What's your view on Wicca and Paganism?

Question

I am Wiccan and I was just wanting to know what your view is on it. Let me state some facts before you go on with your whole, "Your a devil worshipper" thing.

1.) Wicca is a nature-based religion.

2.) We believe in a three-fold law. Which means that anything we do comes back to us three-fold good or bad, depending.

3.) Our Wiccan rede states, An it harm none, do what ye will. Meaning- Do whatever you wish, as long as you do not harm anyone or thing in the process.

4.) We love and respect everything. Animals, People, Nature.

5.) We are tolerant of other religions, even though they are not tolerant to us.

6.) We do not believe in the 'devil' figure. We believe in Karma instead. We believe in a Fertility Goddess and Hunter God.

7.) Our rituals are how we pray.

Please no abuse, this is just a simple question.

I just want to know what you know about paganism and wicca, and how you have came to believe this.

Ok, so Wicca is witchcraft, but it's not what it is portrayed as in the movies. We cannot do hexes, voodoo, etc. And if we do then it comes back to us three times as bad.

To Stephen...well that is my point exactly. Most Christians are intolerant of other religions. You are supposed to be kind to others, isn't that what it says in the bible?? So why is it you can only be kind to other Christians. I used to be a Christian, but then I converted because Paganism seemed to make much more sense. So don't try to pull the whole "You don't think I know about Christianity" BS.

Answer 1

The following in my view and Wicca, and what I generally post in response to "What is Wicca?" questions.

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. Its founder was a British civil servant named Gerald Gardner.

http://www.geraldgardner.com/essays.php

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. Many Wiccans also believe in the Law of Threefold Return, sometimes called the Rule of Three: “Whatever you do, for good or ill, will come back upon you three times over.”

Wiccans honor Deity as both male and female, God and Goddess -- or at the very least as Goddess. Many Wiccans 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 generally 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).

Wiccans have celebrations which are timed to both the solar and lunar calendars. The solar festivals -- held at the solstices, the equinoxes, and four points in between them -- are called sabbats.

http://paganwiccan.about.com/library/basics/blsabbats.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_the_year

The lunar holy days are called esbats, and are held at the full moon each month, and sometimes at the new moon as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esbat

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

Answer 2

I have some questions for you:
1.) Wicca is a nature-based religion.
What does this mean? Other than a new age buzz term, what does nature-based mean? Gerald Gardner was not nature.

2.) We believe in a three-fold law. Which means that anything we do comes back to us three-fold good or bad, depending.
Ah, you're one of those that attaches a modifier to the law of return. So, tell me, since Wiccans believe, as H^3 did, that as above, so below, what is the reflection of three-fold in reality?


3.) Our Wiccan rede states, An it harm none, do what ye will. Meaning- Do whatever you wish, as long as you do not harm anyone or thing in the process.
Are you aware that the majority of Wiccans believe in "An it harm none, do as you will," which is NOT "Do whatever you wish, as long as you do not harm anyone or thing in the process." More info: http://www.sacred-texts.com/bos/bos661.htm

4.) We love and respect everything. Animals, People, Nature.
I suspect you do not respect those that do you harm.

5.) We are tolerant of other religions, even though they are not tolerant to us.
I suspect there are plenty of religions you'd not find yourself tolerant of.
6.) We do not believe in the 'devil' figure. We believe in Karma instead. We believe in a Fertility Goddess and Hunter God.
Karma is Hindu, and Buddhist, not Wiccan.
7.) Our rituals are how we pray.
Except for when we just pray.

I've been Wiccan for over 20 years, and I think you need to learn a little more before you go telling people what "we" believe. While what you believe is great, it reflects a very shallow understanding of Wicca, and the rest of us don't want to have to explain Wicca based on the oversimplistic terms you've used.

