Talk to me about Wiccans

reply to post by Enthralled Fan


There is a type of absinthe available in the US called Absente. It's made with a cousin to wormwood called Southern Wormwood, which contains legal levels of trujone. Below is a link to their site.

Absente

Thanks for the replies. Some interesting and varied responses. Perhaps they imbibe absinthe to speak to spirits. I don't really know but I find it interesting.

reply to post by chrmdrx1971


Thanks for the link. I tried to click on it but it said there are restrictions to enter for the location of this country. (The US) Are you sure it is sold in the States? I don't look for liquor very often, but I will be looking to see if this product is availabe. Being that I live in the south, I will also check to see what is up with this southern wormwood.

reply to post by merryxmas


As you can already see from the posts by people who are Wiccan, there really isnt a set "way" things are done. I am not a Wiccan, but I have friends that are, and I have attended many Wiccan gatherings. Even at one "event," such as Beltaine, where many covens may come together to celebrate as a community, there is a HUGE amount of variety in what different sub-groups do.

Yes, there is usually dancing, often with fire as a centerpiece. Sometimes people are NEKKID! (oh the horror!) Although there is no requirement that you be nekkid, I never once was asked to disrobe, and lots of Wiccans also stay clothed. Drug use, both ceremonial and religious and in recreational has been known to occur, though that happens in private and small groups away from the central ceremony here. (Great effort is put into keeping things legal in the main ceremonies as to not stir up trouble with the authorities and create undue sensationalism in the general public.) I NEVER saw drug use at the central ceremony aside from the consumption of alcohol at the fireside. (Mead, wine, beer, ale, etc.)

Wicca is much like Christianity in the sense that people take one core belief system and elaborate upon it in many various ways that sometimes end up not resembling the core belief system much at all. At these events there are sometimes people like me, who are not and do not claim to be Wiccan, but are "friends" of the community, and there are also people who claim to be Wiccan but who clearly are just "playing" at it as a form of rebellion. There are also people who take their religion quite seriously and who practice it much the way a good Christian does, as a way of bringing their life into harmony with the Divine, and expressing their spritual beliefs in community.

Like Christians, there are "good" Wiccans and "bad" Wiccans, and like Christians, some of them do drugs and have casual sex. It isnt part of some prescribed religious tenet that they do so.

I hope that helps.

Edit; One last thing that comes to mind. At the last several events I attended, the worst behaviour at the event was done by some non-Wiccan boys that decided they wanted to sneak in and "crash the party" hoping to see nekkid girls dancing around the fire. This happens at Beltaine a LOT here, and there has been talk of not holding the ceremony simply because the whole "fertility" aspect of the holiday draws too many testosterone laden adolescent males whose native religions, (be they what they may) offer them no other outlet for their natural sexual urge and curiosity.

[edit on 27-1-2008 by Illusionsaregrander]

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander


Seems like as good a religion for those who don't buy into the "Son Of God who IS GOD" myth as any

Originally posted by saint4God
Christianity is pretty dependable, since there is one Book, one God, one Way.

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. I am not Christian, but I know a lot of Christians and have attended quite a few churches in my time. (Sounds an awful lot like my last post, lol) I study religion and philosophy, and so in addition to reading the history of different traditions, (such as Christianity and Wicca) I take every opportunity to actually go and participate in various religious practices to see for myself how things actually go. Books are really quite unreliable, as not all published authors actually make the effort to get out there and see for themselves.

I have noticed a HUGE variety in the way Christians practice, despite the one Book, (of which there are several translations, and if you know your Bible history, many books were excluded at Nicea that were originally considered Holy.) Look at all the different Sects that have formed. Catholics, Presbyterians, Southern Baptists, Protestants, Mormonism is loosely based on Christianity, and there are numerous and sundry more extreme versions such as the snake handling, arsenic drinking ones, Quakers, Shakers, you get the point.

Some believe in the death penalty, some say "Thou shalt not kill" and "judge not" lest you to be judged. Some bomb abortion clinics, some prtest peacefully. Some will not celebrate holidays or allow symbols like the cross to be used, some have crosses the size of King Kong hanging all over the place. In addition, there are tons of "lost" forms of Christianity that have fallen by the wayside either due to persecution by the Christian groups that have survived or some other reason. (In fact there is a taped/CD series called "Lost Christianities" from the Great Courses from the Teaching Company that you might really enjoy if you like Christianity and want to know more about the historical aspects of the Bible and the different sects)

Anyway that is a long way to say, no, Christianity is not "one size fits all."

