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The religion of Wicca
Practices, history, discussion, etc
This journal may contain adult concepts.
Created on 2003-05-27 12:35:12 (#1081905), last updated 2009-05-17
3,691 comments received
Basic Account [Gift]
800 Journal Entries, 37 Tags, 14 Memories, 0 Virtual Gifts, 3 Userpics
Basic Info| Website: | Intn'l Witches' Meetup |
|---|---|
| Membership: | Moderated |
| Posting Access: | All Members, Moderated |
AboutThis community is for the discussion of the religion of Wicca, its practices, history, traditions, evolution and related topics. Wicca here is defined as including BTW and non-BTW; all will be treated respectfully. Its origin is 20th-century, though structural/spiritual influences are undeniably older. We will be coming from these perspectives. Traditionals and eclectics are welcome.
The goal is to have an active, intellectual and fun community. It’s a teaching forum in that we will all be sharing our input on various topics; there is no “teacher, lurker” structure intended. Respect will not equate to unconditional tolerance of all points of view; we’re here to keep what is solid and viable, pick apart what is not. Respect is not given freely, it is earned.
This is a moderated community. All LJs applying for membership will be reviewed for age, frequency of usage and other factors. Inquiries may be directed to the moderator. If you take issue with this, please note the statement "this is not a democracy" listed below.
Yes, we know then-Gov Bush said witchcraft (in relation to Wicca) was not a religion. Get over it.
Joining the community means that you have read, understand and accept the guidelines listed below the intro questionnaire.
When you join, please post a brief intro and tell us a little about yourself. If you so desire, here is a basic questionnaire you can use. Please put your intro behind a LJ cut!
1. What religion or spiritual tradition do you follow?
2. Geographic location (not "earth/the universe"):
3. Coven or solitary? Clergy?
4. Public or in the broom closet?
5. Are you active in your local pagan community? In what capacity?
6. Personal web site (if you've got one):
7. Anything else you'd like us to know about you:
GUIDELINES
All material posted here is subject to critique. Opinions are not exempt. Historical inaccuracies or that which does not make common sense will be challenged. Be prepared to back up your statements. Evidence on historical points must be verifiable. If it is oathbound material for you, don’t use it as a "proof" source.
Discussion in this community is uncensored as long as the thread remains on-topic. You are expected to conduct yourself in a responsible, honorable manner. This does NOT mean I expect you to walk on eggshells; strong commentary is encouraged. Just don't be a jerk about it.
This turf is witch-war neutral. Dissing (obvious or subtle) of other Wiccan/pagan LJ communities and/or members is not acceptable here.
The spell-checker is your friend. If u lik 2 type lik this, I guaranT you will not B taken seriously. We are also not politically correct. Don't expect to find "womyn, wimmen, herstory" or other re-spellings. Please put long posts and big pictures behind a LJ cut . Thanks!
This is not a democracy. The moderator will keep or delete entries based on her personal judgement. If there is an issue with any action, contact![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
seshen privately. I HAVE changed my mind before. Public follow-up posts bitching about your post's deletion will get you banned.
Rules and objectives are subject to change based on the needs and growth of the community.
___________________
ALLOWED: Including, but not limited to:
All entries must be Wicca-related, either about the religion or practices (Tradition or personal) therein. You may post relevant news articles, essays, etc. Discussion of holy days, rituals, parenting, personal experiences etc are all welcome.
Discussion of spellwork as a craft, and member-created polls/surveys related to the community theme. If you have a Wiccan web site, you may submit it for critique by membership.
One-time promotions of member-created LJ communities and theme-related web sites are allowed, as I am a firm believer in networking. No commercial sites, please.
___________________
NOT ALLOWED:
This is not a general pagan discussion area. No off-topic personal issues.
Spell requests, chain letters, quizzes, politics and other non-topical posts will be deleted. No exceptions. If you're not sure, E-mailseshen before posting.
Maintainer/Mod:seshen
MOD NOTE: If you’re read this far, I know you’re at least interested enough to check out the profile. Please note that I am not accepting applications for LJs that are less than 6 months old, have very little traffic, or are Friends-only. This is for security reasons. You are free to re-apply when your obstacle is no longer valid. If you have applied and any of the restrictions above pertain to you, then you will be rejected for the mere reason that you didn’t bother to read the entire profile and would not be a good contributing member.
