Wicca in 3 sentences or less

[KylalaKitty]

I wear a pentacle from time to time and I tend to get questions about it, then questions on Wicca, then on what Wiccans believe, ect ect. I'm tired of giving long explanations on it so I was wondering if anyone knew a quick and easy answer explanning Wicca I could give these ppl? Thanks so much in advance.

[sleepycat]

"Wiccans are good. And love the earth. And I'll be over there." ~ Xander Harris in Buffy the Vampire Slayer .

No one can explain any religion in three sentences.

[Nox_Mortus]

I just say "we dance around naked under the moonlight and chant a lot" I ignore any further questions.

[Ben Gruagach]

Here are some suggestions:

1. Wiccans strive for balance and worship the Divine in the form of a Goddess and a God.
2. Wiccans do not believe there is a One True Way for everyone.
3. If you want to learn more about Wicca, look for books by Doreen Valiente (or name your favourite author or book on the topic.)

It's not realistic to be able to give someone who knows nothing about Wicca a good understanding of our religion in only three sentences. But three sentences can get them off to a good start if you're thoughtful and friendly!

[Lunacie]

If I had to narrow my Wiccan beliefs down to just three sentences, this is what I might end up with...


Wiccans believe that the Divine is present in all things and in all people, and we honor the divine by connecting with both a god and a goddess.

Wiccans believe in witchcraft, that we can harness the energy or the power to manifest changes in ourselves, and in the world.

Wiccans believe in taking personal responsibility for our decisions and our actions, and we are continually learning more about ourselves and our impact on the world.

[OneGreyOwl]

I wear a pentacle from time to time and I tend to get questions about it, then questions on Wicca, then on what Wiccans believe, ect ect. I'm tired of giving long explanations on it so I was wondering if anyone knew a quick and easy answer explanning Wicca I could give these ppl? Thanks so much in advance.Wicca is a nature based spiritual path that honors the cyclic nature of our lives and the life of this planet. We celebrate the turning of the seasons and honor the elements. The pentacle is a representation of the four elements united by spirit.

If that doesn't satisfy them, tell them you're late for an appointment and encourage them to Wiki Wicca, seriously. I mean, could someone sum up Christianity, Buddhism, Islam or Judiaism in a few sentences and really do them justice?

[Ben Gruagach]

I really like how others have stated it. Very poetic too!

[PoetTree]

To me, and I’m not a practicing Wiccan, but it seems the affirmation of the feminine energetic in accord with the Natural order is a substantial part of the greater belief.

I’ve encouraged my daughter when she was very young (she’s now 16) to read stories of majik and to celebrate in her own “goddess essence” as a female.

Personally, everything I believe and have experienced tells me the synergy between the feminine and masculine aspect is central to true “spirituality.”

Also, it seems to me we tend to confuse biology with spirit (i.e., energy dynamics). In this way a man is a masculine biological inflection of feminine-masculine energy, a woman is a feminine biological inflection of feminine-masculine energy.

Last, the genders are not “opposite.” They are counterparts and compliments. The entire notion of “opposite” is a fraud that has confused many.

“Celebrating in the Circle!”

PoetTree

http://www.perennialengagement.com/

[Louisvillian]

I wear a pentacle from time to time and I tend to get questions about it, then questions on Wicca, then on what Wiccans believe, ect ect. I'm tired of giving long explanations on it so I was wondering if anyone knew a quick and easy answer explaining Wicca I could give these ppl? Thanks so much in advance.
"Wicca is a nature-based polytheistic religion that developed out of the various religious movements in the 1930's, and venerates two primary deities as personifications of natural cycles and the universe. In modern day, it has become a very diverse system of spirituality that emphasises individual connection to the divine and personal responsibility in actions, and often incorporates the practice of ritual magic and witchcraft."

There, I did it in two sentences. :toofless:
But, really, even that doesn't sum everything up; it's a very basic way of putting it. Best thing, really, is to ask them to look it up on Wikipedia, because it's too complex to explain fully in a few sentences.

EDIT:

it seems the affirmation of the feminine energetic in accord with the Natural order is a substantial part of the greater belief.
Why only feminine?


stories of majik"Majik" is not a word. The term you are looking for is "magic". No "k" anywhere, and certainly no substitution of the "g" with a "j".

[Ben Gruagach]

"Majik" is not a word. The term you are looking for is "magic". No "k" anywhere, and certainly no substitution of the "g" with a "j".

I tend to agree that we don't need to get into anything-goes spelling of words. However, I do think that "magick" has been well established in our community so that is one exception.

Personally I prefer to use the spelling of "magick" as a sign of respect for the influence of Aleister Crowley who popularized that spelling although he himself did not invent it. (The geraldgardner.com website has at least one article which discusses Crowley's influence on Gardner -- well worth reading!)

[PoetTree]

My intent with the word “majik” is linked to the non-literal realm of mystery. Perhaps I am different in this way (?) but I believe much is lost in the literal translation of mystic and/or “magical” insight. To me this means the spiritual mirror is all about subtly and nuance and not factual definitions per se.

Furthermore, all words are incomplete concepts, yes?

As far as the accent on the feminine, the male-centric world needs no further empowerment in my way of seeing things. And one can readily make the case Wicca was born (at least in part) from the intent to re-empower the feminine aspect which was (and still is) greatly suppressed via monotheistic male-dominant mindsets.

But perhaps that’s a different stew…

~PoetTree

[Louisvillian]

My intent with the word “majik” is linked to the non-literal realm of mystery. Perhaps I am different in this way (?) but I believe much is lost in the literal translation of mystic and/or “magical” insight. To me this means the spiritual mirror is all about subtly and nuance and not factual definitions per se.
No, it means you're not using proper English.


