What's the difference between wicca and all that other new age crap?

Question

Or this nordic religion revival stuff that's starting to crop up. Are people getting desperate for something new or what?

Answer 1

Do you mean Ássatrúblah? Also known as Wiccany-woo?

Some of us want to practice the religion our ancestors did, not counting the ones before the 1950s. Just because all our stuff was made up by people on dope at Woodstock doesn't mean we're New Age. Oh no! I am a real Viking living in the United States. I went to Iceland, cradle of the human race, and I have other people's pics to prove it! There's no more natural or honorable way of proving that I'm descended from Icelandic stock than doing Ássatrúblah. So...naaaa!

Answer 2

I am a Pagan and love my religion. Wicca and many other Pagan religions are nature based and follow the duality of nature. Meaning there can't be male without female. It is a throw back to pre-Christian beliefs although there is usually no solid link between the two, Wicca is a rather recent creation by a man named Gerald Gardner.
If you are interested in learning about Wicca I suggest the book "Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham. It explains the main beliefs and what most Wiccans believe. Wicca is not a structured religion like Christianity, there is no single book that Wiccans follow and no figure head like the Pope either. Wicca varies between covens and individuals.
If you have any specific questions please feel free to email me and I will do my best to answer.

Answer 3

Where to start.....

Wicca has been associated with New Age unfairly because we were forced into our broom closets to practice what is really the Old Religion, which pre-dates Judeo Christianity by thousands and thousands of years. Wicca is based on the Mother planet Earth which is very real and is verifiably under your and my feet at this very moment. Wiccans believe that we are all children of our Mother, and that both feminine and masculine principles play a part of the dual role of the divine.

I would submit to you that the differences between what is crap and non-crap, ask yourself what you think constitutes crap. If it is crap because it has existed for a shorter period of time, (hence your reference to "New Age") then Wicca and paganism are the last ones to rightly be called new age, because they were here before any of the now all-male patricarchal big main religions of the world.

At some point or other in history, all today's spiritual beliefs were new to the world. How long a religion has existed is not a very good yardstick for measuring its particular amount of crap per square inch. I submit to you that in the end, what is crap is stuff that doesn't work for wspiritual good. I offer you these words in the spirit of INCLUSION of all good things that exist in all spiritual beliefs. If Christianity works for you, to make you a better citizen of planet Earth, then, even though it is very NEW compared to the Old Religion of Wicca, then by all means, go for it! In all seriousness, some of my best friends are Christians, and I hold no hard feelings toward them because they are good people, and do good things.

Wiccca is a valid and beautiful spiritual path. May the Goddess bless you and yours.

Bright blessings,
Lady Morgana )0(

Answer 4

Well there are plenty of Wiccans on here that well address the topic about Wicca and New Age...

Nordic religion revival stuff? You mean Asatru? It's not exactly new. Being a Reconsructionalist religion it's about as far as you can get from New Age. Also, it's not a matter of desperation, some of us want practice the religion our ancestors did. To me I see it as a more natural, more honorable way and it connects me with my kin, my heritage.

Answer 5

What's commonly called "New Age" is, in my experience, usually techniques that are divorced from a solid religious context. They might be generally "spiritual" in orientation, but they do not have a unifying theology.

Wicca, on the other hand, is a religion that sometimes incorporates some New Age techniques, as the individual Wiccan finds them useful. Wicca is about cultivating a relationship with the Goddess and the God within a specific ritual context, something that is usually distinctly lacking in New Age practices.

And in answer to your second question... yes, I think people are looking for something new, something more modern in orientation that also incorporates some ancient philosophies and practices. In many of its forms, Wicca meets this need admirably.

Answer 6

Getting desperate? No.

Wicca is the religion of witchcraft foudned by Gerald Gardner. It takes its origin in a blend of Golden Dawn's Ceremonial magic, Celtic mythology, and rustic Italian traditions. Wicca can tend to be very eclectic in nature and is NOT pre-Christian. It draws from pre-Christian religions but that does not mean that it has been in existence since pre-Christian times.

