Though these may not represent the exact beliefs of some, I am
attempting to explain what the majority of Wiccans believes. If I
end up contradicting someone else's beliefs, I just can't be that
specific. After all, the idea is to learn the basics and form
one's own path, right? These are by no means the undisputed
correct answers, they are simply ideas and opinions.
What is Wicca?
What's the difference between
Wicca and Paganism?
Do Wiccans worship Satan?
Do Wiccans have a God?
What do Wiccans believe?
What's with this "Harm
None" thing?
Why do you use the Pentagram? Isn't that evil?
Why
do you use the term "Witch?"
What about Black and White Witches?
What is a Coven?
Do
I have to be born into Wicca?
Is Wicca
only for women?
What
is a "Warlock" then?
What is
Wicca?
Ask 10 Wiccans, and you may get 15 answers.
To bring it right down to basics, Wicca is first and foremost a religion
that reveres nature. It views all living things as worthy of
respect and deserving of life. The two main Laws of Wicca are the
Rede and the Threefold Law. The Rede states that a Wiccan is free
to do as they wish, so long as they do nothing to harm life, including
their own. It also states that any negative act will be returned
with three times the effect (some say nine). Wicca also worships a
dual-deity, which will be discussed further down the page. All in
all, Wiccans believe that the Earth is alive, and it, along with the
life on it, should be treated with care and respect. This is what
we strive to live up to every day.
What's
the difference between Wicca and Paganism?
Wiccans are to Pagans what Catholics, Methodists,
or Protestants are to Christians. Wicca IS Pagan. Paganism
is simply a term for all pre-Christian-based Earth-centered
religions. It derives from the Latin "paganus," which
meant country-dweller, back when everyone was a little more
down-to-Earth. All Wiccans are Pagan, but not all Pagans are
Wiccan. Other Pagan belief systems include religions like Ásatrú
(based on ancient Nordic religion) or Druidism (based on ancient Celtic
religion). Each has a different way of looking at things, but they
all carry the same general message of respect.
Do
Wiccans worship Satan?
Most dedicated Wiccans are sick of this
accusation (the rest just don't care). Instead of dancing about on
this one, I (and so can a multitude of Wiccans around the world) can
easily and firmly say no. The roots of Wiccan belief stem from
pre-Christian beliefs, before the concept of Satan existed. We do
not believe in a supreme good or a supreme evil (or a supreme
scapegoat). We believe in balance, and that the positive and the
negative must both exist for the world to exist. We do not fear
either, and we do not view them as the ultimate sources of good and
evil. One cannot exist without the other, for without negative
energy, how would you recognize the positive as being positive?
Do
Wiccans have a God?
Wiccans believe in a dual-deity. We believe
in a Goddess and God, equal but opposite, and both an equal part of the
unknowable One. The One is the natural force that resides
throughout the universe. It is not a higher being like the
Christian God, it is that eternal force that resides in all
things. The Goddess and God are personifications, if you will, of
the One. More about this can be learned by reading Before Time
Was. The Goddess and God represent the Male and Female energies
that are present throughout the world. They also represent night
and day, water and fire, moon and sun -- all of those aspects which are
the balance of Nature.
What do Wiccans
believe?
Instead of rambling on in detail about every little thing we believe,
I am going to be brief and concise. For one, we believe that
Nature deserves our respect. We also believe, along with that,
that we are a part of Nature, and not above it. It is not ours to
control or destroy. We believe that all humans are equal, despite
race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. We believe that the
Goddess and God are present in all things, and have been since the dawn
of time. It is the balance they create that keeps the world in
order. We believe in the cycle of Nature, be it the seasons, the
death and rebirth of plants in spring, procreation; we celebrate this
eternal cycle during the eight Sabbats. We believe that life is
special, and that we do not have the right to harm or destroy it in any
way. and this includes plants, animals, people, and the Earth
itself. We believe in re-incarnation, and that we will continue to
be reborn, though there are numerous reasons why we believe this
happens, which will be discussed in another FAQ. It is these basic
beliefs that define Wicca.
What's with this "Harm None" thing?
