Wicca, the largest of modern Pagan or Neo-Pagan religions, is a nature-based pagan religion that honors a Triple Goddess and a Horned God, and celebrates the cycles of the moon. Its followers, known as Wiccans, typically identify as witches and draw inspiration from pre-Christian religions of Europe. Influenced by earlier forms of Western esotericism, Wicca publicly emerged in England during the 1950s.
Witchcraft, on the other hand, is more ephemeral and independent, with witches worshipping both the goddess and the god. Wiccans generally believe in the polarity of the divine, where both male and female deities are worshipped. The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief, a document created by a coalition of American Wiccans in the 1970s, clarify and unite their diverse practices.
Wicca and witchcraft have been popularized in pop culture, from teenage witches on TikTok to a Marvel comic superhero called Wiccan. The moral code of Wicca, known as the “Wiccan Rede”, reads “an it harm none, do what ye will”. Many indigenous belief systems that include the concept of witchcraft define witches as malevolent and seek healers and medicine people for protection.
Witchcraft, which includes Wicca, paganism, folk magic, and other New Age traditions, is one of the fastest-growing spiritual paths in America. Seax Wicca, created by Raymond Buckland, is Norse-flavored. However, there are also witches who are not Wiccan, and while Witchcraft itself is not a religion, many witches do have beliefs rooted in the Wiccan religion.
📹 What’s the Difference Between Religion and Magic?
The word “magic” has dubious, demonic connotations. But is there really a difference between magic and religion? In this episode …
What is the difference between paganism and Wicca?
Wicca is a new religious movement, primarily a form of modern Paganism, with its practitioners often embracing the term “magico-religion” due to its incorporation of magic. It is considered the largest, best known, most influential, and most academically studied form of modern Paganism. Wicca is also considered a form of nature religion, mystery religion, and a part of Western esotericism, specifically part of the esoteric current known as occultism. Academics like Wouter Hanegraaff and Tanya Luhrmann have categorised Wicca as part of the New Age, although other academics and many Wiccans dispute this categorisation.
Despite being recognized as a religion by academics, some evangelical Christians have attempted to deny it legal recognition as such. Some Wiccan practitioners eschew the term “religion” and instead focus on “spirituality” or “way of life”. Wicca has been influenced by other Pagan faiths, making it difficult for religious studies scholars to make clear-cut distinctions between them. The terms wizard and warlock are sometimes discouraged altogether, as they can represent an emphasis on wisdom and insight-based practices. In Wicca, denominations are referred to as traditions, while non-Wiccans are often termed cowans.
What are the rules of witchcraft?
Witches believe in the universal law of not doing evil and harm, and see the universe as majickal and able to provide for us. They practice science, art, and religion, with roots in early European cultures. Witches act in balance with these three aspects and use their majick in harmony with the universe and nature. They do not worship Satan or the Devil, as they believe that hatred and harm stem from our own choices and actions against the balance of the universe. Witches practice their religion in harmony with the universe and nature.
What religion is paganism based on?
The contemporary pagan revival movement focuses on nature-revering, pre-Christian religions, and other nature-based spiritual paths, often incorporating contemporary liberal values. This definition may include groups like Wicca, Neo-Druidism, Heathenry, and Slavic Native Faith. Paganism, a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians, refers to people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism or ethnic religions other than Judaism. Ritual sacrifice was an integral part of ancient Greco-Roman religion and was considered an indication of whether a person was pagan or Christian.
During and after the Middle Ages, the term paganism was applied to any non-Christian religion, presumed a belief in “false gods”. The origin of the application of the term “pagan” to polytheism is debated. In the 19th century, paganism was adopted as a self-descriptor by members of various artistic groups inspired by the ancient world. In the 20th century, it came to be applied as a self-descriptor by practitioners of modern paganism, modern pagan movements, and Polytheistic reconstructionists. Modern pagan traditions often incorporate beliefs or practices that are different from those of the largest world religions.
