Question for Wiccans - Initiated vs Self-Dedicated?

Question

I tried asking this earlier but never saw it show up on the board.

What is your opinion on whether someone who is self-dedicated (i.e. not Initiated into a Coven) can call themselves "Wiccan"?

The reason I ask is after reading several discussions on different boards, I'm leaning away from referring to myself as "Wiccan" and I'm trying to figure out of the BTWs are right, after all...

Answer 1

They are only right if you belong to a tradtion. You can self dedicate and not claim a tradition and be just as valid.

I can understand those that want to keep it pure. Not everyone wants to be in a coven.

Oh there are some really nasty discussion boards, if you want to know some nice one contact me through my email.

Answer 2

I fully believe a self-dedicated person may be Wiccan, but not all Wiccans are equal....some initiated Wiccans suck.

British Traditional Witches lost the right to declare who was and wasn't Wiccan in the 1970s and 1980s when they used Wiccan as a perjorative and said real Witches used the term Witch or Wica pronounced Weesha.

They just got irritated when the term Wiccan caught on and now want the baby they tossed out with the bathwater back....

That baby's an adult now. :)


BTW: Don't sweat so-called traditionals. About 90% of the time I find someone who's been really upset by the nastiness of traditionals, a little detective work declares that the person ISN'T a traditional at all. (In my experience, it's usually one of three Wiccan community trolls that went after you, and only one of them vettes true.)
There are reasons in both the GBOS and the ABOS why most traditionals don't protest unless you declare yourselves OF their tradition. The gods know their own and all.

You only get in trouble when you pretend to know stuff you don't. If you're honest, no one is going to care.

Answer 3

People have the ability to call themselves whatever they like but that doesn't make it accurate.

I've listened to the debates you are talking about. I'm an open minded person who tries to base my opinions on logic rather than emotion. I think the BTW's are more logical in their views and usually are more than willing to offer references for why they feel the way that they do. I've looked up those references and have developed my own opinions. You will probably do the same---and that's good (regardless of how you end up viewing it). Objectively gather the information from all sides and make your own decision.

I don't believe that Wicca is an anything-goes religion. "Just believe/do whatever you want and call it Wicca" seems rude and intentionally ignorant to me.

A person can be a BTW and not practice in a coven. I have a friend who attained third degree in her coven and then moved out of state. She doesn't currently have a coven yet she is still recognized by her tradition.

I don't think that anyone is saying that to have a fulfilling religion one needs to be initiated into Wicca. Only that to use the title of being a member of an initiated group, then one should actually be an initiated member of that group. Would you call yourself a Mason if you weren't initiated into Freemasonry?

Answer 4

Well, that's one of the reasons I'm simply Pagan and not WIccan. Too many little rules and their way of doing things... I don't play that way. You should do what feels right to you. Want to self-dedicate? To me, this is more meaningful - just you and the gods, as it should be. But if you'd like some help, then go for it. It's really a matter of what is right for you on your path. If you're going to let other people tell you what to do and how to honor your gods, you might as well practice any of the mainstream religions that also seek to control your mind.

Answer 5

Yes, if someone self-dedicates themselves, they can refer to themselves as "Wiccan"

as long as they have done all the research and decided that this is truly the path for them, then I don't see the problem

a lot of people don't want to be in a coven. leaning that way for some, seems to be a lot like joining an "organized" religion, in the sense that certain specifications are already set up for the. Wicca is a highly personalized religion, and for this reason, many choose self-deciation and private practice over joining a coven.

Answer 6

I see no problem with self-dedication, in fact the whole you can only be a part of it if your initiated seems to closed off and antisocial. When I practiced Wicca, before changing to Celtic, I didn't have the option of being initiated, as I didn't live any where near a coven.

Either way works fine, it's just which way you want to do it that matters.

Answer 7

Call yourself what you want to, sweetie. Many of the ones that call themselves Wiccan have never even done a self-dedication ritual.

I was initiated, but it was sort of the one-eyed leading the blind. The lady who initiated me was herself only recently initiated by a woman I had never met, and did not like much when I did meet her.

The important thing is what you believe, what you learn, how you behave.

Answer 8

A dedication is usually done to make a commitment to your gods. You don't have to be a Wiccan to dedicate yourself to your gods. Lots of religions have ceremonies to do that. A dedication makes you a devotee of your gods. It doesn't initiate you into a religious group.
Traditional Wicca is initiatory. Neo-Wicca isn't.
http://www.witches-tutorial.com/paths/neowicca.html
And I've also heard many people say that their path is Wiccan-based. There's lots of non-Wiccan paths that aren't initiatory. Besides the name, what makes your path different from pagan paths that aren't Wiccan?

Answer 9

http://www.newwiccanchurch.net/articles/btwfaq.htm

http://www.witches-tutorial.com/paths/neowicca.html

http://wicca.timerift.net/