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There are a great many misconceptions about Wicca and Witches still swarming around us in the world today. Yes, we've come a long way from the burning times. In many ways, and yet.. in many ways things have not changed. People still fear us, misunderstand us, and then there are those who simly do not care. Although we can no longer be burned at the stake, we still continue to cloak ourselves in the shroud of secrecy for fear. The burning times have not ended. They are as evil and alive as the day the were forged.
In a new form and a new era, the beast of the Burning Times has reared it's ugly head to try and silence our cries for justice. Though it acts not with flame, it's fire burns in a cauldron of rage ready to burn the very fabric that keeps you alive. When one comes out of the "broom closet" they risk a number of things. And it is these things that keep so many of us in the dark room, away from the verocity of a world still not ready to accept us for what we are.
Again, we can not be burned (at least not like that of the Witch trials), however our homes can. We can be harrassed at work, at home, in the neighborhood, have our lives and those of our loved ones threatened. We can even so much as have family members turn their backs on us all for what we believe in.
Why is this you ask? It's a universal question. I'll try to give you the best universal answer that I know of.
Because they don't understand exactly who we are or what we do, and that scares them. Deep down in the core of their being they are terrified of hearing the answer. But if they only knew how not so horrible the answer was, what a wonderful world we could make together.
Below I've listed a few of the popular misconceptions about Wicca, Witches, and Pagans. I hope that this helps you to identify the true nature of your (or someone you know) fears.
Wicca predates Christianity and can be traced back to the Paleolithic Era.
TRUE or FALSE
~~FALSE~~
I'm sure this may irratate a few people but quite frankly I am sick to death of seeing the "We're the oldest religion" campaign forging it's own path down the information superhighway. Wicca CAN NOT be traced back any further than the mid 1950's when it's creator, Gerald B. Gardner, went public with his books. Taking bits of knowledge he collected from his training in the NFC (which has been the subject of yet another controversy), ceremonial magick, Qabalistic ritual.. just to name a few, he created somewhat of a magickal hodge-podge. In other words, Wicca (as we know it) was born.
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Wiccans/Witches worship Satan, and practice Satanism.
TRUE or FALSE
~~FALSE~~
If it makes you feel good to falsely accuse someone, then go ahead m'dear. But don't do it in my forum :) Wiccans & Witches (and I will get to the difference later) do NOT worship Satan (or whatever clever little name you want to give your negative deity) nor do they practice Satanism. Satanism is a completely different religion, and an offshoot of Christianity. Why?? Because Satan (and his many other names) is a negative deity from the Christian religion. Wiccans and Witches do not hold faith in Christian deity and therefore, can not possibly worship deity from that religion. To do so would be an utter contradiction in terms (i.e Christian Witch) However, the Catholic church (with the Christian followers in tow)have perverted the Pagan God, Pan, and making his image that of their "devil". Pan is the Greek God of nature and prophecy, who is pictured as looking like a Satyr (half man, half goat).
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Wiccans/Witches eat children.
TRUE or FALSE
~~FALSE~~
EXCUSE ME!!! Voice of reason, coming through! Apparently we've managed to lose contact with reality once again. What sort of deranged fuzzball came up with this? Being that I'm 75% vegetarian and find it hard eating anything with a face (like turkey), I find it even harder to believe that there is anyone (who doesn't have serious psychological issues) out there in the world who revels in a toddler bar-b-que. In a word, EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! This misconception holds about as much merit as a story of an Orthodox Jewish woman eating a porkchop! It simply does NOT happen.
**To those not familiar with Orthodox Judaism, Jews don't eat pork, as they have been deemed unclean by the Torah. For further study, please see.. Why don't Jews eat pork? |
Wiccans/Witches practice orgies within their covens
TRUE or FALSE
~~FALSE~~
O.k this has gotten out of hand. Once again the lines of communication have been broken. As far as I'm aware orgies within covens don't happen, unless you happen upon one that is run by the Grand High Purple Robe Dragon something or other of the coven, Ahmygoddesswhataphoney. Remember this person? What did we suggest you do when you encounter a power-tripping, egomaniac?? EXACTLY. RUUUUUUUN AAAAAWWWWWAAAAAAYYY!
