What do Wickens (sp) believe?
922239
Wicca is a henotheistic religion, which recognises its own specific gods, while not denying the existence of gods and goddesses from other pantheons. Wicca itself is a 'hard polytheistic' religion, meaning that Wicca see their deities as specific individual beings. The gods of Wicca are known as the Horned God and Great Mother, these are outer court references meant to be used as place holders for the real names of their gods until the Seeker is initiated and taught those names. \n\nWicca was founded by Gerald Gardner in around the 1930's, although the exact date is open for discussion, also open for discussion is whether Gardner founded Wicca entirely or whether it was an already existing spirituality which he merely re-introduced and re-invented, either way he is considered the founding father of Wicca. Gardner brought together Paganism with influences from many sources including the rituals and teachings of Freemasonry and Golden dawn resulting in a unique orthopraxic religion. Wicca embraces it's early Pagan roots in history, the history of Pagan faiths and the gods whom they followed and worshipped, Wicca also introduces eastern philosophy into it's primarily western path, along with this possibly one of Wicca's best known features, that of religious witchcraft.\n\nWicca is gaining much attention due to a change in peoples approach to religion and the increase in public awareness of the religion through media attention and with this attention there has come much change to the face of Wicca with many forms:\n\n\nWICCA:\nWicca is an initiate only mystery tradition, or more precisely a priesthood, where one can trace their lineage back to Gardner. Initiation is the only way into Wicca, and is carried out by a Wicca coven, initiation into a coven requires formal training after which initiation and a system of degrees is followed. \n\nWicca follows a strong set of doctrines, one who takes on the name 'Wicca' is also taking on these doctrines as well as practices and beliefs of Wicca, the title of 'Wicca' implies more than that you are a member of Wicca, but also that you have worked long and hard to earn that title. \nSeekers are those who wish to become Wicca however have yet to find a Wicca coven. Wicca covens can be hard to find let alone become a member of, often those whom are without a coven continue to study Wicca and surrounding subjects while seeking a Wicca coven to join. \n\nOften Wicca is described as 'Traditional Wicca' or 'BTW:British Traditional Wicca'.\n\n\nNEO-WICCA:\nNeo-wicca is a new phenomenon, which is usually wholly eclectic, however like Wicca there are various different traditions. Neo-wicca often learn on their own terms, from books and other sources, but have little or no formal training and no initiation into Wicca. The beliefs of Neo-wicca are generally similar to that of Wicca however the details can often vary greatly as it follows the new age idea of personal belief/spirituality over formal religious doctrine. Neo-Wicca have varied views of the divine, either following soft-polytheism seeing all gods and goddesses as one god/goddess, polytheism working with gods and goddesses from various pantheons or pantheism working with a single divine present in all.\n\nThe 'Neo' in Neo-wicca refers to the New Age approach taken by Neo-wicca that puts emphasis on personal spirituality or belief over the organized religion of Wicca. It also refers to a new take on Wicca, this has less to do with the age of the religion but the idea that this is a belief system which may have come naturally from Wicca if it was allowed to evolve in it’s own time, media influences have brought about Neo-wicca, it develops paralleled to Wicca, but is not part of Wicca. \n\nOften Neo-wicca describe themselves as 'Eclectic Wicca' or 'Solitary Wicca', although not actually Wicca. \n\n\nAlthough Wicca is heavily influenced or based upon witchcraft it
784606
Ha!  They are open minded until you disagree with them.\n\nI'll probably lose my account for saying this.
889293
In some ways that is a problem.  But in reality ti goes:\n\nI believe in _____________so I must be a ____________.\n\nParties form around a core of beliefs, their platform.  If the members of the party feel that the platform isn't right for them, they change parties.
785018
what do you believe in?
