Interesting research

I have been working on the sequel to my book Blue Moon. The main character is a Wiccan, so I've had to do a lot of research on Wicca. And you know, I was actually suprised by how kind the religion is, in general. It's all about saving the environment, and treating the Earth kindly. And They are also strong believers on not harming others. Being kind to others, and not judging others. Mmmmm, there's something to be said for that, huh?
Aside from all the spells and stuff, it was very interesting to learn about.

Being kind to others, and not judging others. Mmmmm, there's something to be said for that, huh?

Yes, Pol, there's a lot to be for that. Too bad more people don't live that way. Research is fascinating. Too bad more people don't do a little of it.

I have also researched this subject a great deal. It amazes me how badly the organised church and Hollywood continue to libel this religion by painting it as something quite different than it is.

Best of luck with both your research and your book.

Malcolm

FYI: See my latest post on Writer's Notebook called "Your knowledge might help a reporter" at http://jockstewart.typepad.com/writers_notebook/2008/07/your-knowledge.html

My son dated a girl who was Wiccan. I really liked her a lot.

It turns out they share many of the same beliefs as my elves and fairies.

As I research herbs, spices, and plants and fey gifts I find myself Wiccan websites.

Ignorance and fear is behind most hatred and prejudice.

Sounds the same as most religion do good don't judge others. Religion is not the problem it's the people that use it to gain power subverting the message to suite their own agenda. It is something that goes back as far as humankind.

True, it does sound very much the same as other religions. It's the people themselves who don't follow the "rules". Oh, well, what are you gonna do, right?
And yes, Dick, too bad people don't live that way. Man, what a world it would be.

So very true. Some folks are so narrow minded that they see only with one eye! And that one does not see clearly. Rather than seeing the good, some only see difference, and it scares them, I think!

Quote :

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
[In regione caecorum rex est luscus.]
Desiderius Erasmus, Adagia (III, IV, 96)
Dutch author, philosopher, & scholar (1466 - 1536)

Gotta do your research, don't ya know.

Yes, modern Wicca is what academics call an earth-based religion. There are tons of them around where I am, and although saving the environment is one of their concerns, they do not go about it in terms of an "environmental movement." It is more about paying respect for the amazing beauty and creation mother earth has provided, and honoring it and restoring balance for what we have taken. By becoming more in tune with the cycles of the earth and nature, we can not only heal ourselves, but possibly the earth as well.

Shelagh wrote:

Quote :

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
[In regione caecorum rex est luscus.]
Desiderius Erasmus, Adagia (III, IV, 96)
Dutch author, philosopher, & scholar (1466 - 1536)

Gotta do your research, don't ya know.

Isn't it great that so many are not blind, and can see the truth?

So true, Miss Five-Star!

Pol, I found much the same in my studies of Native American culture and
religion. They lived their religion daily - not just one day a week.

Sorry to put a tad of a damper on Wicca, back in Blighty, having spent
a year living in the covenstead of the self billed Official White Witch
of Buckinghamshire, one of the basic foundations of Wicca is, 'Perfect
Love and Perfect Trust' the problem is most of them wouldn't know it
even if you slapped them in the face with it! They go on about how far
it goes back, usually 300 years or more, but Wicca was the invention of
Gerald Gardner in the '40's. He was a bored poor little rich boy,
cobbled together bits of old Goddess religions, Drudism and other stuff
and called it Wicca.

His top protege Alex Saunders, split with him and the two main factions
became Gardenerism and Alexandrian Wicca and relatively quickly some
people realised there is more bitchcraft than withcraft.

Having said that most Pagans in my humble opinion in the UK have lost
it and as far as those I've mingled with on this side of the pond is
they never had it lose in the first place.

Elfish Presley did a gig at a Pagan Federation Annual Thang and wowed
the crowd with this, sung to the tune of Gansta's Paradise.. and
skyclad is a lovely way of saying naked, problem is most people need
ironing!




