I'm Wiccan. Ask Me Anything!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if you have already answered this, but why is there a 'k' in magic?

Just to differentiate it between the magic of magicians or fairy tale/fantasy stories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do Wiccaans refer to themselves as witches? I don't see how believing in a spiritual duality and feeling a connection with nature makes one a "witch". How do Wiccaans even know what witches are? Honestly, why choose such an in your face and loaded term?

Not all Wiccans practice magick, but those who do call ourselves witches. We know what witches are because we come from a long line of Pagan religions. I personally have a huge fascination with earth based religion history.

We choose that term because we don't care about its connotation to you. It's the most apt descriptor, your comfort or inconvenience be damned.

I seriously doubt that practitioners of ancient Pagan religions referred to themselves as witches. Perhaps it's a term Wiccaans only use to describe those who engage in spells, but again why even refer to the Wiccaan version of prayers as being spells?

That is an incredibly specific semantics question that I have no control over. I refer to spells as spells because the word for casting magick in English is 'spell'.

Why do Christians refer to the ritual of eating Jesus's flesh and blood Communion? Why is the Passover feast in Judaism referred to as a seder?

But the term spells was in long use before Wicans decided to use the term for what they do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do Wiccaans refer to themselves as witches? I don't see how believing in a spiritual duality and feeling a connection with nature makes one a "witch". How do Wiccaans even know what witches are? Honestly, why choose such an in your face and loaded term?

Not all Wiccans practice magick, but those who do call ourselves witches. We know what witches are because we come from a long line of Pagan religions. I personally have a huge fascination with earth based religion history.

We choose that term because we don't care about its connotation to you. It's the most apt descriptor, your comfort or inconvenience be damned.

I seriously doubt that practitioners of ancient Pagan religions referred to themselves as witches. Perhaps it's a term Wiccaans only use to describe those who engage in spells, but again why even refer to the Wiccaan version of prayers as being spells?

That is an incredibly specific semantics question that I have no control over. I refer to spells as spells because the word for casting magick in English is 'spell'.

Why do Christians refer to the ritual of eating Jesus's flesh and blood Communion? Why is the Passover feast in Judaism referred to as a seder?

But the term spells was in long use before Wicans decided to use the term for what they do.

Languages evolve as new definitions entire our mainstream vocabulary. I do not know who the first person was to use the word spell in reference to using magick, but at one point they did and the word stuck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You can't put the thought into words, because it's an absurd thought. "Evil" may not be included, but Someone (God) has to define evil -- otherwise, we would be all living like OP -- defining for ourselves what is right and what is wrong. What a nightmare that would be.

OP here.

A world where everybody lived like me and defined for ourselves what is right and what is wrong would be beautiful. There would be harmony as we would all realize that treating each other poorly is wrong. We would live side by side, hand by hand, helping each other to grow and thrive. We would revere and take care of our planet and all of its inhabitants.

And here you have it, folks: OP is right and everyone else is wrong. "A world where everybody lived like me and DEFINED FOR OURSELVES WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG would be beautiful." OP, with all due respect, you are truly out of your mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You can't put the thought into words, because it's an absurd thought. "Evil" may not be included, but Someone (God) has to define evil -- otherwise, we would be all living like OP -- defining for ourselves what is right and what is wrong. What a nightmare that would be.

OP here.

A world where everybody lived like me and defined for ourselves what is right and what is wrong would be beautiful. There would be harmony as we would all realize that treating each other poorly is wrong. We would live side by side, hand by hand, helping each other to grow and thrive. We would revere and take care of our planet and all of its inhabitants.

And here you have it, folks: OP is right and everyone else is wrong. "A world where everybody lived like me and DEFINED FOR OURSELVES WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG would be beautiful." OP, with all due respect, you are truly out of your mind.

I'm an atheist and I agree with OP's point - i.e. collective determination of right and wrong. It's human nature (apart from the very few serial killer types). I find it bizarre that people feel they need to go to church and believe in a god to know what's right and wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do Wiccaans refer to themselves as witches? I don't see how believing in a spiritual duality and feeling a connection with nature makes one a "witch". How do Wiccaans even know what witches are? Honestly, why choose such an in your face and loaded term?

Not all Wiccans practice magick, but those who do call ourselves witches. We know what witches are because we come from a long line of Pagan religions. I personally have a huge fascination with earth based religion history.

We choose that term because we don't care about its connotation to you. It's the most apt descriptor, your comfort or inconvenience be damned.

WTF is a non-practicing Wiccan?! This is why I called you a fluffy bunny upthread. You have some functional knowledge/overview of Wicca 101 and are here to spread the good word. Unfortunately, half of what you're saying is wrong and the other is wishy-washy and watered down for the masses.

This is why Pagan religions were traditionally SECRET. "Wicca" is a new-age Pagan movement comprised of a loose amalgamation/appropriation/bastardization of (what some folks think of as) Pagan theology. "An it harm none, I can do whatever I like." That doesn't make you a Witch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You can't put the thought into words, because it's an absurd thought. "Evil" may not be included, but Someone (God) has to define evil -- otherwise, we would be all living like OP -- defining for ourselves what is right and what is wrong. What a nightmare that would be.

OP here.

A world where everybody lived like me and defined for ourselves what is right and what is wrong would be beautiful. There would be harmony as we would all realize that treating each other poorly is wrong. We would live side by side, hand by hand, helping each other to grow and thrive. We would revere and take care of our planet and all of its inhabitants.

And here you have it, folks: OP is right and everyone else is wrong. "A world where everybody lived like me and DEFINED FOR OURSELVES WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG would be beautiful." OP, with all due respect, you are truly out of your mind.