From my personal studies on Wicca and Paganism, I thought that in regards with practicing magic, entering altered states of consciousness and channeling, the goal was to achieve all of that without the use of drugs or alcohol.

Whenever I have participated in a circle ritual, we only drank maybe a little wine at the end to celebrate the Gos and the Goddess.

To say Wicca is like Christianity is demonstrated ignorance for both Christianity and Wicca.

Regarding the attacks on Christianity, I'm not interested in them (and dare I say most likely neither is the orignal poster) on this thread as they're irrelevant. In other words, I'm not going there but would be glad to address them on a more topically related thread.

[edit on 31-1-2008 by saint4God]

reply to post by saint4God


I don't really see anyone attacking Christianity.

For my own part, I think it's a bit silly for people to believe that Jesus actually was/IS God. Or that he was the "Son Of God". (We are ALL Sons and Daughters of God!)

But that's not to say that there wasn't a real Prophet that existed around that time, named Jesus/Yeshua/Essa or whatever.

Originally posted by MrdDstrbr
I don't really see anyone attacking Christianity.

For my own part, I think it's a bit silly for people to believe that Jesus actually was/IS God.

I can see why you don't see anyone attacking Christianity. If I told you "your beliefs are silly", would you not see that as a demeaning remark? (no need to answer, just trying to help you see what I see)

Back to the topic please.



[edit on 31-1-2008 by saint4God]

reply to post by saint4God


You are right, this thread is about Wicca not Christianity, I should not have said that the Jesus as God belief is silly. Sorry for that saint4God.

Originally posted by snowflake_obsidian
From my personal studies on Wicca and Paganism, I thought that in regards with practicing magic, entering altered states of consciousness and channeling, the goal was to achieve all of that without the use of drugs or alcohol.

Whenever I have participated in a circle ritual, we only drank maybe a little wine at the end to celebrate the Gos and the Goddess.

Actually, no, that is not the case. Some Wiccans may hold being able to alter one's consciousness without drugs, entheogens, etc., but that is a personal decision. Most don't and they use entheogens shamanically, to explore one's consciousness.
We do share "cakes and ale" (mead, wine, etc. with cookies or cakes that are shared, that's our form of communion.) That is the only time alcohol should come into play during a ritual.
We have no set dogma, we don't even do our rituals the same, though generally the guidelines are pretty much the same.
I have never known anyone to drink absinthe shamanically or for any ritual purposes; it is strictly for recreational use.

As an above poster stated, there is a great deal in difference of opinion among Wiccans. Some believe in a Goddess and God, some believe in a pantheon, some believe in a sort of universal energy that everything is emanations of.If you are really interested, and willing to purchase a few books I think that Christopher Penczak is one of if not the best current wiccan author.He goes to considerable lengths in tracing the historical roots of thoughts,philosophies,world religions,alchemical texts,how quantum physics plays into magickal though,etc and has a practical and hands on system that is a great guide.Even if you don't believe or practice, he is a good place to go for a foundation on core beliefs of wicca.

Typing his name in amazon etc will bring up a list of his books.Unlike a great deal of authors on magick,wicca,etc he does a really good job at simplifying and explaining concepts that are esoteric in nature.Also he promotes equal reverence and respect for people of other religious beliefs and traditions than one's own which is important as well.

The Inner Temple of Witchcraft is a good place to start for an overview.The other books get more advanced and esoteric as they progress (logically).

[edit on 4-2-2008 by masonica_esoterica]

Originally posted by MrdDstrbr
You are right, this thread is about Wicca not Christianity, I should not have said that the Jesus as God belief is silly. Sorry for that saint4God.

No worries, and thank you for the mature response. It's very respectable to be willing to change paradigms.

Regarding other differences in Wicca, it seems to me the UK friends who were of the belief were more involved in history and tradition. The US friends I have tend to be more concerned about the principles and philosophies. Not saying that's the case carte-blanc, just an observation.

Witchcraft isn't practiced by the majority of my Wiccan friends and most of them advise against it. The few friends who do practice don't talk about it much and were respectful, involving only those who were not interested in participating. I've had one spell cast upon me that I knew of after the fact, possible others that I don't know of. Usually the follow-up question is "did it work"? Without going into details, I'll just say I was protected.

Originally posted by saint4God


Witchcraft isn't practiced by the majority of my Wiccan friends and most of them advise against it. The few friends who do practice don't talk about it much and were respectful, involving only those who were not interested in participating. I've had one spell cast upon me that I knew of after the fact, possible others that I don't know of. Usually the follow-up question is "did it work"? Without going into details, I'll just say I was protected.