Boot
</center>
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF WICCA:
Wicca was publicly introduced in the 1950's by Gerald Gardner, a British civil servant. Its ritual and initiatory structure consists of elements from Masonic ritual and other occult and ceremonial magick systems, and regional witchcraft. Gardner originally named his new religion "Wica" (pronounced "WEE-cha"); an extra "c" was later added to create the term Wicca used today. Formerly a lineage-only religion, Wicca has evolved to include non-Gardnerian Traditions, along with eclectic and solitary practitioners.
It is not ancient, nor based on pre-Christian matriarchal societies. Much of Gardner's "history" was based on the then-popular theories of Margaret Murray, whose "witch-cult" theories have since been discredited. This does not render Wicca any less valid, but it does mean that older historical conceptions are not necessarily viable. The most recent and well-researched book on Wicca currently is "The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft" by Ronald Hutton. I highly recommend it as the first source of information for anyone interested in learning more, newbies and experienced practitioners alike.
______________________________
Some misconceptions and commonly-unknown points of interest:
The "Burning Times." There was NOT a mass persecution and repression of women and/or witches by the church. In fact, current studies are showing that secular, NOT church, courts did the vast majority of executions. You can find out some valuable statistics gleaned from recent historical records here. There were not 9 milliion women killed; the current figures suggest more like 40,000 to 100,000, mostly Christians who pissed someone off. There are emerging theories that some were magickal practitioners turned in by fellow practitioners to get rid of the competition.
"Wicca is Celtic." No, it's not. The Celts were a motley crew, merging with a number of cultures throughout Europe. If you think Wicca is Celtic, try finding the Celtic cult of the severed head in a modern-day Sabbat and get back to me.
"Wicca is Goddess worship, Goddess-oriented." Actually, Gardner's Wicca was more male-oriented. Doreen Valiente brought more of the Goddess aspects into practice.
"Wicca is a continuation of the old religion of paganism." There was no organized, universal "religion of paganism." Paganism is a very umbrella term, defined usually as either any non-Abrahamic religion or belief system, or any pre-Christian religion or belief system of Europe.
Gardner put forth 161 "Old Laws," which advocate such things as binding, etc. Most Wiccans today would not only be surprised, but shocked, that these were included in Wicca's original structure. This is one reason I emphasize that Wicca is an evolving faith, discarding that which is no longer useful or relevant.
The "Rede of the Wiccae" is NOT the Wiccan Rede. It is a separate, copyrighted document that happens to have the 8 words of the Rede included. It was first published in Green Egg Magazine, Vol. III. No. 69 (Ostara 1975), attributed to Lady Gwen Thompson & Adriana Porter.
The goal is to have an active, intellectual and fun community. It’s a teaching forum in that we will all be sharing our input on various topics; there is no “teacher, lurker” structure intended. Respect will not equate to unconditional tolerance of all points of view; we’re here to keep what is solid and viable, pick apart what is not. Respect is not given freely, it is earned.
This is a moderated community. All LJs applying for membership will be reviewed for age, frequency of usage and other factors. Inquiries may be directed to the moderator. If you take issue with this, please note the statement "this is not a democracy" listed below.
Yes, we know then-Gov Bush said witchcraft (in relation to Wicca) was not a religion. Get over it.
Joining the community means that you have read, understand and accept the guidelines listed below the intro questionnaire.
When you join, please post a brief intro and tell us a little about yourself. If you so desire, here is a basic questionnaire you can use. Please put your intro behind a LJ cut!
1. What religion or spiritual tradition do you follow?
2. Geographic location (not "earth/the universe"):
3. Coven or solitary? Clergy?
4. Public or in the broom closet?
5. Are you active in your local pagan community? In what capacity?
6. Personal web site (if you've got one):
7. Anything else you'd like us to know about you:
GUIDELINES
All material posted here is subject to critique. Opinions are not exempt. Historical inaccuracies or that which does not make common sense will be challenged. Be prepared to back up your statements. Evidence on historical points must be verifiable. If it is oathbound material for you, don’t use it as a "proof" source.
Discussion in this community is uncensored as long as the thread remains on-topic. You are expected to conduct yourself in a responsible, honorable manner. This does NOT mean I expect you to walk on eggshells; strong commentary is encouraged. Just don't be a jerk about it.
This turf is witch-war neutral. Dissing (obvious or subtle) of other Wiccan/pagan LJ communities and/or members is not acceptable here.
