Table of Contents
What is Wicca?
What does the pentagram mean?
Do Wiccans worship the devil?
Do Wiccans believe in god?
Do Wiccans believe in heaven and hell?
Do Wiccans have a bible?
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What is Wicca?
Wicca is a pagan religion - that is, a religion based on nature worship.
What is this "nature worship"?
Nature worship is a deep respect for nature. It is the belief that all things (rocks, trees, animals, etc.) contain life and should be respected and celebrated.
Is Wicca Witchcraft?
The terms 'Witchcraft' and 'Wicca' are used interchangeably. I use the word 'Wicca' because it carries less negative meanings for most of the people I explain it to.
What does the pentagram mean?
The pentagram is a Wiccan symbol representing 5 elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Void (the universe). It is a symbol of our religion and is considered protective, much like the cross or star of david. Unfortunately, the pentagram was picked up by satanists and has been a source of confusion over the years. Luckily, you can tell if it's a satanic pentagram by seeing if there is a top facing up. Like so:
If it's turned up-side down so that the point is downward, it is probably a satanic symbol.
I thought that Wiccans are satanists. Do Wiccans worship the devil?
Ah, an age-old misconception. Wicca does not have a devil or ultimate evil, so worshiping one would actually not be coinciding with our religion (not to mention it would be rather stupid). So, no. We do not.
So if you don't worship the devil, where do your powers come from?
Okay, this is an interesting one.
Wicca is just a way of seeing the world. What we call 'magick' is really just a focusing of energy/thought/effort to complete an action.
We expend energy doing things all day, whether it be beading a complicated necklace, taking a test, running a race, or even scrubbing a car. We use up energy just by living.
By using this energy, you affect things around you. For example, just by thinking negative thoughts, you can accidentally harm people. We believe that, to live in harmony, we must be conscious of our thoughts and actions.
This is where the magick comes in. Sometimes we want to effect things more then we already are. For example, if a plant of mine isn't doing well, I might think about it more then usual. Sometimes, if I'm really worried, I'll write something like "grow and be healthy" and place it under the pot.
Please note that there are actual rules about free will in regards to magick. You can see them here.
Now, praying is slightly different. If someone has a deity that they believe in, they generally pray for guidance or protection. Although most of us have deities or guardian angels, Wiccans tend to have a 'do it yourself' kind of attitude and will do all they can in a particular field before asking for help.
So who do you pray to? Do Wiccans believe in a God? Are they polytheistic?
Most Wiccans believe in a God and Goddess duo and technically polytheists. However, this "god" and "goddess" are usually seen as just male and female aspects of "the All" (AKA: the Tao, God, Allah, Love, Life, the Universe, the Force, Science, Math, etc.)- basically a genderless universal life-force.
That's just one viewpoint, though. Many Wiccans have a pantheon, a mixed pantheon, patron deities, or no diety at all (although atheistic Wiccans are somewhat rare).
I myself come from a more agnostic viewpoint. I believe that all positive forms and practices of religion are valid. While I say that I believe in a god and goddess, I really mean that I believe in a collection of appealing aspects in the form of a deity. As for whether or not a deity is "real," I'm not sure that I know or really even care.
Do Wiccans believe in heaven and hell?
It really depends upon who you ask. Many of us accept the concept of reincarnation, but just as many accept the concept of an afterlife, or even both! Followers of Wicca are generally encouraged to discover their own concept.
Most (if not all) Wiccans do not believe in hell. We believe that, if reincarnation exists, people just get a fresh start (or maybe get reborn as something unpleasant). If there is an afterlife, we generally believe that we shed our negativity before passing through.
Why would someone be good if they don't believe that there are punishments and rewards at the end of life?
Please see the Threefold Law.
Do Wiccans have a bible?
There is no universal Wiccan bible. We do, however, have many rules and morals. Here are the 13 Principals of Wiccan Belief.
There is also the Wiccan Rede which reads: "An it harm none, do as ye will." roughly meaning "Do what you want, just so long as it doesn't harm anyone (physically, mentally, or emotionally), including yourself."
In addition to the 13 Principals and the Rede, most Wiccans follow the Threefold Law. The Threefold Law states that whenever you do anything, the nature of your actions returns to you threefold. So if you were to do something nasty to someone, something three times as nasty will probably happen to you. This will make sense if you take these points into account:
1. To do a nasty act or even consider doing one nastifies you as a person.
2. Doing something nasty to someone hurts them and their respect for you.
3. Others around you will see you in a negative light.
So, taking these points into consideration, of course nasty stuff will return to you threefold! Of course, this also works with a good act.
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Have a question not covered in the FAQ? Leave it in the comment box below I'll answer it! If I find it interesting, I'll add it to the FAQ.
Thanks for reading!
Blessed be.
-Gwen <3
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