Do Christianity (in any form) and Wicca share anything in common?

Question

Hello, all:

With the goal of emphasizing our similarities rather than our differences, if possible... do Christianity (in any form) and Wicca share anything in common?

Thanks to all who take the time to respond.

Answer 1

Yes, I think we do. At the risk of losing my "fundie" status, I will share those that are obvious to me.......

Neither of us wish to cause harm.
Each of respect the forces of nature and wish to be good stewards of the gifts it gives us.
Many of us share a value in "simplicity" and "basics".
Each of us wish to practice and promote humanity.

On a more personal level, I think each of us realize there is more to our neighbor than meets the eye, and the person underneath is worth searching for.........

Answer 2

There are a few superficial similarities -- most Christian holidays started out as Pagan holidays, in an effort to "Christianize" them. And about half of the eight Wiccan Sabbats were based on Christian holidays in an effort to "re-Paganize" them. So you still have Halloween, you still have trees around Christmas/Yule time, you still color eggs (though this is done on a different day).

The Christian world-view and the Wiccan world-view are very different, though I think the Wiccan world-view is closer to Christianity than some other Neopagan religions. Wicca replaced "dualism" with "polarity," though some Wiccans still think dualistically. Wicca has no concept of Salvation, because Wicca has no concept of Damnation, and there is little or no interest in eschatology in Wicca (though this is changing, with the popularity of that Mayan 2012 thingy).

I do think that as Wicca evolves, and becomes more popular, it will become more like Christianity in many ways. In some ways, this is a good thing. There is already a good common thread -- Harm None = Love thy neighbor. Wicca and Christianity both are very moral religions. Both are concerned with helping people and being loving. Look for Wiccan charities in the not too distant future.

Answer 3

Christianity stole many things from the pagan era when they took over and tried to convert everyone into Christians, Some things like the Irish Goddess Brigid. The Irish loved her so much that they would not let her be lost. So she was demoted to St Brigid. How about the Chalices that the Holy wine representing the blood of Christ and the other holding bread the body of Christ. Wiccans and Pagans use these as you would know for Water and Salt or for Salute' to the old ones.
Wiccans and pagan's burn charcoal with Frankincense,Myrrh and to banish negative energy and smudge the house or area.
Catholics use the same mixture at funerals why? Because they stole it. there are many things that they use in common just with a twist, I could go on for pages. Personally it frustrates me. I was brought up Catholic and never felt that was real for me. After being baptised as a baby without my permission of course being made to attend church singing in the choir etc etc Found my own path and I am happier on that one.

Blessed Be

Answer 4

Good question! Star for you :D

It can be kind of hard to attempt to reconcile them, namely because certain individuals (see above :P) refuse to consider any resemblance or similarity. But as in the above example... both salt water and water, though different, are nonetheless types of water.

I'd say liberal Christianity and Wicca are actually very similar. Yeah, the Christians say that Jesus/Father/Holy Spirit are God, and Wiccans think the God/Goddess combo is/are God, but aside from that, there's a lot of connection.

For instance, Reiki, is a form of energy work. The whole basis of Wiccan Magick is energy work... it's just called different things, and I think that's the most "basic" term. Anyways, a lot of Christians... the liberal ones, anyway... learn Reiki and practice it. For that type, they actually share with Wicca, and other pagans, a major practice.

They are both taught to love and respect life, both taught that the world is more than it appears, both taught that there is life after death, and that it could be good or evil, depending on the person's life.

That's all I can think of ^-^

Answer 5

I noticed one big simularity wail studing one of the Christian sects that my dad just became involved in.

Wicca has Goddess Mormonism has Heavenly Mother.

On a side note because I know what I just said well cause contraversy: I believe Mormons are Christians because the basic "requierment" to be Christian is a beleif in Jesus Christ and that he died on the cross to deliver us from sin and Mormons believe this among many other beliefs that main stream Christianity holds I have read their book and that even has simularities to the Bible which they also use along with The Book of Mormon.

