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Witchcraft/Wicca Q&A
Following is from
the Witchvox website, and
is the most extensive question and answer on Witches I have found. It
gives a thorough explanation of Witches and other Pagans, and should help those
who don't quite know what to think of us. This FAQ is general and
not specifically Gardnerian.
Q: Are you a
good Witch or a bad Witch?
A: When you ask if someone is a "good"
Witch or a "bad" Witch, it is the same as asking someone if they are a
"good" Presbyterian or a "bad" Presbyterian. Wiccans adhere to the Rede, "An
it harm none, do as ye will." Witches, Druids and other pagan belief systems
and religions have their own ethical standards. There are good and bad
people in every society and in every religion. When a person breaks the laws
of society or the tenets of their religion, they are called to account for
their actions. To judge a person as either "good" or "bad" based upon
nothing more than their religious preference alone has a label, too. It is
called bigotry.
Q: Do you worship Satan?
A: Satan is a part of the Christian and
Muslim religions. Since pagans are neither Christian nor Muslim, Satan is
not part of our deity structure at all.
We believe that each and every human being is completely responsible for his
or her own actions. To us, evil is a choice, albeit a bad one, that a human
might make, not an embodied entity to blame our actions upon.
If an individual chooses to do evil, most pagans believe they will be
punished via the laws of karma or as a result of "cause and effect.". In
other words, "What goes around usually comes around."
Many Witches and Wiccans believe in some form of reincarnation, that the
results or karma of past deeds can follow a person from one life to the
next. This may also help to explain why terrible things sometimes happen to
wonderful people or why some people seem to have been born with certain
skills and knowledge. It may also explain why some people seem to lead a
'charmed" life.
Some pagans believe in an after-life spent in another plain of existence.
Known as Summerland, Avalon, Valhalla or simply the "Other Side', they
believe that they will be reunited here once again with friends and family.
Q: So why do you use that "Satanic" symbol?
A: The pentagram, or five pointed star,
is not Satanic. Pythagoras used it as a symbol of health and his followers
wore them in order to recognize one another. In Medieval times, some
Christian knights used the pentagram as their symbol. To modern Wiccans the
pentagram means many things; The five points correspond to the elements Air,
Earth, Fire and Water with the top point corresponding to "Spirit". The
pentagram in a circle may also represent a human with their legs and arms
outstretched, surrounded by universal wisdom or the "Goddess" - humankind at
one with the environment. Many Witches and other pagan practitioners do not
wear the pentacle at all, but have other symbols of special meaning to them.
Satanists turn the symbol upside-down, which puts the elements of Fire and
Earth at the top (Fire symbolizes willpower and passion and Earth,
prosperity and earthly goods) and Spirit, spirituality, at the bottom.
Satanists also turn the cross upside-down. This, in itself, does not make
the cross or pentagram a Satanic symbol. In some Wiccan traditions, the
reversed pentagram is a symbol of "second degree" status - one who has been
elevated from "initiate". To members of these traditions, the reversed
pentagram is considered highly positive and has no connection to Satanism. A
symbol is simply an image or mark in itself. It is the mind and the beliefs
of the beholder which attribute to it a particular meaning.
Q: Do you do blood sacrifice?
A: Goddess NO! The nature of sacrifice is to give up something of one's own
in order to gain something more important. Wiccans believe in the sanctity
of all life. Most pagans believe that animals are part of the same natural
cycle of life as humans are. Witches have long been associated with animal
companions known as "familiars." Check out the Witchvox "Cats of Witchcraft"
page. Do these animals look abused to you? [ed. - the only things
we sacrifice are incense and candles!]
Q: Do Witches and Wiccans cast spells?
A:
Yes. Well, some do anyway. However, the
term "spell" is widely misunderstood.
Spells, are somewhat like prayers and are used to create needed change in
one's own life or the life of a loved one. But while prayers are a petition
to an external Deity to create the change, most Witches and Wiccans believe
that Deity is present in everything, including ourselves. Spells, then, are
the channeling of our own divine selves, our own energies, to create the
change.
Spells such as those which use love magic to gain the attention of a
specific individual, or curses, are considered "manipulative". Most Wiccans
believe that anything manipulative-that goes against the free will of
another-is considered wrong. Many other pagan paths have similar codes of
conduct based upon the tenets of their tradition or belief and almost all
believe that the responsibility for their actions will lie with them.