Wiccans' Paradise (………..Living In)
with no apologies to Coolio or Stevie Wonder!
Paraphrased By Rainbow

As I entered the circle, well it started to rain
I took a look at the Priestess and realised she's very plain
But that's just no good for Initiate me
You see I'd rather have a Priestess who is very pretty

At 4:30 in the morning, I'm gagged and bound
1^'m confronting all my demons buried deep in the ground..Fool!
If I've been confronting and been buried so long
That even the Morrigan thinks that my mind has gone
I'm Initiate now, I'm into discipline
Painted symbols on my forehead and more on my chin
But if I get my Third Degree, it'll be just fine
And tonight I'm gonna Boogie down until I go blind!

We been spending most our lives living in a Wiccan Paradise
We meet weekly, sometimes twice living in a Wiccan Paradise
It's hard work and sacrifice living in a Wiccan Paradise
We sell spells at discount price living in a Wiccan Paradise

A local Christian kicked me in the butt last week
I just smiled at him and I turned the other cheek
I really don't mind in fact I wish him well
As I'll be laughing my head off when he's burning in Hell, Fool!
But I ain't never punched a Christian even if he deserved it
I simply zap him with a daemon, something he's never heard of
I always go skyclad, my Athame at hand
And my Coven all agree I really look good like that..Fool!

My Grandma was a Witch, not my Mom you hear
And my tradition goes back over 300 years
We're into all the old ways, so please don't point and stare
We're just Technophobically scared!

There's no 'phone, no lights, no modern stuff, not a single luxury
Just like the Middle Ages we're as primitive as can be
We been spending most our lives living in a Wiccan Paradise
We're just plain and simple guys living in a Wiccan Paradise
We're all into Sin and Vice living in a Wiccan Paradise
We send spells we don't play nice living in a Wiccan Paradise

Bitchcraft rules the Coven, if you talk about me
Invoke a demon I will, I'll call on Aleister Crowley
Then I'll call on Gardener, Alex Sanders, Craft
Well, I know I'm a million times more De-grees than thou art
I'm the Big High Priest the Neophytes all wanna be like
Casting spells day and night scoring points for my afterlife
So don't be messin' and don't be bitchin'
Or else my brother I might have to get real evil in my kitchin'

We been spending most our lives living in a Wiccan Paradise
We're all crazy there's no light living in a Wiccan Paradise
There's no Karma ain't that right? Living in a Wiccan Paradise
And you probably think it's nice living in a Wiccan Paradise

Ah. Ah, Ah, ooh, Ah 00, ooh, ah, ah, ooh, 00, ah, 00, 00, ah
yeeeeeeccchhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!


Presenting Rainbow as The Widdershins Warlock

Well done, Rainbow. But there are good and bad everywhere. Perhaps there are covens that do it properly? I have known solitaries who felt as you, and simply kept their own counsel, living their religion quietly.

Those called kitchen witches (etc) and others were around long before Gardner and some solitaries to this day will have little to do with Wicca itself for some of the reasons you mentioned. Many people in rural areas used a variety of practices, some which you seem remnants of in the planting by the signs info in almanacs, but didn't call their old religion witchcraft. And, what with the inquisition, I don't blame them.

Malcolm

Pol, is Wicca considered a form pf Paganism or Animism?

Most First Nations religions (the ancient ones) are a form of Animism
in which all living things are assumed to have "souls" for my lack of a
better word. In its purest form it is not even a religion, but a way of
life. They thanked the spirits of the animals they killed for the food
they provided, and the trees for the wood for their dwellings and
firewood.

All in all, they lived within the environment - as part of it, rather than in spite of it.

My humble note

I have been around a while and been here and there and up and down. I mean that in all ernestness.

The way churches work is to convince people that their idea of truth is viable. That is not to say that they do no good. So many people are led to "glory" and kept on the straight and narrow path by the guilt of the gospel.

Gospel is often just an interpretation by the people who can read and speak and their idea of good or evil.

