I want to learn more about Wicca?

Question

Can someone explain it to me or give me the best links

I don't want bible verses

Go away Lion of Judah

Answer 1

Wicca is just one of a number of religions based on pre-Christian beliefs and/or the sanctity of Nature, under the umbrella of "neopaganism". Depending on who you talk to, Wicca is either the sole domain of people who are in lineaged covens, or a more relaxed religion that may be practiced by solitary individuals, either traditionally or eclectically.

Best thing for you to do is to start reading to get a variety of perspectives. That's the best thing to get yourself the basics of Wicca and paganism. Here are a few sites to get you started:

http://www.witchvox.com
http://www.twpt.com
http://www.davensjournal.com
http://www.rendingtheveil.com
http://www.spiralnature.com
http://www.thegreenwolf.com/links.html

As for books, here are my three of my favorites:

"21st Century Wicca" by Jennifer Hunter - the most grounded intro to Wicca I've found, not just the usual "stuff"
"Contemporary Paganism" by Graham Harvey - a basic overview of some of the more common neopagan religions
"The Four Powers: Magical Practice for Beginners of All Ages" by Nicholas Graham - takes an even broader view of neopaganism, ceremonial magic, shamanism, occultism, and others, and is a *really* good book for helping you to figure out where to take your path next

You can find other books reviewed at http://lupabitch.wordpress.com

Finally, get out and talk to people--there's nothing that can replace that. Go to http://groups.yahoo.com and http://www.meetup.com and put the name of the nearest city and the word "pagan" in the search engine to find online groups of local pagans. Also, the various pagan and magic-themed communities at http://www.livejournal.com are a good resource as well. Meet folks online, then when you're comfortable check out some of the public events in your area.

Answer 2

I have a couple of questions for you to really ponder.
1. Why do you think you might want to be a Wiccan or witch?
2. What lead you to this path?
3. What do you expect to gain from it?

If your answer to ANY of these questions is "power", forget it.

READ!!! Find out which denomination you would prefer. You may find your answer in, Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft.

I would not bother with any type of initiation or gathering of ritual tools until you find which path you are going to follow. Most tools are not necessary in all denominations. I have much more than most, but then, I have been practicing for a very long time. My particular path essentially needs only a Staff, Dirk (athame) and a Keek-Stane (or crystal ball). Other tools can be acquired as needed.

I am Pecti-Witan (aka Hedge Witch, not Wiccan) a "solitary" practitioner of "the Old Religion", and have been for many, many years. Being a "Witch" is nothing like what is portrayed in movies or on Television. There is nothing flashy about it. we are fairly simple people with "abilities" that everyone has, ours are just honed and utilized. Lots of research and practice. There is a lot to learn when you are dealing with herbal, mineral and candle magick.
I read tarot cards, rune stones and utilize a number of other tools for divination but would NEVER charge anyone for anything I do! Besides, I do not do "readings" or "cast spells" for others on demand. That sounds more like a con game to me! Though I am often asked.
Now as for what I did to start, well, it seemed to come naturally to me, (my mother was a witch and my great grandmother was the daughter of a Comanche medicine man) and I believe this is not my first life (nor the last) as a witch. I have always had a deep respect for nature and have an innate ability to communicate with animals. When I was very young my parents encouraged me to learn about all religions, so I did. And I encourage you to do the same to find your true path. Books are an excellent source, providing you get the right ones, there are some I would avoid (Ravenwolf). I prefer Scott Cunningham. If you can connect with other practitioners that would also be a good way to learn. One question you must ask yourself is are you looking for the structured system of a Coven (you will have to be18 or over, unless your parents are part of an established coven) or would you prefer the life as a "Solitary"? Buckland has some very good books outlining both. But my favorite book is still "Wicca, a Guide for the Solitary Practitoner". It is a good place to start (or affirm).
The reason I suggest avoiding Ravenwolf is her blatant disreguard for honesty and her intolerance of other faiths and even different sects in Wicca/witchcraft. I think she is the Goddess of Fluffy Bunnies! One trait you will find among honest witches is a respect and tolerance for others faiths, we do not judge people by what they believe or don't believe but by what they say and do. Most of us can embrace the differences.
As you may notice, you also have to have a thick skin, because even in this "advanced" civilization there are still those who believe we worship the devil (LMAO), and would rather turn a blind eye to the world around them. Some will even admit that they think we should be burned at the stake! Ignorance knows no bounds.
If you are very young, expect ridicule and really stupid requests to do "Magic" like they do on TV or in movies. It is not going to make you cool. Expect people to tell you that you are going to Hell. You will probably lose friends. Just being honest with you.
I hope you find the answers you were looking for whether they are mine or the wisdom of another.
BB
)O(

