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Post by Senbecc on May 12, 2006 16:22:23 GMT -5
I'm interested in peoples responses to this question. What is Wicca to you? Is it a religion that as a rule views one god and one goddess as defined by *most* traditions? Is it a simple philosophy who's main tenant is "harm none and do as ye wilt"? When you hear the word Wicca what words, terms, and feelings does it invoke?
What is it that makes Wicca, Wicca? Traditions aside.
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Post by Sojrn on May 12, 2006 22:56:20 GMT -5
Evolve or stagnate. As humanity evolves in intelligence, culture, art, etc. it also evolves in science and technology. Then only belief must evolve since the aforementioned changes perspective. IMO wonderfully mallable is a main tenant of Wicca.
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Post by Senbecc on May 13, 2006 0:51:04 GMT -5
Evolve or stagnate. As humanity evolves in intelligence, culture, art, etc. it also evolves in science and technology. Then only belief must evolve since the aforementioned changes perspective. IMO wonderfully mallable is a main tenant of Wicca. But what is it that makes Wicca Wicca I wonder, what is the defining quality...The definition has undoubted grown by leaps and bounds from Gardner's time...Grown and spread through out a world culture...Though what is it that defines Wicca? Is it the belief in one god and one goddess? I mean when we all debated this before the opposition liked to throw allot of Christian examples our way, however all Christians see their God the same way don't they? As the supreme Shepard God. This for example is one of the main things that make Christianity Christianity. It seems to me that a Wiccan, by definition is a one god one goddess practice, furthermore it seems to me all of those who say they are Witches and NOT Wiccans practice Pantheism...Where as the same isn't true in reverse...To me thats seems like a pretty big particular.
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Post by Sojrn on May 13, 2006 1:02:13 GMT -5
But what is it that makes Wicca Wicca I wonder, what is the defining quality...The definition has undoubted grown by leaps and bounds from Gardner's time...Grown and spread through out a world culture...Though what is it that defines Wicca? Is it the belief in one god and one goddess? I propose a challenging proposition...can what you speak of be defined/described with one word?
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Post by Senbecc on May 13, 2006 13:20:52 GMT -5
But what is it that makes Wicca Wicca I wonder, what is the defining quality...The definition has undoubted grown by leaps and bounds from Gardner's time...Grown and spread through out a world culture...Though what is it that defines Wicca? Is it the belief in one god and one goddess? I propose a challenging proposition...can what you speak of be defined/described with one word? You may not have seen it because I modified it into my post, but those who claim Witchcraft, and deny being "Wiccan" are usually those who recognize (I won't say worship) several gods as being exactly that. Several gods. Where as pretty much every Wiccan I've spoken to see the gods as aspects of the one male and female duality...The one god and the one goddess. I *personally* think that this must be one of the root tenants of Wiccan religion.
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Post by flowerfaeryqueen on May 13, 2006 14:19:59 GMT -5
Wicca to me is to love and appreiciate nature and the God and the Goddess. to follow the threefold law, and the wiccan rede. because there is not as much records, and it is a newer religion, it may be labeled as fake, but it was based on ancient pagan beliefs.
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Post by Senbecc on May 13, 2006 14:30:01 GMT -5
Wicca to me is to love and appreiciate nature and the God and the Goddess. to follow the threefold law, and the wiccan rede. because there is not as much records, and it is a newer religion, it may be labeled as fake, but it was based on ancient pagan beliefs. It's only labeled as fake by those who don't take the time to understand it. I think also that as you pointed out, aside from the Goddess and God that the rede and maybe the 3-fold law or law of return (which ever one prefers) are also a big part of what makes up the Wiccan tenants...To me this is a big part of what makes Wicca inherently Wiccan.
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Post by Sojrn on May 13, 2006 18:37:25 GMT -5
I propose a challenging proposition...can what you speak of be defined/described with one word? Since no one has taken a stab at it, I'll go first... RESPECT. Respect for God & Goddess. Respect for oneself. Respect for others. Respect for nature. Respect for animals.