Contemporary knowledge of old pagan religions and beliefs comes from anthropological field research records, archaeological artifacts, and historical accounts of ancient writers. Most modern pagan religions express a worldview that is pantheistic, panentheistic, polytheistic, or animistic, but some are monotheistic.
Do Wiccans believe in Jesus?
Wiccans espouse the view that Christianity and Judaism constitute a world mythical system that merits equal respect with all other religions, despite the absence of a Bible in their tenets.
What does Wicca believe in?
Wicca and Druidry are two religious traditions with distinct beliefs. Wicca is primarily based on a horned male god and a moon goddess, with the Dianic Wicca focusing on only the goddess. Some wiccans believe in both gods and goddesses, while others prioritize the goddess. Druidry, originating from King Arthur’s legends, is connected to Arthuriana through the Loyal Arthurian Warband, a Druidic group that uses Arthurian symbolism in its environmental movement.
What is the oldest religion?
Hinduism, also known as Hindu Dharma, is an Indian religion and universal order whose followers follow. It has been called the oldest religion in the world and has been described as Sanātana Dharma or Vaidika Dharma. Hindu texts are classified into Śruti (“heard”) and Smṛti (“remembered”). The major Hindu scriptures include the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Purānas, the Mahābhārata (including the Bhagavad Gita), the Rāmāyana, and the Āgamas.
Prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include karma (action, intent, and consequences) and the four Puruṣārthas, which are the proper goals or aims of human life: dharma (ethics/duties), artha (prosperity/work), kama (desires/passions), and moksha (liberation/freedom from the passions and the cycle of death and rebirth). Hindu religious practices include devotion (bhakti), worship (puja), sacrificial rites (yajña), meditation (dhyāna), and yoga.
The major Hindu denominations are Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and the Smarta tradition. The six Āstika schools of Hindu philosophy, which recognize the authority of the Vedas, are Sānkhya, Yoga, Nyāya, Vaisheshika, Mimāmsā, and Vedānta.
Scientists regard Hinduism as a fusion or synthesis of Brahmanical orthopraxy with various Indian cultures, having diverse roots and no specific founder. This Hindu synthesis emerged after the Vedic period, between c. 500 BCE to 200 BCE, and c. 300 CE, during the second urbanisation and early classical period of Hinduism. It flourished in the medieval period, with the decline of Buddhism in India. Since the 19th century, modern Hinduism, influenced by western culture, has gained popularity in the West, particularly in the popularization of yoga and various sects such as Transcendental Meditation and the Hare Krishna movement.
Is witchcraft a religion?
Wicca, an alternative minority religion founded in the UK in the 1940s, is part of the contemporary pagan movement, which includes druids and heathens. Since its arrival in the US in the 1960s, Wicca has been growing, with an estimated 1. 5 million witches in the US. However, not all witches consider themselves Wiccans, with approximately 800, 000 Americans being Wiccans according to recent survey data. The increasing numbers in surveys and the growth of groups on platforms like TikTok suggest that the religion is continuing to grow.
What god do Pagans believe?
Paganism is a rapidly growing spiritual movement consisting of various nature-based polytheistic religions, loosely based on ancient world religions. Pagans have diverse beliefs, ranging from Wiccan, Witch, Heathen, Asatru, Druid, Faerie tradition, Solitary Practitioner, and Eclectic. They view the world as a place of joy and life, not sin and suffering. They believe the divine is present in the natural world, not in a distant place in the sky. Pagans are earth-conscious and do not recruit members, as they believe that every person reveres the divine in their own way and that no one religion is better than another.
They hold a deep reverence for nature and the earth, and they do not recruit members. Pagans believe that the divine is present in both male and female principles and that no one religion is better than another.
What is the sin of witchcraft in the Bible?
Exodus 22:18, Leviticus 19:26, Leviticus 20:27, and Deuteronomy 18:10-11 all prohibit the practice of necromancy, divination, and soothsaying. These laws are portrayed as foreign and are the only part of the Hebrew Bible to mention such practices. The presence of laws forbidding necromancy proves that it was practiced throughout Israel’s history.
