Ask a Wiccan! (Harry Potter, America, Muslims, worship)

[FredNotBob]

In the fine traditions of 'Ask an Athiest!' and 'Ask a Jew'!, this is Ask a Wiccan!

We do many things that some would consider 'strange' -- even 'frightening' if the observer doesn't know what they're watching.

This thread will answer most of your questions. I say 'most of' because I'm far from an absolute authority on Wicca, and paganism in general. Therefore, I'll answer your questions to the best of my ability, but I welcome contributions from the other Wiccans and pagans here.

One thing I *do* ask is that we at least *attempt* to keep the thread on topic and respectful: it's a place to answer questions, not debate the accuracy, age, or source of the religion.

To that end, I'll kick things off by immediately answering several of the most popular (and infamous) of questions:

Wicca is not a 'do whatever you want' religion: we actually do have structured ritual elements in our ceremonies and circles. My roomie likes to bug me about that; she can't understand the use of ritual in my faith.

Wicca is *not* devil-worship. The devil is a construct of the Christian and other religious paths; Wicca is not one of those other paths. This doesn't mean we're immoral, it just means that we're moral with a different set of guidelines.

Modern Wicca is only around 50 years old. Not twelve hundred, not sixty thousand --*fifty*, five-zero. We're a relatively good-natured lot, but this one (based on works by writers such as Margaret Murray) has started to make us groan, and we'd rather not have to restate it every second page!

And finally, before I send this thread out into the Great Electronic Ether:

As Hagrid told Harry Potter, 'Not all wizards are good'. And not all Wiccans are angels, either. Some are violent, manipulative, even abusive. Many of them go to prison claiming to be 'Wiccan'; while I'm not prepared to comment on the validity of the claim in such circumstances, I *will* freely admit that, yes, we *do* get some bad apples.

In closing, I apologize for the length of this intro thread -- I simply don't want it to get bogged down by a lot of back-and-forth 'you're-evil-no-we're-not' arguments.

May whatever god or gods you revere watch over you, now and for the rest of your days.

Enjoy!

[ptsum]

First off let me welcome you to the fourm, and then let me explain that from what my niece tells me, who is also Wicca, that I believe your beliefs are along the same familiar line as the Native American beliefs, I guess this is why her and I get along so well, we are in constant communication with each other even though were hundreds of miles apart. I liked the first rule that you have has a Wicca, and that is, first and foremost to do no harm, as an individual that has grown up in the native culture this is a good rule to go by, I look forward to hearing more from you and learning. osay

[FredNotBob]

Originally Posted by ptsum

First off let me welcome you to the fourm, and then let me explain that from what my niece tells me, who is also Wicca, that I believe your beliefs are along the same familiar line as the Native American beliefs, I guess this is why her and I get along so well, we are in constant communication with each other even though were hundreds of miles apart. I liked the first rule that you have has a Wicca, and that is, first and foremost to do no harm, as an individual that has grown up in the native culture this is a good rule to go by, I look forward to hearing more from you and learning. osay

Thank you for your warm welcome! I've been here for a while, lurking for the most part, but occasionally posting.

I hope that I can answer any questions that might come up.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

I have a friend who is Wiccan and I like the things she has told me. I can relate to a belief system that has a male god and a female god. I was raised in a patriarchal religion where women were below their husband

[FredNotBob]

Personally, I like the concept of 'cycles': nothing ever 'ends', it's all part of a larger circle.

[moonsavvy]

Welcome. I have to admit, I have always been leary of the term wiccan. Thanks for sheding some enlightment.

[FredNotBob]

Originally Posted by moonsavvy

Welcome. I have to admit, I have always been leary of the term wiccan. Thanks for sheding some enlightment.

Thank you! It's always nice to see a mind that's willing to learn.

Ask any questions that might come to mind, and I'll answer them, if I can.

[coosjoaquin]

It really is a shame that wiccans keep being confused with certain types of satanist. The fundamentalists keep going on about teaching all sides in school but tell them their kids are going to hear about Wicca and they'll soon be turning pentagrams upside down and drawing little horns on them to use as "proof" that the devil is involved

[MaggieZ]

I've heard that many times about Wiccans being Satanic in nature and one girl at my job, years ago was very interested in Wicca and told me so much about it. I think people think it's satanic because they see it as pulling away from christianity and other organized and more "acceptable" religions. Like the OP said there are good and bad people in all religious and non religious groups. The thing is Satanists are not violent, they believe in "harm no one", only some very violent people say they are Satanists and drag it in the mud.
There are so many opinions based on ignorance. That'll never change.

[Tesaje]

I have a good friend who is neo-pagan, not strictly Wiccan. My understanding is Satan does not exist in the neo-pagan pantheon, so how can they be devil worshippers? Satanists are perverse Christians, Muslims, Jews, or Zoroastrians as those are the religions who believe in him.

If I could believe in a deity, the neo-pagan paths make more sense to me than the more widespread Levantan religions. I cannot see how a guiding principal such as If you do no harm to anyone (including oneself), do what you will, can be evil. NOT! It seems like a very good way to structure morality. I also like the celebration of the earth's rythyms. It is more meaningful to me to tie holidays and celebrations to the life cycles of the earth upon which we all depend. My friend ties some Native American beliefs into her system.