Why is it that we are suposed to have a fredom of religion but wicca and stantanism are not exceptable?
404366
It's possible that their new religions that are gaining popularity fast and some followers of older religions see them as a threat.  Also some people who claim to be practitioners go out of their way to make idiots out of themselves.\n\nTo all of the people who obviously don't learn about a religion before they make judgments about it, Satanists do NOT sacrifice babies, molest children, torture animals or any other thing you saw in a movie.  That would be considered Satanic dabbling, devil worship, or is an entirely different belief system.  Satanists do not believe in the Christian concept of Satan and they don't even see him as a literal entity, more like an ideal of human nature.  They don't suppress their nature and attempts to make life as pleasurable as it can be for them.  However, they don't believe in attempting to harm someone unless they feel that person strongly deserves it.  \n\nWhew, sorry about the rant.
1151320
A good point. Religions are supposedly faith-based, but then tack on requirements to keep that particular label. Even an agnostic has to meet the requirement of believing there is no God, so I guess the answer is no religion meets the parameter of not requiring anything to be a part of it.
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.
485646
Religion is not about tolerance (despite much lip service to the contrary), it is about power and control and whenever that is challenged it brings about war. Sad but true!
301523
There is no best religion - only the spiritual path that fits you best. An awful lot of trouble stems from different faiths declaring themselves the righteous path .... maybe there is NO religion and faith is a figment of peoples deep desires to be led and comforted by an intangible entity, being or force ... I don't know. I just know that none of them are 'best'.
1151750
"Pagan" is hard to define; a lot of people think of it as "any religion that's not Christianity, Judaism or Islam." I don't think that's quite accurate, but it's okay to start with. \n\nSince your sister talked about a "Wiccaning" (not "wickening), she's talking about the pagan religion Wicca (and here's where I start quoting Wikipedia): Wicca is a religion, and although its adherents often identify as witches, Wicca and witchcraft are not necessarily the same thing.\n\nWiccans may worship a Goddess and/or a God; they observe the festivals of the eight Sabbats of the year and the full-moon Esbats; and they have a code of ethics that most live by. Wicca is thus generally considered to be distinct from witchcraft, which does not of itself imply any specific religious, ethical or ritual elements, and is practiced in various forms by people of many religions, as well as by atheists.\n\nWicca does, however, incorporate a specific form of witchcraft, with particular ritual forms, involving the casting of spells, herbalism, divination and other forms of magic. Wiccan ethics require that magical activities are limited to good purposes only.\n\nAccording to Gerald Gardner [the one who brough Wicca into modern public awareness], the religion derives from a secret but widespread witch-cult of early modern Europe, which incorporated all of the key religious beliefs and ideals and the distinctive ritual structures found in modern Wicca. While this historical interpretation is now much criticised, it makes it difficult to conclusively say whether Wicca is a religious form of witchcraft or a religion incorporating witchcraft.
189630
Because people are different, and even if they believe in "god" (whichever one you mean) at one point, people change. I was baptized and raised Catholic, but it didn't make sense to me. So I researched all kinds of different religions, and figured out what made sense to me on my own (not just because someone told me to believe it), and eventually found Wicca to be the most logical for me. But just because Wicca works for me, doesn't mean it will work for everyone. Some people choose to believe in Buddhism instead, and that's fine because they're different than me. Some people choose Judaism, or Satanism, or Christianity, or Shamanism, or something else, and all those are fine, too. Forcing everyone to believe in one religion, even if they don't agree with it, is a concept practiced by communism. That's a political view where (basically) the government chooses what everyone is and is not allowed to do. People do not decide, as voting is not held. There is a constant that the government itself chooses for everyone in that country. People wear what they are told, believe what they are told, eat what they are told, live how they are told. Maybe that's the view you hold, but I support democracy. \n\nIf everyone should just be one religion, why only the one you specify? Why not a different one? Why not a polytheistic one? Or Agnosticism? Or Atheism?\n\nBesides, religion does not create hate. Intolerance is what creates hate. Read "Definitions, Mottos, etc." here to see what I mean: http://www.religioustolerance.org/\n\nHate usually only comes from religion when religious exclusivism is practiced.. That's why I believe in religious pluralism: http://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_plur.htm
922257
Wicca is not supposed to exclude any gods but we are each given a choice of which gods we choose to follow.  Most of us exclude Jesus and the Bible out of our beliefs completely because it is simply easier to.  Many of us have been surrounded by people who tell us that God hates psychics,  mediums,  readers and witches.  However,  it is often our natural abilities that make us psychic or mediums,  and our natural abilities or curiousities lead us to a more open path.  I have also,  personally,  been around enough Bible study groups that promote arrogance and pity towards my kind.  It is simply so much easier to shut oneself off from any and all Judeo-Christian beliefs and deities and become bitter.\n\nHowever,  I think that once one has really gotten a chance to experience their own spirituality without interference and look at everything from a relaxed standpoint,  one can really see that Jesus,  in his day and age,  if he existed,  was one awesome being.  Whether he was a actually a messiah or not,  I cannot and will not discern,  as I do not know.  What I do know is that if I were alive 2000 years ago,  I think I would've found a good friend in Jesus.