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Post by Senbecc on May 13, 2006 20:33:08 GMT -5
I propose a challenging proposition...can what you speak of be defined/described with one word? Since no one has taken a stab at it, I'll go first... RESPECT. Respect for God & Goddess. Respect for oneself. Respect for others. Respect for nature. Respect for animals. With the exception of the God and Goddess, I think any valid path would teach such things, though this is undoubtedly something Wicca offers it's students I think, and is a BIG part of what it stands for.
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Riyon
Seeker
Don't let today's disappointments cast a shadow on tomorrow's dreams.
Posts: 26
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Post by Riyon on May 18, 2006 13:11:59 GMT -5
Wow. What I see the word "Wicca" as..... I believe that in many ways I see it as just a word. The faith I follow is what is in my heart. "Wicca" is just what I can call it when I don't feel like sitting down and explaining my faith to everyone. ^.^ I believe that we each have our own personal faith. Putting a label isn't necessarily needed. We are all connected no matter what. Each to our own faith.
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Post by Senbecc on May 18, 2006 16:09:47 GMT -5
Wow. What I see the word "Wicca" as..... I believe that in many ways I see it as just a word. The faith I follow is what is in my heart. "Wicca" is just what I can call it when I don't feel like sitting down and explaining my faith to everyone. ^.^ I believe that we each have our own personal faith. Putting a label isn't necessarily needed. We are all connected no matter what. Each to our own faith. In many ways I agree, though I do feel that like the title of Druid and/or Filidh (or Bard) Ovate whatever I feel the title should definitely be earned through study, practice and experience.
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Post by moonwind333 on May 18, 2006 18:09:20 GMT -5
Wow. What I see the word "Wicca" as..... I believe that in many ways I see it as just a word. The faith I follow is what is in my heart. "Wicca" is just what I can call it when I don't feel like sitting down and explaining my faith to everyone. ^.^ I believe that we each have our own personal faith. Putting a label isn't necessarily needed. We are all connected no matter what. Each to our own faith. In many ways I agree, though I do feel that like the title of Druid and/or Filidh (or Bard) Ovate whatever I feel the title should definitely be earned through study, practice and experience. One thing that hasn't been really discussed in this is the fact that there are levels in Wicca ... dedicant, initiate, priest/ess, HP/HPs ... each level has to be earned by practice and study, but a dedicant that knows almost nothing is as much a Wiccan as the HP/HPs.
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Post by Sojrn on May 18, 2006 18:29:17 GMT -5
Since no one has taken a stab at it, I'll go first... RESPECT. Respect for God & Goddess. Respect for oneself. Respect for others. Respect for nature. Respect for animals. With the exception of the God and Goddess, I think any valid path would teach such things... So were all not as different as some folks would like us to believe, are we?
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Post by Senbecc on May 18, 2006 18:37:26 GMT -5
In many ways I agree, though I do feel that like the title of Druid and/or Filidh (or Bard) Ovate whatever I feel the title should definitely be earned through study, practice and experience. One thing that hasn't been really discussed in this is the fact that there are levels in Wicca ... dedicant, initiate, priest/ess, HP/HPs ... each level has to be earned by practice and study, but a dedicant that knows almost nothing is as much a Wiccan as the HP/HPs. I've said before that believing in the religious aspect of Wicca is enough to make one Wiccan, since it is in fact a religious view. However what of the solitary who studies day and night, pouring over information for a yr and a day?...Shouldn't that person have more right to the title than say someone who simply cracks a book, or is initiated into a coven? I mean I know your stand on this, and I know you won't debate that, what I'm saying is that such titles should be in place to tell others what has been accomplished, studied and discovered through a very serious inquiry. I do feel that the title should be earned. It should be able to be earned by any who strives for it yes...But earned none the less.
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