The exact difference between the three forbidden forms of necromancy mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:11 is uncertain, as yidde’oni (“wizard”) is always used together with ob (“consulter with familiar spirits”) and its semantic similarity to doresh el ha-metim (“necromancer” or “one who directs inquiries to the dead”) raises the question of why all three are mentioned in the same verse. The Jewish tractate Sanhedrin distinguishes between a doresh el ha-metim, a person who would sleep in a cemetery after starving himself, to become possessed, and a yidde’oni, a wizard.
In summary, the prohibition of necromancy in the Hebrew Bible is a significant aspect of Jewish history.
Who do Pagans pray to?
Pagans believe in deity manifesting within nature and recognizing divinity in various forms, including goddesses and gods. They view nature as sacred and the cycles of birth, growth, and death as profoundly spiritual. Human beings are seen as part of nature, with reincarnation being a significant aspect of their existence. Pagans have a positive attitude towards healthcare staff and are willing to seek medical help when sick.
Pagans worship pre-Christian gods and goddesses through seasonal festivals and ceremonies, which are observed by patients in hospitals. Individual patients may have special requirements, such as having a small white candle or a figure of a goddess on their locker.
What is a male witch called?
The term “witch” is primarily used in colloquial English, with women being the male equivalent. Modern dictionaries distinguish four meanings of the term: a person with supernatural powers, a practitioner of neo-pagan religion, a mean or ugly old woman, or a charming or alluring girl or woman. The term “witch” was first used to refer to a bewitching young girl in the 18th century, and “witch” as a contemptuous term for an old woman is attested since the 15th century.
📹 What is Wicca?
References: Ethan Doyle White, Wicca: History, Belief, and Community inModern Pagan Witchcraft, (Sussex Academic Press, …
Intellectually Belief is often a harbinger of insanity or the last safeguard against it. I would say that the capacity for it is detrimental to the human condition in most cases except for instances where people use it as a tool for a more constructive type of self fulfilling prophecy. It would seem as though Belief does build bridges. Having said that I would add that it’s important to be careful in what you believe (especially in the, “whys”, of it).
Some notes: a coven can be lead by a High Priestess by herself, or a paired High Priestess and High Priest, but not a High Priest by himself. Also, the full moons are our time to honor the Goddess on the day of her strongest power, and these are called esbats we celebrate every month (dark moon and waxing/waning moon ceremonies are also practiced, but full moons are the most well known). The God is the one whose represented stage of life changes throughout the year, as the sun waxes and wanes in its strength. The triple goddess idea isn’t necessarily a thing, since She has so much more nuance than that suggests. The God impregnates the Goddess at Beltane, he is beginning his decline at Lammas, he assumes his role as the Lord of the Underworld at Samhain, and is born at Imbolc. The eight sabbats celebrate his life cycle. Finally, the Rede line of “do what thou wilt” refers more to working one’s “capital W” Will in the world. One’s Will is not whim–it’s more like the thing one is called to do, to utilize one’s gifts and talents to their fullest to benefit the world. The “an’ it harm none” line more refers to being mindful of one’s Will existing in the context of equally important other people/animals/consciousnesses and compels us to respect and value these other consciousnesses as we work our Wills. Other than that, fun to watch, and I hope you do an episode on Druidism, too! 🙂
I’m a non practicing agnostic. Anyway I love evolutionary theory and alternative explanations for causality to gods or aliens. Back in the 90s I saw a cloud in a cloudless sky in a precise laser cut pentagram. It was oval as it faced the ground off in the distance over the everglades. It had perfect regularity of dimension like a 3d medallion. I rushed home to get a camera and got back to the edges slightly fluffing out and a couple corners crossing a little. I got the pic and showed it to my girlfriend and others. I desperately needed confirmation that it wasn’t in my head. Later I visited a potter’s field for archery and shot an arrow that exploded in mid air. At that same graveyard I saw an oak leaf rotating steadily in a circle far from any tree. I fell asleep there once and later the same day while driving, became somebody else 3 times. I feel both scared and exhilarated by these and other happenings. Anyone seen anything?
