Why do some people insist that witchcraft or wicca is a religion when truely it is an occult?
108283
Though sometimes used interchangeably, Wicca and witchcraft are not the same thing. Most, but not all, Wiccans consider Wicca to be a form of witchcraft, however Wicca has a distinct set of beliefs, ritual system and organisational structure that distinguish it from other forms of witchcraft. Similarly, most Wiccans and witches consider themselves to be Pagans, but many Pagans are neither Wiccans nor witches.\n\nWiccans worship the Goddess, with most also choosing to worship the God, her consort; they observe the festivals of the eight Sabbats of the year and the full-moon Esbats; they have a code of ethics that they live by. Wicca is thus distinct from witchcraft, which does not require any religious element, and may be practised by people of any religion, or by atheists.\n\nOccult. adj. Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.\n\nReligion n. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.\n\nSo, being practial about this topic. Wicca is a religion with Pagan influence, witchcraft is an occult practice.
1163013
Wicca, i believe in the energy of all things are connected. there is more to this world than you can see. you worship where you are as you are. harm none. i celebrate the seasons and moon and sun phases as the important celestial events they are. i believe in magic, fairies, and all sorts of magical folk. i don't wonder how the world was created, how do i prove it and what will it change if i know? i believe in a god and goddess. i don't believe in trashing other religions because my god by any other name is still my god. others may not see it this way, but i believe my god is their god, they just refuse to acknowledge the female counterpart.\nI'm getting long winded, that's a start.
323392
Being Wiccan, that is a big YES!  Not only do I believe in magick I have seen it done and done it myself.  Magick is everywhere people just call it by different names, in the bible and other holy books it's called a miracle.
827358
You can be an atheistic witch, but not an atheistic Wiccan witch; Wicca is theistic.\n\nEssentially, atheistic witchcraft is basically the acknowledgment and usage of unorthodox means to get a goal accomplished.  You do not have to believe in any gods and goddesses to get magick to work--though from experience, it sure makes it easier!
880078
Christian Witches don't exist. The beliefs of a Christian and that of a Wiccan/Witch are not compatible. It is impossible to be both. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you.
601917
I consider myself Wiccan.  To me, it's an emerging movement that is still in the process of defining itself- initial trends included negative-definition (wicca is defined be what it is not, commonly "'wicca is not christianity' or 'wicca is not devil-worship' etc), non-definition (either because the group is too eclectic to attempt a definition, or out of a desire to maintain a hands-off approach), victim-definition (victimization, or the self-marginalization produced by emphasis on 'burning times' or historical religious persecution; irrelevant to modern practice, but it seems to be a popular method of forging ones identity, and there's alot of rumor-mongering in the pagan community to support this theory), and pseudo-historical-definition (claims to a prehistoric origin, etc).  \n\nNone of these cut it for creating a spiritual identity; Luckily, Wicca is moving away from these, as well as its habit of 'borrowing' (heritage theft, put shortly) and developing its own symbols, myths, jargon, and even deities.  There is getting to be less pressure for validation (via lineage, accounts of intolerance, etc).  Also a good sign- people need to feel confident that they are what they believe they are and not need to defend themselves to other Wiccans.\n\nA fend-for-yourself attitude in regard to dogma might be appealing if we want a truly open and freeform religion, but if Wicca doesn't provide something truly solid for people going through tough or troubled times it will fail as a religion.  Spells and magic aren't enough- Wicca needs to work on developing its philosophy and actually ask some of the harder questions.  But its starting to happen.  I am blessed to be living at a time when my religion is kicking its way out of the universal womb- ten or twenty years from now we'll have the first real generation of Wiccans who were raised in the tradition (current demographics are between 92 and 99% converts).  I look forward to hearing what they have to say about it.\n\nWicca has a few things that have been established- the importance of elemental divisions, duality in divinity, emphasis on systems of correspondences, the Magic Circle as both battery and sacred space.  