Answer 3

Wicca is a religion that was created in the 20th century by Gerald Brosseau Gardner. It is based on the assumption that witches were organized in covens and that they constituted the remnant of a neolithic religion. The bases of Gardner's new religion heavily relied on Margaret Alice Murray's book "The Witch Cult in Western Europe". However, Murray's hypothesis is, at best, unprovable.
Besides "wicca" is an Old English word meaning "male witch, wizard, soothsayer, sorcerer, magician" ("wicce" means "(female) witch"): Gardner's choice of the name Wicca is very inappropriate for a religion since it originally refered to a male individual.
The idea that witches are members of an ancient religion is also incongruous because there have been witches in every culture, including in Christian lands: very few pagans were witches and every witch wasn't a pagan. Besides this assumption would mean that magic (the distinctive trait of a witch) is a worship which is nonsense. Magic/witchcraft has always been regarded as an art enabling the witch to wield supernatural powers (see Homer's Odyssey for example).
In modern English, "Wicca" refers to a recent religion made up of people who call themselves "witches" who revere nature. But real witchcraft and worship are two very different concepts.

Answer 4

It depends on what type of Wicca you are interested in.

I recommend the 101 material at http://wicca.timerift.net as an overview.

I also recommend http://www.witchvox.com/xtrads.html to find a tradition to learn within in you're serious about it.

In general, many new people to Wicca tend to get confused if they sample a bit here from one type of Wicca and a bit here from another, because not all types work together, sort of like if you randomly combined bits of Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Christianity.

Answer 5

surprisingly sturdy element to be attracted to. Wiccans are regularly greater welcome to me (as an atheist) than human beings of alternative non secular paths. Scott Cunningham's A instruction manual for the Solitary Practicioner (i think of it somewhat is the call) is a marvelously efficient e book. I very own it. it truly is totally efficient, info each and all of the trip trips and uncomplicated celebrations, the historic previous, gods and goddesses, surprisingly plenty each thing. you will hit upon it interior the metaphysical sections in maximum bookstores, or the paganism area. it truly is in basic terms approximately ten greenbacks. He additionally wrote a "sequal", in case you will. you will prolly see it too, even if i'd attempt interpreting the 1st one first to variety of see the type you like it. the internet could be efficient, yet deceptive, so do no longer in basic terms pay attention to random web content. sturdy luck on your journey!

Answer 6

there are some good books on the subject...

try ray buckland or scott cunningham.

also try witchvox.com

there are some really nice wiccans who frequent this site. i've starred your question, so hopefully one of them will see it.

bright blessings to you.
eclectic pagan

Answer 7

I like paganspath.com but that's just me.

