Wiccans on Gaia

How do you feel about Wiccans and Witches?

I am a Wiccan/Witch	33.5%	[ 1905 ]
I respect their beliefs	37.9%	[ 2158 ]
I'm not sure about them	5.2%	[ 295 ]
I don't know much about them	14.4%	[ 817 ]
I do not respect their beliefs	3.5%	[ 201 ]
I am strongly against them	5.6%	[ 316 ]
Total Votes:			[ 5692 ]

[Violexant]

Alright, thanks! Well, I'm not going to make any quick decisions, but I'm seriously going to look into it.

[elizabeth jude]

I'm currently on a non-specific path of Paganism, so I love learning from different paths.

[uninsured_speech]

Vertigo_Kiwi - Excellent point. It would make things a lot clearer if Wiccans used their tradition when identifying themselves. Because there is a large difference between a Alexandrian Wiccan and a Dianic Wiccan. Eclectic or Solitary has become a sort of catch all that is a bit loose. I too am always reading and researching... I think that doing that is one of the things that separates out the fad believers... but I try not to be too hard on people like that, because some of them just drop away, and others truly find something in Wicca and come to it with a sincere heart eventually.

Tanith Aven - That is one of the problems with the internet. On one hand it has been great for Wicca and spreading information. But on the other hand, because anyone can put anything they want up there, it contains some really bad information. It is up to the individual to sort through it and sift the bad from the good... not always easy.

oOGarrettOo - I totally understand where you are coming from. Identifying as a Wiccan can be misleading, as evidenced by all the people here with differing beliefs and definitions. Also, I find that Silver Ravenwolf's generation of Teen Witches creates a negative association with the word and people do not take it seriously. Though really, it comes down to the fact that Wicca is a private religion and I don't feel the need to go screaming it about.

As to your questions...

1. I find that most Wiccans are concerned with healing to one degree or another.

2. Most people that call themselves Psycic or a Medium do not align with Wicca or Witchcraft in my experience. Personally, I think that is because of the stigma... they find it hard enough to get people to take their skills seriously. Then again, some are devout Christians. Another factor seems to be that most Wiccan's or Witches take a certain amount of psychic ability or sensitivity as a part of the course and do not feel the need to label it.

3. In my opinion, part of being Wiccan is being attuned to the world around us... whether urban or country.

Vampire Princess Akasha - I think that depends on what he means. Wicca is a religion, as recognized by the government (for what that is worth). If he means that is a mistake because it is not a legitimate belief, I would have to argue. If he means that is a mistake because it is bad for Wicca to be seen as an organized religion, I might tend to agree with him.

Sefion17 - Some Wiccans are against the idea of a Christian Witch or a Christian Wiccan... say that three times fast. Personally, I think it is because a lot of Wiccans out there have some pent up hatred and resentment towards the Christian establishment. I personally know several Christian Wiccans. There are slight differences... but the two are compatible.

[Violexant]

Even if one does not believe in the miracles and other things in the Bible, most of it is historicly accurate. I think I can see where Jesus and Mary could both be some form of Incarnation of the All Being. But, being a christian, Jesus did say that there would be an afterlife. Do Wiccans believe in an afterlife or reincarnation?

[Natures Love Child]

Proudly Wiccan! It also runs in my family (mothers side only)

[GaijinGuy36]

TerrahFae

I have heard that in order to be a true Wiccan, that one has to be initiated, so I guess I'm classified as Neo-Wiccan, because I am a solitary and have not been initiated. I've been studying on and off for 7 years now.

If you simply aren't in the right place to be a part of a coven or other group, you can self-dedicate as a Solitary. After all, I am one myself, and I don't need a High Priest or High Priestess to approve. That's the beauty of pagan religion, it's between you and the Gawds.

[Vertigo_Kiwi]

Anyone's thoughts on this Wiccan thread from the Morality and Religion section:

Wicca FAQ

[Mule9450]

I was wondering if I could get some more, detailed, information then what I've been able to find recently about Wicca, since one of my good friends is Wiccan. I'd ask her, but she's been a tad bit, busy, to put it lightly. The only thing I've been able to figure out specifically, excluding the stuff in this thread, is about the God/Goddess, and only to the extent that a lot of Wiccans believe they exist. Could anyone give me some more details, or maybe some links to reliable sites regarding the religion?