839455
I honestly believe that many people are genuinely concerned about the well being of friends and family.  They believe that they are trying to save us.  The other, say ten percent, are only aware of the fact that they believe they are right, and that would make everyone else wrong.\n\nYes Wiccans believe in a Higher Power, and No, they do NOT believe in the Devil.\n\nHere are other questions about Wicca and WitchCraft and their answers.\n\n\nWhat is Witchcraft? Who are these Witches anyway?\nA practitioner of a nature-based belief system or religion. Not all Witches follow the same belief system. Some practice what is called the "old religion" which has its roots in pagan pre-monotheistic folk ways and beliefs and usually follows the seasonal cycles. These belief systems or "traditions" of Witches are often based upon the particular culture from whence they originated. Many Witches believe in a polytheistic deity structure (usually based upon the local gods and goddesses of the area of origin), but some simply practice magick (sometimes spelled with a 'k' to differentiate it from stage magic). Witches may practice alone as 'solitaries" or in covens. There are also family groups or traditions which trace their practices and beliefs within the same close group throughout several generations.\n\nTraditional Wicca:\nA modern form of Witchcraft is called "Wicca." Traditional Wicca is based on the teachings of Gerald Gardner, is coven based and each coven can trace its lineage (line of teaching passed on by initiated Traditional priests and priestesses) back to Gardner himself. There are offshoots of Gardnerian Traditional Wicca such as Alexandrian Wicca, Georgian Wicca and many others. Traditional Wiccans are considered a 'mystery' religion, require initiation by the coven and have a "degree system" or different levels of rank based upon coven training and the readiness of the initiate to accept the duties and responsibilities of that degree. They have a core of inner knowledge-often called the "Book of Shadows"-which is known only to initiated Wiccans. Most Traditional Wiccans believe in the balance of male-female divinity. Traditional Wiccans are seldom solitary except for those 'Elders'-usually former priests and priestesses-who may have retired from active coven involvement.\n\nOther Forms of Wicca:\nA newer form of Wicca has developed since the 1970's which is looser in structure and practice than the Traditional Wicca. These practitioners may follow a mixture of various or "eclectic' pagan and/or non-pagan beliefs. Some have formed 'traditions' or covens of their own, with or without a degree system, and have written a "book of shadows" outlining their own belief system and coven structure. Many are solitary practitioners who practice their beliefs and formulate their rituals in their own way.\n\nPagans:\nSince the terms Witch and Wiccan are often mistakenly interchanged, many simply call themselves "pagans" or Neo-pagans" when talking with others who may not be familiar with the complexity of the different belief systems. But just as not all Christians are Lutheran or Catholic, so not all pagans are Witches or Wiccan. Neo-paganism is a term used most often to describe people who follow an earth-based belief system or religion. Druids and the Norse tradition of Asatru (who tend to prefer the term 'heathen") are considered to be pagan belief systems, but their adherents are neither Witches nor Wiccans. Neo-paganism should also not be confused with the "New Age" movement as pagans are almost exclusively involved in distinctive nature religions or earth-based practices while New Age spirituality draws from many sources and esoteric spiritual techniques.\n\nQ: Are you a good Witch or a bad Witch?\nA: When you ask if someone is a "good" Witch or a "bad" Witch, it is
804013
This is what Scientologists ACTUALLY believe:\n\nXenu was an alien ruler of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in spacecrafts resembling Douglas DC-8 airliners, stacked them around volcanoes & blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls then clustered together & stuck to the bodies of the living. The alien souls continue to do this today, causing a variety of physical ill-effects in modern-day humans. L. Ron Hubbard (a science-fiction writer & the creator of Scientology) called these clustered spirits "Body Thetans," & the advanced levels in Scientology place considerable emphasis on isolating them & neutralizing their ill effects.\n\nTo rid ourselves of "Body Thetans" & also “engrams” (past negative experiences stored in our unconscious mind) so that we can become “clear”, we have to go through "auditing" with a member of the “church” who uses an "e-meter" to measure our “reactive mind”...... & we have to pay lots & lots & lots of money for “auditing” (purchased in 12.5-hour blocks, costing anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 & $9,000 for advanced sessions) & to take courses on Scientology to advance to higher “levels” in the “church”.  