Please don't feel singled out, but this type of soundbyte Wicca is actually fairly damaging to the rest of us.
Learn a little more before speaking for "us"

Answer 3

I am a Welsh Faerie Shaman, which means I am Pagan, but not Wiccan. I started with Wicca when I finally started finding my way to where I am now, but discovered Wicca was not the right path. Specifically, even though Wicca is a nature-based belief system, it has begun to stress itself as a "religion" way more than its natural spiritual roots, which I find distressing for my own spiritual needs.

It's just my own opinion... but I see Paganism as much closer to the earth than Wicca is at this point due to Wiccan efforts to become "legally recognized". I'm not saying there is anything wrong with these efforts... but I think the intent backfired. Wicca should not need to be legally recognized anymore than Catholicism does, eh? To retain true separation of church and state, no such "sanctioning" should be occurring... for *any* religion or belief system whatsoever. Although Wiccan people have worked very hard to generate greater social acceptance of their faith, they've had to become "like" organized religion to accomplish that.

Paganism, on the other hand, is still considered a bit "shadier" than Wicca for some reason, even though Wiccans have gained much ground in social acceptance. But I prefer to remain natural, just MHO again.

Answer 4

OK, first off, I am a Pagan, and I claim the tittle Witch proudly, because that's what we are. lol, its not an insult at all in our faith, its just what we call ourselves. We do practice witchcraft, all rituals and spells are witch practice lol. I must admit that, tho I don't have a problem with people of Abarhamic faiths, I do have some opinions against what they believe. Like the crusades and the burning times, the spanish inquisitions the witches trials, all of these events had one purpose, to destroy witches. My thoughts on Paganism is this, Ask 6 pagans what paganism is to them and you will get 13 different responses, its a matter of fact. The word itself means "Country Dweller" and was used for farmers and gardeners and Herbalist. Most Pagans beleave in a Goddess and a God, and we commonly refer to the Goddess has the Moher Earth and the God has the Sun God. It gose alot deeper, but I won't go any further with that. For your second question all I can say is that every race, religion, group, what ever, have good people and bad people, I know alot of bad pagans and I know alot of bad christians, you cant judge a religion has a whole off of one person. (FYI Flutterby,) the code is "do what ye will, and it harm none," you just had the saying backwards :)

Answer 5

I wasn't going to reply to this one, seeing as how you've got some really good -if long-winded- answers already. However, the one by macleodg7 needs some clarification. Sir- terms like "blind leading the blind" are as outmoded and insulting as "deaf and dumb." It's been proven time and again that the blind CAN lead other blind. Just as Gallaudet, the university for the deaf in Washington DC has had a deaf president since 1988, blind service centers all over the world are run and managed by blind people.

Just like Paganism and Wicca, handicaps -not being totally understood by the mainstream- become the subject of all sorts of misconceptions and bigotry. And in the past 50 years, that has all changed far less than people would like to believe.

Answer 6

I consider myself Pagan. I have taken some of the Wiccan beliefs and some beliefs from others and use these as a guide for living. I believe in a "Great Spirit" and a "Creator". I also believe in lesser "Gods". Spirits of wood, water, fire stone, etc. I pray what I will, to who I will, whenever the need arises. I have adopted your threefold law and also a version of your rede. Hope this does not displease you, but it works for me and I guess , in the end, that's what its all about.


Peace and Love

Your Pagan Bro,
John

Answer 7

This is very educational. My hubbie works as a chaplain at a hospital and has volunteers of all different faiths, including a Wiccan. He knows it is a nature-based religion, not "witchcraft."

Answer 8

Ummmmm. . .don't do it? What do you want me to say? I'm against it because I'm a Christian and certainly, nothing I've heard is good about it. I was brought up in a CHristian household, so that helps. But, you believe in Karma along with two Gods? What do you believe about Christianity?

Answer 9

I read about the origin of holidays... and decided I LOVED the way pagans celebrate the cycles of life and death at appropriate times of the year. I love their symbols and celebrations. So I am one (generic, Taoist). Site below.

Answer 10

I think it's nearly as silly as anything else, but then humans are rather silly creatures.