Pagans

[Jen]

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[mgdzkm433]

Eclectic witch myself.

[CutiePie2000]

I find it to be of interest and would consider myself to be "informed" on the subject.

[Billy Optimist]

Hey all! Here is a question that I found somewhere. Is Wicca the same thing as Witchcraft? Some say they are different. Gardner is said to have started the Wiccan revival, but he never used the word Wicca. He used Witchcraft. So here is what I think the main difference is:Witchcraft is the term used in Britain, and in some parts of the Eastern U.S., and Wicca for the rest of the New World. Also, I found that sorcery is the samething, just from the French word, like Witchcraft comes from English

[Billy Optimist]

One more thing! I think that Paganism and Catholoicism have a lot in common. Both use male and female imagery, and both have lots of "things" (I can't think of a better word, sory.) to pray to.

[mgdzkm433]

Billy, I think I can sort of answer that question.

This is how I'VE learned things, realize that not all people will agree with me:

Wicca is a religion, based on nature, the seasons, a god and goddess. However, Witchcraft is in a way a suppliment. Witchcraft is the actual casting of spells. You don't have to be wiccan to be a witch and you don't have to be a witch to be a wiccan. Not all wiccans practice magick (witchcraft), while not all those that practice magick believe in the wiccan path.

Do I make sense?

[mgdzkm433]

Great source of information:
http://www.witchvox.com

[mgdzkm433]

Oh yes, I can agree to that to a point as well. I've seen it both ways and really, it depends on the practicioner. If someone pracicing witchcraft relates it to a religion--than by all means--it's a religion! Maybe I should have said "FOR ME" as to the differences.

Witchcraft IS/WAS a religion in fact. Wicca is in fact only a baby in a sense of time--begining in the 1950's (?). However, Witchcraft is ages old--and in fact has it's roots in the first religions of the world.

I believe however, that in modern times, witchcraft--the term--is used rather loosely and has come to embody MANY things. FOR ME--witchcraft is not part of my religion. It is a suppliment with no religious significance. It's spell work--in wich I do not ask or use a diety for.

Your website is very interesting! One of the great things about paganism (an umbrella term I realize) is that most of it is not set in stone. Wicca has a sort of 'path' a 'way to practice' but pagans are mostly free to do what they feel is right for them, with no set 'way'. Very much unlike Christianity which has a cut and dry path to practice. I think that in today's modern times some people might argue points in your website, but mostly I see the 'traditional' side that you were pointing out. I feel witchcraft has really evolved into a more 'personal' thing and those practicing make the decisions regarding circles, watchtowers, guardians, going skyclad , BoS, etc etc rather than follow set 'rules' or 'paths' as your website seems to suggest about the two.

[Billy Optimist]

Originally posted by brooklineu:
Wicca vs Witchcraft

In my mind they are two different religions=) Wicca to me is what started with Gerald Gardiner, and witchcraft is pre-Gardnerian. I have a whole page full of differences between the two:
http://www.geocities.com/ariesrising3/difference.html

Gardiner wrote about what he found in a tradional coven. Also about the compass/elemental corresspondances...since others can be found, couldn't it be the same as the Wiccan ones? I've also heard the term Traditional Wicca, meaning that they get their practices from Britian.
As for the roles of the Gods and Goddesses, I've heard Witches (Wiccans) say that dieties were higher energy beings, were the universe, ruled over the universe, were different aspects of the same thing, were everything and nothing simulatesly, etc. I think one good thing about Wicca/Witchcraft is that because there are so many traditions, or paths, to follow, and one can even be eccletic, so there is no dogma.

[Billy Optimist]

Ooops. I wasn't done. Also, the whole Wicca vs. Witchcraft thing seems to be very recent. For instance, there are books that contain both words in the title. And actully, I think the word Wicca is itself very recent. Gardiner never mentioned it at all.

[finest_alum]

studying Wiccan here.

[Miami1839]

I'm not but I do find it of interest. Mikki definitely has given me some great information on Wicca. Also, when I was in college I took a criminal investigation course and this classmate of mine did a presentation on Wicca. Some really interesting stuff. Not that I'm implying that Pagan religons are bad.

Kevin

[This message has been edited by Miami1839 (edited April 04, 2001).]

[Billy Optimist]

I'm one too. Sortof. I like the Greek Gods and Goddesses.

[dzrose93]

Hey! I'm Catholic, but I do like to read about different religions. I've checked out several books on Wicca at the library in the past few months. With all the bad press that pagan religions have gotten over the years, I was a little curious to find out what they were really about. Wicca seems interesting, very environmentally-oriented (if that makes sense, I can't really think of words to describe it the way I'd like to). Anyway, I thought it seemed like a nice idea. Not harmful in the least.

[mgdzkm433]

Well, it hasn't been too long ago. Basically, I've always been interested in various religions, I eventually stumbled upon wicca. It helped me grow as a person to learn new approches to different things. I'd say that I became more serious in witchcraft a little over a year ago.

If you noticed, I said I was eclectic--which means that I don't practice one thing in particular. I sort of cut and paste things from different religions to create my own spirtuality as I see it. For instance, I believe in reincarnation, I also believe all things are connected together (you might call it Chi), I also believe in Jesus (not exactly as the son of God, but I believe him to be real, I believe his message is a good one), and on top of that, I believe Magick is very real (the basis of my calling myself a witch). I believe there isn't one single path to the Ultimate, I believe in many, and all paths lead us there--so really you can practice whatever you want--or combine them.

That's some basics.

You can e-mail me if you want to know more.