Once again, ask 10 Wiccans, get 10 answers. In general, it
means that you're promising not to go out and unintentionally hurt
people, animals, or Nature. I'm sure we've all been to one public
park where someone has carelessly snapped a newly planted sapling in
two. Obeying the rule of "Harm None" just means that
you're not going to go out and harm without purpose. For many that
includes any form of emotional, psychological, psychic, or physical
harm. It basically means "try to be nice." Of
course, the "fluffy bunnies" will tell you it means to never
hurt anything, never ever, not even eating meat because it's mean, and
not fighting back if someone hurts you. Most of us don't see it
that way. If someone is causing harm to you, then you should at
least be allowed to stop it from continuing. It is somewhat open
to interpretation, depending on how you choose to see it. In the
very basics - don't hurt unless you have to.
Why do you
use the Pentagram? Isn't that evil?
No, there is nothing evil about it. Christians gave us that concept
because it was a non-Christian symbol, and back then, anything that
wasn't Christian must have been pure evil. Unfortunately today,
the Pentagram and Pentacle still retain that stigma. It is a
symbol that has been used around the world for over 8,000 years.
Though it represents many things (it depends who you ask), the most held
belief is that each point represents an element - Earth, Air, Fire,
Water, and Spirit. Pagans use the symbol of the Pentagram enclosed
in a circle. This brings the five elements of nature together as a
whole, as equals. It is a representation of universal
wisdom. For more on the Pentagram, I would suggest the Witchvox
article about it.
Why
do you use the term "Witch?"
Ok, this is a good one. There are Witches out
there who aren't Wiccan, and there are Wiccans out there who aren't
Witches. Truth be told, most of us are both anyway. Some say
Wicca is
really nothing more than a modernization of old Witchcraft (you know,
the thing people were burned for). Others say it's nothing more
than the practice of magick. So many Wiccans practice magick that
it's become synonymous with Witch. It is really a personal preference, and a personal
opinion. Anyone who tells you you're wrong is just uptight about
it.
What
about black and white Witches?
To some, the "black" or "white"
witch is one who uses either black or white magick. To others, it
is either a good or an evil Witch. Usually, it is only non-witches
who use these terms. The source of magick is the very energy that
exists within the universe, and this energy is neither good nor evil, it
simply is. Also, no human being can claim to be purely good or
evil. It is not human nature, and as much as a few people out
there would tell you otherwise, we are all human. We are not black
or white, we just are.
What is a Coven?
A coven is simply a group of Wiccans who practice
together. They celebrate the Sabbats with group rituals, they meet
for Full Moons, and they teach each other as they learn. It's
really much like to a group of friends getting together for coffee every
Tuesday. Members of a Coven are usually very close friends, and
they support each other throughout life. Covens do not have a
leader that tells everyone what to do. They are seen over by a
High Priestess and/or Priest, but they are not solely in charge.
Decisions to be made are discussed as a group, and rituals are done
together. The HP or HPS is usually the one who leads the ritual,
and in many Covens, they are allowed to legally marry people. If
someone wants to join the coven, they are often asked contact the HP/S,
as Wicca does not actively seek new members. The HP/S will also be
the one to initiate any new members, and if there is a single Coven Book
of Shadows, it is often kept with the HP/S after ritual. If you
choose to join a Coven, know that you will be expected to join in every
Sabbat and often every Full Moon. In many Covens, inactive members
are excluded from the Coven after missing too many gatherings.
Do I
have to be born into Wicca?
Despite what a few, shall we say, highly-dedicated
hereditaries would tell you, no, you don't have to be born into
it. Along with that, you also don't have to be initiated by
someone else to practice it. No one can stop you from believing in
something, and you won't be angering any Gods by doing so.
Modern-day Wicca is free for all to practice, because love of Mother
Earth should not be restricted by birthright, and should not be decided
by someone else.
Is Wicca only
for women?
Though many of Wicca's followers are women, it is open
to all people regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation.
The reason so many women are a part of Wicca is because it is easier to
identify with than the idea of a father-figure male God, or a religion
that places women at a lower level than men. In Wicca, men and
women are equals. Wicca understands that women are allowed to be
tough and men are allowed to be sensitive. Men should feel free to
become Wiccan, worship the Goddess, and watch chick flicks without
guilt.
What
is
a "Warlock" then?
That term is ONLY used by non-Witches who don't know
any better. A "Warlock" is not, as many believe, the
term for a male Witch. A male Witch is still a Witch. A
"Warlock" on the other hand, is the term often used for
someone who has been thrown out of a Coven for breaking any rules the
Coven may have, be it a code of silence or conduct, or by breaking the
Law of "Harm None."
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