Wicca : This is a religion where you believe in The God and The Goddess or Lord and Lady, as well as karma. For clarification please understand that not all wiccans are witches. Witchcraft is just that, a craft. When people think, "magick" they automativally run to Wicca and conflate it to be the same thing. Magick/Witchcraft can be done inside of religion, but no religion or deity is actually necessary.
No you do not. Plenty of people worship deities from various religions they do not identify as, the Wiccan Lord and Lady are the same way. If you feel drawn to them, then you can try working with them. You do not have to identify as Wiccan.
Many people take the Wiccan concepts and add them into their own religion and worship the gods and goddesses they choose, such as a "Christian Wiccan". You can do this if you wish, but you do not have to become a Wiccan to worship anyone. There are many systems and religions out there, and you can go with whichever one that fits your needs and what you want. No religion is the one true way.
who are the Lord and Lady? are they Jesus and Mary Magdalene, Satan and his wife, or something else entirely? Does Wicca bear anything in common with Christianity?
Re: Do you have to be wiccan By: Lark Moderator / Adept
Post # 8 Aug 23, 2016
The Lord and Lady of the Wica are a particular God and a particular Goddess whose names are divulged only to the properly initiated. In general the Goddess is associated with the Moon, while the God is often portrayed with antlers and rules over the fields and forests.
The Deities of Wicca are neither Jesus/Mary Magdalene, nor Satan/Lilith. The beliefs and practices of Wicca have no relationship with Christianity nor Christian views of the Divine. Check out the thread "What Wicca Is and Isn't" for more information.
Re: Do you have to be wiccan By: Lark Moderator / Adept
Post # 10 Aug 24, 2016
Whitesoul, I am going to disagree with part of your statement here.
It is very true that one does not have to become Wiccan unless one wants to. It is also very true that not all Witches are Wiccan. Witchcraft is a form of magical practice while Wicca is a religion.
However, I will disagree with your statement that not all Wiccans are Witches, because they are. Gerald Gardner, the founder of modern Wicca, clearly stated that Wiccans practiced Witchcraft and should be considered Witches. While some Wiccans choose to rarely if ever cast spells, they certainly know how to go about doing so at need. Furthermore, all Wiccans do practice magic such as charging their tools, raising a circle, banishing negative energies, healing work, etc. In doing so they are practicing Witchcraft and are, therefore, Witches. The difference is that Wiccans practice their magical skills within a religious context, nothing more.
