what is the main differnece between pagans and wiccans?

Question

please be as detailed as possible TY :)

Answer 1

You can be both a Wiccan and a witch, these two words are not the same
One of the biggest sore points among Wiccans is the improper usage of the terms "Wiccan" and "Witch". Too many people use the terms interchangably, presuming that they both mean the same thing. They do not.

Wiccan
Wicca is a religion, and someone who follows that religion is called a Wiccan. Sometimes it can be difficult to accurately define Wicca, and not all Wiccans will define themselves the same way. Observing the 8 Wiccan Sabbats, honoring the Gods and/or Goddesses, creating sacred space for rituals, to name a few. Many traditional Wiccans also feel that belonging to a coven is also a requirement and that those who practice their religion as a solitary, should not refer to themselves as Wiccan. Personally, I'm still not sure on that point. Typical Wiccans also practice magick, and therefore are also witches.
You cannot be a "natural Wiccan" any more than you could be a "natural Christian".

Witch
The practice of witchcraft is not associated with any religion, therefore you can be a witch and yet also be a member of any number of religions (or none). Using the natural energies within yourself, along with the energies of herbs, stones or other elements to make changes around you is considered witchcraft. Though the skills and gifts that are part of witchcraft can be inherited from parents or grandparents, you aren't automatically a witch just because your grandmother may have been one. The use of magick takes practice, experience and learning. On a side note, a male witch is called a witch, not a warlock.

Pagan
Paganism refers to a variety of non-Christian/Jewish/ Islamic religions that are usually polytheistic and are often nature-based. Wicca is only one Pagan religion, but there are others such as Santeria, Asatru, or Shamanism. Many people do not necessarily identify with a specific religion, and just use the broad term "Pagan" to define their spiritual path. Pagan religions are distinct and separate from each other, and it should not be assumed that they are just different names for the same faith.

Answer 2

Pagan covers all belief systems that are not Christian, Jewish or Islam. It is an umbrella name. Wicca is a religion as is Witchcraft. But you do not have to be Wiccan to be a Witch. However generally speaking if you are Wiccan you are a Witch. Although some may argue that. Up until the 1980s There was no separation between being Wiccan and being a Witch. However there are other forms of Witchcraft that are not Wiccan. And other Pagan Religions that do not call themselves Witches, Such as Heathens and more.. You have to research it.... Good Luck

Answer 3

All Wiccans are Pagans by definition.

There is a set of religions called "Paganism."

Within that set there is a sub-set called "Witchcraft"

Within that sub-set there is a further sub-set called "Wicca".

A Witch is a woman or man who practices a life-affirming, Earth- and nature-oriented religion, honoring Divinity in female as well as (or instead of) male aspects, and practicing Magic (which some Witches spell "magick," to distinguish it from stage illusions). There are many different traditions of Witches, encompassing many beliefs in addition to these. Some traditions are practiced by women only, and recognize only the Divine Feminine, the Goddess. Others include men and recognize a male god in addition to the Goddess. Some traditions may date back to before the Spanish Inquisition, others have been in existence for only a few years. The strength of the Witches' religion (also called "the Craft" ) lies in its diversity; it is a living, growing religious tradition.

As a religion, the Craft is a revival and/or reconstruction of the pre-Christian religions of Europe, especially Northern Europe (giving us Celtic or Norse traditions), sometimes elsewhere (giving us Graeco-Roman, Egyptian, or Levantine traditions). Many of us have turned for inspiration to the still-living indigenous traditions of other lands, such as Australia, Asia, India, and the Americas. Some of us , recognizing that we are American Witches, work with deities and land-spirits of local Amerindian tribes, though we do not claim to be members of any Amerindian tradition. As Margot Adler, a Witchcraft authority, has written, "The real tradition of the Craft is creativity."

"Wicca" specifically refers to certain initiatory and lineage Traditions of Witchcraft. British Traditional Wicca (BTW) is the name we give to these denominations of Wiccans who have received (via initiatory lineage) and maintain an established body of lore and practice passed down from generation to generation. The best known of these are the Gardnerians, of which there are distinct British and American branches. Alexandrians, Mohsians and (California) Central Valley Wicca are also British Traditional.

Although in recent years the diversity of the people who call themselves "Wiccan" has made a comprehensive definition impossible, some general statements can be made: All worship a Goddess or Goddesses; most also worship a God or Gods. Practically all hold rituals inside a magic circle, usually at the time of the Full Moon and eight Sabbats. Practically all believe in and practice some form of magic.

These people, if they have not been initiated into one of the BTW forms of the Craft, should more accurately call themselves Witches rather than Wiccans.

Answer 4

I'm a non-wiccan Pagan.

Essentially, Pagan is a very large blanket term, that covers Wicca, Asatru, Greek Reconstructionism, Kimeticism [Egytian Pantheon], and many other polytheistic faiths.

Many Pagan systems are vastly different [Many Wiccan's I've met have said the only connection that is always there is the tenet to harm none, however that is not true.], and some are VERY technical about things.

Answer 5

I can't give you too much detail, but I'm told by pagan and Wiccan friends that, basically, all Wiccans are pagan but not all pagans are Wiccans. Wicca is a tradition within the general sphere of paganism.

Answer 6

Wiccans are Pagans, but all Pagans aren't Wiccans. Pagan is a term used to describe various pantheistic and/or polytheistic religions.

Answer 7

It is very possible to be a pagan and not Wiccan. Wiccan is a subset of pagan religions.

Answer 8

I'm not an expert, but I think that wiccans are a subset of paganism.
So, all wiccans are pagans, but not all pagans are wiccans.
Does that help?

Answer 9

Wiccans are a specific kind of pagan like a catholic is a specific kind of christian

Answer 10

Paganism is an umbrella term that includes any non-Abrahamic faith. Hinduism, Buddhism, and Wicca are examples.

Paganism:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism
http://www.religioustolerance.org/paganism.htm

Neo-Paganism is also an umbrella term. It describes religions within in the Pagan cluster that are earth-oriented, often polytheistic, and usually inspired by ancient spiritual paths. Some Neo-Pagan faiths include Astatru, Wicca, Druidism, and Goddess worship.

Neo-Paganism:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neopaganism
http://www.religioustolerance.org/neo_paga.htm

Wicca is one of the Neo-Pagan religions. You wanted detail, so here it goes.

Wicca is a very complex faith which embraces widely varying practices and many different Traditions. The following, however, is what I consider to be "the basics".

Wicca is 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.

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. Some Wiccans practice in covens, which are generally initiatory and require a long period of study (traditionally a year and a day) before entering. Others practice in loosely affiliated groups of solitaries, which are Wiccans who practice outside of traditional coven structure. Others simply practice alone.

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

Another useful article:

http://www.religionfacts.com/neopaganism/paths/wicca.htm

A good site by Wiccans:

http://wicca.timerift.net

And the US Army Chaplains Handbook excerpt on Wicca:

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

If you're looking to do some reading, I'd recommend "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham, and "Triumph of the Moon" by Ronald Hutton. I advise you to stay away from anything by Silver Ravenwolf, for reasons outlined in the following essay:

http://wicca.timerift.net/ravenwolf.shtml

If you have any further questions, please feel free to email me.