Credible Wicca site.

[Lunar Raven]

As some of you know, I'm working on a research paper on wicca. I need some credible sources to back up my opinion. Does anyone know of an informative website with factual information?

Thanks!
-Lunar Raven

[Philosophia]

What type of research paper is it and what area of Wicca are you interested in?

[Lunar Raven]

Good question...

Well, it's going to be a pursausive essay. I'm basically trying to prove the point that *real* wicca/witchcraft is actually quite different than the wicca/witchcraft that is portrayed in the media (tv, movies, etc). You know, the kind that gives parents bad views on it, and generally leaves them freaked out over it ;).

Here is my thesis so far, if that helps:

"Although the Pagan religion 'Wicca' is often misportrayed by the media
as a dangerous, or 'evil' type of religion, it is actually an
intelligent belief system that is focused on respect for nature and
everything in it."

That's a start.

I just need very basic info. Info on traditions, beliefs, rituals, etc. Stuff that will support my thesis.

I have wikipedia as one source, and a book. I also have one source from my school library system. I need two more sources.

[Cynyr]

Here's a consise and to the point web site describing Saxon Witchcraft.

http://gesith.tripod.com/index.html

I read through this site in less than an hour. It's informative without being preachie.

C

[Lunar Raven]

Thanks :D. Checking it out now.

[Arion]

I found this site to be helpful when I studied Wicca. It's the official site of the Wiccan Church of Canada, so its got to be accurate. The FAQs are great
http://www.wcc.on.ca/faq/index.html

[Protagonist]

In my opinion, you'll need to make the distinction between "Wiccan" and "Witch" clear in your paper. Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are Wiccans. Wiccans tend to follow the Wiccan Rede, but not all witches do. The movies/etc you talk about should be of the sort that portray Wiccans rather than non-Wiccan witches, to have the intended impact. For instance, if you try to support your thesis that Wicca is misrepresented by using a movie that focuses on witches who worship Satan, it might be more difficult, since Satanism and Wicca are pretty separate. A good movie to look at would be The Craft, which portrays characters as pretty Wiccan at times.

[Lunar Raven]

In my opinion, you'll need to make the distinction between "Wiccan" and "Witch" clear in your paper. Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are Wiccans. Wiccans tend to follow the Wiccan Rede, but not all witches do. The movies/etc you talk about should be of the sort that portray Wiccans rather than non-Wiccan witches, to have the intended impact. For instance, if you try to support your thesis that Wicca is misrepresented by using a movie that focuses on witches who worship Satan, it might be more difficult, since Satanism and Wicca are pretty separate. A good movie to look at would be The Craft, which portrays characters as pretty Wiccan at times.

Thanks. I was going to use the craft as one example. I will do that though, try to make that distinction clear.

:)

[SilverSeraphim]

Wicca For the Rest of Us (http://wicca.timerift.net/index.html)

Very informative. The author has a bit of a bite, but she really knows her stuff.

[fangedeshana]

Silver's suggestion is really good. I also like CollegeWicca.com - even if your not in college, its a good reference and resource site.

[Faelon_Moon_Hawk]

definately witchvox.com they even have a section for ppl doing school projects and stuff (link is waaay at the bottom of the page). wicca.timerift.net is also a good site.

[Ben Gruagach]

The ReligiousTolerance.org website is good too (and covers lots of religions besides Wicca.) The Wicca page is at http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm

(The guy who runs ReligiousTolerance.org is a friend of mine -- he was in the first coven I worked with back in the 1980s.)

[Silverfire Darkmoon]

Witchvox totally sucks, in my opinion - their articles are far too whiny and boring. The WCC site is bland, bland, bland - I'm with the WCC, I go every week (to Hamilton, as weekly Toronto rit would kill me, I'm sure), but there's just not a lot on their site.
I place my vote for the wicca.timerift.net as well as the religioustolerance.org site.
Beliefnet is always useful, if you're in a 'poking through countless threads' mood.

[Lunar Raven]

Thanks guys, you rock. I have some good sources now. I will update you on my process :)

[MorningDove030202]

www.wiccaforbeginners.com

They make a great argument on how Diabolical Witchcraft (Satanic Witchcraft) is made up by the Catholic church.....

Dove

[morningstar2651]

www.wiccaforbeginners.com

They make a great argument on how Diabolical Witchcraft (Satanic Witchcraft) is made up by the Catholic church.....

DoveAnton LaVey (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0922915849/sr=8-1/qid=1149656142/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-2125287-0137758?%5Fencoding=UTF8) disagrees.

[David19]

www.wiccaforbeginners.com

They make a great argument on how Diabolical Witchcraft (Satanic Witchcraft) is made up by the Catholic church.....

Dove

Actually, there are Satanic witches, and they aren't just 'made up by the Catholic Church', also Satanic doesn't equal evil, and like Paul Huson (author of Mastering Witchcraft) said, 'there's more to witchcraft that Gerald B. Gardner' (or something like that).

Anyway, just wanted to add that :).

[Ben Gruagach]

If you get the chance to see the documentary "Legend of the Witches" starring Alex Sanders it might shake up a few of the misconceptions about whether Wicca has any connection with stereotypical Christian ideas.

(Good old Alex loved being the center of attention and he wasn't above playing to the stereotypes if it got the cameras on him!)

[Ayumi]

I think in the grand scheme of things the word witch is a tool. Like many writers have said in books, it is not the word itself we can argue about... it is the meanings people assign to the word. So therefore what really is a satanic witch? I wonder if anyone really can give a definition to it. Those who are biased against it would say it is a witch who worships satan. But to some that is a paradox as to most witches satan is just another tool used by the church in order to demonize wiccan and paganism. If we then see it that way how can there really be 'satanic witches' because how could something be a thing that it isn't? I find the whole thing too confusing to make sense. I don't think there are satanic witches... just those who are satanists who think they are or merely intentionally pose as witches to serve their own aims.

Ayumi

[Ben Gruagach]

The way I tend to think of it is that Wiccans are only one type of witch, and that there are witches in pretty much all cultures and religious context. So whether any of us like it or not there can indeed be Satanic witches.