Q: Are Witchcraft or Wicca cults?
A: A cult by definition is a group of
people who blindly follow one leader. As Witches, Wiccans and pagans tend to
be free-thinkers, there is no one person that we consider to be THE leader.
Thus we cannot be called a cult.
Q: Do you have ritual orgies?
A: These rumors come from our lack of
taboos regarding sex. We have no rules which prohibit homosexuality, nudity
or pre-marital sex. Sex as the generative force in nature is seen by most
pagans as something utterly sacred. We feel that the physical act of love is
to be approached with great respect and responsibility.
Q: Why do all Witches/Wiccans wear black?
A: We all don't. Many Witches/Wiccans
actually seem to favor green and/or purple. Black, however, is in many
cultures a symbol of clergy. Priests, Ministers and Rabbis all favor black
as the main color of their ritual garb.
Scientifically speaking, color is energy. The colors you see are the ones
which are reflected and not the ones absorbed. Therefore, what appears to be
white, which is the culmination of all colors in the light spectrum, is
actually reflecting all colors and absorbing none. What appears to be black,
is absorbing all colors and reflecting none. This is evident in the fact
that when one is wearing white, one feels cooler - as the fabric is sending
the heat energy outward, and when one wears black - the heat energy is
absorbed in the cloth that one is wearing, making one feel warmer. Many
Witches feel that wearing black attracts and holds more natural energy.
Q: Aren't all Witches Women?
A: No. Neither are Wiccans or those in
other pagan paths. Witches can be either men or women. The term "Warlock" is
never used to describe a male Witch as it is considered to be a religious
slur. "Warlock" is an old Scottish word meaning "traitor" or "oath-breaker".
Men and Women alike can be Witches, Wiccans or pagans.
Q: Why would anyone want to be a pagan, a Witch or
Wiccan?
A: People are generally drawn to Wicca
and other pagan paths for several reasons. Many women feel left out of more
mainstream religions because of the lack of feminine divinity. For them, the
Wiccan concept of the Goddess as Mother of all Living fills an empty space
in their spiritual search. As a nature based religion, Witchcraft also
appeals to those who feel a strong need to "get back to the Earth" and
places a major importance on protecting the environment, which we are a part
of, not apart from. People drawn to the mystical find pagan belief systems
much more accommodating as we do not see anything unnatural about psychic
ability or the use of magic to create needed changes in one's life. It gives
us the freedom to make our own decisions about what is best for us.
Q: How do you convert new Witches/Wiccans/pagans?
A: We don't. We feel that the attempted
conversion of others is a form of religious bigotry. i.e. If one tries to
convert another to his/her religion, s/he assumes that the other person's
beliefs are not as valid as his/her own. We feel that all paths are equally
valid as long as they do not infringe upon the basic civil rights or free
will of another. According to our beliefs, it is up to the individual to
choose his or her own path. We do not try to manipulate others into our way
of thinking, we only try to educate others about our religion so that they
may better understand us. We do, however try to help guide those who have
already expressed an interest in the pagan belief systems or religions.
Q: So what do Witches/Wiccans/pagans DO?
A: Pretty much what everybody does. We
come from all walks of life. We raise families, go to work, throw steaks (or
vegetables) on the "barbie" and hang out with our friends. We practice our
religions and belief systems, celebrate our holidays with festivals and
continue to study and explore our past while contemplating our futures.
Many covens and groups meet once a month to worship together under the moon.
Pagans tend to hold ceremonies or "circles" out of doors as we feel that
being with nature brings us closer to the divinity who creates it.
Some pagan beliefs may seem strange to those who have not heard much about
them before. Pagans, on the other hand, are usually very well versed in the
beliefs of other religions. They find the various religious systems
interesting and often encourage their own children to learn about these
other religions. Pagans believe in free will and free choice and that an
educated choice is always better than blind obedience to any religion or
dogma. We are not "against" other religions. We have simply made our choice
to be pagan and we expect others to respect that choice as we respect
theirs.
All that we ask is that we are allowed to practice our religion without
prejudice or interference as is our right guaranteed here in the United
States under the Constitution and as outlined within the constitutions of
many other countries. The freedom to practice religion -or no religion-as
you choose-whether it be Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Pagan-is the
freedom to follow your spirit and your heart. This precious freedom must be
defended, protected and treasured by all or it will no longer be guaranteed
for anyone.
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