[jay o2 waster]

Originally posted by Tumper
Jay o waster,

In response to your question, I have a bit of knowledge and experience of wicca. My family, on my fathers side, were recognised’witches’ in their local community, and my uncle, until his death in 1985 was a well known figure in British occult circles.

I am not a practicing Wiccan, in fact I don’t practice any formal belief system myself, I do have an active interest in the occult and supernatural, and I recognise many Wiccan beliefs as valid, and highly beneficial in the modern world.

Wicca as a religion is a fairly modern idea. The word itself means ‘craft’ and is a very old English word. At one time any craft would be ‘wicca’, hence ‘whicker’ as in the furniture and even ‘wick’ as in candle wick. The word was used for any type of work undertaken by rural artisans. When words for specific trades came into existence, ‘wicca’ was applied to rural crafts and skills that didn’t have a proper name. Much of the knowledge held by rural folk that was not easily explained by religion or science was labelled ‘wicca craft’ or ‘witchcraft’

Modern ‘Wicca’ was born in the 1950’s when an Englishman called Gerald Gardner published his accounts of being initiated, and schooled by, a coven of occultism based on early pagan belifs, and ‘witchcraft. He claimed that many such covens existed in co-operation across Britain, and Eroupe. Gardner possessed a lot of genuine knowledge on occult beliefs and practices. He also possessed the age old habit of all witches to myth make, and tell tale tales. Despite some of the more the ludicrous claims made by Gardner, many people wanted to join ‘Wiccan Religion’. This proved rather difficult. Covens of witches did exist, but not as an organised religion. Occult groups were more prolific, but most of these were based on Egyptian, Hebrew, and Greek beliefs. Gardner opened up a whole new avenue for occultist’s to explore. Within 10 years there were hundreds of ative ‘Wiccan’ groups within Europe, and the European occult traditions were receiving more attention than at any time since the middle ages. Fortunately, western culture was entering a period of free expression, and greater acceptance than the middle ages ever were. Nobody got burned at the stake this time around. Gardners ideas, with their eco-friendly, love thy neighbour and her daughters message, was so attractive that it soon became one of the dominant forces in the growth of new age beliefs.

Today wicca has grown into the largest occult belief sytem in the world. It incorporates aspects of many different religions and traditions. It even branches into theoretical physics. Most of the practices and rituals of Wicca are a modern mix of old ways. This does not mean that wicca is any less relevant, or powerful than, for instance, Christianity. Many people mock wiccan beliefs and practices because they re-invent older traditions, and romanticise the past.. The truth is all religions have aways done this. Most Christian, Hebrew, and Islamic beliefs are based on older ‘pagan’ beliefs. As for romanticising the past, the garden of eden, and the ‘land of milk and honey’ spring to mind.

Wicca is a religion of our time, and a religion of the future. It creates it’s sysmbolism from our culture and times. It speaks to a great many people, and fill’s a spiritual void in them. The principles of Wicca, or ‘Wiccan Rede’ are a call for peace and understanding between all humanity. It may sound corny, but it beats the hell out of killing each other.

P.S. no, it will not give you magical Disney powers, nor will it fuck up your head.

Ok folks, you can get back to the hostilities now…

Wow, that was alot, and I quoted it, TE HE