Question:
Do you believe in Witches?
Anna S
2007-02-05 06:15:10 UTC
Do you believe in Witches?
45 answers:
2007-02-05 06:18:22 UTC
Does my friend from California count?? LOL
queenbee
2007-02-05 10:03:34 UTC
Naturally, as I am a witch.



I expect you're really asking if any one believes that we go flying past the moon on a broomstick, cackling madly and plotting to eat children?



Of course not. It's a nature religion. The only witches who think they can fly are the ones doing some serious drugs. And everyone knows that children are full of empty calories.
Bunge
2007-02-06 03:52:27 UTC
I don't have to believe in them I am a Witch. My sister is a Witch , my mother was a Witch as was her mother. Blessed Be
2007-02-05 07:06:57 UTC
Yes.



As a side note, while it may be argued that "All Wiccans are witches" (and even that will get you some pushback), it is not true that "all witches are Wiccan" - there are several religions and philosophies out there that use witchcraft that most definitely would not be considered "Wiccan". Voudoun and Santeria come immediately to mind. Hedgewitches and kitchen witches, who may invoke magic in their lives without actually following the religion of Wicca, are another.
Maid Angela
2007-02-05 06:31:55 UTC
Of course I have some friends who are witches. It is one of the pagan sects called Wicca. Incidentally a male witch is a witch the term wizard or warlock is just an invention by writers.
2007-02-08 10:52:39 UTC
I have to say yes...In the 16th and 17th century a lot of them were executed for reasons....being old or being pregnant out of age. Having warts on their faces....muttering...making medicine from herbs..and a lot of other excuses.



BLACK WITCHES; Having an unorthodox religion and going against the church.



WHITE WITCHES; A nudist cult dancing around a fire in the woods for the cause of fertility.
wonderingmom
2007-02-05 07:19:34 UTC
I'm sorry.. I suppose I don't understand your question!?! Witches are not something you believe in or not! We just are! And, NO, we don't twitch our noses and things appear and disappear. We don't fly around on broom sticks, however I now a few people, Christian or otherwise, who would like to!lol We don't turn nasty little boys into ugly, wart covered frogs..although I know a few that would be wonderful as frogs! lol We don't have hooked noses and warts on our faces and we don't have the power to travel in time..again going to the future might be fun! lol



SO, again, I say "I don't understand the question"!?!

Witches Are! No belief necessary!



Blessed Be
Nicolette
2007-02-05 13:20:52 UTC
I personally don't believe in Witches, but I know they exist in great numbers, in their own homes, most of the time.
Loxie
2007-02-05 17:14:20 UTC
Yes, my mother was a right old witch. She's dead now thankfully. Seriously though, my daughter is studying Wicca and has all sorts of paraphernalia attached to the craft, However if it worked I think she would have turned me into a frog by now.
mrsmaryaris
2007-02-05 09:34:53 UTC
Yes I do. Witches exsisted over two thousand years. They practice the Wiccan religion. They worship nature and the laws of three...eg...'Every thing that you do will come back to you times three'. (The Wiccan Rede). They have a code of conduct that says, 'If it harms no one, do what you will'.An it harm none, do as thou wilt

Do what you will, so long as it harms none

An it harm none, do what thou will

That it harm none, do as thou wilt

Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, / An it harm none do what ye will.[ (The Wiccan Rede)

Witches use 'magic' and incantations and spells to bring supernatural powers into influencing situations, for example, they use incantations and meditations or candles to bring about a desired effect into being.
EmmaB
2007-02-05 07:32:08 UTC
Yes but not like the ones you see in horror films. I believe in white witches & people who practise wicca.
2007-02-05 06:53:46 UTC
I believe that some people believe they are witches.
2007-02-05 06:31:50 UTC
yes , http://www.sacred-texts.com/bos/index.htm

Results 1 - 10 of about 1,550 from www.sacred-texts.com for witch.



Internet Book of Shadows: Becoming a Witch by Morgaine

Or are you a witch just by saying you are? Can you make yourself a witch? The process of becoming a witch doesn't happen overnight. It is a life change, ...

www.sacred-texts.com/bos/msg0003.htm
2007-02-05 08:27:08 UTC
Well, I am a witch, and I certainly believe in myself, so yes.



)O(
thythgaar
2007-02-05 11:03:42 UTC
I know people who think that they are witches - but I've never seen them do any magic.
lyra
2007-02-05 08:12:34 UTC
i think there are people that beleive in the power of crystals and oils and candles, i believe there are wicca, when it comes to witches, i think there might have been.
Andrew S
2007-02-05 06:32:25 UTC
yes but they are based on wiccans not the type of witchs u think know
Forest
2007-02-05 06:52:33 UTC
Of course! I'm one! Anyone that practices Wicca is a witch.
2007-02-05 08:17:24 UTC
I don't believe in witches.



I do however believe that people have special abilities. For example Psychics. Long ago and even in today's society, people are scared of what they don't understand, they then start to label and criticize then chastise people.



With dramatic effects
pestilpen
2007-02-05 06:32:00 UTC
We are all witches and wizards. We just can't understand our powers.
SR13
2007-02-05 06:19:54 UTC
They're hard not to believe in seeing as they do exist. Whether they have any power is a different matter though.
shadowdemon
2007-02-07 18:17:01 UTC
yeah. mean there was the salem witch hunt and all.
Artist V
2007-02-05 14:40:08 UTC
Yes.
Runa
2007-02-05 06:22:09 UTC
Yes. All Wiccans are witches.
2007-02-05 06:24:19 UTC
Yes, but not like you probably imagine. My Mother is Wiccan and she's real enough to have given birth to me. How much more real can you get.
richardwales79
2007-02-05 06:22:18 UTC
Yeah
missaskalot
2007-02-05 10:52:13 UTC
yes
entertainer
2007-02-05 06:22:14 UTC
Yes I am one
FRAN1
2007-02-07 06:55:33 UTC
Yep, my ex mother in law was one
Linda
2007-02-05 06:53:08 UTC
n the Hebrew Bible references to witchcraft are frequent, and the strong condemnations of such practices which we read there do not seem to be based so much upon the supposition of fraud as upon the "abomination" of the magic in itself. (See Deuteronomy 18:11-12; Exodus 22:18, "wizards thou shalt not suffer to live" - A.V. "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live".)



Many bible scholars have noted that in the original Hebrew the word "M'khasephah" (מכשפה)(translated in the King James as "witch") means "someone who malevolently uses spoken curses to hurt people", which the modern Wiccan Rede specifically forbids its practitioners to do.



