Guest guest Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 Hi Jonnie > Would I ruffle any feathers if I were to ask for the Wiccan Faith to be explained to me? I doubt it would ruffle any feathers... but you're in danger of getting 200 different answers and ending up very confused! Here's my attempt... First off, should point out that I am not Wiccan, so comment from an "outside" perspective... Wicca is basically the tradition of witchcraft that was popularised (arguably created) by Gerald Gardner in the late 1940s. Gardner claimed to have been initiated into a secret coven, and that Wicca was an ancient tradition, but there is absolutely no historical evidence of any form of Wicca prior to Gardner. Wicca is therefore an initiatory tradition of witchcraft - there are three levels of initiation. Everyone initiated into Wicca can trace their initiatory line back to Gardner. There are also a number of offshoots - other than Gardnerian Wicca, the next most popular is Alexandrian, which was created by Alexander Sanders - it has subtle changes to Gardnerian, but is the same in most important respects. There have been further offshoots since then as well, but I don't know what they all are! Now, in America there is some confusion, since many Americans have decided to use "Wicca" as a generic term for all forms of witchcraft, which, frankly, is a pain in the back-side for those of us who practice non-Wiccan forms of witchcraft - particularly as some of those forms pre-date Wicca (not that I'm at all bitter about Wicca pretty much being the only public face of witchcraft!!!) Hope that's helped a bit! :-) BB Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 Let's see if I have this correct, it is Witchcraft practiced in a certain tradition. Because it is witchcraft, doesn't make it wiccan, but wiccan is witchcraft, much like navel is an orange, but not all oranges are navels? So it is a tradition, is it a religion? Peter <metalscarab wrote: Hi Jonnie > Would I ruffle any feathers if I were to ask for the Wiccan Faith to be explained to me? I doubt it would ruffle any feathers... but you're in danger of getting 200 different answers and ending up very confused! Here's my attempt... First off, should point out that I am not Wiccan, so comment from an "outside" perspective... Wicca is basically the tradition of witchcraft that was popularised (arguably created) by Gerald Gardner in the late 1940s. Gardner claimed to have been initiated into a secret coven, and that Wicca was an ancient tradition, but there is absolutely no historical evidence of any form of Wicca prior to Gardner. Wicca is therefore an initiatory tradition of witchcraft - there are three levels of initiation. Everyone initiated into Wicca can trace their initiatory line back to Gardner. There are also a number of offshoots - other than Gardnerian Wicca, the next most popular is Alexandrian, which was created by Alexander Sanders - it has subtle changes to Gardnerian, but is the same in most important respects. There have been further offshoots since then as well, but I don't know what they all are! Now, in America there is some confusion, since many Americans have decided to use "Wicca" as a generic term for all forms of witchcraft, which, frankly, is a pain in the back-side for those of us who practice non-Wiccan forms of witchcraft - particularly as some of those forms pre-date Wicca (not that I'm at all bitter about Wicca pretty much being the only public face of witchcraft!!!) Hope that's helped a bit! :-) BB PeterJonnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 Hi Jonnie > Let's see if I have this correct, it is Witchcraft practiced in a certain tradition. Because it is witchcraft, doesn't make it > wiccan, but wiccan is witchcraft, much like navel is an orange, but not all oranges are navels? So it is a tradition, is it a > religion? We're getting into some deep philosophical water here.... From my perspective (and I know others disagree)... I would classify it as a religion (or a group of religions) based around a specific form of practice of Witchcraft. Your metaphor with navels and oranges is spot on. As to whether it is a tradition or religion.... depends on your definition of the words. In the sense that it has a set structure of practice (including specific rituals and festivals) and a recognisable form of hierarchy, I would consider it to be a religion. To me a tradition is something that can be a bit more fluid - it is a recognised way of doing things, but it has the freedom to develop more quickly, and change its appearance depending on who is practicing. I hope that makes sense. BB Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 According to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service for you limeys) Wicca is a religion. Wiccan organizations are classed as churches for tax purposes. There are also Wiccan teachers in the U.S. army (I can't recall the word used to describe religious officers.) Think the Padre on MASH. It'll come to me any minute. Love, Anna Peter Sep 1, 2005 6:14 PM Re: Wiccans (was Katrina) Hi Jonnie > Let's see if I have this correct, it is Witchcraft practiced in a certain tradition. Because it is witchcraft, doesn't make it > wiccan, but wiccan is witchcraft, much like navel is an orange, but not all oranges are navels? So it is a tradition, is it a > religion? We're getting into some deep philosophical water here.... From my perspective (and I know others