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
If you're looking to do some reading, I'd recommend "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham, and "The 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.
2007-08-21 08:36:31
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answer #1
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answered by prairiecrow 7
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Wicca is a recognized religion based on the 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief.
2007-08-24 13:25:46
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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Wicca is a religion. There are many variations on Wicca as with any religion. Most Wiccans are pagans, although not all are. Wicca is the belief in the old ways, pre-chrisitianity.
And just for the record....Druids are tree huggers. lol
2007-08-21 08:37:22
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answer #3
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answered by Storm 3
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Wicca is an Earth Based religion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca
2007-08-21 08:36:34
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answer #4
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answered by Bobby The Wolf JPA 3
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Wicca is a non-Christian religion....
Another non-Christian religion is the religion of calling yourself a Christian and lying about other people's religion. For examples, see above.
2007-08-21 10:01:49
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answer #5
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answered by LabGrrl 7
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Wicca is a religion.
Here is a link to a non-biased site...
http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm
2007-08-21 08:34:04
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answer #6
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answered by Epona Willow 7
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Wicca is one of the more popular religions of the polytheistic ideals of the world. it's a nature-based religion, where everything has spiritual symbology, like the moon phases, the planets... It's roots are in Paganism, the first real religion, not considered a religion until the christian god came around.
If anyone tells you it's the devil's work, they they are a retard.
Go to witchvox.com, it'll tell you more than I can, and without the hypocrisy of someone trying to tell you lies.
2007-08-21 08:35:16
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answer #7
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answered by Cold Fart 6
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Wicca is a contempary spiritual path that draws on the ancient beliefs of the indigenous peoples of Europe, but is not limited to them; it is really a mixture of the old and the new. Wicca views the divine as present in all things, and therefore views all things as sacred. Wiccans honour nature, both as a profound spiritual teacher and as the source of all life.
Wicca is non-dogmatic, and there is no central authority of the Wiccan religion. Rather, Wicca is a dymanic and fluid religion, and it seeks to enable each individual to experience the divine personally. Spiritual insight in Wicca is achieved through living in harmony with the earth. Wiccan practices seek to attune us with the natural rhythms and cycles of nature. This is done not only through a series of rituals, but also through how Wiccans live their lives each day. Wiccans experience the divine in all things -- in ritual, in meditation, in cooking, in gardening, in going to work, to nuturing a child, etc.
The reverence Wicca has for the earth expresses our reverence for the divine. In fact, the Wiccan reverence for nature is often what draws many people to this earth religion.
In Wicca, the divine is expressed as both masculine and feminine, as the Goddess and the God. This is seen as logical by Wiccans, and since nature itself exists as both male and female. How the Goddess and the God are expressed is highly individual, since it relies on personal experience with the divine.
Wiccans have one 'commandment': "And if it harms none, do as you will." This honours the great freedom that each of us has, while respecting the right and freedoms of others. The concept of 'harm' is again one which can sometimes be subject to interpretation, and individual Wiccans reach different conclusions when applying this concept to things such as abortion, vegetarianism, participation in war, etc.
Wicca is a contempary spiritual path that draws on the ancient beliefs of the indigenous peoples of Europe, but is not limited to them; it is really a mixture of the old and the new. Wicca views the divine as present in all things, and therefore views all things as sacred. Wiccans honour nature, both as a profound spiritual teacher and as the source of all life.
Wicca is non-dogmatic, and there is no central authority of the Wiccan religion. Rather, Wicca is a dymanic and fluid religion, and it seeks to enable each individual to experience the divine personally. Spiritual insight in Wicca is achieved through living in harmony with the earth. Wiccan practices seek to attune us with the natural rhythms and cycles of nature. This is done not only through a series of rituals, but also through how Wiccans live their lives each day. Wiccans experience the divine in all things -- in ritual, in meditation, in cooking, in gardening, in going to work, to nuturing a child, etc.
