Is there a Wiccan guide? (Buddhism, hell, priests, bible)

[Trebek]

I asked this about Paganism (still trying to figure out the results). Is there a Wiccan bible or central book that Wiccans subscribe to?

What are the foundations of Wiccanism?

[Mark S.]

Most Wiccans I know started with The Mists of Avalon. I'm not joking.

That being said, I only know two practicing Wiccans very well. And a third is more of a friend of a friend.

[irishmom]

Originally Posted by Trebek

I asked this about Paganism (still trying to figure out the results). Is there a Wiccan bible or central book that Wiccans subscribe to?

What are the foundations of Wiccanism?

Wicca and Paganism are two different things. Pagans do not have to be Wiccan even though most Wiccans are pagans. So assuming you want to know about Wicca you'd best to do a search for a book specifically about Wicca. The actual religious text used is normally handed down from high priestesses and priests and only showed to practicing members (Book of Shadows) but you may be able to find something that is written about it by a nonmember. Gerald Gardiner's books would also be a good place to look since he started the modern movement in the early part of the last century.

Oh and no offense Mark S. but although the Mists of Avalon is a great story (and movie actually) it has little to do with Wicca as it's practiced today.

[Jazzedforhim]

You can get a good start online. While you won't get intimate details, there is a lot out there to get your feet wet about what Wiccans believe and such. Just dig a little.

[Trebek]

Thanks Jazzed, Just trying to gain some quick understanding. I don't wish to join nor spend huge amounts of time on learning about it. Seems that a lot of people consider themselves Pagans and Wiccans, so I wonder what its about. I try to respect all beliefs, but it helps to know the basics of them.

There are negative religions out there like the murderous "Thugee cult" of India, which I have no respect for.

[ADVentive]

My understanding is that Wiccans are a type of neo-Pagan. It's sort of like how Buddhism is a type of Eastern Religion, meaning that there are certain things that Wiccans have in common with other neo-Pagans while being separate religions.

I would recommend the same books I suggested in the other thread - Drawing Down the Moon (Margot Adler) and Spiral Dance (Starhawk). Specifically I think that Drawing Down the Moon will will give you information on Wicca as well as other neo-Pagan belief systems and show you how they are related to each other. Mine is packed up, but that is my recollection of it - though it's been about 8 years since I read it.

For something quicker, you can try this link:
Wicca, the religion

[Trebek]

Someone on my other post about Paganism said Wicca is a type of nature worship that predates the Celtic religions. Is this correct?

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by Trebek

Someone on my other post about Paganism said Wicca is a type of nature worship that predates the Celtic religions. Is this correct?

Wicca is only a few decades old. It is an attempt to rediscover an ancient religion.

Whether or not that ancient religion predated the Celtic religions is pure speculation. With no written records and only sporadic archaeological evidence, it's all guesswork.

If you go back far enough, the Celts and Germans were all one people to begin with. Both Indo-Europeans. So I guess if you go back far enough, their religion was probably the same thing.

So anyone who tells you that Germanic nature worship predated the Celtic religions...well, there just isn't enough evidence to prove or disprove it either way.

Unless someone reading this has a time machine. If so, please invite me over. I really do think I was born in the wrong century.

[Trebek]

I thought that the Celts were a different race than the Germans. Celts have dark eyes, hair, and darker skin. The Germans are more Nordic.

Didn't the Norse leave written evidence of their religion i.e. runestones, "Beowulf" ect..

The Celts had no writing?

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by Trebek

I thought that the Celts were a different race than the Germans.

Most Europeans are of the same race. Celts and Germans were a different culture. (Note: We're also the same race as most Indians and Iranians.)

But if you go back far enough, they all go back to the Indo-Europeans, who probably lived around what is now the Black Sea. As the populations grew and migrated and separted, languages and cultures began to change and evolve. But if you go back far enough, the Germans and Celts were the same people.

Go back farther than that, and we were ALL the same people. This is one of the fun facts where science and religion both meet. Every single human being on the planet today had a common ancestor, a woman who most likely lived and died in Africa many thousands of years ago. Our DNA proves it.

Originally Posted by Trebek

Celts have dark eyes, hair, and darker skin. The Germans are more Nordic. Celts have dark eyes, hair, and darker skin.

That’s a common misconception. When you are talking about “Celts” or “Norse” or “Hellenic” or any other kind of people, you are talking primarily about culture and language. The fact is that both Celts and Germans had lots of physical diversity. Hair colors of all sorts, varying skin tones, body builds, etc.

This is probably because we humans have been interbreeding since the beginning of time. If you cut your average Irishman, he’ll bleed a little Celt, a little Anglo-Saxon, some Viking, probably some Spanish, and whatever pre-Celtic peoples lived in Eire before the Celts showed up.

This is why classifying people according to race is not only inaccurate. It’s silly. Language and culture are much more accurate classifications.

Originally Posted by Trebek

The Germans Didn't the Norse leave written evidence of their religion i.e. runestones, "Beowulf" ect..

The Norse had runes, certainly, but those were mostly for inscriptions, ornamentation, and religious uses. There is lots of Nordic literature, but every bit of it was written down by Christian monks.

Originally Posted by Trebek

The Celts had no writing?

Not until they became Christians.

Ancient Celts had the oghma, but like the Nordic runes, they were used for inscriptions and such, not writing history or literature. The druidic religion was strictly an oral tradition. Most historians agree that it was considered taboo and sacrilege to write down any of the particulars of their religion. It was their way of preserving their traditions.