I have articletape a wiccan circle prayer and some other activities I did not understand in a woods a long drive outside Moscow. It was about midnight and I used our generators and lights. The ladies ignored me. I like wickens but I sure hope I get a positive prayer or wishing. I like individualistS but I’m not sure there are
This is a great synopsis, but one thing Dr. Henry gets wrong, or at least inadvertently biases, is when he says the Rede is “do as you will so long as you do no harm.” The Rede is actually “If it harms none, do what you will” which may at first blush sound like the same thing, but it is in fact highly controversial among practitioners whether or not this can be interpreted in the way Dr. Henry interprets it. Is the priority to ensure no harm is done, and then after that your actions are free, or are your actions free unless they have demonstrated to do harm? They aren’t quite the same thing. Putting “harm none” first prioritizes others, whereas putting “do as you will” first prioritizes yourself, and as a result, the two meanings are in fact not the same. An example of the difference in accessibly could be providing an ASL interpreter. Do I always provide an interpreter at every event to ensure they’re inclusive by design, or do I provide an interpreter, but only upon request? The latter, arguably, does do harm, or at least it causes inconvenience, and may turn people away even if you wouldn’t go so far as to say they were harmed. But the former, providing the interpreter no matter what, demands energy, time, and money to set up, and possibly at no benefit. “If it harms none, do what you will” demands the former, where “do as you will so long as you do no harm” allows for the latter. They aren’t the same.
Ordained Wiccan here, I would point out a few things; a. According to the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) they did a much more detailed religion focus survey which generally is agreed is more accurate than using census data. As they mention in their notes people are more apprehensive to put down Wicca or witch on a govt form vs partaking in a specific religion survey. None the less the survey stated in 2008 ~ 2million people in the US were under the Neo-pagan umbrella, and 75% of those identified as Wiccan. So I find it odd the large discrepancy even taking into account the aforementioned apprehension. b. Neo-paganism under its umbrella has Hinduism by definition. While that does not move the Wicca proper numbers that does move the overall Neo-pagan numbers to making Neo-paganism shoot up to the top 5 world religions by size. c. Only the minority in Wicca actually believe we directly trace our roots back to classical times or other such nonsense. You made it sound as if most of us are ignorant, by purpose or otherwise, of that fact. Most would agree while there are elements from parts of the ancient Celts practices just as much if not more come from the middle ages and as you said magickal groups form the 1800s and practicing occultists in the early to mid 1900s. Otherwise you did a pretty good job.
Many Wiccans are worshiping a Goddess from the Hellenic pantheon or mythology as we say today that we know that these entities are not existing! The Goddess Εκάτη / ekàti > Hecate In Hellenic mythology was depicted as the Lady of Magic and Necromancy. She was protecting the humans and she often was depicted with three heads/bodies The maiden, the Mother and the Crone She was considered the goddess of the Moon and mysticism.
Is there any connection between the symbols of ancient Christianity and modern pagan revivalism? Perhaps symbols used by non-Northern-European pagans that were then adopted by some early Christian sects, then repurposed to mean something either entirely different than the original meaning, or perhaps re-given their original meaning, by the Wiccans or other pagan revivalists? Is the pentacle one such symbol?
I’m spiritual, not religious, I do magic, I am a sole practitioner with a lot of Wiccan and Heathen friends. Often we prefer to keep our beliefs to ourselves. Why? When you’ve been condemned enough by those who do not understand it seems best to keep quiet for your own protection. There are Wiccans that have lost their jobs because they’re Wiccan, the reason was given, unethical practices. There’s nothing unethical about their practice. Only those who judge them.
Ancient Egyptians used the same word for both horns and light rays. Some ancient pagan had a near death experience and reported back that God had horns. He meant God’s face was shining. But it got mistranslated as God having horns. The Bible Michaelangelo read made the same mistake. it said that Moses had horns, meaning his face was shining. So, Michealangelo gave his statue horns.