However, there are (symbolic)sexual rites in covens (such as the Great Rite), but in no way is the act of sexual intercourse physically involved. If it is, it is between HP and HPS... and I can assure you, it's 100% consensual. Anything other than that is RAPE.
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Witches/Wiccans fly on brooms.
TRUE or FALSE
~~FALSE~~
If this were true commercial airliners would file Chapter 11 tomorrow. Of course, then it would become a conspiracy theory. The government doesn't want you to know that witches can fly on brooms because they don't want commercial jetlines to go out of business and create chaos that could cause a breach in national security. Oh brother! It's best to sweep this under the rug and pretend that it's not true. Cause, really, it isn't.
Alrighty, here's the truth to the story. There is a Beltaine ritual involving the balefire (or bonfire) and people jumping hither and tither... and it is my personal opinion that a poorly educated, pot head was the one who went screaming to his/her village that there were witches flying around on broomsticks.
As tradition goes, anyone.. including cattle, crossed the balefires at Beltaine for the same reason.. ensured good luck. The cattle were driven between the two fires (there was often one circular and one square). This would keep them immune to diseases (like mad cow... er, hoof and mouth) which were held over from winter. Men who were to get married or were going on long trips would leap back and forth across at least three times for added good fortune. Young girls would leap across to attract a husband. For an easier delivery pregnant women would also step through the fires. The tradition continues today, although coven enactments may differ.
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Wiccan/Witches practice black magick.
TRUE or FALSE
~~FALSE~~
Now, whatever gave you that idea? Ok, there is a minor truth to this. BUT WAIT A SECOND!! Here us out on this. Wiccans and Witches will agree that there is no such animal as absolute evil. Just as there is no such animal as absolute goodness. Magick exists as both, because nature, and life exist as both. There is no night without day. There is no life without death. There is no Winter without Summer. So is there no either or in magick. There is, however, a mid-way. The color of your magick is defined by the intent of your heart. If your heart is cold, ruthless, and filled with hate, so will be your magick.
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Wiccans are the same as Witches.
TRUE or FALSE
~~FALSE~~
Ok. there's controversy over this which makes this hard to explain. Wiccans (in their covens) have a degree of initiation, whereas most Trad Witch covens do not (save for a leader). When Trad Witches today practice the Old Ways, they are reviving them. A Wiccan who practices the "Old Ways" today is merely reinventing them. Wiccans are followers of Gerald Gardner, Witches are not. In fact, when Wiccans call on the Goddess and God the are calling on those from mythology. When Witches call on the Goddess or God they are using that as a focal point to describe the creative force in the universe and don't actual worship them as deity. Wicca is a way of life, as well as a religion. Tradition Witchcraft is just a way of life, even though it is a nature based religion.
However, there is one core belief between both Witches and Wiccans and that is that all of nature is sacred and we must learn to live within nature, to love and care for it as much as we can.
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The pentagram is an evil pagan symbol that mocks Christ's crucifixion.
TRUE or FALSE
~~FALSE~~
What a cantankerous load of garbage! Yes, the pentagram is a pagan symbol. But it's not evil. There's a scientific explanation for it being one of the main focal points of Witchcraft and Wicca. Each point corresponds to one of the five elements. Yes, I said five. They are as follows :
When the pentagram is draw inside a circle, becoming the pentacle, this means that all the elements are contained within, protected, and connected.
However, Christians used the pentagram to illustrate the five wounds of Christ. It became the symbol for Christ the Saviour. It's only when the Christian church lost interest in the pentagram and chose the cross as a more significant symbol did the pentagram become the center piece for evil.
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