[quote] Pagan is a term used to describe most earth based religions including many more things than just wicca.
Wicca is a 50 year old religion created by Gerald Gardner, it draws off of many older practises and religions that were all but eliminated when the Catholic church took over most of europe.
Witch is a term used to describe witchcraft which encompasses spellcraft and sometimes rituals and worship of old gods.
You can be a pagan without being wiccan.
You can be wiccan without being a witch.
You can be a witch without being wiccan or pagan. You can even be a satanist witch. [/quote]
Well Put!
Speaking of Gardner.......
After the eastern teachings of karma picked up the Judeo/Christian overtones of divine punishment, the product evolved into yet another system of control with the same theme of keeping power in the hands of a few who know how to use it to exploit humanity. One thing led to another and Gerald Gardner added more to this and promoted the belief that witches must never use their powers to cause harm. Everybody has to take abuse and keep the passive attitude. The Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do what ye will." According to Gardner, the "creed" is derived from "Good King Pausol" who declared, "Do what you like so long as you harm no one." King Pausol is a fictitious character from the French novel by Pierre Louÿs (1870-1925): Les Adventures du Roi Pausole: Pausole (Souverain Paillard et Débonnaire) (1901 and reprinted in 1925 numerous times since), or the Adventures of King Pausole (The Bawdy and Good Natured Sovereign). This is the basis of "Wicca." Wicca is nothing more than a Christianized version of the old religions. Wiccans have taken selected rites and teachings to suit their whims, from the original religions and have twisted, corrupted and transformed them and are now passing themselves off as the original religion.
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Everybody has to take abuse and keep the passive attitude. The Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do what ye will."
(quote)
Wicca is nothing more than a Christianized version of the old religions. Wiccans have taken selected rites and teachings to suit their whims, from the original religions and have twisted, corrupted and transformed them and are now passing themselves off as the original religion.
I can"t speak for other Wiccans, just myself, But I am Wiccan and have been for a very long time And I can assure you, there is nothing passive about me. If someone hurts me or mine, I promise you, I will not"take abuse and keep a passive attitude,"
I will protect myself and my loved ones with every weapon I have at my disposal.
Being Wiccan does not mean being a doormat. The only cheek I turn is my buttcheek as I'm telling my enemies to Kiss it. The wiccan Rede is not meant to be an absolute. It is a guideline, It is not a commandment. I don't start anything, I try to keep an open mind to others' beliefs and practices. I don't do revenge spells either. As far as I am concerned, revenge is not an option. BUT I will protect myself...actively.
As for Wicca being a christiamized version of the old religions,
I just don;t see it. There is nothing "christian about my practice of Wicca.
CM
PostScript to previous post:
ARE there any Wiccans here who don't consider themselves to be witches? Just curious. I have never come acroos the thought that Wiccans aren't witches before.
CM
