Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is so interesting, OP. I was not raised religiously in the slightest but now want to learn more about being Wiccan.
One of the great things about earth based religions is its lack of creed. You have the freedom to step away from organized religion and realize that at its very core, everything on this earth is connected and that it needs to be embraced, nurtured, and celebrated.
Oh, really now! EVERYTHING is connected and it needs to be embraced, nurtured and celebrated? No, thank you. Evil is not connected to good, my friend, and evil in no way needs to be embraced, nurtured or celebrated.
Evil is connected, simply by trying to out-do good IMO.
I may be wrong and OP please correct me, but I think by "everything" the reference is to earth itself.
I can't put my thoughts into words, but I realize that evil isn't included in the embracing, nurturing and celebrating the way the earth is.
Wiccans are not evil, and don't celebrate evil.
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.
And this is why Christians and other people of the book are terrifying. Do you seriously mean to say that you can't define good and evil for yourself? You are so out of control that you don't recognize good for yourself and would do evil without the fear of eternal punishment? You have ZERO control over your own actions? What kind of monster are you?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok, this is coming from an agnostic and I truly don't mean to be offensive, but I would like to know how intellectually you have come to the conclusion that there is a god and goddess. Admittedly it is a pretty idea and I understand the appeal of the belief, but I just don't understand how wanting to be part of an earth based religion leads one to say they actually BELIEVE in something as concrete and sort of out there as multiple deities.
I don't just say it, I firmly believe it. There are many religions out there are who polytheistic. Do you doubt the intelligence of those people as well?
I believe that there is a balance or a duality in life, that there is a yin and a yang. Because I believe this, I believe that there must be this balance in the Higher Beings as well. If there are men and women living on earth, why can there not be a man and woman (of divine sorts) as deities?
But what about all the business of using candles, scents, stones, etc. during spells? Why would these be needed in order to reach out to the deities?
Not OP, but most Wiccans use them as symbols of balance with the Earth and respect for the Earth. The world is made up of earth, air, fire (energy), water and spirit. Candles symbolize fire (energy). Scents symbolize air. Stones symbolize earth. Water in a chalice for water. Symbols for spirit can be various.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is so interesting, OP. I was not raised religiously in the slightest but now want to learn more about being Wiccan.
One of the great things about earth based religions is its lack of creed. You have the freedom to step away from organized religion and realize that at its very core, everything on this earth is connected and that it needs to be embraced, nurtured, and celebrated.
Oh, really now! EVERYTHING is connected and it needs to be embraced, nurtured and celebrated? No, thank you. Evil is not connected to good, my friend, and evil in no way needs to be embraced, nurtured or celebrated.
Evil is connected, simply by trying to out-do good IMO.
I may be wrong and OP please correct me, but I think by "everything" the reference is to earth itself.
I can't put my thoughts into words, but I realize that evil isn't included in the embracing, nurturing and celebrating the way the earth is.
Wiccans are not evil, and don't celebrate evil.
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.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok, this is coming from an agnostic and I truly don't mean to be offensive, but I would like to know how intellectually you have come to the conclusion that there is a god and goddess. Admittedly it is a pretty idea and I understand the appeal of the belief, but I just don't understand how wanting to be part of an earth based religion leads one to say they actually BELIEVE in something as concrete and sort of out there as multiple deities.
I don't just say it, I firmly believe it. There are many religions out there are who polytheistic. Do you doubt the intelligence of those people as well?
I believe that there is a balance or a duality in life, that there is a yin and a yang. Because I believe this, I believe that there must be this balance in the Higher Beings as well. If there are men and women living on earth, why can there not be a man and woman (of divine sorts) as deities?
But what about all the business of using candles, scents, stones, etc. during spells? Why would these be needed in order to reach out to the deities?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok, this is coming from an agnostic and I truly don't mean to be offensive, but I would like to know how intellectually you have come to the conclusion that there is a god and goddess. Admittedly it is a pretty idea and I understand the appeal of the belief, but I just don't understand how wanting to be part of an earth based religion leads one to say they actually BELIEVE in something as concrete and sort of out there as multiple deities.
I don't just say it, I firmly believe it. There are many religions out there are who polytheistic. Do you doubt the intelligence of those people as well?
I believe that there is a balance or a duality in life, that there is a yin and a yang. Because I believe this, I believe that there must be this balance in the Higher Beings as well. If there are men and women living on earth, why can there not be a man and woman (of divine sorts) as deities?
But what about all the business of using candles, scents, stones, etc. during spells? Why would these be needed in order to reach out to the deities?
These are merely tools to get you in the mood. Make you more focused, centered, relaxed, ready to commune. Kinda like my Catholic church when I was a kid had candles, incense, statues, rituals, etc.
