Questions for Wiccans/Pagans

[Lucky~9~Lives]

Chocolat Coyote

And, if anyone would like to correct me on anything, I wouldn't mind. I am still learning, after all.

Wiccan FAQ - ?????? PROFIT

[yllw-drgnfly]

Lucky~9~Lives

Chocolat Coyote

And, if anyone would like to correct me on anything, I wouldn't mind. I am still learning, after all.

Wiccan FAQ - ?????? PROFIT

Yes, I ended up reading that not long after my post last night. It is a shame, since nearly all I thought I knew about Wicca is wrong.

The thing is, I learned almost all that I know about what I thought was Wicca from Scott Cunningham's books. Granted, they are wonderfully enlightening books, it's not the truth about the purest form of Wicca.

[madderFox]

lauiras

Eris Merrywolf

I'm also new to wicca, but I'll give it a shot.
1) There are lots of different kinds of pagans! As I understand it, but I'm not sure, a pagan is anyone who is polytheistic and does not recognize the god of Abraham. But, I might not be right about that.
2) I don't know what a sabbat is! So I have no idea! I do practice spellcraft, but I am solitary (my town is predominately Catholic so it's unlikely I'll find a coven.)
3) I consider myself an atheistic wiccan. (I do look to some archetypes from some pantheons as notable figureheads, but do not actually believe they exist!)
I hope I could help some, but like I said, I'm new too! >w<

do you believe in a afterlife

I don't know! OwO I guess I haven't really thought about it. Summerland sounds nice

[scorplett]

Chocolat Coyote

Lucky~9~Lives

Chocolat Coyote

And, if anyone would like to correct me on anything, I wouldn't mind. I am still learning, after all.

Wiccan FAQ - ?????? PROFIT

Yes, I ended up reading that not long after my post last night. It is a shame, since nearly all I thought I knew about Wicca is wrong.

The thing is, I learned almost all that I know about what I thought was Wicca from Scott Cunningham's books. Granted, they are wonderfully enlightening books, it's not the truth about the purest form of Wicca.

Don't feel too disheartened. You can still find plenty of value in what you have been learning and doing over the last year. It's just called something different than what some publishers, and followers of those, will have you believe.
If you simply consider yourself to be practicing Witchcraft and that the religion your learning about is your own particular brand of eclectic neopagan Witchcraft, you'll not come across too many problems. Well, not as many as you otherwise would.
Wicca is very different to what you might find in many books, especially Cunningham. Many authors will use the word Wicca, when in fact, because Wicca is orthopraxic (right practice as opposed to right belief) and oathbound, you cannot learn much about it from books. So books that tell you that the can teach you Wicca, can't. They can simply teach you about Witchcraft. There are many forms of Witchcraft. Many traditions. Enjoy learning about them and exploring. Something brought you to those Cunningham books, try to discover where that leads you .
Happy travels smile

[Marael]

Chocolat Coyote

Lucky~9~Lives

Chocolat Coyote

And, if anyone would like to correct me on anything, I wouldn't mind. I am still learning, after all.

Wiccan FAQ - ?????? PROFIT

Yes, I ended up reading that not long after my post last night. It is a shame, since nearly all I thought I knew about Wicca is wrong.

The thing is, I learned almost all that I know about what I thought was Wicca from Scott Cunningham's books. Granted, they are wonderfully enlightening books, it's not the truth about the purest form of Wicca.

Scott Cunningham was teaching an alternate form of Wicca. It is not the traditional form of the religion, but that doesn't make it wrong any more than Southern Baptists are wrong when compared to Catholics. I think Cunningham did great things for paganism in general and helped create a new, more accessible form of Wicca for those unable to follow a more tradional path. Don't belittle and stop valuing his books because he isn't Gardner. It is equally valid; it just isn't the same.

[Calelith]

Marael

Scott Cunningham was teaching an alternate form of Wicca. It is not the traditional form of the religion, but that doesn't make it wrong any more than Southern Baptists are wrong when compared to Catholics. I think Cunningham did great things for paganism in general and helped create a new, more accessible form of Wicca for those unable to follow a more tradional path. Don't belittle and stop valuing his books because he isn't Gardner. It is equally valid; it just isn't the same.

"Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!"

What Cunningham ended up teaching was the Standing Stones Tradition. That doesn't devalue the tradition though, it just means it's not Wicca.

The traditional path is all there is Marael. If the tradition, that calls itself Wiccan, does not uphold the core Gardner created then that tradition is not Wiccan.

You cannot compare Wicca to Christianity. The religions are two completely different types. One is right to practice (Wicca) and the other is right to belief (Christianity).

"Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn."