I have to do an essay on wicca/pagan's?

Question

Im finding it hard to find information and im hoping some one can help me out, i just want to know some info or maby a few links thanks its an english assignment on a culture

Answer 1

Wicca is an eclectic religious belief system centering around gods, goddesses, and nature worship. Gary Cantrell, a well known Wiccan author says Wicca is based on "harmony with nature and all aspects of the god and goddess divinity."1 Wiccan practice involves the manipulation of nature through various rituals in attempts to gain power, prestige, love, or whatever else a Wiccan wants. It uses symbols in its ceremonies and follows the calendar in reference to Wiccan festivals. Its roots are in ancient agrarian Celtic Society. It is considered Neo Pagan (based on old European and pre-Christian belief systems). Wicca does not have a structure of clergy and/or congregations. But it does have priests and priestesses which are in leadership positions within covens that have witches. The varying traditions of Wicca have different requirements for attaining the level of priest and priestess. Some of the more common varieties of Wicca are 1734, Alexandrian, Celtic, Dianic, Dicordian, Eclectic, Gardnerian, and Georgian. Wicca is even recognized as a religion in the military.
One of the most common aspects of working theology is the teaching of reincarnation and karma. The purpose of reincarnation is to learn lessons through the various lives. “This process of reincarnation is repeated for numerous lifetimes until a development of the Spirit is reached where the spirit can truly merge with the male and female balanced creator/creatrix entity. We returned to the God and to the Goddess.”2 Karma is the law of cause and effect that "does not punish nor reward. It is simply a universal law that reacts to causation until disharmony is illuminated."3
Wicca does not claim to be the only way but says that all spiritual traditions and paths are valid to those who practice them.4 It accepts "the fact that all life is sacred, including plant, animal, and human."5
Generally, Wiccans do not believe in the existence of a devil (they are not Satan worshippers). They have no orgies or public displays of sexuality in their rituals (though some Wiccan traditions practice nudity and sexuality not open to the public), no bestiality, and no blood sacrifices. They do not practice spells with the intention to harm people. They deny that there are moral absolutes, believe that nature is divine, and seek to be in harmony with the earth/nature.
Is it recognized as a religion by the government? Absolutely.

"Wicca is a bona fide religion, Mr. Barr. It has been recognized by the courts, and legal Wiccan clergy can be found in every state in the United States. We have chaplains in many American and Canadian prisons. Our guiding principle, the Wiccan Rede, admonishes us to harm none."6

The Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law

There are two basic codes that the Wiccans live by. First is the Wiccan Rede which states, "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will". This means that a Wiccan is free to use his or her magic as long as it doesn't harm anyone. The second is the Threefold Law which says that all the good you do will return to threefold in this life. Likewise, all the harm you do will return to threefold as well.

The God and Goddess

There is an ultimate life force called "The One," or "The All" from which the male and female aspects of life emerged, i.e., the god and goddess. The Divine, god or goddess, depending on who you are talking to, can have different names. There can even be references to different gods from other theological systems: Hinduism, Egyptian, Buddhism, ancient Greece, Sumerian, Christian, etc. In Wicca it doesn’t really matter what name is given to a person’s concept of God as long as you have one, or two, or more.
One Wiccan might consider God to be self-aware, another may not. It all depends on the angle that an individual Wiccan takes in his or her theological construction of what best works. It is a religion of self design. In Wiccan theology, because god can show different characteristics in different ways to different people, Wiccans can have different and even contradictory conceptions of God. This is not a problem to them because they maintain that it is only the limited aspects of individual perceptions of god that appear contradictory.

“as Wiccans, we acknowledge and worshiped the old gods and goddesses in the form both pleasing to Them and meaningful to us…”7

Why is Wicca attractive?

Wicca is attractive for many people who do not desire or appreciate absolute truths. In Wicca, a person is free to discover his or her own "path." In other words, he or she is free to invent a religious system that suits his or her desires.