All good tools; it's a starting point.  There is a current trend of wiccans turning to or creating particular Trads; I think that will continue, because the generic 'wicca' identifier is too big and unwieldy to provide as strong a sense of community.  We hesitate to come up with statements about who we are for fear of leaving some members out- how often do we have to qualify that most wiccans are nature worshippers but some aren't, that most use the god-goddess model but some don't, that some wiccans cast spells but some don't?  I'm all in support of breaking Wicca into smaller sects, so that people can actually feel like they know something about their fellow practitioners.\n\nSo, Wicca is an opportunity for creativity.  No religion can stay undefined for long and still survive, but for now, we are the ones who will help to shape what Wicca becomes.  Tis both an exhilerating and humbling thought.\n\n(NOTE- my ideas of Wicca being in transition are my opinion, and only that- I don't mean to offend people that feel they already have a solid community identity or that come from an actual hereditary tradition that recently adopted the name 'wiccan', or anyone else.  But I'm all about the chaos.  :)
132331
Druidism was the Original pagan religion. Actually the first religion that there is record of, ever. Druids were not evil, they were extremely wise it would take forever to explain the things they knew and were capable of. All this paganism equals devil worship stuff is untrue. Yes some pagan religions practice devil worship. But not Wiccans or those who practice witchcraft, we don't even believe in Satan. Satan came about with the Christian religions. The witching hour is at midnight because this is a time of change. The moon which is a powerful symbol to Wiccans is out as is the Goddess  who is there to guide us. It's also because most people are asleep by this time, or are not out and so the energies will not interfere with those we are attempting to direct.
958078
Witchcraft is as real as religion. Religion is a fraud.
1137226
No, honey, that is not correct.  Wicca is a nature based spiritual path.  We believe that Nature has male and female energies, hence the God and Goddess.  In my path, I have rituals, and what I do, are  offerings to the Goddess.  I don't cast "spells" on people, I don't do "black magic" and I don't sacrifice children, virgins, or pets.
168543
The present form of popular witchcraft, renamed wicca, follows a tradition of wisdom that is as old as Druidism, if not more. Without going into great detail, modern. Witchcraft was re-popularised by the late British civil servant Gerald Gardner in books he published in the 1940's. \n\n     Those who practice it say that witchcraft is the worship of a comprehensive Earth Goddess, whose religion began in the late stone age, refined during classical civilizations such as Egypt, Sumer, and Babylon, (and presumably also by European civilizations like the Greeks and Proto-Celts) \n\n    Wicca has been wrongly branded as Satanism by zealous  medieval Christians, They used lies to create fear inciting others to  violently hunt us to near-extinction. This  prejudice continues to this day. From what I know of mainstream Christianity their basic strategy is "kill what you cannot convert" (or get others to do it for them) Christianity is completely unaccepting of ANYthing that doesn't follow the bible. It is a mob mentality. \n\n   What was originally called "witch craft" has been renamed wicca. You get a totally different response to "I'm wiccan" than you would " I practice witch craft. But you are right There is NO Satan or satanic rituals in wicca  or the craft. If you want to learn more you can go to WitchVox.com The site is built around traditional craft practices and there are many types of witches. I myself am a solitary practitioner. AS was my mother and her mother and so on clear back to Medieval Scotland. Maybe farther, but that's all we know genealogically.\n    \n     People tend to shy away from and are frightened by anything "different" They make up lies to account for their ignorance and stupidity. This fear and behavior, I believe stems from Christianity..Historically they have been one bloody hoard from the beginning. Christianity has been responsible for more bloodshed than ALL the wars in recorded history. True fact. So with a threat of a certain grizzly and ghastly death to even question Christianity (piked, burned alive, boiled in oil exc..) Who wouldn't be terrified and go along with this madness? I find it odd that so many still follow this arrogant and ignorant belief system.
