Research Paper On Wicca

One of the many old belief systems is witchcraft and sorcery. It is often believed that

Almost all structured religions have such an ethic, this is a strong belief in the Wicca religion for, nature, and the entire human race. As a Wicca they have a set of moral and spiritual values that precisely fits the purpose. They live by the values and beliefs that direct their lives as witches, from both inside and outside of the Coven setting. The ethics are incorporated into the Wicca law, also known as, The Ethics of Wicca.

When comparing Wicca to Christianity there can be found a few similarities and many differences. To give a better understanding into the comparison of Wicca and Christianity this paper will focus on how the practitioners of each religion create order and meaning within their belief systems; their central beliefs and deities; their ritual practices and ethical views; and other differences and/or similarities between the two.

Wicca is actually a modern pagan religion, and is concentrated on a more peaceful, harmonious and balanced way of life. It is actually a belief system that is of pre-Christian that is mostly how our ancestors lived

There are countless different assumptions about witches. The majority of individuals in the sixteenth and seventeenth century presumed that God and Satan were real (Lambert 1). They also assumed that “witches” were in allegiance with Satan and made a vow to bow down and serve him (Lambert 1). Furthermore, another common belief was

Witchcraft is a religion. Wicca is one type of Witchcraft, but the term "Wicca" is occasionally applied to Witchcraft in overall. In the United States, most people who practice this religion call themselves Witches or Wiccans. It is an earth-based religion and in some ways is similar to Native American spirituality. Wicca (sometimes called Wicce, The Craft, or The Old Religion) is based on an ancient religion of love for life and nature. The religion of Witchcraft or Wicca is recognized by most state governments, the federal government, and the United States Armed Forces. The courts have recognized the right of even prisoners to practice this religion on an equal basis with other religions. In ancient times, people appreciated the great forces of Nature and celebrated the seasons’ cycles and the moon. They saw spirituality in the sun and moon and in the Earth Herself. Basically, in all life.

Idea of witches date back to the Renaissance and the period in history known as the witch craze.

     Wicca and Pagan are two religions, which have many similarities as well as many differences within each area. Wicca is a sect of Pagan in which each has their own variations on the religion. A good way to put it; all Wiccans are Pagan, but not all Pagans are Wiccan. Witch is a term used for any practitioner of Wicca. The Webster's II Dictionary defines witch as 1. A woman who practices sorcery or is believed to have dealings with the devil, 2. An ugly, vicious old woman; hag. Wicca is described by the American Heritage Dictionary as the cult of witchcraft. Pagan is the religion under which many different religions are practiced. Webster's II Dictionary defines pagan as one who does not

When people hear about the Wiccan religion they think of potions, magic spells, and pointy hats. Wiccans have suffered through many tortures of non-pagan religions for thousands of years. Yet they never gave up on their rituals and beliefs. Wiccans are often depicted as atrocious beings who only wish to harm people. It is important for people with such prejudice beliefs to know about all of the common misconceptions, the origin, and the beliefs of Wiccans.

Lastly, Wicca does not follow any particular book like Christianity and the Bible, or Islam and the Koran. One book does exist (The Book of Shadows) but it is just a collection of spells which has been updated and extended over

One of the greatest myths precipitated about Wicca is that it is an ancient religion. Wicca is not an ancient religion. It has no ties to medieval or even pre--‐Christian religious beliefs. Wicca was inspired by a theory of Margaret Murray, who proposed that there was one organized Cult of Diana. This idea is largely dismissed as inaccurate and Murray’s work is considered by scholars to be full of factual errors.

The following paper will talk about Wicca and Paganism as a religion within the United States. Wicca is a diverse community as a religion, but is not yet considered by any Supreme court case but some aspects such as traditions are recognized by the federal and state courts. This will be further touched upon further later on.

There are many who are Wiccan today that do not believe that the origin of their religion is in Witchcraft; while others believe that these religious practices are part of the foundation of Wicca. Because paganism was not an organized religion and was primarily passed on through oral traditions, there is questionable historical evidence to support a direct connection between the two.

Atheism says witches don’t exist because no one besides God can have powers or worship their leader, Satan. Witchcraft was considered evil from the Christian Church which linked witches with the devil. All cultures were feared as evil and believed it to have paranormal powers (Cheung 539). Today, witches practice an official USA and Canada religion called Wicca. Instead of using witchcraft for evil, they live peaceful lives and heal others.

In my interview I was fortunate to talk with a student from Pfeiffer, her name was Taylor. During this interview, I learned many new things about the Pagan Religion, also known as Wiccan. At the start of the conversation I was completely in the dark about the beliefs and acts of a Pagan.. I had never paid any attention, much less try to learn about other religions until starting this class. It definitely challenged me to empathize with the beliefs of others. The Pagan Beliefs are completely different from my religion, Christianity. Christianity places more of an importance on a figure, Jesus Christ. Unorthodoxly, Pagan’s place more emphasis in nature than in any one Godly figure.