Wicca....

"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." Margot Adler
"If you take 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." Herbalist Carol McGrath as told to her by a Native-American woman.
"I don't think witchcraft is a religion. 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 having been given the same religious rights as others in the military.



Overview:
Depending upon how you look at Wicca, it is either one of the newest or one of the oldest religions in the world: Wicca is a recently created, Neopagan religion. The various branches of Wicca can be traced back to Gardnerian Witchcraft which was founded in the UK during the late 1940s.
Wicca is based on the symbols, seasonal days of celebration, beliefs and deities of ancient Celtic society. Added to this material were Masonic and ceremonial magickal components from recent centuries. In this respect, it is a religion whose roots go back almost three millennia to the formation of Celtic society circa 800 BCE.

A follower of Wicca is called a Wiccan. Wicca and other Neopagan religions are currently experiencing a rapid growth in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. This is seen particularly among teenagers, who are rejecting what they feel is the autocracy, paternalism, sexism, homophobia, and insensitivity to the environment that forms part of some more traditional religions. Many North Americans of European descent, who are keen to discover their ancestral heritage, are also being attracted to this religion.

Wiccans generally consider themselves to be Witches, Neopagans, and Pagans. However, not all Witches, Neopagans and Pagans are Wiccans. The terms Witch, Neopagan and Pagan can also refer to followers of many other faith traditions.

Because of religious propaganda dating from the late Middle Ages, Wicca has often been incorrectly associated with Satanism. Wiccan beliefs and practices are no closer to Satanism than they are like Buddhism, Hinduism, or Islam. "It seems to be necessary to preface every discussion of Witchcraft with an explanation that, no, Neo-Pagan Witches aren't Satanists. The Christian anti-God, Satan, has no place in Pagan pantheons, either mythologically or theologically."

Faq

wicca is verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy old religon and it is not evil. they are nature people.
they mad kool

Sounds interesting Toltec. My best friend is really into that stuff.

Much of what Wiccans accept are as well acknowledged by American Indians. Interesting thing is they never complain as a result of this comparison.

Fact of the matter is you can look at most ancient religions and see substantive parallels. And while modern systems of belief and those who accept them
often emphasize the differences. In most of what we have seen presented here, those differences often seem more cosmetic than issues to fight over.

Originally posted by Toltec
"I don't think witchcraft is a religion. I would hope the military officials would take a second look at the decision they made." G.W. Bush

for once, i agree with bush.
this country was founded by men who believed in God... not satan.
and the whole concept of witchcraft and black magic derives from satan.
... well that's my opinion. no offense of course.

No offense taken but the fact of the matter is Wiccans did not kill millions of people as well as foster the excuses which brought about the Spanish Inquisition
as well as the Crusades. Both of which were designed to kill Wiccans because it was based in Satanism which by the way is absurd.

This country was primarily founded by Deist you will find that this is correct if you go beyond your programing.

Wicca is an Earth based relegion which adheres to the Mother Earth and Gia form of thinking.

No offense of course

The truth is that more people have been killed in this planet in the name of all the major religions than for any other reason. I've never heard of Wiccans killing people just because they don't believe in what they believe.

No but the Wiccans are not without blood either.

They wish their roots to be with ancient European Tribalism which was an extremely brutal society that made the Romans look like hockey players (with all their saftey concerns and such )

Sure these "pagans" may not have killed in the name of their Gods, but they asked their Gods, in fact there were many gods that were to embody strength and courage in battle, and to give them the ability to better slay their enemies.

Killing is killing whether it is because of bigotry or not.

I think we should stop condoning non-abramic religions because they didn't kill in the name of god, just as we should stop shaming the abramic religions because they did.

If you look at the paterns of the "religious wars" they are mostly powered not by "god" but by greed, or resources.

I've not really looked up on the Inquisitions, but I bet that even those have to do with economic troubles before the religion became an issue.

All of humanity has blood on its hands.

Like-wise though, Paganism is about as far from Satanism as you can get....Satan is all the wrongs with man, and one of those wrongs is falsehood.

And while paganism doesn't accurately explain the ways of the universe (necissarily) it is in fact the first attempts at science, which monotheism destroyed.

Hence why the Greeks were so more far advanced in science then even the 19th century British, the Greeks even had a complete understanding and even used the Gear, which wasn't thought a mainstay of use until the industrial revolution (It indeed made that revolution possible).

I think that is a result of paganism, a man living in a world that accepts the fact that the world is bigger than him, sees his gods in nature, and I think it is the nature of man to find god, and science is the logical answer.

For what is god//gods//taoism...that oneness of existance that it all boils down to, but the why things work the way they do?

Sincerely,
no signature

Good point FM. Good point.

Agreed

Hey, a true witch didn't kill. "Do what one wilt, as long as yee harm none." The pagans you speak of were mainly celtic and tribal, not witchcraft.

