...and not everyone who practices the craft is pagan?

Question

I'm confused. Could someone please clarify?

Resource: http://www.modernwiccan.com/index-learnmore.php

Answer 1

Ya got me there????

Best guess...I've heard a FEW that claim to be Christian/Wiccan! YEAH....well whatever????

Alot of weird, uneducated people out there. They like to ignore history and basic definitions...and make things up as they go!
Then they post it on the internet and ...TaDa!!!! It's True!

Answer 2

I only quickly scrolled through the other answers, but no one I saw defined pagan! Pagan (according to Webster's) originally meant "one who dwells in the country," also "non-christian, heathen," or "one without religion."

So a quick summary:
country dwellers practiced different forms of folk magic passed down through the generations as part of festivals for hunting parties, harvesting, planting, etc. many of these influences remain in the many forms of the practice.

One the Roman Empire solidified under Christianity and used it's power to spread the religion, those that remained faithful to the old ways were mainly uneducated peasants, thus country dwellers mainly were non-Christians - see the link we still hold on to today?

So there are many different kinds of magick (the craft), many have roots in Judaism, later Christianity (read the OT book of Leviticus), thus these practitioners are not pagan. Continuing down this line of reasoning, not every non-christian practices the craft - that goes with out further explanation.

Hope that adds a different level of clarity!

Answer 3

Witchcraft is the utilization of your own personal energy to bring about magic results.
The most common method works thusly-

The Witch, using whatever means works best for him or her alters or "colors" his or her personal energy (also referred to as adjusting the vibrations of the energy, but I don't like to use the word vibration because it implies heat) toward the task at hand. Some use colors, sounds, fragrances, chants, some simply use meditation or visualization.

Then the Witch raises his or her energy by chanting, dancing, singing, humming, playing a drum, clapping, or again, simply meditating or visualizing the energy raising. (This is sometimes done in groups, but it's not necessary).

Finally, the energy is released into the universe (or into a person in the case of a healing spell or into an object for storage for later use) to accomplish the task.

Very experienced and some intuitive Witches are able to do this without ritual at all. They can be walking down the road, decide they would like a specific person to be home to greet them when they get there, swell it in their mind like a bubble (sorry, I can't explain it much better than that) simply by forcing themselves to feel very strongly about it, let it rise and expand, then release it and go on about their business with nobody the wiser. There is some disagreement in the modern community about whether people can do this sort of thing by accident, but many "primitive" cultures believe it happens all the time. The idea of the "Evil Eye" is this same sort of concept- That by allowing feelings of jealousy to invade your mind, you can inadvertantly (or purposely) curse someone. This is why members of the Greek Orthodox church spit on brides, and why there is a taboo in many cultures against praising other peoples' children.

Witches often also utilize the natural energies found in herbs, stones and other natural objects to attract desireable energies or dispell harmful energies.

As you can see, I never once mentioned any God or specific religion in my explination of how Witches work. Witchcraft is an art and a science, it is not, in and of itself a religion. In fact, religion isn't even really necessary for Witchcraft. Atheists can do it. Yes, Pagans do it, but so do Satanists. And yes... so do Christians. Some Christians do it who would deny till their dying day that they did. They were taught that it was something else entirely.

There are other things that some Witches do, such as evokation and invokation which require a belief in spirits, but this is sort of an extra thing. It's not really what Witchcraft is. Witchcraft is using your own energy, powered (usually) by emotion, to cause something to happen. And that's it entirely.

Answer 4

Not everyone who practices the Craft is Neo-Pagan, Wiccan, Druidic, Fae, Asatrun, Elven, gay/bi, wears black makeup, worships in any one way, or can be assigned any particular generalization. Ask 100 Neo-Pagans if they are Witches, and you'll get 150 answers. Ask 100 Witches if they are Pagans and you'll get the COG meeting in Seattle a few years ago where there was so much disharmony they decided to disband the chapter. I say let people label themselves any way they want and respect someone's label even if you think it's silly. Someone called me a Crazy Witch today, and I think I'm going to embrace it as my new label!!! :) :) :) My circle has several Christo-Pagans ad Buddha-Pags because they feel drawn to spirituality in several flavors. I say spirituality is a beautiful, individual, mystical thing, so let's start respecting each other and quit trying to validate whether someone qualifies for a label.