Be that as it may, it is well-known that this verse was in later times to provide Scripural justification for Christian witch hunters. But the Bible also provides some evidence that the commandment was taken seriously and implemented at the time itself, as seen from the account in (I Samuel 28):



"And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?"(The Hebrew verb "Hichrit" (הכרית) translated in the King James as "cut off", can also be translated as "kill wholesale" or "exterminate")



The whole narrative of this visit by Saul to the Witch of En Dor implies belief in the reality of the witch's evocation of the shade of Samuel. However, the witch responds with shocked surprise at the manifestation, denoting that the witch had actually expected something different -- presumably either nothing real at all or a lying ("familiar") spirit.



From Leviticus 20:27: "A man or woman in whom there is a pythonical or divining spirit, dying let them die: they shall stone them: Their blood be upon them", we should naturally infer that the divining spirit was not believed to be a mere imposture.
2007-02-05 11:19:34 UTC
Of course. There are plenty of us around.
2007-02-07 09:36:38 UTC
Yes I'm one!
Quinn
2007-02-06 09:18:18 UTC
yea my grandmother lol oh did you mean wiccans
nat
2007-02-06 06:32:35 UTC
yes completey
leomcholwer
2007-02-07 05:21:38 UTC
Of course!...lol...I have wiccan frineds too.
2007-02-05 06:22:39 UTC
I believe there are people who BELIEVE they're witches, but I don't believe there are REAL witches.
♪ ♫Jin_Jur♫ ♥
2007-02-05 06:22:54 UTC
Sure do, my sister is Wiccan.
karen.
2007-02-06 01:43:11 UTC
i am one.
2007-02-05 06:23:00 UTC
Yes, but I prefer analogue to digital.
2007-02-07 02:38:50 UTC
i married one so i must do!
georgemi74
2007-02-05 14:23:21 UTC
only booches
viji l
2007-02-05 06:23:13 UTC
not at all... world is full of god's blessings.. witches are just a blind belief
Syd
2007-02-05 06:23:53 UTC
no
AmyB
2007-02-05 13:22:42 UTC
What is Witchcraft? Who are these Witches anyway?

A practitioner of a nature-based belief system or religion. Not all Witches follow the same belief system. Some practice what is called the "old religion" which has its roots in pagan pre-monotheistic folk ways and beliefs and usually follows the seasonal cycles. These belief systems or "traditions" of Witches are often based upon the particular culture from whence they originated. Many Witches believe in a polytheistic deity structure (usually based upon the local gods and goddesses of the area of origin), but some simply practice magick (sometimes spelled with a 'k' to differentiate it from stage magic). Witches may practice alone as 'solitaries" or in covens. There are also family groups or traditions which trace their practices and beliefs within the same close group throughout several generations.



Traditional Wicca:

A modern form of Witchcraft is called "Wicca." Traditional Wicca is based on the teachings of Gerald Gardner, is coven based and each coven can trace its lineage (line of teaching passed on by initiated Traditional priests and priestesses) back to Gardner himself. There are offshoots of Gardnerian Traditional Wicca such as Alexandrian Wicca, Georgian Wicca and many others. Traditional Wiccans are considered a 'mystery' religion, require initiation by the coven and have a "degree system" or different levels of rank based upon coven training and the readiness of the initiate to accept the duties and responsibilities of that degree. They have a core of inner knowledge-often called the "Book of Shadows"-which is known only to initiated Wiccans. Most Traditional Wiccans believe in the balance of male-female divinity. Traditional Wiccans are seldom solitary except for those 'Elders'-usually former priests and priestesses-who may have retired from active coven involvement.



Other Forms of Wicca:

A newer form of Wicca has developed since the 1970's which is looser in structure and practice than the Traditional Wicca. These practitioners may follow a mixture of various or "eclectic' pagan and/or non-pagan beliefs. Some have formed 'traditions' or covens of their own, with or without a degree system, and have written a "book of shadows" outlining their own belief system and coven structure. Many are solitary practitioners who practice their beliefs and formulate their rituals in their own way.



Pagans:

Since the terms Witch and Wiccan are often mistakenly interchanged, many simply call themselves "pagans" or Neo-pagans" when talking with others who may not be familiar with the complexity of the different belief systems. But just as not all Christians are Lutheran or Catholic, so not all pagans are Witches or Wiccan. Neo-paganism is a term used most often to describe people who follow an earth-based belief system or religion. Druids and the Norse tradition of Asatru (who tend to prefer the term 'heathen") are considered to be pagan belief systems, but their adherents are neither Witches nor Wiccans. Neo-paganism should also not be confused with the "New Age" movement as pagans are almost exclusively involved in distinctive nature religions or earth-based practices while New Age spirituality draws from many sources and esoteric spiritual techniques.



Q: Are you a good Witch or a bad Witch?

A: When you ask if someone is a "good" Witch or a "bad" Witch, it is the same as asking someone if they are a "good" Presbyterian or a "bad" Presbyterian. Wiccans adhere to the Rede, "An it harm none, do as ye will." Witches, Druids and other pagan belief systems and religions have their own ethical standards. There are good and bad people in every society and in every religion. When a person breaks the laws of society or the tenets of their religion, they are called to account for their actions. To judge a person as either "good" or "bad" based upon nothing more than their religious preference alone has a label, too. It is called bigotry.



Q: Do you worship Satan?

A: Satan is a part of the Christian and Muslim religions. Since pagans are neither Christian nor Muslim, Satan is not part of our deity structure at all.



We believe that each and every human being is completely responsible for his or her own actions. To us, evil is a choice, albeit a bad one, that a human might make, not an embodied entity to blame our actions upon.



If an individual chooses to do evil, most pagans believe they will be punished via the laws of karma or as a result of "cause and effect.". In other words, "What goes around usually comes around."



Many Witches and Wiccans believe in some form of reincarnation, that the results or karma of past deeds can follow a person from one life to the next. This may also help to explain why terrible things sometimes happen to wonderful people or why some people seem to have been born with certain skills and knowledge. It may also explain why some people seem to lead a 'charmed" life.



Some pagans believe in an after-life spent in another plain of existence. Known as Summerland, Avalon, Valhalla or simply the "Other Side', they believe that they will be reunited here once again with friends and family.



Q: So why do you use that "Satanic" symbol?

A: The pentagram, or five pointed star, is not Satanic. Pythagoras used it as a symbol of health and his followers wore them in order to recognize one another. In Medieval times, some Christian knights used the pentagram as their symbol. To modern Wiccans the pentagram means many things; The five points correspond to the elements Air, Earth, Fire and Water with the top point corresponding to "Spirit". The pentagram in a circle may also represent a human with their legs and arms outstretched, surrounded by universal wisdom or the "Goddess" - humankind at one with the environment. Many Witches and other pagan practitioners do not wear the pentacle at all, but have other symbols of special meaning to them.



