I don't practice, but I like Wicca, so I have collected sources from this site for future reference and I do share them freely. First off, read "Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham. And anything by Cunningham is good.
Websites:
http://www.thelunargrove.com/grove/wicca
http://wicca.timerift.net
http://www.witchvox.com This is the best, according to the practicing Wicca on this site
Blessings on your Journey!
What books I suggest largely depend on where I see a student going. There are some good do-it-yourself type books for people who whom Wicca is nothing more than a way point, whereas other starting points are better for people who are in it for good.
http://wicca.timerift.net is not a bad place to start, regardless of what kind of student you are.
If you are interested about learning more about Wicca and/or Witchcraft here are a few legitimate sources to glean knowledge from. First being Witchvox at http://www.witchvox.com/. Here you will gain knowledge through fellowship with other of like mind and knowledge through the countless articles posted. If this is not enough one could look into getting on line training through the Sacred Mists at http://www.sacredmists.com/, and Witch School at http://www.witchschool.com/, or OZ Wicca at http://www.ozwicca.com/, both are pretty decent for learning the Craft on the Web though like any site they have some issues. Also if you are close enough to an active group that specializes in education and development like the SCWF try and join them even if it?s on a limited capacity.
If DVD?s are to your liking try Witchcraft Rebirth of the Old Religion by Raymond Buckland (DVD), Discovering Witchcraft by Janet and Stewart Farrar (DVD), Ancient Mysteries Witches by A&E (DVD), Craftwise Volume 1: Candle Magick by Peter Paddon (DVD), Craftwise Volume 2: Cord Magick by Peter Paddon (DVD), Wish on a Spell, Vo. 1 by Deborah Gray (DVD), Practical Magick DVD, The Craft (DVD).
If books are what you?re interested in I also suggest that you get your hands on Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin and/or The Circle Within by Dianne Sylvan. Both of these books are very good reading and both will give you some deeper insight to the Craft and how it relates to you. Also you cannot go wrong with anything by Scott Cunningham.
Study as much as you need to before deciding that you are Wiccan. Find those near you who are reputable and knowledgeable. Also stay away from those who are playing Wicca if you are serious about the religion and the craft, they will only slow you down and/or mislead you. Also, read all the books you can the good ones as well as the bad ones. Ultimately, study, study and then study some more. Find all you can and definitely cross reference whenever possible, this way you can get the best out of all you learn.
Remember, you are the one that decides who?s a good or bad author not someone else because every author in my belief has something to offer, all you have to do is ignore the information that is not accurate and/or wrong. Oh and when the opportunity raises cross reference the information learned for accuracy.
I hope my blurp helps out.
Blessed Be
Nyjh
Links for more information:
http://www.cuew.org/whatiswicca.html
http://www.ozwicca.com/whatis.htm
http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/?once=true&
Avoid Silver Ravenwolf altogether but especially her Teen Witch book. Much of the advice she gives breaks the basic rules of Wicca. Many things she claims are completely historically inaccurate.
Anything by Scott Cunningham is good as is Z Budapest
ETA:
Why We Despise Silver Ravenwolf : http://wicca.timerift.net/ravenwolf.shtml
Tarnished Silver: Why I don't Recommend Silver Ravenwolf:
http://www.ecauldron.net/opedtarnishedsilver.php
The first paragraph sums it up well: I believe that Silver has done more to harm the Craft than any other single person. It is not an issue with the "light side" or "fluffy-ism". (That's a different rant.) I object to someone teaching lies, hate and misinformation as fact.