Answer 5

does this answer the question. been so long no one knows what pre Christian religions are like precisely and other traditions have become so promminent they are unavoidably intertwined . seems like there are similiarities. if Paganism is actually like Environmentalism which about the necessary protection of the Earth perhaps there is a non religious basis to all of this. also since protection of the Earth is essential as humans could be seen as God's stewards. then they all fit together. conflict is only in that Church figured if people are going to Heaven anyway why take care of Earth.answer so more may live on it and ascend to Heaven.so witchcraft has been distotred by the medieaval Church to resemble something evil but is really an anicient form of Environmentalism. what people are saying when they say it is evil is that to prevent yourself from poisening yourself you are evil.that education in this is evil. that to not pollute the Earth is evil. that to prevent global warming now is evil and to prevent destruction of humanity and other lifeforms is evil.

Answer 6

Magick, like Science isn't an exclusive thing. The Goddess bestows her gifts where she will. The techniques focus talent, even when the spiritual component is ascribed to some guy with a white beard.

The nice thing about truths is that anyone can find them, no matter what mindset they start out from. You just have to give up the notion that you have exclusive rights to THE TRUTH, and the small "t" truths are all around you.

Answer 7

Some people who are pagan are so in a spiritual sense and don't practice the arts of spell weaving and magick.Also not every person who uses magick and spells are pagan.Though these things are usually under the blanket term paganism or witchcraft,and these terms are used interchangeably by people who are non practitioners and non believers.Also the term "Heathen" is generally used by those of us who are practitioners of the Northern European Indigenous Re-constructionist beliefs such as Asatru. Though "heathen" as defined by people who aren't of those beliefs usually means a godless,immoral person.What it boils down to, is,its all in the eye of the beholder.

Answer 8

When the reference refers to "the craft" I believe they are speaking of magick (spelled with a k on purpose). Pagan is an umbrella term (nowadays) for anyone who follows a religion that is not Abrahamic (Christianity, Islam, or Hebrew). So not everyone who preforms magick follows a pagan religion, there are Christian-Wiccans (who are Abrahamic) as well as people who are atheists (magickians).

Blessed Be )O(

Answer 9

Uh, I'm confused too!
Want to read my understanding of this? Ok.
All first peoples were Pagans = country dwellers. Lived directly in the face of nature, in balance and harmony with her. Through the language of spirit, i.e. intuition, instincts, urges, visions, etc., our ancestors knew the wisdom of the earth, i.e. witchcraft. Which in its purest meaning is the 'art of wisdom'. This is specifically HOW they lived in harmony with her. Their lives WERE a ceremony, ritual, rite, spell , etc.. A natural way of life. EVERY SINGLE MAN MADE RELIGION IS BASED OFF (and I say 'off' because it was intentionally distorted!) OF THIS WISDOM!
Paganism was the first and most natural way of life, and it WAS the art of wisdom that was a Pagan way of life.
Whatever us Pagans call ourselves today we are all Pagan based for we follow the natural laws, which includes Witchcraft. Witchcraft IS the Pagan way, and I mean ancient witchcraft.
Consciously practicing the craft is a wisdom.
Every religion,
Christians too, practice
a distorted
form of Witchcraft, unknowingly -
ceremonies, prayers, rituals, etc. without realizing it.

Man made religions created what they call black witchcraft for it is done to harm another and for certain they 'curse us all to hell'. Little witches!
Blessed Be

Answer 10

i'm no longer Wiccan yet pagan. to answer your question, you may prepare witchcraft (interior Wicca) as long as you do no longer intervene with the *loose will*. despite you do, comes back to you 3 folds (Wiccan theory). concerning therapeutic, you will could look for a mix of Craft and Shamanism. attempt to be taught the meaning of herbs & properties a good e book Witchcraft drugs: therapeutic Arts, Shamanic Practices, and Forbidden flora For herbs the way of Herbs the total e book of Herbs: a pragmatic handbook to growing to be and using Herbs

Answer 11

Those who claim to be Christian/Wiccans usually subscribe to the "Christ Consciousness" thing, in which they believe that they are more spiritual than religious.

These people believe they embody the TRUE Christ Consciousness, which they believe is kindness, compassion, and non-judgementalness, and live and let live in all ways.

In other words, what they believe Christ is supposed to have actually taught, rather than what his followers are usually like (hypocritical judgemental idiots).

So, I wouldn't worry about being infiltrated by Fundie Christians who are intent on making judgements on anyone, these Christian/Wiccans are nothing like that.

Hope this helps clear up your confusion. No worries.

Source: Me, Jewish, with many Wiccan/pagan friends.