Satanists turn the symbol upside-down, which puts the elements of Fire and Earth at the top (Fire symbolizes willpower and passion and Earth, prosperity and earthly goods) and Spirit, spirituality, at the bottom. Satanists also turn the cross upside-down. This, in itself, does not make the cross or pentagram a Satanic symbol. In some Wiccan traditions, the reversed pentagram is a symbol of "second degree" status - one who has been elevated from "initiate". To members of these traditions, the reversed pentagram is considered highly positive and has no connection to Satanism. A symbol is simply an image or mark in itself. It is the mind and the beliefs of the beholder which attribute to it a particular meaning.



Q: Do you do blood sacrifice?

A: Goddess NO! The nature of sacrifice is to give up something of one's own in order to gain something more important. Wiccans believe in the sanctity of all life. Most pagans believe that animals are part of the same natural cycle of life as humans are. Witches have long been associated with animal companions known as "familiars." Check out the TWV "Cats of Witchcraft" page. Do these animals look abused to you?



Q: Do Witches and Wiccans cast spells?

A: Yes. Well, some do anyway. However, the term "spell" is widely misunderstood.



Spells, are somewhat like prayers and are used to create needed change in one's own life or the life of a loved one. But while prayers are a petition to an external Deity to create the change, most Witches and Wiccans believe that Deity is present in everything, including ourselves. Spells, then, are the channeling of our own divine selves, our own energies, to create the change.



Spells such as those which use love magic to gain the attention of a specific individual, or curses, are considered "manipulative". Most Wiccans believe that anything manipulative-that goes against the free will of another-is considered wrong. Many other pagan paths have similar codes of conduct based upon the tenets of their tradition or belief and almost all believe that the responsibility for their actions will lie with them.



Q: Are Witchcraft or Wicca cults?

A: A cult by definition is a group of people who blindly follow one leader. As Witches, Wiccans and pagans tend to be free-thinkers, there is no one person that we consider to be THE leader. Thus we cannot be called a cult.



Q: Do you have ritual orgies?

A: These rumors come from our lack of taboos regarding sex. We have no rules which prohibit homosexuality, nudity or pre-marital sex. Sex as the generative force in nature is seen by most pagans as something utterly sacred. We feel that the physical act of love is to be approached with great respect and responsibility.



Q: Why do all Witches/Wiccans wear black?

A: We all don't. Many Witches/Wiccans actually seem to favor green and/or purple. Black, however, is in many cultures a symbol of clergy. Priests, Ministers and Rabbis all favor black as the main color of their ritual garb.



Scientifically speaking, color is energy. The colors you see are the ones which are reflected and not the ones absorbed. Therefore, what appears to be white, which is the culmination of all colors in the light spectrum, is actually reflecting all colors and absorbing none. What appears to be black, is absorbing all colors and reflecting none. This is evident in the fact that when one is wearing white, one feels cooler - as the fabric is sending the heat energy outward, and when one wears black - the heat energy is absorbed in the cloth that one is wearing, making one feel warmer. Many Witches feel that wearing black attracts and holds more natural energy.



Q: Aren't all Witches Women?

A: No. Neither are Wiccans or those in other pagan paths. Witches can be either men or women. The term "Warlock" is never used to describe a male Witch as it is considered to be a religious slur. "Warlock" is an old Scottish word meaning "traitor" or "oath-breaker". Men and Women alike can be Witches, Wiccans or pagans.



Q: Why would anyone want to be a pagan, a Witch or Wiccan?

A: People are generally drawn to Wicca and other pagan paths for several reasons. Many women feel left out of more mainstream religions because of the lack of feminine divinity. For them, the Wiccan concept of the Goddess as Mother of all Living fills an empty space in their spiritual search. As a nature based religion, Witchcraft also appeals to those who feel a strong need to "get back to the Earth" and places a major importance on protecting the environment, which we are a part of, not apart from. People drawn to the mystical find pagan belief systems much more accommodating as we do not see anything unnatural about psychic ability or the use of magic to create needed changes in one's life. It gives us the freedom to make our own decisions about what is best for us.



Q: How do you convert new Witches/Wiccans/pagans?

A: We don't. We feel that the attempted conversion of others is a form of religious bigotry. i.e. If one tries to convert another to his/her religion, s/he assumes that the other person's beliefs are not as valid as his/her own. We feel that all paths are equally valid as long as they do not infringe upon the basic civil rights or free will of another. According to our beliefs, it is up to the individual to choose his or her own path. We do not try to manipulate others into our way of thinking, we only try to educate others about our religion so that they may better understand us. We do, however try to help guide those who have already expressed an interest in the pagan belief systems or religions.



Q: So what do Witches/Wiccans/pagans DO?

A: Pretty much what everybody does. We come from all walks of life. We raise families, go to work, throw steaks (or vegetables) on the "barbie" and hang out with our friends. We practice our religions and belief systems, celebrate our holidays with festivals and continue to study and explore our past while contemplating our futures.



Many covens and groups meet once a month to worship together under the moon. Pagans tend to hold ceremonies or "circles" out of doors as we feel that being with nature brings us closer to the divinity who creates it.



Some pagan beliefs may seem strange to those who have not heard much about them before. Pagans, on the other hand, are usually very well versed in the beliefs of other religions. They find the various religious systems interesting and often encourage their own children to learn about these other religions. Pagans believe in free will and free choice and that an educated choice is always better than blind obedience to any religion or dogma. We are not "against" other religions. We have simply made our choice to be pagan and we expect others to respect that choice as we respect theirs.



All that we ask is that we are allowed to practice our religion without prejudice or interference as is our right guaranteed here in the United States under the Constitution and as outlined within the constitutions of many other countries. The freedom to practice religion -or no religion-as you choose-whether it be Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Pagan-is the freedom to follow your spirit and your heart. This precious freedom must be defended, protected and treasured by all or it will no longer be guaranteed for anyone.
2007-02-05 07:00:46 UTC
It really depends what you mean; if interested, read on!!!!