[coldresides]

Mule9450

I was wondering if I could get some more, detailed, information then what I've been able to find recently about Wicca, since one of my good friends is Wiccan. I'd ask her, but she's been a tad bit, busy, to put it lightly. The only thing I've been able to figure out specifically, excluding the stuff in this thread, is about the God/Goddess, and only to the extent that a lot of Wiccans believe they exist. Could anyone give me some more details, or maybe some links to reliable sites regarding the religion?

if your library carries books on it I would recommend reading those, particularly anything by Scott Cuningham (but there are many good authors out there)

Also check out these sites:
A pagan forum
Lots of info
Goddess based but helpful

[Mule9450]

Thanks, though I won't be able to get to my library until Thursday, which is a half day(YES!) Is there anything you could let me know, while I'm here? I have read most of the posts in this thread, though I have skipped maybe, 2, 3 pages since they wouldn't load up with my dial up.

[Wolfbrother Kar]

I follow my own heart I don't belong to any faith really. I do however do magik and study the culture. I'm more open minded then anything.

[MarshmalIow]

The Kitsune Angel...



Err, I dunno



...was here

[Myythren]

Vertigo_Kiwi

Anyone's thoughts on this Wiccan thread from the Morality and Religion section:

Wicca FAQ

Honestly, I was wondering the same thing after reading a page or so of this thread.

Personally, I love it very much. Knocked the fluff right out of me. Not that that in itself was fun, but its been for the best overall.

No a stage most of the people's posts I've been reading have hit yet though.

[uninsured_speech]

Sefion17 - For the most part, Wiccans believe in reincarnation along the life path until you have learned the lessons and progressed as a soul. What happens after that is often debated. Some believe in the Summerlands... a heavenesq place where evolved souls remain. Others believe that evolved souls dissolve into something greater for new souls to be formed... based on the theory that matter can neither be created nor destroyed.


Vertigo-Kiwi - Interesting interpretations. I will grant that most of the information there is correct so far as the quoted and printed information. However, the personal interpretations of it are no better than anyone else's. The individual claims to be an authority with no real backing. It is simply their interpretation and a pro Gardnerian perspective of Wicca. I skimmed most on the way down to misconceptions. It assumes that only Gardnerian Wicca is accurate or legitimate... which I do not believe. As Gardner made up his own tradition, others have designed traditions after which are just as valid, as there was nothing special that made Gardner an authority. In fact, much of what he asserted has been debunked.

An example of the flawed logic... the reason Gardner says that Solitary Wicca is invalid is because his knowledge of other Pagan groups was limited to those who worshiped Greek or Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. First of all, that is far from true and his knowledge of groups outside his own was very limited. Secondly, his assertion that Gods and Goddesses only have power on their own native soil is laughably insulting to the Gods and Goddesses in question. Further, it means that the Lord and Lady of the Isles (deities largely made up by Gardner) would only have power in the Isles... thus in the United States, only Native American deities would have any power. Thus there is no valid Wicca in the United States or any other nation.

His or her defense of Gardner is based on the fact that he originated the faith. Which amuses me considering Gardner originally claimed not to have created the faith but to have rediscovered the faith. Beyond that though, he compares it to Christianity being based on Christ, thus Wicca is based on Gardner. Wow... not to mention the fact that he or she claims that you can not make comparisons to Christianity in the very next point.

I can totally understand the need to weed out the fluffy bunnies... though I still maintain that some who start as fluffy bunnies end up serious practitioners. But extremism isn't the way to go. This individual (I believe it is a she but I am not sure) has put forth their own (or their coven's as I assume they are initiated on some level) very strict interpretation of Gardner's work... an interpretation so strict that I doubt even Gardner would fully back them, as he changed tradition and ideas later in life... as have most of the founding father's of Wicca... such as Raymond Buckley (Uncle Bucky to many).

Beyond that, it is condemnable to put for the position of "Agree with me or you are a fluffy bunny". It does not promote discussion, it does not further information, it does not foster understanding. All it does is turn people away and promote confusion and misunderstanding. In our modern social and political climate, I would think we would be able to see that taking things to hard line extremes hurts us all in the end, no matter what your faith.

[Meir Link]

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