Quick Question

[Bloody Rosen Knight]

What do YOU believe wiccan is? Dun give me a defintion from a dictionary or some expert's saying on it, give me YOUR explanation.  

[Aithon Timbyrwolfe]

These are my own definitions.

Gardnerian Wicca: A fertility-based duotheistic religion created by Gerald Gardner in the 1950s which required initiation into a coven.

Eclectic Wicca: A nature-based duotheistic religion whose practitioners have widely-varying beliefs.

All sects of Wicca follow the Rede and believe in the Threefold Law or some sort of Karma.  

[too2sweet]

Wicca is a specific pagan religion, that was founded in the 1940's by a man named Gerald Gardner. It is based on the practice of witchcraft, as well as bits and pieces from other older pagan religions/practices, free-masonry and ceremonial magic. Wicca has specific core beliefs and practices. It is an orthopraxic (meaning that how one practices is more important than how one interprets basic beliefs), mystery religion, that is oath bound and requires coven initiation (usually man to woman, woman to man). It has specific deities (in this case the Lord and Lady of the Isles) and is fertility centered (continuing the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth) - not earth/nature centered.

You will not find all that much info on Traditional Wicca from books or on the internet, and a large bit of what is discussed, or in print refers to Eclectic Neo-Paganism paths (which are often mislabeled as Eclectic, Solitary or Neo-Wicca), which are based on the non-oath bound (outer-court) parts of Wiccan practices, among other things.

Aithon Timbyrwolfe

These are my own definitions.

Gardnerian Wicca: A fertility-based duotheistic religion created by Gerald Gardner in the 1950s which required initiation into a coven.

There are a number of lineaged Trads, not just Gardnerian. There is also Central Valley, Moshian, Alexandrian, Majestic, Kingstone, Silver Crescent, Daoine Coire, and some lines of Blue Star and Protean.

Quote:

Eclectic Wicca: A nature-based duotheistic religion whose practitioners have widely-varying beliefs.

Even though there are plenty of authors and other NeoPagans that incorrectly label it as "Wicca", it's missing the core oath-bound parts, and has very little in common with Traditional Wicca. While there may be some basic similarities, there are so much more differences, that it's really not the same religion, and shouldn't be labeled as such. Makes things very confusing, especially consider the orthopraxic nature of Wicca, makes it very much not eclectic.

Quote:

All sects of Wicca follow the Rede and believe in the Threefold Law or some sort of Karma.

Yes and no... exactly how the various trads view or believe in the Rede and the TFL varies. For some it is nor more than a ritual contrivance, and neither are exacting laws of any sort. Also in most cases, the Rede has been grossly misinterpreted by many NeoPagan authors - who have tried to make Wicca into a "love and light" sort of thing. Both have more to do with personal responsibility and accepting the consequences for one's actions, more so than anything else.  

[Bloody Rosen Knight]

too2sweet

Wicca is a specific pagan religion, that was founded in the 1940's by a man named Gerald Gardner. It is based on the practice of witchcraft, as well as bits and pieces from other older pagan religions/practices, free-masonry and ceremonial magic. Wicca has specific core beliefs and practices. It is an orthopraxic (meaning that how one practices is more important than how one interprets basic beliefs), mystery religion, that is oath bound and requires coven initiation (usually man to woman, woman to man). It has specific deities (in this case the Lord and Lady of the Isles) and is fertility centered (continuing the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth) - not earth/nature centered.

You will not find all that much info on Traditional Wicca from books or on the internet, and a large bit of what is discussed, or in print refers to Eclectic Neo-Paganism paths (which are often mislabeled as Eclectic, Solitary or Neo-Wicca), which are based on the non-oath bound (outer-court) parts of Wiccan practices, among other things.

Aithon Timbyrwolfe

These are my own definitions.

Gardnerian Wicca: A fertility-based duotheistic religion created by Gerald Gardner in the 1950s which required initiation into a coven.

There are a number of lineaged Trads, not just Gardnerian. There is also Central Valley, Moshian, Alexandrian, Majestic, Kingstone, Silver Crescent, Daoine Coire, and some lines of Blue Star and Protean.

Quote:

Eclectic Wicca: A nature-based duotheistic religion whose practitioners have widely-varying beliefs.

Even though there are plenty of authors and other NeoPagans that incorrectly label it as "Wicca", it's missing the core oath-bound parts, and has very little in common with Traditional Wicca. While there may be some basic similarities, there are so much more differences, that it's really not the same religion, and shouldn't be labeled as such. Makes things very confusing, especially consider the orthopraxic nature of Wicca, makes it very much not eclectic.

Quote:

All sects of Wicca follow the Rede and believe in the Threefold Law or some sort of Karma.

Yes and no... exactly how the various trads view or believe in the Rede and the TFL varies. For some it is nor more than a ritual contrivance, and neither are exacting laws of any sort. Also in most cases, the Rede has been grossly misinterpreted by many NeoPagan authors - who have tried to make Wicca into a "love and light" sort of thing. Both have more to do with personal responsibility and accepting the consequences for one's actions, more so than anything else.

I asked for your own opinion and that was his opinion. So what's yours, without using references or quotes?  

[The Goddess of Earth]

Bloody Rosen Knight

I asked for your own opinion and that was his opinion. So what's yours, without using references or quotes?

I've been in this guild long enough to feel fairly confident in saying that all of that was too2sweet's opinion, without references or quotes. If you flip through some of the older threads in the guild, when we were a bit more active, you'll see that she is very knowledgeable about Wicca and takes great pride in making sure she gets things right smile

As far as my opinion on Wicca goes, I don't really have one. I don't know nearly as much about it as I probably should sweatdrop  

[too2sweet]

Bloody Rosen Knight

I asked for your own opinion and that was his opinion. So what's yours, without using references or quotes?

All 100% my words - based on years of research. When I do quote other people or other resources I will always cite my sources. 3nodding

The Goddess of Earth

I've been in this guild long enough to feel fairly confident in saying that all of that was too2sweet's opinion, without references or quotes. If you flip through some of the older threads in the guild, when we were a bit more active, you'll see that she is very knowledgeable about Wicca and takes great pride in making sure she gets things right biggrin

Thanks!! heart heart  

[Bloody Rosen Knight]

too2sweet

Bloody Rosen Knight

I asked for your own opinion and that was his opinion. So what's yours, without using references or quotes?

All 100% my words - based on years of research. When I do quote other people or other resources I will always cite my sources. 3nodding

The Goddess of Earth

I've been in this guild long enough to feel fairly confident in saying that all of that was too2sweet's opinion, without references or quotes. If you flip through some of the older threads in the guild, when we were a bit more active, you'll see that she is very knowledgeable about Wicca and takes great pride in making sure she gets things right biggrin

Thanks!! heart heart

oh ok ^^ I ask this question because it annoys me when people say someone isn't a certain religion just because they don't follow the EXACT criteria, and I've seen a lot of people told they aren't wiccan just because of one little thing. Also, sorry if I offended you with my last post. quotes to a personal opinion question that sound too 'read from a book' just twitch me