Wicca is a Neopagan religion and a religious movement found in various countries throughout the world. It was first popularised in 1954 by a British civil servant named Gerald Gardner after the British Witchcraft Act was repealed. He claimed that the religion, of which he was an initiate, was a modern survival of an old witchcraft religion, which had existed in secret for hundreds of years, originating in the pre-Christian Paganism of Europe. Wicca is thus sometimes referred to as the Old Religion. The veracity of Gardner's claims cannot be independently proven, and it is thought that written Wiccan theology began to be compiled no earlier than the 1920s. Various related Wiccan traditions have since evolved or been adapted from the form established by Gardner, which came to be called Gardnerian Wicca. These other traditions of Wicca each have distinctive beliefs, rituals, and practices. Many traditions of Wicca remain secretive and require that members be initiated. There is also a movement of Eclectic or Solitary Wiccans who do not believe that any doctrine or traditional initiation is necessary in order to practice Wicca. The 2001 American Religious Identification Survey estimated that at least 134,000 adults identified themselves as Wiccans in the US. Because there is no centralised organisation in Wicca, and no single "orthodoxy", the beliefs and practices of Wiccans can vary substantially, both between individuals and between traditions. Typically, the main religious principles, ethics and ritual structures are shared, since they are key elements of traditional teachings and published works on the subject. As practiced by initiates, Wicca is a variety of witchcraft founded on religious and magical concepts, and most of its adherents identify as witches. As such it is distinguished not only by its religious beliefs, but by its initiatory system, organisational structure, secrecy and practice of magic. Initiatory Wiccans tend not to proselytise, and even deny membership to some individuals, since once initiated a person is considered to be a priest or priestess, and expected to develop the skills and responsibility that that entails.



Initiatory Wicca is only one variety of witchcraft, with specific beliefs and practices. Wiccans worship a goddess and a god; they observe the festivals of the eight Sabbats of the year and the full-moon Esbats; and they attempt to live by a code of ethics. This distinguishes the religion from other forms of witchcraft which may or may not have specific religious, ethical or ritual elements, and which are practiced by people of many religions, as well as by some atheists. Initiatory Wicca has distinctive ritual forms, involving the casting of spells, herbalism, divination and other forms of magic. Wiccan ethics promote free will while requiring that magical activities not harm oneself or others, as expressed in the Wiccan Rede; some also believe in the Threefold Law of Return. Within the "Eclectic", or non-initatory Wiccan movement, there is much more variation in religious beliefs, and secrecy and organisational structure play a less important role. Generally Eclectic Wiccans will adopt similar ritual structures and ethical principles. A few Eclectic Wiccans neither consider themselves witches nor practice magic.



Many Wiccans, though not all, call themselves Pagans, though the umbrella term Paganism encompasses many faiths that have nothing to do with Wicca or witchcraft.

Wicca as a religion is primarily concerned with the priestess or priest's relationship to the Goddess and God. The Lady and Lord (as they are often called) are seen as primal cosmic beings, the source of limitless power, yet they are also familiar figures who comfort and nurture their children, and often challenge or even reprimand them.



According to Gerald Gardner the gods of Wicca are ancient gods of the British Isles: a Horned God of hunting, death and magic who rules over an after-world paradise (Often referred to as The Summerland), and a goddess, the Great Mother (who is simultaneously the Eternal Virgin and the Primordial Enchantress), who gives regeneration and rebirth to souls of the dead and love to the living. Gardner explains that these are the tribal gods of the witches, just as the Egyptians had their tribal gods Isis and Osiris and the Jews had Elohim; he also states that a being higher than any of these tribal gods is recognised by the witches as Prime Mover, but remains unknowable, and is of little concern to them. Gardner's explanation aside, individual interpretations of the exact natures of the gods differ significantly, since priests and priestesses develop their own relationships with the gods through intense personal work and revelation. Many have a duotheistic conception of deity as a Goddess (of Moon, Earth and sea) and a God (of forest, hunting and the animal realm). This concept is often extended into a kind of polytheism by the belief that the gods and goddesses of all cultures are aspects of this pair (or of the Goddess alone). Others hold the various gods and goddesses to be separate and distinct. Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone have observed that Wicca is becoming more polytheistic as it matures, and embracing a more traditional pagan worldview. Many groups and individuals are drawn to particular deities from a variety of pantheons (often Celtic, Greek, or from elsewhere in Europe), whom they honour specifically. Some examples are Cernunnos and Brigit from Celtic mythology, Hecate, Lugh, and Diana. Some Wiccans, particularly in feminist traditions, have a monotheistic belief in the Goddess as One. Still others do not believe in the gods as real personalities, yet attempt to have a relationship with them as personifications of universal principles or as Jungian archetypes.[7] A unified supreme godhead (the "Prime Mover") is also acknowledged by some groups, referred to by Scott Cunningham as "The One";[8] Patricia Crowther has called it Dryghten. According to current Gardnerians, the exact names of the Goddess and God of traditional Wicca remain an initiatory secret , and they are not given in Gardner's books about witchcraft. However, the collection of Toronto Papers of Gardner's writings has been investigated by American scholars such as Aidan Kelly, leading to the suggestion that their names are Cernunnos and Aradia. These are the names used in the prototype Book of Shadows known as Ye Bok sic of Ye Arte Magical. For most Wiccans, the Lord and Lady are seen as complementary polarities: male and female, force and form, comprehending all in their union; the tension and interplay between them is the basis of all creation. The God and Goddess are sometimes symbolised as the Sun and Moon, and from her lunar associations the Goddess becomes a Triple Goddess with aspects of "Maiden", "Mother" and "Crone" corresponding to the Moon's waxing, full and waning phases. Some Wiccans hold the Goddess to be pre-eminent, since she contains and conceives all (Gaea or Mother Earth is one of her more commonly revered aspects); the God, commonly described as the Horned God or the Divine Child, is the spark of life and inspiration within her, simultaneously her lover and her child. This is reflected in the traditional structure of the coven, which is led by a High Priestess and High Priest in partnership, with the High Priestess having the final word. In some traditions, notably Feminist branches of Dianic Wicca, the Goddess is seen as complete unto herself, and the God is not worshipped at all. Since the Goddess is said to conceive and contain all life within her, all beings are held to be divine. This is a key understanding conveyed in the Charge of the Goddess, one of the most important texts of Wicca, and is very similar to the Hermetic understanding that "God" contains all things, and in truth is all things. For some Wiccans, this idea also involves elements of animism, and plants, rivers, rocks (and, importantly, ritual tools) are seen as spiritual beings, facets of a single life.



A key belief in Wicca is that the gods are able to manifest in personal form, either through dreams, as physical manifestations, or through the bodies of Priestesses and Priests. The latter kind of manifestation is the purpose of the ritual of Drawing down the Moon (or Drawing down the Sun), whereby the Goddess is called to descend into the body of the Priestess (or the God into the Priest) to effect divine possession.