1066813
wont argue... I am with you to an extent... I am Wiccan and it is a very open religion that doesn't judge others or say my way or the high way. And the "gods" and such are guides and things like that not devine intervention crap...
569195
A Pagan is anyone who is of a non-Abrahamic religion and self-identifies as a Pagan.  Wiccans and Druids are types of Pagans.  Wicca is a religion "invented" by Gerald Gardner in the late 1940's, and is a hodge-podge of British folklore, occultism, Romanticism and a few other things.  Druidry generally is an attempt at reconstructing the religious beliefs and practices of ancient Celtic peoples (although there are some groups out there which call themselves "Druidic" and are more akin to Wicca or general newage philosophy).\n\nHere are some links:\n\nWicca:\nhttp://mothersmagic.net/\nhttp://wicca.timerift.net/index.html\n\nDruidry:\nhttp://keltria.org/\nhttp://imbas.org/
357710
Wicca Spells - What is Wicca?\nWhat is Wicca and what are Wicca spells? While it is rooted in ancient pagan beliefs, the Wicca religion, as it is practiced now, is only about 50-years-old. Wicca is a belief system cobbled together in the 1940's and 1950's by Gerald Gardner from a variety of religious traditions and beliefs as well as Freemason rituals. Since Gardner published several books espousing his system of worship, many offshoots and variations of Wicca have sprung up. \n\nThere is no particular agreement between Wiccans, or "wise ones" concerning what they believe and worship. Some worship the "Goddess," some worship the "God," and some worship both. Others worship nature. Some Wiccans say they embrace Christian doctrine, while others reject it. Most promoters of Wicca believe in reincarnation. \n\nOne thing most Wiccans agree on is the fact that Satan is not a part of their pantheon and they vehemently deny Satan-worship as one of their practices. This is because they disavow the notion of moral absolutes. There is no such thing as good or evil, because it is all relative. Wiccans have only one law that they bind themselves to, called "The Rede." It simply states, "Do what ye will, harm ye none." In other words: "Do what ever you want to as long as no one gets hurt." The Three-fold Law governs consequences, and is a law of returns that states, "All good that a person does to another returns three-fold in this life; harm is also returned three-fold." \n\nWicca Spells - Mind Control\nWhat about Wicca spells? Not all Wiccans practice witchcraft (which they call "magick" to set themselves apart from illusionists and magicians). Magick is to Wicca what prayer is to Christianity. Wiccans claim that the practice of magick is simply using their minds to control matter, while Christians call upon God to heal people and to intervene and work in their lives. Because the Rede forbids harming others and the Three-fold Law sets forth consequences for those who do, Wiccans view themselves as "white witches" or "nature witches." \n\nWicca is basically a religion that is about minding your own business and living peaceably with your neighbors and environment. Wiccans are eager to draw parallels between themselves and biblical Christianity for the sake of earning credibility, but what does the Bible have to say about this religion? You won't find the word "wicca" in the Bible, so let's evaluate the beliefs in light of what God says about them. \n\nWicca spells are idolism - Romans 1:25 says, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things, rather than the Creator…" Who wants to settle for second best? In Isaiah 40, God paints a very cool picture of how much greater the Creator is than His creation. If you are worshipping anything besides the Creator, you are just spinning your wheels.\n\n\nWicca spells bring false hope - Hebrews 9:27 says, "…Man is destined to die once, after that, to face judgment." God says we get one chance at life, and that is it. There are no do-overs. If we don't accept God's gift of Jesus in our lifetime, He judges us as unwilling to be in His presence, and we are sent to Hell. \n\n\nWicca spells bring disillusionment - Mark 7:8 says, "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men". God is God, and we are not. We have a decision to make. Are we going to take God at His word and adopt His worldview, or not? Knowing God is hard work that takes a lot of discipline. Wicca is a religion that takes a pack of lies, ties it in a romantic ribbon, and searches out a well-intentioned, but lazy and gullible mark to sell its hollow doctrines.\n\n\nWicca spells bring rebellion - Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says, "Let no one be found among you who… practices divination or sorcery, interpre