The “church” has also taken a very hostile stance towards psychiatry & psychiatric drugs irrespective of the fact that some people require medication to remain adequately functional in everyday life.  They deny the reality of chemical imbalance & profound mental disturbance & accordingly do NOTHING to effectively stabilize the dangerously unstable. The “church” has been known to withhold prescription pharmaceuticals from member (with deadly results).\n\nKabbalah literally means "receiving", in the sense of a "received tradition". Kabbalah esoterically interprets the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and classical Jewish texts (halakha and aggadah) and practices (mitzvot), as expressing a mystical doctrine concerning God's simultaneous immanence and transcendence, an attempted resolution to the ancient paradox of how the ultimate Being—"that which is not conceivable by thinking" (Isaac the Blind)—nevertheless comes to be known and experienced by the created world. Because of the interpretive liberties taken by kabbalistic thinkers, and the possible heresies to which they may easily lead, study of Kabbalah was traditionally restricted to a select few Rabbis and Torah scholars.\n\nJehovah's Witness believe that they must proselytize door to door to as many people as they possibly can in order to spread their "true" religion among the masses.  They believe practically every other religion in existence is "false" while theirs is "true".  They believe all holidays and birthdays to be either pagan in nature or inspired by false religion. They believe that the male is the final decider in all familial matters and that homosexuality is an abomination. They do not accept blood transfusions. They believe death is a state of nonexistence and that only a very few souls will make it to heaven.  They believe that no one is in heaven yet, and that when people DO go to heaven, there will only be 144,000 chosen.
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Acute has it backwards, though these days it seems like she is correct.  Repulicans believe in sink or swim, democrats believe in giving you a life boat.  Unfortunately, their idea of a lifeboat is a hundred-foot luxury liner with a freakin' helipad on the poop deck.\n\nAlso, the size of their contributors wallets.
1058919
Good stuff how about\n\nThou shalt forgive all sinners, however only in the most patronising way possible\n\nThou shalt threaten 'burning in hell', 'everlasting torment' and 'demons with pitchforks up your bottom' to all sinners in the name of the God of eternal love.\n\nThou shalt not listen, think or form a logical argument
836839
hahahahahahahahaha. \n\nI think they're referring to papparazis. though it would be funny if it was Papps.
994998
who is we?  it is just a quiencidince (sp) don't put much thought into it
825655
The Noe and Theo Cons have usurped traditional Republican beliefs. You have to wonder what is going on when the John Birch Society is more closely aligned with the Democrats on most issues. Everything bad in the world is Clinton's fault, except for the 8 years of Peace, Prosperity and a Budget surplus.
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I read a few of minister Kip's post's and he gives some pretty good, honest and sincere answers.  He seems to be a good guy.  I'm not too familiar with the other minister though.
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Four things come to mind: First, their attitude towards government. They believe in a big, cradle-to-grave nanny state that controls every aspect of the people's lives, taxes the rich to redistribute wealth to the "poor" and expects the vote of all of the "victims" who receive their largess.  Can you say "Socialism?" Re: From each according to his ability; to each according to his need. - Karl Marx.\n\nSecond: Nuances, shades of gray, believing there is no such things as Good and Evil or Right and Wrong. No absolutes. No one is really responsible for their own actions.\n\nThird, they depend heavily on "moral equivalency" to make an argument. Don't debate the issue with facts, offer a moral equivalent instead. A moral equivalent can be used to "abuse, excuse, accuse or confuse". \n\nFourth, their response to almost every problem is what they feel, not what they think. My own personal opinion?  Feminism has made masculine logic politically incorrect. "I feel your pain." has replaced, "I see your problem. Let's fix it."\n\nYou asked for our honest answers. There's mine.