The reverence Wicca has for the earth expresses our reverence for the divine. In fact, the Wiccan reverence for nature is often what draws many people to this earth religion.
In Wicca, the divine is expressed as both masculine and feminine, as the Goddess and the God. This is seen as logical by Wiccans, and since nature itself exists as both male and female. How the Goddess and the God are expressed is highly individual, since it relies on personal experience with the divine.
Wiccans have one 'commandment': "And if it harms none, do as you will." This honours the great freedom that each of us has, while respecting the right and freedoms of others. The concept of 'harm' is again one which can sometimes be subject to interpretation, and individual Wiccans reach different conclusions when applying this concept to things such as abortion, vegetarianism, participation in war, etc.
Wiccan spiritual practices are often techniqies for changing consciousness at will, in order to better communicate with the divine. These practices are often very similiar to many eastern practices used for the same purposes. The primary purpose of many Wiccan techniques is the transformation of the self, to fully develop one's gifts, and to live a full, joyous, spiritual life. These same techniques are also used for more practical purposes, such as healing, divination, purification, blessing, and the achievement of our goals. These techniques may include such things as prayer, meditation, ritual, drumming, chanting, dancing, and many other techniques.
There are many different traditions/demoninations of Wicca. Some reflect the practices of a particular ethnic group (Celtic, Irish, Welsh, Norse, etc), while others encompass a wider area. Some of these are very well known, while others remain very private. Some traditions may date back hundreds of years, but most (not all) modern Wiccan traditions came into existance in the 20th century.
2007-08-24 04:10:31
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answer #8
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answered by Leigh-Ann A 2
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it is both. read Scott Cunningham
2007-08-21 11:35:05
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answer #9
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answered by Sean L. 1
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Wicca is a religion concocted by Gerald Gardner circa 1950. Prior to Gardner, there was no Wicca. Gardner's original Wicca was an excuse for him to be tied up and beaten by strong willed women, according to Adian Kelly, a Wiccan traditionhead and author of "Crafting The Art of Magic". If you read these past answers, you'll see what I think on the subject.
History of Wicca
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhU3APMDMy3JSWiLuyb6vR_sy6IX?qid=20060915145049AAkDSCG
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnmpBWCNQ4STCeOacIJt2avsy6IX?qid=20060923114119AAAusg9&show=7#profile-info-85e3efd122e8f209277b7bb6e4c2d432aa
Meaning of word Wicca
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgXeuUT6PMwvqlnBRPezIfvsy6IX?qid=20060915145049AAkDSCG&show=7#profile-info-AA10929287
Meaning of word Witch
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvAGLfx2yAunbOKyoditCmXsy6IX?qid=20060924205638AAvbb6K&show=7#profile-info-68090b5d557ec89c0e51a9c78de0dafbaa
Silver Ravenwolf Wiccan Money spell
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgXeuUT6PMwvqlnBRPezIfvsy6IX?qid=20060918191343AA1dAL3&show=7#profile-info-f49ad034abd28a4bd6e30b7088b096a3aa
Jenny's Frostie Wicca Expose'
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiPNdQz1cyOLeB7iTkvU9R7sy6IX?qid=20060920141547AA0e3fT&show=7#profile-info-79401d523b04ee9784e7438998679c4daa
Christian Wicca
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtY0mxKoZHtpI56Zxm67CtHsy6IX?qid=20060922162423AAcU9lu
Salem Witch Trials
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjJ7TpnKS_XXcZfDiK0CpNTsy6IX?qid=20060904163917AAcBiEQ&show=7#profile-info-AA11725587
Wicca vs. Satanism
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=An.v6DF_RGP.oG2FNsRshDzsy6IX?qid=20060924212214AA8bflE&show=7#profile-info-8c76be37c6da788dc5d6e0fe923aaef1aa
I'm an ex-wiccan.
2007-08-21 08:39:16
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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