Have you ever read any of these spells? I dabbled in Wicca as a teenager. Many of these spells are very elaborate, calling for performing them at a certain type of day, with very specific and elaborate props. The implication definitely seems to be that these tools are needed to make the spells more effective and are not just recommended for setting the mood.
- Not the OP
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is so interesting, OP. I was not raised religiously in the slightest but now want to learn more about being Wiccan.
One of the great things about earth based religions is its lack of creed. You have the freedom to step away from organized religion and realize that at its very core, everything on this earth is connected and that it needs to be embraced, nurtured, and celebrated.
Oh, really now! EVERYTHING is connected and it needs to be embraced, nurtured and celebrated? No, thank you. Evil is not connected to good, my friend, and evil in no way needs to be embraced, nurtured or celebrated.
Evil is connected, simply by trying to out-do good IMO.
I may be wrong and OP please correct me, but I think by "everything" the reference is to earth itself.
I can't put my thoughts into words, but I realize that evil isn't included in the embracing, nurturing and celebrating the way the earth is.
Wiccans are not evil, and don't celebrate evil.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok, this is coming from an agnostic and I truly don't mean to be offensive, but I would like to know how intellectually you have come to the conclusion that there is a god and goddess. Admittedly it is a pretty idea and I understand the appeal of the belief, but I just don't understand how wanting to be part of an earth based religion leads one to say they actually BELIEVE in something as concrete and sort of out there as multiple deities.
I don't just say it, I firmly believe it. There are many religions out there are who polytheistic. Do you doubt the intelligence of those people as well?
I believe that there is a balance or a duality in life, that there is a yin and a yang. Because I believe this, I believe that there must be this balance in the Higher Beings as well. If there are men and women living on earth, why can there not be a man and woman (of divine sorts) as deities?
But what about all the business of using candles, scents, stones, etc. during spells? Why would these be needed in order to reach out to the deities?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is so interesting, OP. I was not raised religiously in the slightest but now want to learn more about being Wiccan.
One of the great things about earth based religions is its lack of creed. You have the freedom to step away from organized religion and realize that at its very core, everything on this earth is connected and that it needs to be embraced, nurtured, and celebrated.
Oh, really now! EVERYTHING is connected and it needs to be embraced, nurtured and celebrated? No, thank you. Evil is not connected to good, my friend, and evil in no way needs to be embraced, nurtured or celebrated.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is so interesting, OP. I was not raised religiously in the slightest but now want to learn more about being Wiccan.
One of the great things about earth based religions is its lack of creed. You have the freedom to step away from organized religion and realize that at its very core, everything on this earth is connected and that it needs to be embraced, nurtured, and celebrated.
Oh, really now! EVERYTHING is connected and it needs to be embraced, nurtured and celebrated? No, thank you. Evil is not connected to good, my friend, and evil in no way needs to be embraced, nurtured or celebrated.
Anonymous wrote:Do you find that more people are raised Wiccan and stay that way or come to it in adulthood?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have you attended a Wiccan wedding? Who presides over one?
I had a chance to attend a Wiccan wedding this summer and was really looking forward to it, but timing won't work out.
I have! It was at midnight on the night of a full moon and it was beautiful. The couple are witches in the same coven, and their High Priestess (the highest ranking witch in a coven) presided.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is so interesting, OP. I was not raised religiously in the slightest but now want to learn more about being Wiccan.
One of the great things about earth based religions is its lack of creed. You have the freedom to step away from organized religion and realize that at its very core, everything on this earth is connected and that it needs to be embraced, nurtured, and celebrated.
Anonymous wrote:Ok, this is coming from an agnostic and I truly don't mean to be offensive, but I would like to know how intellectually you have come to the conclusion that there is a god and goddess. Admittedly it is a pretty idea and I understand the appeal of the belief, but I just don't understand how wanting to be part of an earth based religion leads one to say they actually BELIEVE in something as concrete and sort of out there as multiple deities.
I don't just say it, I firmly believe it. There are many religions out there are who polytheistic. Do you doubt the intelligence of those people as well?
I believe that there is a balance or a duality in life, that there is a yin and a yang. Because I believe this, I believe that there must be this balance in the Higher Beings as well. If there are men and women living on earth, why can there not be a man and woman (of divine sorts) as deities?
Ok, this is coming from an agnostic and I truly don't mean to be offensive, but I would like to know how intellectually you have come to the conclusion that there is a god and goddess. Admittedly it is a pretty idea and I understand the appeal of the belief, but I just don't understand how wanting to be part of an earth based religion leads one to say they actually BELIEVE in something as concrete and sort of out there as multiple deities.
Anonymous wrote:Do you find that more people are raised Wiccan and stay that way or come to it in adulthood?