For one you nature freaks it is an occult practice
And here is the definition of occult.
1. Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.
2. Beyond the realm of human comprehension; inscrutable.
3. Available only to the initiate; secret: occult lore. See Synonyms at mysterious.
4. Hidden from view; concealed.
Secondly Wicca itself is not that old.
The Witchcraft religion became prominent beginning in 1951, with the repeal of the Witchcraft Act of 1735, after which several figures, such as Charles Cardell, Cecil Williamson and most notably Gerald Gardner, began propagating their own versions of the Craft. Gardner had been initiated into the New Forest coven in 1939, before forming his own tradition, later termed Gardnerianism, which he spread through the formation of groups like the Bricket Wood coven. His tradition, aided by the help of his High Priestess Doreen Valiente and the publication of his books Witchcraft Today (1954) and The Meaning of Witchcraft (1959), soon became the dominant form in the country, and spread to other parts of the British Isles.
Yes Wicca has ancient aspects to it but is not an actual ancient religion. Gerald Gardner is Wiccas founder and took almost all his influences from Aliester Crowley's Thelema.
Thelema " Do what thou wilt , Will under love''..... Wicca ''an it harm none, do what ye will''
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Many are just whiny "rebellious" teenage girls who want to p*SS off their Christian parents.
Many vicunas also think the terms "witch" "Wicca" and "pagan" can be used interchangeably.
This is funny coming from a guy who thinks he's a vampire.
I told my pagan friend that Wicca is a relatively new to the occult. He didn't believe me and what interesting everything he learned about Wicca came from books, he never actually belonged to a coven or learned under anyone who was a practicing Wicca. In fact I knew more about the occult then he did and I'm not even a pagan.
Latter on I converted him to Christianity which is a traditional religion.
Maybe it is because you know nothing about Wicca, but have only misinformation to guide you (and Hollywood). First, it is not a singular religion. It is readily recognized as a Noe-pagan religion, meaning that its practices are the result of much speculation based upon the droppings discovered in archaeological findings.
Wicca is typically a duo theistic religion, worship ping a goddess and a god, who are traditionally viewed as the Triple Goddess and Horned God. These two deities are often viewed as being facets of a greater pantheistic godhead, and as manifesting themselves as various polytheistic deities. Nonetheless, there are also other theological positions within the Craft, ranging from monotheism to atheism. Wicca also involves the ritual practice of magic, largely influenced by the ceremonial magic of previous centuries, often in conjunction with a liberal code of morality known as the Wiccan Rede, although this is not adhered to by all Witches. Another characteristic of the Craft is the celebration of seasonally-based festivals, known as Sabbats, of which there are usually eight in number annually.
There are various different denominations within Witchcraft, which are referred to as traditions. Some, such as Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca, follow in the initiatory lineage of Gardner; these are often collectively termed British Traditional Wicca, and many of their practitioners consider the term Wicca to apply only to these line aged traditions. Others, such as Cochrane's Craft, Feri and the Dianic tradition, take primary influence from other figures and may not insist on any initiatory lineage. Some of these do not use the word "Wicca" at all, instead preferring to be referred to only as "Witchcraft," while others believe that all traditions can be considered "Wiccan."
Therefore, like the many facets of Christianity, wherein Christians of one denomination have no clue about the teachings and practices of other Christian denominations, Wicca is the same. Those of one tradition have no clue about the teachings and practices of other traditions. And you have the least amount of clues at all, not being a Wicca practitioner of any kind (calling people "nature freaks" was the earmark that identified you).
Wow I'm sorry, but the United States Government has accepted it as a religion. Now onto your definitions of occult.
1. dealing with supernatural influences. just about every religion deals with a supernatural influence.
2. since no religion has been pr oven yet they all are beyond human understanding.
3. most religions have some form of an initiation.
4. hidden from view, well lets look at some of the popular religions throughout history
1. Christianity was hidden for 600 years
2. Judaism; can we say Holocaust
3. Any religion that is not Christianity during the crusades.
So I guess according to your own words every religion has been an occult at one time or another.
No, I'm not exactly a Wiccan, but when you call them nature freaks and called them an occult I felt that I had to defend them. Now to disprove you.
3 and 4. No it's not secret, if it was then how do you know about it? Most Wiccans don't hide who they are, and I don't blame the ones that do. Since their are some people that hate what they don't understand. Secondly how are they hidden, I can find Wiccans anywhere I go.
I hope someday that people will stop hating people for their beliefs.
It is not an ancient religion, correct, but it is a religion.
The definitions for "occult" could apply to almost any religion in history. Few religions are not "Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences" like a Higher Power and most deal with "Beyond the realm of human comprehension" in it's doctrine.
The Wiccan Rede was not originally even part of Wicca until the 60s though it became widely embraced. It has never been a secret that Gardner was influenced by Crowley, and Freemasonry, and Eastern philosophy, etc... Wicca is rather a patchwork quilt of different beliefs.
How that makes it any less valid than religions that were patch worked together 1,000 or 2,000 or 3,000 years ago, I don't know. All religions are man-made ways of expressing ones spirituality and reaching out to the Divine Source. They all began somewhere; they all had their influences.
And the "Old Religion" stuff was debunked decades ago as well... the reason there are so many mistaken beliefs is because too many books and websites jumped on the bandwagon of it's popularity and spewed anything they wanted to, no matter how inaccurate. Hopefully in light of new scholarship the core values of Wicca will be strengthened and preserved and the nonsense will fall away.
Wicca is a religion barely out of it's infancy so it is changing and evolving, as most new religions do at first. We'll have to see where it settles.
Meantime, for most of us, it serves it's purpose. It has served me well for 20 years... I have no regrets or complaints and have no illusions about the history of Wicca.
Most Wiccans do know about Wicca. It's just that most who call themselves Wiccan know very little about Wicca. Initiates know, and know the difference. Gardner had many more influences than just Uncle Al. There are many aspects of Wicca that are in opposition to the Thelemic tradition. Gardner was no poet, and was an OTO member, but he gathered material from many more places than there.
Silly rabbit, Triks are for kids!
Silly witches, Crowleyos are for Thelemites.
Why is it we have people who insist Wiccans don't know anything about their religion, then try to tell Wiccans what they believe, meanwhile do a terrible job about it? Spewing the same Wikipedia crap just to show their "Expertise"?
Get off your high horse, you're no superior in your knowledge than any other Joe-blow out there, and I won't waste my time trying to fix all the mistakes in your "Question" like everyone else here. I'll let you believe what you want to believe because that's the beauty of "Freedom of Belief".
Dont say most- say some. Im close to my self-initiation, I know full well the concepts of my religion, when it started and by whom. Everyone is still learning-give them time to learn, especially when coming to a new path.
You are to a great extent correct. Wicca as a term and practice stems from the New Forest grove of Great Britain and in the US, should only be linked to through Gerald Gardner or to a lesser extent Alex Sanders through lineage and initiation. The prolific use of the term, 'Wicca' by unacknowledged authors and frauds has made the word almost laughable. Initiates of the Gardnerian path do not suffer the vague ignorance of which you speak.
I do not agree with you, however, about Crowley's influence on Wicca. The Rede itself was 'created' or forwarded by Valiente and not Gardner. GBG did not pattern Wicca to the knowledge presented from mystery schools and traditions as presented by Crowley. The ceremonial ism and cannibalistic influences inherent in Crowley's work are absent from the ten nets of Wicca.
Why is it most Wiccans no nothing about Wicca?