The Status of Silver Ravenwood: http://www.wiccaexplained.350.com/SilverRavenwolf.htm
The problem with Silver Ravenwolf:
http://www.fortunecity.com/roswell/vanthal/608/id57.htm
In Wicca, there is no Holy Book, no written doctrine, no divine law. The only two 'laws' that are traditionally Wiccan, and are considered to be those ideals by which we try to live, are : 1. An it harm none, do what thou wilt. 2. What thou wilt do, will come back three times. What this means, pure and simple, is that there are no "sins," such as sexual Di's and donuts, profanity, etc., AS LONG AS YOU STRIVE FOR AND AS MUCH AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE, ATTEMPT TO BRING HARM ON NO ONE!!! Ironically, the Church of Satan professes the same beliefs. In fact, one of the leading members of the Church of Satan alleged that America is an absolute "Satanic nation" because of the extent of our freedoms. Nowhere in the world can people get away with as much as Americans do. Church of Satanists define Satanism as being able to do anything a person wants to do (just so long as no one is getting hurt). The Church of Satan openly professes their belief and allegiance to Satan. On the other hand, Wiccans deny Satan. Wiccans vehemently deny the existence of a devil. They attribute the term "Satan" as being the sole invention of Christians. Wiccans claim to follow the god of light. Interestingly, "Lucifer" means just that...bearer of light. 2ND Corinthians 11:14 warns us that Satan appears as the "light." Howbeit, BOTH Wiccans and Satanists profess the same lack of absolutes within their religions. The Word of God is a Book of ABSOLUTES! God is absolute and unchangeable (Malachi 3:6). Wiccans are greatly angered over the FACT that the Word of God is absolute, whereas they have no absolutes! The Bible is our FINAL AUTHORITY! The Biblical concepts of sin, evil, wickedness, judgment, and redemption are NOT recognized by the Wiccan religion. Wiccans profess belief in "Karma" (the effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation). Wiccans believe in reincarnation. I recently received an e-mail from an angry Wiccan woman (a witch). She bomblasted me for saying that Wiccans don't have a means of forgiveness within their religion. She specified that she believed in the "karma," that the life she lives here on earth will determine her happiness in her reincarnated body. She said I had no right to make a moral judgment upon her religion. The problem is that Wiccans don't see their wrong doing as "sin." In fact, Wicca is perfectly acceptant of many practices which the Word of God declares an "abomination unto God." One such evil practice is homosexuality. Occult doctrines such as Yin-Yang are extremely popular with the homosexual community because of the fact that there are NO absolutes. The TRUTH is that there is no way for Wiccans to deal with sin...because they don't acknowledge their sins as being sinful in the first place. Since the Witches don't believe in sin, their entire moral conscience is obliterated (and their minds corrupted). The result is that many sinful activities which are condemned in God's Word are openly practiced by witches...such as sexual immorality during their occult rituals... We conceive of the Creative Power in the Universe as manifesting through polarity ? as masculine and feminine ? and that this same creative Power lives in all people, and functions through interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sexuality as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of Life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship. -Principles of Wiccan Belief, Article IV (1974) The Word of God presents us with the law, which condemns us, and then points us to Christ for salvation (Galatians 3:24, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith"). Since the Wiccans don't recognize God's law (and have no written law of there own), they have no yardstick by which to measure themselves. How does a witch recognize sin without the measuring stick of God's law? They cannot! So for a witch to tell me that she is morally obligated to live right for the sake of Karma (her future reincarnate life) is no morality at all. As I mentioned earlier, Wiccans are openly acceptant of sexual sins which are Biblically prohibited. You can't just decide for yourself what is right and wrong. The whole reason why God gave us the Old Testament Law was to give us the KNOWLEDGE OF SIN (Romans 3:20, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin"). The Apostle Paul said in Romans 7:13 that the Law made his sins EXCEEDING SINFUL! Wiccans have no knowledge of sin because they deliberately reject Christ and His Eternal Word. Some Wiccans accuse Christians of trying to "scare" people with the Bible. The truth is that the Word of God is an extremely frightening Book to those who would dare reject and disobey it's COMMANDS. Acts 17:30 reads , "...but now commandeth all men every where to rep
im looking for really good and honest books about the craft and wicca?
