Wicca Religion
I
my self started looking in to wicca when i was 12 years old, here is
some things I would like people to know about wicca! if anyone has
anything to add please feel free to do so.
We are not evil. We
don't harm or seduce people. We are not dangerous. We are ordinary
people like you. We have families, jobs, hopes, and dreams. We are not
a cult. This religion is not a joke. We are not what you think we are
from looking at T.V. We are real. We laugh, we cry. We are serious. We
have a sense of humor. You don't have to be afraid of us. We don't want
to convert you. And please don't try to convert us. Just give us the
same right we give you--to live in peace. We are much more similar to
you than you think.
If you take [a copy of] the Christian Bible
and put it out in the wind and the rain, soon the paper on which the
words are printed will disintegrate and the words will be gone. Our
bible IS the wind and the rain.
I would hope the military
officials would take a second look at the decision they made." G.W.
Bush (R), as Governor of Texas. Interviewed on ABC's Good Morning
America, 1999-JUN-24. He disapproved of Wiccan soldiers being given the
same religious rights as others in the military.
We should
educate people that 'Witch' is not evil but ancient and positive. The
first time I called myself a 'Witch' was the most magical moment of my
life
When one defines oneself as Pagan/Wicca, it means she or he
follows an earth or nature religion, one that sees the divine manifest
in all creation. The cycles of nature are our holy days, the earth is
our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers. We
worship a deity that is both male and female, a mother Goddess and
father God, who together created all that is, was, or will be. We
respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the
sacredness of all creation.
I will leave it with that for now, feel free to express your oppinion on this matter.
If
you are new to any type of Paganism or are interested in learning about
the various terms used in Pagan spirituality then this is a list that
you will find helpful. The word Pagan itself comes from the Latin word
paganus and although the definition is unclear, it’s said to possibly
mean rustic or country dweller. There is often a lot of
misunderstanding concerning various Pagan terms and, sadly, falsehoods
can be spread by those who aren’t familiar with Pagan spirituality. By
learning the proper meanings, hopefully there will be less confusion
and more understanding.
Amulet- An _object_ that is worn or carried that provides protective energy, such as a crystal, gemstone or medal.
Book
of Shadows- A personal book of reference for Wiccans and Witches that
contains a variety of information including spells, rituals, formulas
and correspondences.
Coven- A group of witches that gather
together on a fairly regular basis, often celebrating Esbats and
Sabbats together as well as other rituals. Covens can have female and
male members and can be either open and casual or strictly structured.
Esbat- A monthly celebration of the full moon.
Magick-
The use of energy and a person’s own will and intent to cause change.
It has a “k” added to the end to establish it as spiritually unique and
to distinguish it as separate from magic tricks.
Occult- That
which is hidden behind appearances and part of what is mystical. Often
used to refer to the use of nature to develop psychic skills and the
use of ancient philosophies to find greater enlightenment and further
one’s spiritual growth.
Paganism- This is a broad, general term for nature-centered, polytheistic religions.
Pentacle/Pentagram-
While these terms are often used interchangeably, there is a
difference. A Pentacle is a five pointed star in a circle, while a
Pentagram is a five pointed star alone. Although sometimes thought to
be a Satanic symbol, this is simply not true. The point of the Pentacle
and Pentagram is always oriented upward, while the symbol often related
to Satanism is an upside-down star.
Polytheism- A worship or belief in multiple gods or deities. The word is Greek in origin and literally means “many gods”.
Sabbat-
One of the eight seasonal festivals that are equally spaced throughout
the year and celebrated by covens and individual Witches.
Spell-
A ritual that is used for a particular purpose. Spells can be used for
attracting love, healing, breaking bad habits and many other reasons.
Talisman-
An _object_ consecrated with energy in order for it to serve a specific
purpose or intent. The _object_ helps to bring positive changes to the
person it belongs to or to their environment.
Wiccan- Someone
who follows the religion of Wicca. Wicca is a nature-_base_d religion
_base_d on pre-Christian beliefs that honors the earth as sacred and
sees deity as both male and female, God and Goddess. Wicca was founded
by Gerald Gardner in the 1950’s.
Witch- A witch is a female or
male who practices witchcraft regardless of what their religious belief
may be. Despite what some may say, male witches are not called warlocks.
Witchcraft-
The art of performing rituals, casting spells and doing other magickal
work. Often part of various Pagan beliefs, it is not a particular
belief or religion in itself. Witchcraft does not involve the summoning
of demons or worshiping Satan.
While much more can be added to such a list of terms, this will help you on your way to a better understanding.
Wicca
is a tradition of Witchcraft that was brought to the public by Gerald
Gardner in the 1950s. There is a great deal of debate among the Pagan
community about whether or not Wicca is truly the same form of
Witchcraft that the ancients practiced. Regardless, many people use the
terms Wicca and Witchcraft interchangeably. Paganism is an umbrella
term used to apply to a number of different earth-_base_d faiths. Wicca
falls under that heading, although not all Pagans are Wiccan.
For
many people, the embracing of an earth-_base_d spirituality is a
feeling of “coming home”. Often, people say that when they first
discovered Wicca, they felt like they finally fit in. For others, it’s
a journey TO something new, rather than running away from something
else.
Paganism is an Umbrella Term
Please bear in mind that
there are dozens of different traditions that fall under the umbrella
_title_ of “Paganism”. While one group may have a certain practice, not
everyone will follow the same criteria. Statements made on this site
referring to Wiccans and Pagans generally refer to MOST Wiccans and
Pagans, with the acknowledgement that not all practices are identical.
Not All Pagans are Wiccans
There are many Witches who are not Wiccans. Some are Pagans, but some consider themselves something else entirely.
Just
to make sure everyone’s on the same page, let’s clear up one thing
right off the bat: not all Pagans are Wiccans. The term “pagan”
(derived from the Latin paganus, which translates roughly to “hick from
the sticks”) was originally used to describe people who lived in rural
areas. As time progressed and Christianity spread, those same country
folk were often the last holdouts clinging to their old religions.
Thus, “pagan” came to mean people who didn’t worship the god of Abraham.
In
the 1950s, Gerald Gardner brought Wicca to the public, and many
contemporary Pagans embraced the practice. Although Wicca itself was
founded by Gardner, he _base_d it upon old traditions.
However,
a lot of Witches and Pagans were perfectly happy to continue practicing
their own spiritual path without converting to Wicca.
Therefore, “Pagan” is an umbrella term that includes many different spiritual belief systems – Wicca is just one of many.
What About Magic?
There
are a number of people who consider themselves Witches, but who are not
necessarily Wiccan or even Pagan. Typically, these are people who use
the term "eclectic Witch" to apply to themselves. In many cases,
Witchcraft is seen as a skill set in addition to or instead of a
religious. A Witch may practice magic in a manner completely separate
from their spirituality; in other words, one does not have to interact
with the Divine to be a Witch
To sum up the Question of What is the difference between a Pagan and a Wiccan?
The
difference between Pagan and Wiccan is actually quite easy to define. A
Pagan is someone, anyone, who does not follow one of the 3 mainstream
religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
Paganism is an umbrella term that covers MANY MANY MANY things. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Wicca
- Buddhism
- Shamanism
- Voodoo/Voodoo
- Satanism
- Thelmic
I hope this helps out!