The spell-checker is your friend. If u lik 2 type lik this, I guaranT you will not B taken seriously. We are also not politically correct. Don't expect to find "womyn, wimmen, herstory" or other re-spellings. Please put long posts and big pictures behind a LJ cut . Thanks!
This is not a democracy. The moderator will keep or delete entries based on her personal judgement. If there is an issue with any action, contact
seshen privately. I HAVE changed my mind before. Public follow-up posts bitching about your post's deletion will get you banned.Rules and objectives are subject to change based on the needs and growth of the community.
___________________
ALLOWED: Including, but not limited to:
All entries must be Wicca-related, either about the religion or practices (Tradition or personal) therein. You may post relevant news articles, essays, etc. Discussion of holy days, rituals, parenting, personal experiences etc are all welcome.
Discussion of spellwork as a craft, and member-created polls/surveys related to the community theme. If you have a Wiccan web site, you may submit it for critique by membership.
One-time promotions of member-created LJ communities and theme-related web sites are allowed, as I am a firm believer in networking. No commercial sites, please.
___________________
NOT ALLOWED:
This is not a general pagan discussion area. No off-topic personal issues.
Spell requests, chain letters, quizzes, politics and other non-topical posts will be deleted. No exceptions. If you're not sure, E-mail
seshen before posting. Maintainer/Mod:
seshenMOD NOTE: If you’re read this far, I know you’re at least interested enough to check out the profile. Please note that I am not accepting applications for LJs that are less than 6 months old, have very little traffic, or are Friends-only. This is for security reasons. You are free to re-apply when your obstacle is no longer valid. If you have applied and any of the restrictions above pertain to you, then you will be rejected for the mere reason that you didn’t bother to read the entire profile and would not be a good contributing member.
Boot
</center>A BRIEF SUMMARY OF WICCA:
Wicca was publicly introduced in the 1950's by Gerald Gardner, a British civil servant. Its ritual and initiatory structure consists of elements from Masonic ritual and other occult and ceremonial magick systems, and regional witchcraft. Gardner originally named his new religion "Wica" (pronounced "WEE-cha"); an extra "c" was later added to create the term Wicca used today. Formerly a lineage-only religion, Wicca has evolved to include non-Gardnerian Traditions, along with eclectic and solitary practitioners.
It is not ancient, nor based on pre-Christian matriarchal societies. Much of Gardner's "history" was based on the then-popular theories of Margaret Murray, whose "witch-cult" theories have since been discredited. This does not render Wicca any less valid, but it does mean that older historical conceptions are not necessarily viable. The most recent and well-researched book on Wicca currently is "The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft" by Ronald Hutton. I highly recommend it as the first source of information for anyone interested in learning more, newbies and experienced practitioners alike.
______________________________
Some misconceptions and commonly-unknown points of interest:
The "Burning Times." There was NOT a mass persecution and repression of women and/or witches by the church. In fact, current studies are showing that secular, NOT church, courts did the vast majority of executions. You can find out some valuable statistics gleaned from recent historical records here. There were not 9 milliion women killed; the current figures suggest more like 40,000 to 100,000, mostly Christians who pissed someone off. There are emerging theories that some were magickal practitioners turned in by fellow practitioners to get rid of the competition.
"Wicca is Celtic." No, it's not. The Celts were a motley crew, merging with a number of cultures throughout Europe. If you think Wicca is Celtic, try finding the Celtic cult of the severed head in a modern-day Sabbat and get back to me.
"Wicca is Goddess worship, Goddess-oriented." Actually, Gardner's Wicca was more male-oriented. Doreen Valiente brought more of the Goddess aspects into practice.
"Wicca is a continuation of the old religion of paganism." There was no organized, universal "religion of paganism." Paganism is a very umbrella term, defined usually as either any non-Abrahamic religion or belief system, or any pre-Christian religion or belief system of Europe.
Gardner put forth 161 "Old Laws," which advocate such things as binding, etc. Most Wiccans today would not only be surprised, but shocked, that these were included in Wicca's original structure. This is one reason I emphasize that Wicca is an evolving faith, discarding that which is no longer useful or relevant.
The "Rede of the Wiccae" is NOT the Wiccan Rede. It is a separate, copyrighted document that happens to have the 8 words of the Rede included. It was first published in Green Egg Magazine, Vol. III. No. 69 (Ostara 1975), attributed to Lady Gwen Thompson & Adriana Porter.
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