The classical elements are a key feature of the Wiccan world-view. Every manifest force or form is seen to express one of the four archetypal elements — Earth, Air, Fire and Water — or several in combination. This scheme is fundamentally identical with that employed in other Western Esoteric and Hermetic traditions, such as Theosophy and the Golden Dawn, which in turn were influenced by the Hindu system of tattvas.



There is no consensus as to the exact nature of these elements. Some hold to the ancient Greek conception of the elements corresponding to matter (earth) and energy (fire), with the mediating elements (water, air) relating to the phases of matter (fire/earth mixtures). Other exponents of the system add a fifth or quintessential element, spirit (aether, akasha).



The five points of the frequently worn pentagram symbolise, among other things, the four elements with spirit presiding at the top. The pentagram is the symbol most commonly associated with Wicca in modern times. It is often circumscribed — depicted within a circle — and is usually (though not exclusively) shown with a single point upward. The inverse pentagram, with two points up, is a symbol of the second degree initiation rite of traditional Wicca. In geometry, the pentagram is an elegant expression of the golden ratio phi which is popularly connected with ideal beauty and was considered by the Pythagoreans to express truths about the hidden nature of existence.



Each of the four cardinal elements (air, fire, water and earth) is typically assigned a direction, a color, and an elemental race. The following list shows a common categorisation, but different traditions of Wicca may use different "correspondences":



Air: East, Yellow, Sylphs

Fire: South, Red, Salamanders

Water: West, Blue, Undines

Earth: North, Green, Gnomes

Some variations in correspondences can be explained by geography or climate. It is common in the southern hemisphere, for example, to associate the element fire with north (the direction of the equator) and earth with south (the direction of the nearest polar area). Some Wiccan groups also modify the religious calendar to reflect local seasonal changes; for instance, most Southern Hemisphere covens celebrate Samhain on April 30th and Beltane on October 31st, reflecting the southern hemisphere's autumn and spring seasons. Wiccan morality can be summarised in the form of a text that is commonly titled The Wiccan Rede. The core maxim of that text states "An it harm none, do what thou wilt." ("An" is an archaic word meaning "if".) The origin of the Wiccan Rede is unknown, its earliest mention being at a meeting held by the witchcraft magazine "Pentagram" spoken by Doreen Valiente. Gerald Gardner suggested that it was taken by witches from the legendary ethic of the fabled King Pausol which was "Do what you like so long as you harm no one". Nevertheless, the similarity of the phrasing of the Rede (and explicit and verbatim phrasing of other texts) suggests that this statement is partly based on the Law of Thelema as stated by occultist Aleister Crowley. Many Wiccans promote the Law of Threefold Return, a belief that anything that one does will be returned to them threefold. In other words, good deeds are magnified in like form back to the doer, and so are ill deeds.



Gerina Dunwich, an American author whose books (notably, Wicca Craft) were instrumental in the increase in popularity of Wicca in the late 1980s and 1990s, disagrees with the Wiccan concept of threefold return on the grounds that it is inconsistent with more than one law of physics. Pointing out that the origin of the Law of Threefold Return is traceable to Raymond Buckland in the 20th century, Dunwich is of the opinion that, "There is little backing to support it as anything other than a psychological law. Her own personal belief, which differs from the usual interpretation of the Threefold Law, is that whatever we do on a physical, mental, or spiritual level will sooner or later affect us, in either a positive or a negative way, on all three levels of being.

Many traditional Wiccans also follow, or at least consider, a set of 161 laws, commonly called the Ardanes. A common criticism of these rules is that they represent outdated concepts and/or produce counterproductive results in Wiccan contexts. Modern authors have also noted that these rules were probably the byproduct of inner conflict within Gerald Gardner's original coven over the issue of press relations. Many Wiccans also seek to cultivate a set of eight virtues mentioned Doreen Valiente's Charge of the Goddess, being mirth, reverence, honour, humility, strength, beauty, power and compassion. In Valiente's poem they are ordered in pairs of complementary opposites, reflecting a dualism that is common throughout Wiccan philosophy. Homosexuality is accepted in most traditions of Wicca.

A common belief amongst Wiccans is that no magic, even of a benificent nature, should be performed on any other person without that person's direct permission. This stems from the understanding that it would interfere with that person's free will and thus constitute "harm", in violation of the Rede. This especially applies to love spells. Some practitioners of traditional initiatory Wicca consider that the term 'Wicca' correctly applies only to an initiate of a traditional branch of the religion (Gardnerian or Alexandrian Wicca, or their offshoots such as Black Forest Wicca) because solitary Wicca or eclectic Wicca are different in practice from the religion established by Gardner. However, the term has increasingly come to be adopted by people who are not initiates of a traditional lineaged coven. These non-initiatory Wiccans may undertake rituals of self-dedication, and generally work alone as solitary practitioners or in casual groups, rather than in organised covens. Thus non-initiatory Wicca shares some of the basic religious principles, ethics and the ritual system of 'traditional' or 'initiatory' Wicca, but not the organisational structure, or the belief that Wiccan initiation requires a transferral of power from an initiator. Therefore, some practitioners of traditional initiatory Wicca have adopted the term 'British Traditional Wicca' to differentiate themselves from this movement.



Within traditional forms of Wicca there are three degrees of initiation. First degree is required to become a witch and gain membership of a coven; those who aspire to teach may eventually undergo second and third degree initiations, conferring the title of "High Priest" or "High Priestess" and allowing them to establish new covens.

Initiatory Wicca is organised into covens of initiated priests and priestesses. Covens are autonomous, and are generally headed by a High Priest and a High Priestess working in partnership, being a couple who have each been through their first, second and third degrees of initiation. Occasionally the leaders of a coven are only second-degree initiates, in which case they come under the rule of the parent coven. Initiation and training of new priesthood is most often performed within in a coven environment, but this is not a necessity, and a few initiated Wiccans are unaffiliated with any coven.



In contrast, "eclectic" Wiccans are more often than not solitary practitioners. Some of these "solitaries" do, however, attend gatherings and other community events, but reserve their spiritual practices (Sabbats, Esbats, spell-casting, worship, magical work, etc.) for when they are alone.

A commonly quoted Wiccan tradition holds that the ideal number of members for a coven is thirteen, though this is not held as a hard-and-fast rule. Indeed, many U.S. covens are far smaller, though the membership may be augmented by unaffiliated Wiccans at "open" rituals. When covens grow beyond their ideal number of members, they often split (or "hive") into multiple covens, yet remain connected as a group. A grouping of multiple covens is known as a grove in many traditions.