“If you are just beginning a study of paganism, you may need to evaluate many different traditions or paths before finding the one for which you are looking. Your chosen path in the old religion must be one that is uniquely suited to you as an individual and one that lets you speak to the Lord and Lady in your own fashion.”8

It should be obvious that Wicca is a religion of personal preference. In other words, you are free to invent, devise, and develop a religion that suits your personal wants and interests. Furthermore, in Wicca you may attempt to manipulate your surroundings and other individuals through spells and incantations. This combination of developing a religion that suits your personal preferences and trying to influence others is very appealing to a lot of people.

Answer 2

Birth Name: Rillian; now R(changed name) 1. Awful experiences. I was often teased as child for not having a real name. As a teenager friends insisted on calling me Killian after the cheap beer Killians. In college I found that I wasn't getting scholarships or other opportunities while people with lower grades and less experience in the same subject were. I changed my name legally and almost immediately people who only knew me on paper started taking me seriously. An example: I originally applied to graduate schools as Rillian. I had an undergrad 4.0 but I didn't get a single offer. The next year--having done no extra coursework and with the same personal statement--I reapplied with the changed name and was accepted with funding to all eight universities to which I had applied. I think this is a fairly clear example of a name holding a person back. 2. My name comes from the name of a prince in the Narnia series (my mother has an obsession). To make the name "feminine" she added an extra L. I don't think it worked. 3. Personally I don't like Rillian, but I'm used to it. I still answer to it and my family still calls me it. What I really don't like is how it worked on a professional level. 4. I'd rather not say what I changed my name to on the internet, sorry. 5. Rillian and R(changed name). Rillian with family, sometimes with my husband (we were dating when I changed it). We've moved since I changed my name, so everyone in my new city only knows me by my new name. 6. I didn't change my last name when I got married, mostly because I had just changed my first name a year before and didn't feel like doing the paperwork again. I may get around to it one day, I may not. 7. They're OK. My maiden name and my husband's last name sound awful with each other, so it's not an option I am personally considering.

Answer 3

Wicca started in the 40's in England. It didn't really derive from a specific culture but leans heavily on the Celtic Path. If you are looking for a Pagan Culture you could try Egypt, Rome, the Celts, the Norse... all of these were strictly Pagan cultures before Christianity arrived. There isn't a single "Pagan Culture".

Answer 4

Your best bet will be good old fashioned books since there is so much crap on the web that says that wiccans/pagans worship the devil and have many inaccuracies. If your library doesn't have books on the topic (some don't) you can always go to a place like Barnes & Noble and utilize it like a library. Books that are by Scott Cunningham & Ray Buckland will give you a lot of information in plain English, and don't target those teenagers who have seen The Craft or Charmed one too many times.

Answer 5

Pretty much what everybody does. We come from all walks of life. We raise families, go to work, throw steaks (or vegetables) on the "barbie" and hang out with our friends. We practice our religions and belief systems, celebrate our holidays with festivals and continue to study and explore our past while contemplating our futures.

Many covens and groups meet once a month to worship together under the moon. Pagans tend to hold ceremonies or "circles" out of doors as we feel that being with nature brings us closer to the divinity who creates it.

Some pagan beliefs may seem strange to those who have not heard much about them before. Pagans, on the other hand, are usually very well versed in the beliefs of other religions. They find the various religious systems interesting and often encourage their own children to learn about these other religions. Pagans believe in free will and free choice and that an educated choice is always better than blind obedience to any religion or dogma. We are not "against" other religions. We have simply made our choice to be pagan and we expect others to respect that choice as we respect theirs.

Answer 6

okay look up:

www.merrymeettemple.org

this is our online group. The High Priestess is Michelle. I'm sure she can answer any questions you have. She has been practicing since she was 6. In the High Priestess's Corner is a link where her name is (Lady Damorea). She has a masters in some form of psychology and continually goes to school. So it's not like she is a psycho or anything. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

The best way to find out information on wicca/pagans is to type those words into your search bar and press enter.
I am sure doing it hat way will get you further than to ask any questions here.

Answer 8

With regard to Wiccans; the name is an alternate for witchcraft. This majors on practicing magic which is the attempt to control nature &/or people by the use of spells, ritual, incantations etc. This is usually effected through demonic powers. Condemned by the Bible.

Answer 9

Use http://www.witchvox.com to find a group to interview.

Answer 10

Here's a good source for Wicca:

http://www.carm.org/wicca.htm