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Summerland - Thoughts & Traditions\n\nWiccans and Pagans do not believe in the existence of the Christian “Hell”, as either a tangible place (one of fire and brimstone, of eternal torture and torment) or as a spiritual plane (out of “God’s sight” and being forsaken by and separated from God), where the damned or evil languish and suffer. I can’t even comprehend such a terrible idea of this sort, let alone imagine that a creative force that is supposed to be all-knowing, all-seeing, all-forgiving and all-loving could separate Itself from, and turn Its back on, Its creations. Essentially all Wiccans, myself included, assert that the existence of Hell is completely incompatible with their concept of a loving and forgiving Deity.\n\nWhile we’re on the subject of the loving Deity and the inexistence of Hell, I must state that Wiccans and Pagans do not believe in the existence of the Christian-concept of an entity called “Satan”. The idea that Witches worship this “Satan” is one of the most common misconceptions about us. This erroneous idea probably developed hundreds of years ago because some Christian leaders encouraged their followers to view non-Christians as anti-Christian. If you weren’t a believer in Christ, the embodiment of the good, you MUST be a believer in his evil opposite—Satan or the Devil. The all-evil Satan is a Christian concept that plays NO part in the Wiccan religion. Wiccans do not recognize the existence of the Christian quasi-deity, Satan; their pantheons of deities do not include an all-evil supernatural being. Wiccans do not believe that negativity or evil is an organized force.\n\nWiccans believe in the morals that are common to most faiths, but Wiccans don’t believe in the idea of “original sin”. We don’t believe we are “born sinners”, and no one can prove to us otherwise. Wiccans don’t need a “saviour”, we don’t have anything to be “saved” from to begin with. Personally, as an intelligent, sentient being, I find the ideas of original sin, being born a sinner and having to be “saved” not only completely ridiculous, but downright insulting. While Wiccans do not believe there is a hell to punish sinners, Wiccans do believe there is a universal law, called karma, that puts our behaviour on display so that we can learn from it.\n\nWHAT HAPPENS TO PAGANS AFTER DEATH\n\nThere are basically four major paths within mogern Paganism.\nThese are:\nWicca\nDruidism\nAsatru\nEclectic Paganism.\nWithing each there are many denomination, much the same as Protestantism. Virtually all of the various Pagan spiritual traditions have some place of rest, comfort and reward to which we expect we will go, even if only for a brief time before reincarnation, growing younger and younger until, eventually, we are again young enough to be reborn. We accept death as a necessary step in the cycles of life; Birth, death and rebirth. Most Pagan belief systems include the concept that it is our lives that are our most important purpose here and that we can make this life into a reward or a punishment by how we live and how we relate to those around us. We believe that our own sense of personal responsibility and morality is what controls our punishment or reward in this lifetime.\n\nFor Wiccans and Pagans, this place is known as the "Summerland". It is a place of eternal rest and comfort, or if we have not learned enough in this lifetime and are to be reincarnated, a restful and pleasant stop over between lives.\n\nTo the Northern European or Nordic Traditions, for warriors it is known as Valhalla. For other, it is called Noatun, where the sun meets the water, Asgaard and several others. There are at least 12 abodes for the dead, allowing each some choice in where they will meet and abide in eternal feasting with Odin. Oaht-breakers and others who dishonored their community or themselves, were sent to Nastrond, more to keep them away from the good golks in the other places t
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I think he believes strongly in the institution of marriage, but I also think he's a huge supporter of states rights, and this clearly defies that.  I think he's pandering to the christian right and their money, and I would imagine he's pretty annoyed that this is on the table right now when there's other things going on.
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In my opinion, he's saying that belief is very powerful. Like with you and your friend, it's doubtful if either one of you will back down on your debate because each one truly believes he/she is right.
969092
Mmmm... CENTRIST POLITICAL PARTY!\n\n"For example, I'm very much opposed to abortion, but I'm a strong believer in environmental protection."\nYeah, I'm pretty much anti-abortion. Environmental protection... how far are your beliefs? Because I'm okay with some aspects of that, but I have my limits.\n\n"I'm against high taxes, but I believe in staying out of wars whenever possible."\nEh, I'll agree with your view of high taxes (and of course pork-barrel spending). I'm not an isolationist, however.\n\n"I'm an atheist, but I have no problem with public displays of religious symbols or prayer in schools."\nWell good for you! Seriously, "atheist fundamentalists" are somewhere on my Top 10 groups of people thet annoy the hell out of me, and you aren't one of them.\n\n"I think both political parties have good ideas, and I have no problem taking the best ones from each of them."\nDude, I like the way you think (well, about this anyway)! Good luck!