Initiation into a coven is traditionally preceded by a waiting period of at least a year and a day. A course of study may be set during this period. In some covens a "dedication" ceremony may be performed during this period, some time before the initiation proper, allowing the person to attend certain rituals on a probationary basis.



Some solitary Wiccans also choose to study for a year and a day before their self-dedication to the religion.



In typical rites, the coven assemble inside a ritually cast and purified magic circle. Prayers to the God and Goddess are said, the "Guardians" of the North, South, East and West are welcomed, and spells are sometimes worked. An altar is usually present in the circle, on which ritual tools are placed. Before entering the circle, some traditions fast for the day, and/or ritually bathe. After a ritual has finished, the God, Goddess and Guardians are thanked and the circle is reopened. Many Wiccans use a special set of altar tools in their rituals; these can include a broom (besom), cauldron, chalice, wand, Book of Shadows, altar cloth, athame (a knife used in rituals to channel energy), boline (or a knife for cutting things in the physical world), candles, crystals, pentacle and/or incense. Representations of the God/Goddess are often displayed. The tools themselves are just that — tools — and have no innate powers of their own, though they are usually dedicated or charged with a particular purpose, and used only in that context. For this reason, it is usually considered rude to touch another's tools without permission. A sensationalised aspect of Wicca, particularly in Gardnerian Wicca, is the traditional practice of working in the nude, also known as skyclad. Though many Wiccans do perform rituals skyclad, at least on occasion, others do not. In other situations Wiccans may work robed, often in white or black. Cords are worn, indicating rank, among other things. Some wear normal clothes. Even renaissance-faire-type clothing is not uncommon. Still others wear robes with stoles which represent their tradition and/or standing within the tradition.

Wiccans typically mark each full moon (and in some cases new moons) with a ritual called an Esbat. They also celebrate eight main holidays called Sabbats. Four of these, the cross-quarter days, are greater festivals, coinciding with old Celtic fire festivals. These are Samhain, May Eve or Beltane, Imbolc and Lammas (or Lughnasadh). The four lesser festivals are the Summer Solstice (or Litha) and Winter Solstice (or Yule), and the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes, sometimes called Ostara and Mabon. See also the Wheel of the Year.



The names of these holidays are often taken from Germanic pagan and Celtic polytheistic holidays. However, the festivals are largely only similar in name, as they are not reconstructive in nature nor do they often resemble their historical counterparts, instead exhibiting a form of universalism. Ritual observations may display cultural influence from the holidays from which they take their name as well as influence from other unrelated cultures. Wiccan weddings can be "bondings", "joinings", or "eclipses but are most commonly called "handfastings". Some Wiccans observe the practice of a trial marriage for a year and a day, which some traditions hold should be contracted on Lammas (Lughnasadh), as this was the traditional time for trial, "Telltown marriages" among the Irish. This practice is documented in the fourth and fifth volumes of the Brehon law texts, which are compilations of the opinions and judgements of the Brehon class of Druids (in this case, Irish). The texts as a whole deal with a copious amount of detail for the Insular Celts. Some perform a ritual called a Wiccaning, analogous to a Christening for an infant, the purpose of which is to present the infant to the God and Goddess for protection. In accordance with the importance put on free will, the child is not necessarily expected to choose a Pagan path until growing older. The history of Wicca is much debated. Gardner claimed that the religion was a survival of matriarchal Pagan religions of pre-historic Europe, taught to him by a woman known either as "Dafo" or "Old Dorothy". Doreen Valiente identified these as a single person, Dorothy Clutterbuck, however modern researchers such as Philip Heselton have theorised that Dafo and Clutterbuck were two separate individuals. It has been posited by authors such as Aidan Kelly and Francis X. King that Gardner himself invented it, rewriting the rituals of an older witchcraft tradition according to his own whim, and incorporating elements from the thesis of Dr. Margaret Murray, sources such as Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches by Charles Godfrey Leland and practices of ceremonial magic. While Clutterbuck certainly existed, Ronald Hutton concluded that there was no evidence for her involvement in Gardner's Craft activities. Heselton, citing more recent evidence, concludes that she probably was involved, and that while Gardner may have been mistaken about the ancient origins of the religion, his statements about it were largely made in good faith. Gardner's account is as follows: After retiring from adventuring around the globe, Gardner encountered Clutterbuck and her New Forest coven in the region, and was initiated into the coven in 1939, where he stayed for years until England's witchcraft laws were repealed. At this point, and later claiming to fear that the Craft would die out, he worked on his book Witchcraft Today, releasing it in 1954, followed by The Meaning of Witchcraft in 1960. It is from these books that much of modern Wicca is derived.



While the ritual format of Wicca is undeniably styled after late Victorian era occultism (even co-founder Doreen Valiente admits seeing influence from Aleister Crowley), the spiritual content is inspired by older Pagan faiths, with Buddhist and Hindu influences.



Due to historical suspicions, it is seems very likely that Gardner's rites and precepts were taken from other occultists and was not in fact anything new to the world. There is very little in the Wiccan rites that cannot be shown to have come from earlier extant sources. The original material is not cohesive and mostly takes the form of substitutions or expansions within unoriginal material. Roger Dearnaley, in An Annotated Chronology and Bibliography of the Early Gardnerian Craft, describes it as a patchwork.



Heselton, writing in Wiccan Roots and later in Gerald Gardner and the Cauldron of Inspiration, argues that Gardner was not the author of the Wiccan rituals but received them in good faith from an unknown source. (Doreen Valiente makes this claim regarding the "basic skeleton of the rituals," as Margot Adler puts it in Drawing Down the Moon.) He notes that all the Crowley material that is found in the Wiccan rituals can be found in a single book, The Equinox vol 3 no. 1 or Blue Equinox. Gardner is not known to have owned or had access to a copy of this book, although it is certain that he met Crowley towards the end of the latter’s life. Gardner admited "the rituals he received from Old Dorothy's coven were very fragmentary, and in order to make them workable, he had to supplement them with other material.



Some, such as Isaac Bonewits, have argued that Valiente and Heselton's evidence points to an early 20th century revival predating Gardner, rather than an intact old Pagan religion. The argument points to historical claims of Gardner's that agree with scholarship of a certain time period and contradict later scholarship. Bonewits writes, "Somewhere between 1920 and 1925 in England some folklorists appear to have gotten together with some Golden Dawn Rosicrucians and a few supposed Fam-Trads to produce the first modern covens in England; grabbing eclectically from any source they could find in order to try and reconstruct the shards of their Pagan past." Crowley published the aforementioned Blue Equinox in 1919.



