and understanding dark,
Not unto thee may we attain unless thine image be love.
Therefore by seed and root, by stem and bud,
by leaf and flower and fruit, Do we invoke thee,
O Queen of Space, O dew of light,
Continuous one of the heavens
Let it be ever thus, that men speak not of thee as one, but as none;
And let them not speak of thee at all, since thou art continuous.

Crowley's Gnostic Mass:
O circle of Stars whereof our Father is but the younger brother, marvel
beyond imagination, soul of infinite space, before whom Time is Ashamed,
the mind bewildered and the understanding dark, not unto Thee may we
attain, unless Thine image be Love. Therefore by seed and root and stem
and bud and leaf and flower and fruit do we invoke Thee.
Then the priest answered & said unto the Queen of Space, kissing her
lovely brows, & the dew of her light bathing his whole body in a sweet-
smelling perfume of sweat; O Nuit, continuous one of Heaven, let it be
ever thus; that men speak not of thee as One but as None; and let them
speak not of thee at all, since thou art continuous!

Even if a Wiccan claims not to "follow Crowley or Gardner" they are still following the religion Gardner developed. There was no Wicca before Gardner invented it...period! It comes as quite a shock to many Wiccans to learn Wicca's creator was a member of the O.T.O (Crowley's occult sex fraternity). Wicca is what Gerald Gardner fantsized witchcraft should be...a feminist religion where men are tied up naked and beaten, with sexual acts as sacrement (The Great Rite). Gardner was a masochist and feminist, as well as a nudist. Many Wiccans apparently don't see the "coincidence" that Gardner just happened to "discover" this religion almost literally in his own back yard! It's about as authentic as Scientology, which was also created to serve it's founder's desires.