I'm an atheist and I agree with OP's point - i.e. collective determination of right and wrong. It's human nature (apart from the very few serial killer types). I find it bizarre that people feel they need to go to church and believe in a god to know what's right and wrong.

You people don't get out much, do you? To reference a PP a page or so back: there are many people who believe that pedaphila is just another alternative lifestyle and who the heck are you to judge another person's sexual preferences? In fact, there are pro-ped groups trying to overturn laws in some states. That is but one example. Sorry, but I wouldn't want those people as part of my "collective determination" of what is right and wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do Wiccaans refer to themselves as witches? I don't see how believing in a spiritual duality and feeling a connection with nature makes one a "witch". How do Wiccaans even know what witches are? Honestly, why choose such an in your face and loaded term?

Not all Wiccans practice magick, but those who do call ourselves witches. We know what witches are because we come from a long line of Pagan religions. I personally have a huge fascination with earth based religion history.

We choose that term because we don't care about its connotation to you. It's the most apt descriptor, your comfort or inconvenience be damned.

WTF is a non-practicing Wiccan?! This is why I called you a fluffy bunny upthread. You have some functional knowledge/overview of Wicca 101 and are here to spread the good word. Unfortunately, half of what you're saying is wrong and the other is wishy-washy and watered down for the masses.

This is why Pagan religions were traditionally SECRET. "Wicca" is a new-age Pagan movement comprised of a loose amalgamation/appropriation/bastardization of (what some folks think of as) Pagan theology. "An it harm none, I can do whatever I like." That doesn't make you a Witch.

I said nothing about non-practicing Wiccans; instead, I talked about Wiccans who do not practice magick. Practicing magick is what makes one a witch.

You are correct that what I'm saying is watered down for the masses. I've admitted to compressing my theology down into a few easy to read sentences as I realize that people normally don't have the care or attention span to read long drawn out paragraphs. Please point out any incorrect information that I have given, though, as I don't want to leave the readers with false facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Practicing magick is what makes one a witch.

You can start there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
That is an incredibly specific semantics question that I have no control over. I refer to spells as spells because the word for casting magick in English is 'spell'.

Why do Christians refer to the ritual of eating Jesus's flesh and blood Communion? Why is the Passover feast in Judaism referred to as a seder?

NP here. That last bit was seriously, and unnecessarily, nasty, and so was your post where you asked a PP "what kind of monster are you?" for adhering to a formal religion.

When you slip in nasty/passive aggressive bits like this, it makes me think that it's all a bit of a pretense. I start to think that a world where "everybody lived like me and then there would be harmony" is a bit of a non-starter. Convince me I'm wrong?

[Anonymous]

Could you tell us more about the Wiccan male goat god? While I find the communion with nature very attractive, I have a hard time getting past some aspects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That is an incredibly specific semantics question that I have no control over. I refer to spells as spells because the word for casting magick in English is 'spell'.

Why do Christians refer to the ritual of eating Jesus's flesh and blood Communion? Why is the Passover feast in Judaism referred to as a seder?

NP here. That last bit was seriously, and unnecessarily, nasty, and so was your post where you asked a PP "what kind of monster are you?" for adhering to a formal religion.

When you slip in nasty/passive aggressive bits like this, it makes me think that it's all a bit of a pretense. I start to think that a world where "everybody lived like me and then there would be harmony" is a bit of a non-starter. Convince me I'm wrong?

I never told any posters that they were a monster, and it was not at all my intention to be passive aggressive or nasty. I brought up Communion and seder to show that all religions use words for their rituals and the word for mine just so happens to be 'spell'. I'm so sorry that I am coming across as rude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could you tell us more about the Wiccan male goat god? While I find the communion with nature very attractive, I have a hard time getting past some aspects.

He's the lord of life, death, and the underworld. He comes in many forms, just as the Goddess comes in many forms. My favorite facet of him is the Green Man or Pan, where he represents vegetation. He's the god of the hunt and of masculine fertility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That is an incredibly specific semantics question that I have no control over. I refer to spells as spells because the word for casting magick in English is 'spell'.

Why do Christians refer to the ritual of eating Jesus's flesh and blood Communion? Why is the Passover feast in Judaism referred to as a seder?

NP here. That last bit was seriously, and unnecessarily, nasty, and so was your post where you asked a PP "what kind of monster are you?" for adhering to a formal religion.

When you slip in nasty/passive aggressive bits like this, it makes me think that it's all a bit of a pretense. I start to think that a world where "everybody lived like me and then there would be harmony" is a bit of a non-starter. Convince me I'm wrong?

NP here -- how is this nasty at all? Are you saying that, merely by comparing Wiccan practices and terminology to Judeo-Christian practices and terminology, OP is demeaning Judaism or Christianity? Because if you are, I think you're projecting when you call OP "nasty."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That is an incredibly specific semantics question that I have no control over. I refer to spells as spells because the word for casting magick in English is 'spell'.

Why do Christians refer to the ritual of eating Jesus's flesh and blood Communion? Why is the Passover feast in Judaism referred to as a seder?

NP here. That last bit was seriously, and unnecessarily, nasty, and so was your post where you asked a PP "what kind of monster are you?" for adhering to a formal religion.

When you slip in nasty/passive aggressive bits like this, it makes me think that it's all a bit of a pretense. I start to think that a world where "everybody lived like me and then there would be harmony" is a bit of a non-starter. Convince me I'm wrong?

The question is legit. Seems like she meant that the term "spell" was jargon specific to Wicca, like "Communion" is Catholic jargon.

It only seems passive aggressive if you're really looking to be persecuted, or if you aren't used to making allowances for people who are outside your box.