Answer 8

We Christians We are not afraid of Wicca, of the spells or the incantations, have not been wronged by any Wiccan's, and we do not believe that you purposefully worship Satan. We understand that you seek to develop a personal and valid path with "The All" as you perceive it and that you seek to use the energies and balance of nature to achieve harmony, purpose, and influence.
Though we recognize that there may be some who claim to be Christians who are very bigoted, harsh, unloving, and even violent (in the past), we want you to know that this is not the teaching of Christ. Just because some people say they are Christians and then behave badly, it does not mean they are true believers in Christianity. Nevertheless, it is out of concern for your spiritual destiny that we write about Wicca. Our desire is to help you.
Christians derive their spiritual authority and doctrine from the Word of God. According to the Bible, there are demonic forces as well as angelic ones. The reason the Bible forbids witchcraft is because the power that comes through the incantations and spells are derived from demonic forces, not from God. These forces are manifested through people who contradict God's teaching and open themselves up to their dark and deceptive influence. Now, before you dismiss this outright, please bear with us a little bit longer.
How do you know that what you are contacting is good or bad? What standard do you have by which you can judge whether or not the results you are getting are from the God and Goddess or are instead from some demonic forces that impersonate various deities in order to deceive you?
If you answer that it is because good things come as a result of your efforts, so what? The demonic forces are not dumb and can easily get people to believe that what they are doing is good all the while deceiving them into continuing with their occult practices.
If you dismiss this line of questioning, that is your privilege. But, the questions are valid questions that ought to be answered. We are all open to being tricked and none of us wants to be made a fool. Since eternity is a long time to be wrong, it is all the more important that we try and establish some way of verifying what is occurring in the spiritual realm and that what you contact is not a harmful force masquerading as something good.
At this point, we appeal to Jesus. The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by about 40 different people. It claims to be inspired and it points to the person of Jesus. Jesus claimed to be God in flesh (John 8:58 with Exodus 3:14. He fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies, performed many miracles, raised people from the dead, died on the cross, and rose from the dead himself (1 Cor. 15:1-4). This means that what he says takes on incredible significance. If he said that there are demonic forces that trick people, then it is true. It he says not to get involved with séances, necromancy, divination, spells, etc., then we shouldn't.
But, you might say that the Bible has been corrupted. No, it has not been corrupted. The New Testament documents are more than 99.6% textually pure. In other words, they are incredibly well preserved and transmitted to us. Scholars translate the original documents into English and this is how we get our English Bibles.
Even though you may discredit the historical and theological accuracy of the Bible, it does not mean in the Bible is not true. This is why you must continue to ask yourself what is it that you are contacting? How do you know that the theology of Wicca is true? How do you know there are not demonic elements that work through your occult practices?
Just because you can get results from spells and incantations, it does not mean that it is good. The Bible tells us that the devil can go around and deceive people making them believe that what they're doing is right when it is not. Therefore, we must be very careful. But, you might respond that you don't believe in the Devil. Okay, but Jesus did!
The safest bet is to trust Jesus who has been to the other side and come back. The safest bet is to trust the Lord Jesus who died, was buried, and rose from the dead. He has authenticated the Old Testament Scriptures as being true and he appointed the apostles who wrote the New Testament. Therefore, the Bible as a whole is validated by Jesus and the Bible clearly states that mediums, channeling, séances, witchcraft, spells, and divination can only result in being deceived.

Darkness

Finally, there is one last comment. The further you get into Wicca, the further you will move into darkness. The further you move into darkness, the more hostile you may become to Christianity, the idea of the cross and it's sacrifice, etc. Oftentimes those who are involved in occult practices develop an attraction for dark things, the nighttime, skulls, various forms of rebellion, dark clothing, and a desire for power. These things are the fingerprints of the enemy that gradually overtake a person involved in occult practices. Have you been touched by the enemy? Do you desire these things? If so, have you been touched by the darkness?

The Gospel according to Jesus

The gospel is Greek for "good news." But, why is it good news? In the Bible we learn that God is absolute and never changing. This means that he cannot improve in his Majesty, glory, and wonder. Because he is absolute and unchanging, the standards of holiness and perfection are also absolute. Since God is not self-contradictory. He cannot lie, steal, or bear false witness. He is perfect. Therefore, the standard of righteousness is also perfect. For example, lying is wrong because it is against God's holy and absolute perfection. Anyone who lies, as an example, has offended an infinitely holy God. The consequence is judgment.
This judgment is necessary because if God did not punish those who broke his law, then he is not dealing with the problem of sin and rebellion. If he does not deal with it then he is approving of it since he is letting it go unpunished. This is wrong. Therefore, all sin must be dealt with.
Because all of us have sinned, all of us have either lied, or stolen, etc., we have all done something against the true God. That is why there is a natural and proper judgment abiding upon all of us. That is the bad news.
The good news is that Jesus, who is God in flesh, lived the righteous law of God perfectly. He never sinned. When Jesus was nailed to the cross, our sins were "put upon him". In other words, they were given to him and he died with them (1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Cor. 5:21). He did what we could not do. He was able to fulfill the perfect law of God where we could not.
The good news is that if you trust to what Christ has done on the cross for our deliverance from God's righteous judgment, then you can escape the judgment and enjoy eternal fellowship with God. There is no reincarnation. There is no karma. There is no Summerland. There is only eternity and eternity is a long time to be wrong.
Isn't it best to trust the one who claimed to be divine, proved his divinity, performed miraculous deeds, and rose from the dead rather than trusting spells and incantations whose source cannot be verified?
Jesus does not lie. Please trust in him and ask Jesus to forgive your sins and to show the true path. After all, Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by me," (John 14:6). If Jesus is the way just as he said he was, then he is THE only truth path.

Answer 9

www.witchvox.com