I don't understand "witchcraft is not practiced by the majority of my wiccan friends", what do you consider witchcraft?If you are wiccan you are a witch.Wicca IS witchcraft.What do you consider witchcraft?For example if one claims that they can apply energy and concentration to something and garner some type of result,that would technically fall under witchcraft, as a spell.I think that what is considered magick today, will be understood down the road through quantum physics.

The catch 22 with wicca is that there is no really clearly defined set of rules or belief systems.I dont consider someone who is say, doing meditation,energy manipulation,aura work,healing,etc in anywhere near the same league as someone who is actively attempting to summon or invoke spirits.I know from a fundamentalist viewpoint anything that does not strictly adhere to (fill in your religions holy book here) is viewed as evil, but energy manipulation and allowing a spirit control over your body are two totally different things, the later being unwise in my opinion.

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
I don't understand "witchcraft is not practiced by the majority of my wiccan friends", what do you consider witchcraft?

I doubt I'm best qualified to answer, but I would consider witchcraft to be any ceremony or ritual that involves the invokation or evokation of magik (majic/majik/using the 'hard k' in the words as I was taught).

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
If you are wiccan you are a witch.

Yes, but being in a grocery store doesn't make you a cashier.

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
Wicca IS witchcraft.

My friends would argue against that point.

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
What do you consider witchcraft?

See above.

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
For example if one claims that they can apply energy and concentration to something and garner some type of result,that would technically fall under witchcraft, as a spell.

I agree with this.

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
I think that what is considered magick today, will be understood down the road through quantum physics.

Well, that's one way to make Wiccans seem like physicists. If that's the case, all Christians are biologists since they have a record of how all living beings were made. Personally I don't accept that notion because I spent way too much money in college to become a certified biologist.

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
The catch 22 with wicca is that there is no really clearly defined set of rules or belief systems.

Agreed but isn't the only system of belief like this. Taoism for example, also does not have a single 'guide book' to follow.

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
I dont consider someone who is say, doing meditation,energy manipulation,aura work,healing,etc in anywhere near the same league as someone who is actively attempting to summon or invoke spirits.

Why not?

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
I know from a fundamentalist viewpoint anything that does not strictly adhere to (fill in your religions holy book here) is viewed as evil, but energy manipulation and allowing a spirit control over your body are two totally different things, the later being unwise in my opinion.

I don't know any Wiccans who have invited a spirit to take over their body. Anyone know if this happens?

Yes, Wicca is witchcraft. If you are a practicing Wiccan, you are a Witch. To say otherwise is kind of like saying one is a Christian, but doesn't believe in Jesus. Can you see the comparison?

Originally posted by forestlady
Yes, Wicca is witchcraft. If you are a practicing Wiccan, you are a Witch. To say otherwise is kind of like saying one is a Christian, but doesn't believe in Jesus. Can you see the comparison?

I'm confident you'd know more about it than I do. The friends I have who are Wiccan that say otherwise describe witchcraft as the practice of magik, of which some partake of while others do not. Perhaps they are the ones who are confused? The dictionary seems to side with them though:

Main Entry: witch·craft
1 a: the use of sorcery or magic

www.merriam-webster.com...

Main Entry: Wic·ca
a religion influenced by pre-Christian beliefs and practices of western Europe that affirms the existence of supernatural power (as magic) and of both male and female deities who inhere in nature and that emphasizes ritual observance of seasonal and life cycles

www.merriam-webster.com...


[edit on 8-2-2008 by saint4God]

I never claimed that wiccans are physicists that is twisting my words around.Don't play oratory logical fallacy games with me please Saint, save that for posters that know little of rhetoric.

The fact is that everything has an energy field, and everything is in motion...Do you think that the desk that your computer may be sitting on is solid?I merely stated that one can draw parallels, if one is so inclined between quantum physics and belief structures that are energy based/mystical.

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
I never claimed that wiccans are physicists that is twisting my words around.

What was said was:

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
What do you consider witchcraft?For example if one claims that they can apply energy and concentration to something and garner some type of result,that would technically fall under witchcraft, as a spell.I think that what is considered magick today, will be understood down the road through quantum physics.

Let the reader draw their own conclusions then.

Originally posted by masonica_esoterica
Don't play oratory logical fallacy games with me please Saint, save that for posters that know little of rhetoric.

This is not a game.