The idea of primitive matriarchal religions, deriving ultimately from studies by Johann Jakob Bachofen, was popular in Gardner's day, both among academics (e.g., Erich Neumann, Margaret Murray) and amateurs such as Robert Graves. Later academics (e.g. Carl Jung and Marija Gimbutas) continued research in this area, and later still Joseph Campbell, Ashley Montagu and others became fans of Gimbutas' theories of matriarchies in Old Europe. Matriarchal interpretations of the archaeological record and the criticism of such work continue to be matters of academic debate. Some academics carry on research in this area (such as the 2003 World Congress on Matriarchal Studies). Critics argue that such matriarchal societies never actually existed and are an invention of researchers such as Margaret Murray. This is disputed by documentaries such as "Blossoms of Fire" (about contemporary Zapotec society).



The idea of a supreme Mother Goddess was common in Victorian and Edwardian literature: the concept of a Horned God — especially related to the gods Pan or Faunus — was less common, but still significant. Both of these ideas were widely accepted in academic literature and the popular press at the time.





Later developments

Wicca has developed in several directions since it was first publicised by Gerald Gardner. Gardnerian Wicca was an initiatory mystery religion, admission to which was limited to those who were initiated into a pre-existing coven. The Book of Shadows, a workbook that contained the Gardnerian rituals, was kept secret and was only obtainable from a coven of proper lineage. Despite the fact that several versions of the Book of Shadows have now been publicly published, many traditions of Wicca still maintain strict secrecy regarding the book and certain other aspects of the religion.



Raymond Buckland introduced modern Wicca to America after moving to Long Island. Although Buckland always scrupulously followed the Book of Shadows as he received it from Gardner, when the coven was eventually turned-over to Theos and Phoenix they enlarged the Book of Shadows, adding further degrees of initiation which were required before members could found their own covens. Interest outstripped the ability of the mostly British-based covens to train and propagate members; the beliefs of the religion spread faster by the printed word or word of mouth than the initiatory system was prepared to handle.



Other traditions appeared that gradually brought more attention and adherents to the extant Neopaganism movement. Some claimed roots as ancient as Gardner's version, and were organised along similar lines. Others were syncretic, incorporating aspects of Kabbalah, romanticised Celtic Pagan concepts, and ceremonial magic. In 1971 "Lady Sheba" (self-styled "Queen of the American Witches") published what she claimed was a version of the Gardnerian Book of Shadows, although the authenticity of this book has never been validated. Increasing awareness of Gardner's literary sources and the actual early history of the movement made creativity seem as valuable as Gardnerian tradition.



Another significant development was the creation by feminists of Dianic Wicca, or feminist Dianic Witchcraft. This is a specifically feminist, Goddess-oriented faith that had no interest in the Horned God, and discarded Gardnerian-style hierarchy as irrelevant. Many Dianic Wiccans felt that witchcraft was every woman's right and heritage to claim. This heritage might be best characterised by Monique Wittig's words on the subject: "But remember. Make an effort to remember. Or, failing that, invent." This tradition was comparatively (and unusually for that time) open to solitary witches. Rituals were created for self-initiation to allow people to identify with and join the religion without first contacting an existing coven.This contrasts with the Gardnerian belief that only a witch of opposite gender could initiate another witch.



The publications of Raymond Buckland illustrate these changes. During the early 1970s, in books such as Witchcraft - Ancient and Modern and Witchcraft From the Inside, Buckland maintained the Gardnerian position that only initiates into a Gardnerian or other traditional coven were truly Wiccans. However, in 1974, Buckland broke with the Gardnerians and founded Seax-Wica, revealing its teachings and rituals in the book The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft. This tradition made no claims to direct descent from ancient Saxons; all of its then-extant rituals were contained in that book, which allowed for self-initiation. In 1986 Buckland published Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft (colloquially known as "Uncle Bucky's Big Blue Book" or simply "The Big Blue Book"), a workbook that sought to train readers in magical and ritual techniques as well as instructing them in Wiccan teachings and rituals. Unfortunately, even after Buckland wrote his revised edition of this book there were still points from his original work that were in contention with some.



The first Wiccan Wedding to be legally recognised in the UK (by the Registrars of Scotland) was performed in 2004.

Witchcraft Etymology :

The modern term "Wica" (pronounced /ˈwɪ.kə/, with spelling later standardised to "Wicca") first appears in the writings of Gerald Gardner (Witchcraft Today, 1954, and The Meaning of 'Witchcraft, 1959). He used the word as a mass noun referring to the adherents of his tradition of witchcraft, rather than the religion itself. The religion he referred to as 'witchcraft', never 'Wicca'.



The word seems to be based on the Old English word wicca (pronounced /wɪtʃʌ/), which meant '(male) witch' or 'wizard', and is is a predecessor of the modern English "witch".



Gardner himself claimed he learned the term from existing members of the group who initiated him into witchcraft in 1939:



"I realised I had stumbled on something interesting; but I was half-initiated before the word "Wica" which they used hit me like a thunderbolt, and I knew where I was, and that the Old Religion still existed.

The word does not appear in the rituals commonly used nowadays in Gardnerian covens, which were composed by 1959.



Following Gardner a few other early books about Gardner's witchcraft tradition also used the term, with the same spelling and meaning as Gardner. For example, Patricia and Arnold Crother in The Witches Speak (1959):



[T]he Red Queen told Alice that she made words mean what wanted them to mean. She might very well have been talking about witchcraft, for today it is used to describe anything that one wishes to use it for. From the simple meaning "the craft of the Wica," it is used in connection with Black Magic, Satanism, Black Masses...

Also Raymond Buckland in Witchcraft - the Religion (1966):



Today more and more people are turning to the Wica, finding the answer to their religious needs.

The spelling "Wicca" is now used almost exclusively, Seax-Wica being the only major use of the four-letter spelling. The first appearance of the modern spelling Wicca is in June John's 1969 book King of the Witches: The World of Alex Sanders. The word's first appearance within the title of a book was in Wicca: The Ancient Way published in 1981.



The origins of the Old English wicca, wicce (fem.), wiccan (pl.) and wiccecræft (witchcraft) are uncertain, and have attracted a number of theories. They most likely derive from the Indo-European root *weg- 'to be lively', 'to be wakeful or alert'. A suffixed form of this root, *weg-yo-, would produce a Germanic *wikkjaz, meaning 'necromancer', literally, 'one who wakes the dead'. Other modern English descendants of the root *weg- are watch and wake.