New Age stuff is a conglomeration of all kinds of conspiracy theories, astrological theories, energy work, esoteric studies, spirituality, and tons of other stuff.

The Nordic Religion you are speaking of is called Asatru. It is nothing new, in fact it is very ancient. Asatru is a Pagan Reconstructionist faith where the followers use historical and archaeological evidence to reproduce with as much exactness as possible the ancient religion.

There are other Pagan Reconstructionist faiths as well: Hellenismos, Religio Romana, Kemeticism, and Celtic Recon.

Again there is nothing new or desperate about it, Christianity was new like 1900 years ago and Islam is even newer being about 1500 years old.

I guess all I can say is sorry my religion is older than yours.

Answer 7

It is only common sense that a supporter of Wicca has a raven/crow as a symbol...
Wicca is based on the ancient arts of Demonic/Devil worship with its black arts and practices while the newer offshoots are designed to try and encourage such practices by enticing or trapping the victim with promises of power, wealth, success or the ability to bring harm to individuals without claiming to be devoted to the Devil... But it is a black art that has no foundation for success, real power (except harboring intense physical hatred), or any real accomplishments and any such gain will cost dearly in the long run.
It is based on the idea that there is a shortcut to get what you want within the spiritually dominated realm in a short amount of time, the problem is we are not in the spiritual realm and most people (or groups) cannot tell how to attain their dreams or even what they really want in life. Black magic/arts benefits from this lack of understanding and the lusts associated with it and traps you in a web that is very hard to get out of!!!!
If you want real power, above what any of the groups can offer, study or investigate the opposite- "White Magic" and you will find your life and those around you will improve and you won't be knocking at hells doors...

Answer 8

Well, you are clearly not a open-minded person, so why should you care?? Wicca is not crap, I know quite a few Wiccans.

FYI, Wicca has been around a long time and is only beginning to really gain popularity. If you want to talk "recent" religions, maybe look at Mormonism. (I do not mean to offend any Mormons, I am merely pointing out that lots of respected religions are recent)

Answer 9

Speaking from my own experience, Wicca is an organized set of beliefs that allows the practitioner plenty of room to adapt their previous faith to celebrating the Divine Feminine, or find faith when they had none. Wicca has guidelines and rules, though they are few. I was attracted to Wicca because of the male dominance of churches. I wanted to know where women fit into the Divine role other than mothers and servants. My eyes and heart were opened to truths that predate Christianity by thousands of years. Wicca, in its current form (name included) is relatively new. Gerald Gardner is the more prominent one who brought ancient Goddess reverence to the public arena. He also gave it the name Wicca. There are many books about this and many traditions of its faith. I chose Wicca because it fills in the gaps and chasms left in my heart and soul by conventional churches. The revival is not crap, although public opinion wants everyone to think so. Anyone who chooses any New Age path is subject to extreme prejudice, religious intolerance and great animosity in their communities. I am one of many who face this. I also have educated myself about my rights and share what I know with others.

In short, the other New Age "crap" is based more on the respect and care of your physical and mental body whereas Wicca, Nordic traditions and aboriginal spiritual practices are based on the God/dess care of your soul.

Answer 10

Are you really interested in the question you asked or were the words 'crap' and 'desperate' your way of making your point somehow?

The difference between wicca and all the other new age 'crap' depends on what you're specifically asking about. Mostly they're differences in beliefs, traditions etc.

Are people getting desperate? No, I think they're just looking to enlighten people about other belief systems that are out there and different ways of life :) Become enlightened!! :):)

Answer 11

When I think of "new age", I think of people who dip their toes into wicca or paganism, but they don't practice it as a religion. For example, someone might buy a garnet to repel negativity, but that doesn't make them a wiccan ... or they might buy a deck of tarot cards, but they'd never invoke the help of any pagan gods/goddesses to help them see the future.

I'm an atheist, so obviously I don't buy in to any of that stuff. I think that people are getting so fed up with the traditional, repressive religions that they are desperate for something new ... people enjoy feeling connected and spiritual, and I get the impression that church just isn't doing that for everyone anymore.