277847
Religion refers to the organization of people who think similarly. Spirituality is recognizing that something created us an watches over us. You dont have to have religion to be spiritual. Supernatural- simply things that humans dont understand. And superstition, is obsessive compulsive disorder and fear.
785350
some religions may not accept such beliefs.
286154
In the Wiccan religion the Devil doesn't exsist. What is recognized is that there is Good and Evil. \n\nBeing so there are both Good and Bad entities that you will come into contact with. Other enitites you come into contact with are neutral. \n\nOverall Evil and Good are both present and battle to keep the balance of exsistence.\n\nWiccans also worship the Lord and the Lady. Instead of God in Christianity. There are negitive or Evil figureheads for the Evil as well but not one on either side fighting against one another in command of each of there armies alone.\n\nThe Wiccan religon as with all pagan practices are more complex and take some research to fully grasp.
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.
694419
Why can't the world put aside differences and follow the teachings of the Buddha?\n\nThere are different relgions because, basically, every religion is founded in the self-story of a specific people, and an attempt to make sense of *their* lives, in *their* circumstances, within *their* culture of poetry and myth, and environment.\n\n\n.
1013777
Not all religions are, just a lot of them. And yes, it's a great way to control people, I'm sure that's partly why they were created.
341238
As it is in life, different religions cannot live in harmony. I personally belong to no religion, and find it easy to tollerate and co-exist with people of other religions. Maybe this is a lesson the children of the future need to be taught.
471558
Wicca, as most other religions, recognizes the existence of a 'First Cause',\nGOD or that from which all comes. Wiccans feel that this First Cause is so\nlarge and all encompassing that it is difficult for mankind to communicate with\nit. We can of communicate with that 'First Cause' through what is commonly\nknown as the 'Gods and Goddesses.' These Goddesses and Gods manifest to us\nthrough their works, such as the cycle of the seasons, the miracle of birth,\nthe joy of the first iris of Spring and the message of joy and hope from the\nrainbow, and through their Presence.\n\nPriests and Priestesses of our religion can be seen dancing in Neolithic cave\npaintings and our sacred objects rest in every major museum of the world. Wicca\nis a Living religion, as it has been since the first primitive hunting tribes\nsought to establish and affirm their relationship with the cycles of their\nMother the Earth, Her fertility, and that of the animals they depended on for\nlife and sustenance. We are a religion of life and vitality, and we hold all\nlife in respect and reverence. We do not own the Earth; we live on it by the\nlove and grace of Our Mother. We do not own the plants, animals or stones;\nthey are, as we are, the children of the Great Mother. They are our brothers\nand sisters on whom we are all dependent for life, shelter, and sustenance; and\nthey deserve our love and respect in return. Above all else, we choose to live\nin harmony and balance.\n\nWe do not claim an actual dogmatic descent as far back as Neolithic times.\nWiccans retain the spirit of the ancient ways of reverence, in a way similar\nthough not related to some Native American traditions and ideals. Although many\nWiccans do not claim dogmatic descent of the original, native European\ntraditions; many anthropologists, among them the noted Margaret Murray,\nconsider us a survival of that same original European religion, albeit\nup-rooted and driven underground by the spread of an intolerant, monotheistic\ncreed.
556453
i think that people only have a religion because the feel the chaos and random-ness of the world and it scares them.  If you think there is someone who is in control and knows what is going on you feel like they will step in and make sure that u aren't going to get into anything really bad.  i don't belive in god and don't have a religion but if u can make yourself belive in it, i;m all for it.  at your church or temple you have a really great family that will be there for you no matter what and that is nice to have.  also religion gives us a sense of belonging and importance tha we all strive for.  Just as long as you don't use religion to alianate people, it is a good thing.