USE OF THE WORD WICCA

[MidnightLetter]

~~~open~~~

 

[Esselean]

Excellent idea for a thread! Hopefully from now on we can direct people here instead of turning every thread into a Wicca debate biggrin  

[kage no neko]

Oh, I've been meaning to mention this. I guess this is a good thread to say it in..
We've got one of those witch calendars from llewellyn (which I guess is where all of you already know where I'm going).
On the last page, there's like a dictionary saying what words mean and stuff. There's also this thing that's kinda like an article, someone saying how "Wiccan" is what people use to call themselves before they're initiated, and "Witch" is what they call themselves after they've been initiated. Kinda backwards. It bothers me a bit, but I can't do anything about it..
I just wonder, how can someone know what they mean, but have them be so backwards.  

[Shearaha]

I think this is just a product of Llwellen. Wicca sells so they want to cover their butts. The most you could do is contact Llwellen about it, or the author of the article.  

[kage no neko]

I know it sells. Just wonder how they could manage to get it so backwards.  

[rmcdra]

kage no neko

I know it sells. Just wonder how they could manage to get it so backwards.

This is from the people that publish "Mama Silver". I'm not surprised.  

[Teh Bloody Princess]

Not to be rude. But Wicca has been around for a very long time. Before Gardner.
Should we believe everything Gardner says or is it alright to make our own interpretations of his work in research instead?

This is just an honest question that I would like to know to be considered Wiccan. Simply out of curiousity. Please don't flame me!
(P.S. if I spelt the guys name wrong please don't yell just tell me and I'll edit my post)

 

[kage no neko]

Wicca was not around before Gardner. Witchcraft was, but they're not the same thing. Wicca's a religion, witchcraft is one of the things they do in that religion.
Unless you have proof otherwise?

(you spelled his name right)

When it comes to his religion, Wicca, you only have to go by what he says if you want to be Wiccan. You can ignore what he says and not be Wiccan. smile  

[ncsweet]

When Gardner originally wrote his books, he based a lot of his work on the theories of Margaret Murry (which is where the "ye old religion" stuff came from). She has since been debunked however, and all research that has been done on the subject shows that Wicca (as it is currently practiced) did not exist until Gardner.

Unfortunately there are still a lot of books out there (especially some of the older ones) that still claim the whole "Wicca is ancient...". The "links" section on the first page of this thread are a good place to start to get accurate historical info on Wicca. In particular Hutton's "Triumph of the Moon" is very well researched, and definitely worth reading.  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

Teh Bloody Princess

Not to be rude. But Wicca has been around for a very long time. Before Gardner.

No, no it has not. Please give any evidence you may have of a fertility-based witchcult priesthood to the Lord and Lady of the Isles before Gardner's time.
Witchcraft was around before Gardner, yes - no one is denying that. Wicca, however, was his invention.

Quote:

Should we believe everything Gardner says or is it alright to make our own interpretations of his work in research instead?

Well, it's his faith so if you want to proclaim to follow the faith he created, it would be honest and respectful to follow the rules he set down.

Quote:

This is just an honest question that I would like to know to be considered Wiccan. Simply out of curiousity. Please don't flame me!
(P.S. if I spelt the guys name wrong please don't yell just tell me and I'll edit my post)

No worries.
In order to be considered Wiccan, one must seek initiation with a coven that has initiatory lineage that can be traced back to Gardner. Initiatory lines are cross-gendered, meaning that women initiate men and vice versa.  

[Teh Bloody Princess]

Think for yourself man, don't do like they do...

So you cannot practice Wicca alone? You have to have a Coven?
The main reson I left Christianity was because I didn't want to have to foollow someone elses ideas...I wanted to find freedom in religon. This is mighty disappointing.
And by asking questions it means I have no proof. That I am looking for it.

...It's a sick world, you just gotta stay true.

 

[kage no neko]

Correct. For Wicca, as it is a religion with it's rules already set, you need to be in a Coven.

Might I suggest to you the idea that..
You don't need to have a religion?

Make your own eclectic path. smile Then the only rules you follow are the ones you set down.  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

Teh Bloody Princess

So you cannot practice Wicca alone? You have to have a Coven?
The main reson I left Christianity was because I didn't want to have to foollow someone elses ideas...I wanted to find freedom in religon. This is mighty disappointing.
And by asking questions it means I have no proof. That I am looking for it.

That is correct.

You know, you can still have freedom in religion while following the rules laid down by someone else. Just because there are rules doesn't automatically mean a faith is restrictive and dull.

As Kage suggested, if following anyone's rules is simply not an option for you, you might look into a more eclectic path.  

[Tirissana]

Teh Bloody Princess

Think for yourself man, don't do like they do...

So you cannot practice Wicca alone? You have to have a Coven?
The main reson I left Christianity was because I didn't want to have to foollow someone elses ideas...I wanted to find freedom in religon. This is mighty disappointing.
And by asking questions it means I have no proof. That I am looking for it.

...It's a sick world, you just gotta stay true.

Correct but as Vi and Kage have said you can create your own eclectic path and follow your own rules. Being a solitary/eclectic witch isn't a bad thing. :3  

[Teh Bloody Princess]

Think for yourself man, don't do like they do...

So basically there is no such thing as solitary wicca?

...It's a sick world, you just gotta stay true.