583740
Yes! It is absolutely and entirely possible to be a Christian and a Witch.\n\nThere is much confusion over this issue, especially when it comes to the misunderstanding regarding the difference between Wicca and Witchcraft.\n\nWicca is a religion, created by Gerald Gardner, in the 1950s (or thereabouts). It is *based on* a form of Witchcraft, but one can be Wiccan without practicing the Craft, and one can be Wiccan AND practice the Craft - or one can be a Witch without being Wiccan.\n\nWitchcraft is a CRAFT. Just as a doctor can be Christian and a doctor, or a baker can be Muslim and a baker, or a Buddhist can be a Buddhist and a painter, a Christian can be a Christian and a Witch.\n\nWhat defines a Christian is simply this: that person believes in Jesus as God, and accepts Jesus as personal saviour. Nothing more, nothing less. Anything else - including the way they practice their faith - is secondary.\n\nA Witch is one who focuses energy, who does this deliberately with a specific outcome in mind, and who consciously develops this area of his/her life. People focus energy every day. Making a wish and blowing out the candles on your cake is one example. Many don't necessarily consider it as being anything significant, but when you consider its potential, it is significant. Furthermore, the act of prayer is equivalent to casting a spell. It is the focus of energy with a specific outcome in mind. I've had some Christians say, "Talking to Jesus isn't spellcasting!" Yes, it is. Take, for example, a Christian praying for healing. They are praying (focusing energy) for healing (the specific outcome) and furthermore, they're invoking a deity to do it - Jesus!\n\nI know all sorts of Witches, including Christian Witches and Atheist Witches. This is because the practice of Witchcraft does not *require* the belief in a deity. Just because there happen to be many Witches who believe in deities other than Jesus, does not mean that this is what makes a Witch. This is the same point made in the fact that the Craft is just that: a Craft. One can practice medicine an be a Christian just as one can practice Witchcraft and be a Christian.\n\nOf course one can be both a Christian and a Witch. :)\n\nThere are LOTS of resources out there for people on this path. I stronly recommend you read this article first:\n\nhttp://members.aol.com/RawnaMoon/bible.html\n\nIt addresses every instance of Witches being condemned in the Bible, and explains the original words used and their actual meanings. It is interesting to note that in some cases, the same Hebrew word has been translated into different English words.\n\nI also have a list of resources on my website that you can use. I've pooled as many links and articles together for Christian Witches (and the like) as possible in one spot for people on this path:\n\nhttp://foxygoddess.com/cwc/index.htm\n\nAlso have a look at this: Thirteen Reasons Why, if Jesus Were Here Today, He Would Be a Witch: http://foxygoddess.com/articles/jcwitch.htm \n\nAs for practices such as divination, these are not exclusive to Witchcraft and there are plenty of examples of people in the Bible using divination - with God's help and participation:\n\n* Gideon liked to "set a fleece before the Lord". (Judges 6:36-40) Gideon used this form of divination – and with God's participation.\n\n* To decide that Matthias was also an apostle, the existing disciples used divination to decide: they cast lots. (Acts 1:24-26) What's more, they prayed as they did it, and God answered their query via divination.\n\n* In Genesis, Joseph engaged in scrying. Genesis 44:5 reads: "Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing [by stealing this cup]." The cup that was stolen was the one Joseph used for divination. Indeed, this is confirmed in Genesis 44:15 which reads: "And Joseph said unto them, 'What de
822438
Wiccans are typically nature worshipping or Goddess/God worshipping people who believe that any harm they bring into the universe will be revisted upon themselves. Pagans can be anything from Wiccans to Druids to people who don't believe in a corporeal god. There's tons of info out on the web.
