How legitimate is Wiccan as a Religion? Or is it just New Age Hoop La?

Answer 1

It has never been clear to me why anyone would choose to worship aspects of this beautiful creation, above and instead of the Creator. I love trees as much as the next person, but I choose to pray to their architect, not to them. The moon is lovely, but why should I address it as a goddess and ignore the One who made it and set it in the sky? Wicca is not the "witchcraft" some people would demonize it to be, but neither is it legitimate. It is a distraction, a false light that leads people away from the truth. Most wiccans are nice people, very appealing, but they are misled.

Answer 2

From the point of view of its practitioners, Wicca is just as "legitimate" as any other religion out there. Some of us pursue it in a very shallow or "by the book" method; for others, it is a deeply fulfilling personal relationship with the Divine. (Wiccans, at least as I was taught, don't worship nature per se. 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. There can be no separation from God/dess. All things not only proclaim Their glory, but ARE Their glory. It's therefore more accurate to say that we worship the Divine as manifest in nature; we worship the Creator, IN the Creation.)

We have rituals, liturgy, hymns, theology, concepts of the Divine... all hallmarks of a religion. So from a sociological view, we also qualify.

We have been legally recognized as a religion:

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

And are recognized by the US Army:

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

Wicca also predates "New Age" practices by at least a couple of decades.

If you want a relatively non-objective (non-Wiccan) article on what Wiccans do and believe, check out Religioustolerance.org:

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

Answer 3

I know a wicca and she doesnt seem that religious but she might be in her own time. If it was hoop-la then it would be much more commericalized, but i have never heard of a wiccan who was as devout to their religion as some people at my church. However I have not met every wiccan.

Answer 4

Its a load of crap, new age hoop la, yeah.
Here is a true wiccan story for you from a Christian:
A wiccan dude from our neighborhood told me that he was in the process of putting a spell on me that would cause me to get severely hurt.
A few days later, I was at work, and we went to a bar/restaurant for lunch. The wiccan dude was there drinking at the bar.
He started to come across the room towards me, and Nobody knows what he could have tripped on (wasn't anything there) but sure enough, he tripped, fell, and broke his forearm, elbow, and one rib.
They have the same amount of power as a house of paper does - none, esspecially if they care to go up against one of Gods children.
Ain't gonna happen, but it was amusing to see it tried out, and I was more than happy to be the dummys "victim".

Answer 5

that's not greater advantageous or inferior,first. secondly it did precede Christianity in reality many catholic joyful social gathering fall interior the comparable day as pagans did, earlier. It help the trasiction. You bypass and consider the roman historic previous. What you quoted that's in part actual, wiccans by no ability died, it grow to be purely very hidden. the top of the 2d international conflict additionally further greater freedom of speach and extra and extra each physique is popping out as we finally would desire to. it relatively is possibly why it feels as though that's in basic terms 50 years old. reality is , it is likewise stepped forward and would substitute dramatically on rituals from u . s . a . to u . s . a .. The celtic have been wiccans, yet very different than popullations in right this moment's Germany or Italy. It grow to be no longer some time past that a documentary confirmed this city in eire thoroughly abbandonded in basic terms 50 years in the past, and persons nevertheless practiced wicca, infact by no ability stopped extraordinary as much as the factor the situation had to be abbandoned. I advise you attempt somenthing better than wikipidia.

Answer 6

Hi there - actually, modern Wicca predates the New Age movement by a number of decades. The Wicca we know today got its start in the UK in the 30's by a man named Gerald Gardner. Google Gerald Gardner and Wicca and you'll find all sorts of stuff.

As far as being a legitimate as a religion, what defines legitimacy? Wicca is practiced by thousands and thousands of people all over the world. It's included in the US military chaplain's handbook and has been legally recognized by US courts. Just recently a Wiccan soldier who died in Iraq finally got his Wiccan pentagram marker - his widow had to fight the bigotry of the Veteran's Administration for years to get this for her husband.

For more information than you can shake a stick at, check out:

www.witchvox.com

This is the largest Wiccan/Pagan website out there.

Have a good day, and Blessed Be!

Answer 7

I hate being honest when I deal with Wiccans.....

Wiccans leave people alone. I love their values...they accept everyone....they don't discriminate.....they aren't causing problems.....I value their contribution to a culture of tolerance....

But to me....yeah....it's silly new agey stuff.

From what I've seen, there tends to be two distinct groups of wiccans......(I really have no problem with either of these positions, I know I sound like a judgemental buttocks...but it's how I see it)

Younger Wiccans who often just want to be different. Sort of like the religious equivalent of listening to punk rock to annoy your neighbors and family......

Older Wiccans who seem to be spiritual, but dissastisfied with organized religion.....

There is nothing wrong with either position. Maybe it's because you don't hear about fundamentalist Wiccans who have their entire lives revolve around their religion, but I tend not to view them as being as seriously religious. I am sure this is unfair of me. I am sure there are many Wiccans who have a deep spiritual connection to the religion. I am just basing this on Wiccans I have met.

I really am being judgemental, something I admire them for NOT doing, but it's how I see it.

Answer 8

The Wiccan religion is recognized by the Federal Gov't, the Military, the IRS.

U.S. Supreme Court-UNITED STATES v. BALLARD, 322 U.S. 78 (1944) 64 S.Ct. 882 322 U.S. 78

Answer 9

It is a Religion just like any other, not a cult there is no satan worship to it at all . Wiccan Rede states:

An it harm none, do as thou wilt
Do what you will, so long as it harms none
An it harm none, do what thou will
That it harm none, do as thou wilt
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, / An it harm none do what ye will.[1]

And the Rule of Three:

Bide ye the Wiccan Rede ye must,
In perfect love and perfect Trust.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill
An' it harm done, do as ye will
Lest in self defense it be,
Ever mind the Rule of Three
Follow ye this with mind and heart,
Merry ye meet, and merry ye part.

Answer 10

Look into it, a large amount of my friends are Pagan/Wiccan. Better yet, contemplate the masses, and religion and search every religion, and find what you think is truth through all sources