Wicca is Hip?

Well put Noe, I don't think I've ever read a better written post defending anything that also has the facts to back it up.

Too much of today's witches, wiccans, pagans and alike either do it for the trend or learn it from a book. Now I'm not saying books aren't a good way to learn, they're just not the authoritive on the subject(like you said).

There is one exception though, and this is only a personal opinion on the matter. One book that I have read(and continue to read) is the "Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard" by Oberon, in which near the begining there is a self dedication for the apprentice wizard. Now the only reason I feel this dedication is valid is for a few reasons.

1. First it is brought about from Oberon and the Council of Wizards(people who have been practicing for a long time and are very imformative on the matter, also founders of Grey School, a well respected online school.)

2. The self dedication is(I feel) more to one self rather then to the group. So instead of saying your part of the group and learn, know, and teach their ways, your learning, knowing, and growing yourself and your personal skills and about yourself so that you improve who you are and what you do.(This might sound a bit stange and not make a lot of sense at the moment, feel free to mail me and ill try to explain better.)

3. And lastly, it puts the emphisous on the individual to go out and learn, seek, and find their own path and their own meaning of truth and the validity of what they read or is told to them, rather then take it at face value and be spoon fed. This I find to be most important because instead of just being told what to do or how to do it you learn to question things and why they are. And by questioning things and learning from them, you free yourself from being a mindless droid(which we all know there's too many of those around in the magickal community.)

So ya, theres my two cents for the night :),
Glim

Glim,

Thank you. I've been around the occult community for a long time and have seen all these arguments and watch them fail, one by one.

I can't imagine anyone having an issue with self-dedication.

For instance, Wiccan covens often require an Outer Grove student to undergo their own as a sort of Seeker to Dedicant Rite of Passage. During Initiation, they will be introduced to the Gods of the Wica and made a Priest or Priestess. Since Wicca is orthopraxic, this is required to become one of the Wica.

Bless,
Noe

One thing that has always troubled me, and is good proof of how things have changed, is the fact that people these days see wicca and witches as one and the same. THEY'RE NOT

Wicca is a religion, witchcraft is just that a craft. So for those saying their wicca when really they're witches, it only degenerates wicca and its meaning. Most wiccans might consider themselves witches, but a witch does not have to be wiccan.

Now I haven't read the book "Progressive Witchcraft", but the fact that it says witchcraft would suggest that it is a book about witchcraft(obviously) and not an authoritive book on wicca. If you want one about wicca, why not try "Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin", that is a book focused on Wicca and not witchcraft.

Glim

Interesting distinction, Glim, and one which we make ourselves - although we consider ourselves *both* witches *and* Wiccans. I do think that the Farrar/Bone book, whilst titled Progressive Witchcraft, tends to deal with issues which would be of interest and importance to both.

Thanks again for the observation

Myrddin

thih thread has been locked. this was a good informational thread that has become a mudslinging fest.