The Fires Of Hell have never been real to me, nor the Pearly Gates, or Heaven, for that matter. I think those things were made up in the beginning of civilization in the old stories that people told around the swamp. I wish I could have been there as a small mouse!

I wonder about the rationalization of these stories as literal fact.

I can see the natural order of living things, from smallest to largest, their purpose on this planet, the small joys that each can experience, the concept of death and going forth as a spirit released from the bonds of this earth and the ultimate joy of the release. Religion, I cannot see.

God Help me..
Love,
Betty

zadaconnaway wrote:

Well done, Rainbow. But there are good and bad
everywhere. Perhaps there are covens that do it properly? I have known
solitaries who felt as you, and simply kept their own counsel, living
their religion quietly.

Thanks Zada, indeed there are good and bad, I have met a few that
prefer to be known as, 'Craft' which do tend to be solitaries as
Malcolm quite rightly says and as you said, those who are solitary tend
to
regard Wicca as a kindergarten, at least they look to a dual divinity
of a god and goddess, which personally makes more sense to me as it
takes a synegy of male and female to make life. Everyone has to start
somewhere and it's better to start than not start at all. One thing can
be said for Wicca and most of the Paganic disciplines is that it is up
to the individual to come to it, they do not prozletise (however that's
spelt - mind you I've never heard any practitioner of '
alternative 'religions' saying, 'I spelt today' after casting a
spell!)

In writing what she did, Betty expressed my feelings better than I could have. Her talent is unique, her way with words unsurpassed. She writes from the heart and perhaps that is why she can see the world through the eyes of even the smallest creatures.

Well, my Wiccan (Sephina is her name) will be a blend of a few different things. Some actual, and some from my head. She'll be more of a helpful witch than a spiteful bitch.
Thanks everyone for helping me out with even more research about this subject.

By the way-Hi Betty!

What the church call witchcraft was really just herbalism practiced and passed down the generations through mainly the female line as traditionally it was women that collected the herbs needed in cookery and healing. Usually these women acted as the local midwife as well and became an easy target for the self rightous bigot looking for easy money and notoriety and had little true caring for the religion he professed to be a defender of. Those they put to death probably had more true faith than the accusers. What wealth of knowledge was lost we can never fathom.

thehairymob wrote:

What the church call witchcraft was really just herbalism practiced and passed down the generations through mainly the female line as traditionally it was women that collected the herbs needed in cookery and healing. Usually these women acted as the local midwife as well and became an easy target for the self rightous bigot looking for easy money and notoriety and had little true caring for the religion he professed to be a defender of. Those they put to death probably had more true faith than the accusers. What wealth of knowledge was lost we can never fathom.

So true, Hairy! I have always felt that while the church may serve many good purposes (any church that is faith based and run to serve a congregation, not use it), the organised religion of churches was originally constructed to give power over the masses. I still see church in that light. I have seen instances of ministers (pastors, preachers, reverends, etc.) who do not practice the religion which they profess to live. They use the portions of 'scripture' that serve their own purposes, denying other truths.

I have faith, based on answered prayers. Is that just positive thinking? Perhaps.

I have played the game 'gosssip' where a line of people whisper a sentence in the ear of the person next to them. It begins at one end of the line and passes to each in turn. By the time the sentence reaches the end of the line, it is often unrecognizable. Since the bible was written many years (centuries) after the events occurred, are we to believe it has not been distorted?

My great grandmother was an atheist, but attended church regularly. (maybe she just liked the minister!) She considered it to be an instruction on good common sense living. Especially the ten commandments. Perhaps the genes have something to do with it?

In my opinion, heaven and hell aren't actual places, but are states of mind. One person's heaven could be another person's hell. To me, it seems that all this talk of hell fire and brimstone and of only one particular religious sect having "the truth" is just a means to gain power over the population by enslaving them in fear. I don't agree with the idea that there is only one correct faith; I think there are many equally valid paths and that some people will find one path better for them than another. For more on my thoughts on the nature of god, see my thread Nature of God under the religion and spirituality section.