Druids and witches were close freinds. Witches gave Druids goddess and Hurn, Druids gave Witches herbal medicines and most of their nature ways. One of the few differences was Druids did take life. But not in the way depicted by others. It was twice a year, three if a drought or such occured. It wasn't virgins, it wasn't forced. If chosen, they usually did go through with it, for it was an honor. But if you decided not to, they would choose someone else.

The whole satanism came from christians trying to get followers. First, unlike the description from the bible of a fallen angel, they made satan into the image of Hurn. Second, they took one symbol, a main one and said it was evil. Then they took all holidays from the Witches and made them into theirs. Then with enough followers, they went out and killed them. Catholic church killed last open Druid by beheading him. They held a festival, celebrated, so forth.

Todays Wicca is lucky to be around. It was only after a law that made it illegal to practice Witchcraft was taken back that it grew in America.

Echolon, Witchcraft has nothing to do with satan. They don't believe in him, don't believe in evil itself. No black magic either, they believe in healing magic. Through herbs, thought, and other forms of healing. Back in the 1400's, using herbs to heal a cold was enough to get you killed for being a Witch according to the church. They probably were Witches, but still. Also, first shrink? First doctor? First midwife? Witches.

George Bush, you following what he says? I can't believe he was even able to pronounce officials right. George is a moron. He can't speak english well, he can't read well, he makes the US look like a fool, and he corrupt. If his buddies in oil companies don't like it, he doesn't. They like it, he does. Cowinkadink? I think not.(That was stupid but sarcastic way to say coincidence)

Some of my beliefs and practices include some Wiccan beliefs (i dont have a specific religion, i basically have my own system of beliefs some of which come from major religions, some of which are my own) so i guess i'm the closest thing to a Wiccan viewpoint that has been posted here yet (i know we have a true Wiccan here but he has not posted) Wicca has nothing to do with evil, or satan, Wicca is about love and peace, alot of 'Wiccans' you see walkin around today are not true Wiccans and give them a bad name (you know who i'm talkin bout 'Christians are all evil and i hate them' or those like my girlfriend's ex who tried to curse me) True Wiccans do not hate, do not use black magic. I dont see how anybody who knows about true Wicca could think they were evil

Speaking as the residant Wiccan:


Thanks, Toltec, for the very balanced review.

To restate, we Wiccans aren't Satanists. We don't believe in Satan. Worshipping Satan (in our views) is as pointless as worshipping the Easter Bunny.)

And I'm sure Bush wouldn't agree with others practicing their religions -- he might not want any Islamic clerics in the military and he might not want any Druids or any Jains (a Hindu religion) or Buddhists or others. But if we have the right to fight and die for our country, shouldn't we also have the right to be ministered to by people of our own faith when we are ill or dying?

(for those of you who say "no" imagine just for a moment the reverse situation: that you are sick or going through a horrible time and you can NOT turn to a Christian counselor or minister... you can ONLY be ministered to by a Sufi Muslim.)

Byrd, of course they wouldn't worship the Easter Bunny, they have the Ostara Hare for that.(They don't worship it, and that is where christians got the easter holiday(ostara) and the easter bunny(ostara hare))

Its exactly the same in the TAMC! The people who are in charge let us worship who we want but they look unfavourably on people who have diffrent views on what they believe? Makes no sense to me if were meant to be a un- predjudice society who welcomes eveyone into the country!

I've been in the AMC for two years now and even though i am a student nurse, my knowledge of certain plants and herbs could realy come in handy if we go to war, and no medical post was around!

I might be blabbering here, but i'm just of duty from a night and day shift and am really tired!

Heck, even I know some herbal medicines. Foxglove for heart problems, but just a little, it very powerful. Rosehips for scurvy, Golden thread for stomachaches, so forth. I read about these in a book, fictional. Wondered if it true, it was.

Aloe vera is very good for your skin, but I prefer just concentrated vitamine E...a little dab of that on a cut or gouge what have you, and it heals damn fast and with little scarring. And Vitamine E (which is the active ingredient of Aloe) is great for reducing current scars and or colorations of the skin and such...it's actually a great balm but I am not sure of how long its potency lasts seems to be the best when its only a few weeks or months old...

Sincerely,
no signature

[Edited on 14-1-2003 by FreeMason]

Flax is good for severe skin conditions and boils, even inside the mouth. A wash of Arnica or some Gentian roots help ith internal injuries, Spikenard to if used as a balm. Anyways, Mint and Chamoil(sp?) are also good for upset stomachs. And for you pregnant women, fresh Rasberry leaf steeped to make a tea can help morning sickness. That's all for now folks.

Originally posted by FreeMason
Aloe vera is very good for your skin, but I prefer just concentrated vitamine E...a little dab of that on a cut or gouge what have you, and it heals damn fast and with little scarring. And Vitamine E (which is the active ingredient of Aloe) is great for reducing current scars and or colorations of the skin and such...it's actually a great balm but I am not sure of how long its potency lasts

seems to be the best when its only a few weeks or months old...

Sincerely,
no signature

[Edited on 14-1-2003 by FreeMason]

A few weeks or months old??? Damn. I can just pluck one from in the yard here...

Check this out...
www.arubaaloe.com...