Answer 6

1. Belief in Deity/the Divine
2. Belief in an external source of help/aid
3. Belief in a promised afterlife/the immortality of the "soul."
4. Belief in the power of prayer/magic (magic as "directed will" or "conscious intent" is indistinguishable from praying)
5. Belief in good and evil, and in some kind of cosmic retribution beyond simple cause and effect for the latter.
6. Focus on community, fellowship, group
7. Experiencing altered/ecstatic states as a goal of religious ritual
8. Core worldview.
9. Religious hierarchical structure with an inner group of leaders or initiates.

Answer 7

I would say YES!
Quite a lot really - although both sides would tend to identify their similarities as being beliefs / methods / practices peculiar to themselves, not each using a different technique to access the same 'power' to produce, effectively, similar results.
This is a long topic to cover briefly - I highly recommend you try reading "The Illusionist" by Anita Mason. This is a slightly difficult book to read - but really puts the two camps into perspective very well.

Answer 8

Don't you just love how people say "Christianity is right and Wicca contradicts it, and they are completely different". Yeesh.

Well a three-part deity, I guess. Maid-mother-crone and father, son, holy ghost... Spells and prayer can be similar too. We also have the whole ritualistic wine (like with communion). Then there's that divine birth of the god at the solstice, and all the other similar holidays.

Answer 9

Yes!

Our college campus group had some interfaith talks between Christians and Pagans. We discovered that both groups experience Divinity in nature, for example.

I've also noticed that certain forms of Christianity and certain Pagan groups engage in ecstatic religious practices that have a very similar "feel" and manifestation, despite the vastly different underlying beliefs.

Answer 10

Yes,the majority of the so called christian holidays are celebrated in sync with the earth religions.As any bible reader knows in Genisis (note the is-is coincides with I am that I am) the Lord God almighty says I am the earth of the earth etc,he is what he has created for his people to enjoy in,Wiccans love dearly their Mother Earth and which it to be once again an Eden as do the many so called christians and in Africa there is a father earth(he is held deep in the loins of heavanly female his seed is raised from him into the womb of life(so to speak) and it is fact that the male seed gives life,these are a couple reason for the androgyny of all spiritual practice,the true essence is neither male nor female an uneeded nessecity of our existance.
Both make extensive use of sooth seeing,divinitory methods wether dream inrpretation,tarotntea leaves,astrology, some call these people prophets,clairvoyants.
Both use the stars i.e. the christ birth was guided by the stars amongst other happenings.
Both believe in spirits helping man,angels etc,heavanly messengers, although many Wiccan practitioers dont aknowledge outwardly the use of spirit beings and many felt the main help to man was indeed the spirits of passed loved ones or their confederates who have either remained in an earth element (or object(s) ) or were yet transcending heavanward through various acts of good will for the earthbound.
Many spo called christian believe in some type of battle in heavan and many of the Wiccan sects hold a similar wiith tales of Immortals or Gods battling for whatever purpose or mischief.
Both feel various practices please and or delight entities for favor and all believe in titheing of one nature or other.
And all hold or should place the almighty supreme first and foremost in whatever takes place or is about to take place.
And as Paul stted to the Ephenums if the lord god is petitioned in whatever you commit to you shall conquer,a reason for holy wars where as wiccan doesnt exactly and the Satanists revells with revenge,(Lucifer is said to be a favored angel).
So spirit is spirit for he is what was before what is an am and what will be.
Ashes to ashes,dust to dust, if it wasnt for the asshole the belly would bust.

Answer 11

Belief-wise? Not that I know of except they both have a supreme deity, although Wicca has two and a female one at that. Practice-wise, yes. The holidays are similar in tradition and they both preach of being kind. They also both have a karma-type rule (Christians - sin = hell and Wiccans - bad things = karma bites!). I'll have to see what others say, though. Good idea for a question!

BB )O(