disagree)... I would classify it as a religion (or a group of religions) based around a specific form of practice of Witchcraft. Your metaphor with navels and oranges is spot on. As to whether it is a tradition or religion.... depends on your definition of the words. In the sense that it has a set structure of practice (including specific rituals and festivals) and a recognisable form of hierarchy, I would consider it to be a religion. To me a tradition is something that can be a bit more fluid - it is a recognised way of doing things, but it has the freedom to develop more quickly, and change its appearance depending on who is practicing. I hope that makes sense. BB Peter To send an email to - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 chaplain Anna Blaine Sep 1, 2005 3:22 PM Re: Wiccans (was Katrina) According to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service for you limeys) Wicca is a religion. Wiccan organizations are classed as churches for tax purposes. There are also Wiccan teachers in the U.S. army (I can't recall the word used to describe religious officers.) Think the Padre on MASH. It'll come to me any minute. Love, Anna Peter Sep 1, 2005 6:14 PM Re: Wiccans (was Katrina) Hi Jonnie > Let's see if I have this correct, it is Witchcraft practiced in a certain tradition. Because it is witchcraft, doesn't make it > wiccan, but wiccan is witchcraft, much like navel is an orange, but not all oranges are navels? So it is a tradition, is it a > religion? We're getting into some deep philosophical water here.... From my perspective (and I know others disagree)... I would classify it as a religion (or a group of religions) based around a specific form of practice of Witchcraft. Your metaphor with navels and oranges is spot on. As to whether it is a tradition or religion.... depends on your definition of the words. In the sense that it has a set structure of practice (including specific rituals and festivals) and a recognisable form of hierarchy, I would consider it to be a religion. To me a tradition is something that can be a bit more fluid - it is a recognised way of doing things, but it has the freedom to develop more quickly, and change its appearance depending on who is practicing. I hope that makes sense. BB Peter To send an email to - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 THANK YOU!!!! It drives me nuts when I know I know the word for something but can't think of it. Love, Anna fraggle Sep 1, 2005 6:28 PM Re: Wiccans (was Katrina) chaplain Anna Blaine Sep 1, 2005 3:22 PM Re: Wiccans (was Katrina) According to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service for you limeys) Wicca is a religion. Wiccan organizations are classed as churches for tax purposes. There are also Wiccan teachers in the U.S. army (I can't recall the word used to describe religious officers.) Think the Padre on MASH. It'll come to me any minute. Love, Anna Peter Sep 1, 2005 6:14 PM Re: Wiccans (was Katrina) Hi Jonnie > Let's see if I have this correct, it is Witchcraft practiced in a certain tradition. Because it is witchcraft, doesn't make it > wiccan, but wiccan is witchcraft, much like navel is an orange, but not all oranges are navels? So it is a tradition, is it a > religion? We're getting into some deep philosophical water here.... From my perspective (and I know others disagree)... I would classify it as a religion (or a group of religions) based around a specific form of practice of Witchcraft. Your metaphor with navels and oranges is spot on. As to whether it is a tradition or religion.... depends on your definition of the words. In the sense that it has a set structure of practice (including specific rituals and festivals) and a recognisable form of hierarchy, I would consider it to be a religion. To me a tradition is something that can be a bit more fluid - it is a recognised way of doing things, but it has the freedom to develop more quickly, and change its appearance depending on who is practicing. I hope that makes sense. BB Peter To send an email to - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 Thanks. Gee I sure love that phrase 'spot on'. And it sounds kinda good directed at me too.... Hey everybody *I'm* spot on... walking off while people look at me strangely...Peter <metalscarab wrote: Hi Jonnie > Let's see if I have this correct, it is Witchcraft practiced in a certain tradition. Because it is witchcraft, doesn't make it > wiccan, but wiccan is witchcraft, much like navel is an orange, but not all oranges are navels? So it is a tradition, is it a > religion? We're getting into some deep philosophical water here.... From my perspective (and I know others disagree)... I would classify it as a religion (or a group of religions) based around a specific form of practice of Witchcraft. Your metaphor with navels and oranges is spot on. As to whether it is a tradition or religion.... depends on your definition of the words. In the sense that it has a set structure of practice (including specific rituals and festivals) and a recognisable form of hierarchy, I would consider it to be a religion. To me a tradition is something that can be a bit more fluid - it is a recognised way of doing things, but it has the freedom to develop more quickly, and change its appearance depending on who is practicing. I hope that makes sense. BB PeterJonnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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