424824
"Pagans" have a wide variety of beliefs, all of which do not include worshipping the God who has revealed Himself to mankind through His Son and the Bible as the One True God. As to Wiccans, they are one form of paganism. Here is a summary of their beliefs.\n\n\nWicca Spells - What is Wicca?\nWhat is Wicca and what are Wicca spells? While it is rooted in ancient pagan beliefs, the Wicca religion, as it is practiced now, is only about 50-years-old. Wicca is a belief system cobbled together in the 1940's and 1950's by Gerald Gardner from a variety of religious traditions and beliefs as well as Freemason rituals. Since Gardner published several books espousing his system of worship, many offshoots and variations of Wicca have sprung up. \n\nThere is no particular agreement between Wiccans, or "wise ones" concerning what they believe and worship. Some worship the "Goddess," some worship the "God," and some worship both. Others worship nature. Some Wiccans say they embrace Christian doctrine, while others reject it. Most promoters of Wicca believe in reincarnation. \n\nOne thing most Wiccans agree on is the fact that Satan is not a part of their pantheon and they vehemently deny Satan-worship as one of their practices. This is because they disavow the notion of moral absolutes. There is no such thing as good or evil, because it is all relative. Wiccans have only one law that they bind themselves to, called "The Rede." It simply states, "Do what ye will, harm ye none." In other words: "Do what ever you want to as long as no one gets hurt." The Three-fold Law governs consequences, and is a law of returns that states, "All good that a person does to another returns three-fold in this life; harm is also returned three-fold." \n\nWicca Spells - Mind Control\nWhat about Wicca spells? Not all Wiccans practice witchcraft (which they call "magick" to set themselves apart from illusionists and magicians). Magick is to Wicca what prayer is to Christianity. Wiccans claim that the practice of magick is simply using their minds to control matter, while Christians call upon God to heal people and to intervene and work in their lives. Because the Rede forbids harming others and the Three-fold Law sets forth consequences for those who do, Wiccans view themselves as "white witches" or "nature witches." \n\nWicca is basically a religion that is about minding your own business and living peaceably with your neighbors and environment. Wiccans are eager to draw parallels between themselves and biblical Christianity for the sake of earning credibility, but what does the Bible have to say about this religion? You won't find the word "wicca" in the Bible, so let's evaluate the beliefs in light of what God says about them. \n\nWicca spells are idolism - Romans 1:25 says, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things, rather than the Creator…" Who wants to settle for second best? In Isaiah 40, God paints a very cool picture of how much greater the Creator is than His creation. If you are worshipping anything besides the Creator, you are just spinning your wheels.\n\n\nWicca spells bring false hope - Hebrews 9:27 says, "…Man is destined to die once, after that, to face judgment." God says we get one chance at life, and that is it. There are no do-overs. If we don't accept God's gift of Jesus in our lifetime, He judges us as unwilling to be in His presence, and we are sent to Hell. \n\n\nWicca spells bring disillusionment - Mark 7:8 says, "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men". God is God, and we are not. We have a decision to make. Are we going to take God at His word and adopt His worldview, or not? Knowing God is hard work that takes a lot of discipline. Wicca is a religion that takes a pack of lies
690556
Witchcraft is very real in a spiritual sense and is listed in the word of God hun.\n  1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.\n  The word of God says that we are  priests and kings unto our God. This scripture was spoken from Samuel to Saul but should be a warning that all who reject the word of God can lose their place in the kingdom of God and have their name blotted out of the book of life. \n  Many of the modern day practicioners of witchcraft may be preaching from behind pulpits. As our precious Lord said, Howbeit in vain do they worship me; teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.\n  Those who are rebellious and stubborn as Vashti may find themselves hearing depart from me ye workers of iniquity. They can only reject the word of the Lord so long and cleave to what they want and he may very well cast them off. \n  The word of God says that the wicked are led forth with workers of iniquity. Many are witches in unawares and turned over to a reprobate mind being reserved to the day of judgement.\n  But that's just my opinion.\n  Love,\n  Samantha.