Gardner and other writers on Wicca have proposed a relationship with the Old English words wita 'wise man' and witan 'to know', asserting that witches had once been regarded as the "wise" people; Wicca is often called the "Craft of the Wise" in allusion to this derivation. This proposal is unlikely, though, as there is no explanation for the change of the "t" of wita to the "cc" of wicca, and no parallel cases where Old English words with a medial "t" produce a modern English form with a medial "cc".



Still others claim a derivation from, or connection with, the Indo-European root *wei- which connotes bending or pliance (from which we get the words 'wicker', 'willow' and 'witch-elm'), suggesting the concept of magic as a "bending" of forces of nature. This is less convincing than the derivation from *weg-, especially as the notion of "bending" the forces of nature is hardly paramount in Wiccan literature. Robert Graves in his influential 1948 book The White Goddess, in discussing the willow which was sacred to the Greek goddess Hecate, says:



Its connection with witches is so strong in Northern Europe, that the words 'witch' and 'wicked' are derived from the same ancient word for willow, which also yields 'wicker'.

Graves' etymology is widely considered to be inaccurate.



The earliest evidence of the common adjectival form "Wiccan", also used as a noun, dates from the 1970s.

Discrimination and persecution of Wiccans:



According to the traditional history of Wicca as given by Gerald Gardner, Wicca is a survival of the European witch-cult that was persecuted during the witch trials (sometimes called the Burning Times), and the strong element of secrecy that traditionally surrounds the religion was adopted as a reaction to that persecution.



Since then Margaret Murray's theory of an organised pan-European witch-cult has been discredited, and doubts raised about the age of Wicca, and many Wiccans no longer claim this historical lineage. However it is still common for Wiccans to feel solidarity with the victims of the witch trials, and being witches, to consider the witch-craze to have been a persecution against their faith.



In modern times, Wiccans have been incorrectly associated with black magic and Satanism, especially in connection with Satanic Ritual Abuse hysteria. The Bible (Leviticus 20:27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them and Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live may incite Christians to be less than sympathetic toward neo-Pagans in general. Wiccans also experience difficulties in administering and receiving prison ministry, although not in the UK of recent times.



Because of the popular negative connotations associated with witchcraft, many Wiccans continue the traditional practice of secrecy, concealing their faith for fear of persecution. Revealing oneself as Wiccan to family, friends or colleagues is often termed "coming out of the broom-closet".



United States

In 1985, as a result of Dettmer v. Landon, 617 F. Supp. 592, the District Court of Virginia ruled that Wicca is a legally recognised religion and is afforded all the benefits accorded to it by law. This was affirmed a year later by Judge J. Butzner of the Federal Appeals Court fourth circuit (799 F 2d 929, 1986).



Nevertheless, Wiccans can still become the object of stigma in America, and many remain secretive about their beliefs. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs has not approved use of the pentacle in military cemeteries, although symbols of many other religions are permitted. This policy came under renewed attack when Sgt. Patrick Stewart, a Wiccan soldier, was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005. His widow has pressed for the inclusion of a pentacle to memorialise him at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Americans United for Separation of Church and State gave the Department of Veteran's Affairs 30 days from June 7, 2006 in which to respond to the request or face litigation, and in September 2006 state officials ruled that the symbol could be used, concluding that state veterans' cemetaries were not under federal authority.



James Clement Taylor, a member of an Eastern Orthodox Church, has commented on the subject of persecution of Wiccans that "these people of Wicca have been terribly slandered by us. They have lost jobs, and homes, and places of business because we have assured others that they worship Satan, which they do not. We have persecuted them.



In 1999 a group of conservative Christian groups was formed on the initiative of representative Bob Barr (R-GA), in response to Wiccan gatherings on military bases. The group asked US citizens not to enlist or re-enlist in the U.S. Army until the Army terminates the on-base freedoms of religion, speech and assembly for all Wiccan soldiers. The boycott has since become inactive. George W. Bush stated "I don't think witchcraft is a religion. I would hope the military officials would take a second look at the decision they made.



In September 1985 some conservative Christian legislators introduced three pieces of legislation designed to take away the rights of Wiccans. The first one was House Resolution (H.R.) 3389 introduced September 19 by congressman Robert S. Walker (R-Penn.)



Senator Jesse Helms (R, NC) made an amendment, Amendment 705, in the House Resolution 3036, The Treasury, Postal, and General Government Appropriations Bill for 1986, specifying that organisations that promote "witchcraft" should not be given tax-exempt status.



After being ignored for a while it got attached to HR 3036 by an unanimous voice vote of the senators. Congressman Richard T. Schulze (R-Penn) introduced substantially the same amendment into the Tax Reform Bill of 1985. When the conference committee met on October 30, the Helms Amendment was thrown out since it was not considered germaine to the bill. Following this Schulze withdrew his amendment from the Tax Reform Bill. Leaving only HR 3389, the Walker Bill. It managed to attract Joe Barton (R-Tex) who became a co-sponsor November 14. The Ways and Means Committee set aside the bill and quietly ignored it and it died with the close of the 99th session of Congress in December 1986.





Wiccan traditions

A "tradition" in Wicca refers to a branch of the religion with specific teachings and practices, often involving the concept of a lineage that is transferred by initiation. There are many such traditions, sub-traditions and lineages; there are also many solitary or eclectic Wiccans who do not align themselves with any particular lineage. Some of the well-known traditions include:



Alexandrian Wicca

Blue Star Wicca

Correllian Nativist Church (Correllian Wicca)

Dianic or Feminist Wicca

Faery Wicca

Gardnerian Wicca

Kemetic Wicca

Odyssean Wicca

Reclaiming

Seax-Wica

Y Tylwyth Teg

There are also other forms of witchcraft which don't claim origins in Wicca, such as the Feri Tradition and Stregheria, as well as distinct varieties of eclectic Wicca, such as Christian Wicca and Wiccan Atheism. Two generally accepted and informative books describing the various "paths" within the North American pagan community are Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today and Starhawk's The Spiral Dance: a Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess.





Wicca in popular fiction

Various novels, television shows and movies have depicted Wicca, including The Craft, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel,Charmed and even legal shows such as Boston Legal. Popular fiction, such as Cate Tiernan's Sweep and Balefire series, and Isobel Bird's "Circle of Three" also makes references to Wicca. Such fictional depictions usually do not present an accurate picture of Wiccan beliefs and practices, and should, for the most part, not be taken as fact.



Although, the comic book Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose written and drawn by Jim Balent and published by Broadsword Comics, more truthfully follows Wiccan beliefs and practices, even though the comic dwells into a more fantasy element. The comic even posted segments of an interview with a male Wiccan in some of the issues.



Hope this helps......


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