As far as the accent on the feminine, the male-centric world needs no further empowerment in my way of seeing things. And one can readily make the case Wicca was born (at least in part) from the intent to re-empower the feminine aspect which was (and still is) greatly suppressed via monotheistic male-dominant mindsets.

Oh, please. That neo-feminist mindset is just as sexist as male chauvinism; it seeks to brand all males as part of some system of oppression, linked to various cultural practices. As a male, I do not take kindly to such accusations.
Not necessarily saying that you are accusing me (or us) of that, but the mindset you are talking from generally does.

[PoetTree]

Somehow I'm not sensing an open mind here...

Oh well.

:)

[Lunacie]

No, it means you're not using proper English.


Oh, please. That neo-feminist mindset is just as sexist as male chauvinism; it seeks to brand all males as part of some system of oppression, linked to various cultural practices. As a male, I do not take kindly to such accusations.
Not necessarily saying that you are accusing me (or us) of that, but the mindset you are talking from generally does.

Oh come on. Language has been morphing and changing as long as people have used language. Wicca used to be spelled Wica but I don't see very many folks harping on that change, eh?

For myself, after spending my first 39 years in a patriarchal society and a patriarchal religion, I don't feel a strong need to connect with the God as much as with the Goddess. I think after all those years of having a Divine Father I'm restoring my personal balance by connecting with the Divine Mother. I don't know what will happen when I do reach balance, much depends on what the Gods themselves reveal to me.

[Sarov]

We believe there is duality in everything from deities to nature.
We believe that everyone has their own right to worship the divine how they choose.
We believe that in honoring the spirits they help us with our lives when we cast our magick.

[Louisvillian]

Somehow I'm not sensing an open mind here...
Just because I disagree with you doesn't mean I don't have an open mind, or that I don't respect your right to have an opinion. I don't have to agree with your opinions, and you don't have to agree with mine.

But I will look upon certain things with suspicion and doubt if they are illogical, sexist, or crudely violate the long-established conventions of the English language.

[David19]

I wear a pentacle from time to time and I tend to get questions about it, then questions on Wicca, then on what Wiccans believe, ect ect. I'm tired of giving long explanations on it so I was wondering if anyone knew a quick and easy answer explanning Wicca I could give these ppl? Thanks so much in advance.

Sum up Wicca in 3 sentances?:

1) We have to wear loads of Pentacles and Celtic-themed jewellery

2) SRW is Goddess incarnate

3) No, magic isn't what Hollywood makes out, it's just imagining stuff in our minds, and convincing ourselves that we are special

There sumed up in 3 sentances, it should make them either walk away or burst out laughing, where you can make your escape.

Or, you can go with what others have suggested here, which are probably a lot better.



"Wiccans are good. And love the earth. And I'll be over there." ~ Xander Harris in Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I love that :thumbsup:!.

[Nox_Mortus]

Sum up Wicca in 3 sentances?:

1) We have to wear loads of Pentacles and Celtic-themed jewellery

2) SRW is Goddess incarnate

3) No, magic isn't what Hollywood makes out, it's just imagining stuff in our minds, and convincing ourselves that we are special


:hehehehe:

[David19]

:hehehehe:

Glad you liked it.

[Lunacie]

Sum up Wicca in 3 sentances?:

1) We have to wear loads of Pentacles and Celtic-themed jewellery

2) SRW is Goddess incarnate

3) No, magic isn't what Hollywood makes out, it's just imagining stuff in our minds, and convincing ourselves that we are special

There sumed up in 3 sentances, it should make them either walk away or burst out laughing, where you can make your escape.

Or, you can go with what others have suggested here, which are probably a lot better.




I love that :thumbsup:!.

I laughed. Well, snorted actually. I'm so ashamed of myself. :bigredblu

[Ben Gruagach]

Oh come on. Language has been morphing and changing as long as people have used language. Wicca used to be spelled Wica but I don't see very many folks harping on that change, eh?

Sorry to continue the off-topic stuff, but the spelling of one-c Wica appears to have originated with Gerald Gardner. Gardner was a notoriously bad speller. He tended to write words phonetically.

(And the fact he wrote it Wica suggests he thought it was supposed to be pronounced as a hard c, rather than as the historically accurate witch-ah or witch-eh. Which strongly suggests to me either he picked the term up from a written source and guessed incorrectly at its pronounciation, or the person he learned the word from had done so. Which also means it was not a term handed down orally in anything like an intact lineage...)

Sorry... I've been thinking about that one-c spelling thing lately and it all just blurted out.

[Lunacie]

Sorry to continue the off-topic stuff, but the spelling of one-c Wica appears to have originated with Gerald Gardner. Gardner was a notoriously bad speller. He tended to write words phonetically.

(And the fact he wrote it Wica suggests he thought it was supposed to be pronounced as a hard c, rather than as the historically accurate witch-ah or witch-eh. Which strongly suggests to me either he picked the term up from a written source and guessed incorrectly at its pronounciation, or the person he learned the word from had done so. Which also means it was not a term handed down orally in anything like an intact lineage...)

Sorry... I've been thinking about that one-c spelling thing lately and it all just blurted out.

There have been a lot of words that have morphed and changed over the years - it's just the nature of how we communicate. That was just the first example that popped into my head.

[Zetta]

um.. yeah... sorry to hop on the language band wagon here... but the English language is ever evolving... other wise we would still be speaking Old English... and while i CAN speak Old English, I doubt very many people would understand me now... if i walked in talking about a Snaca in my leac... most of you would assume is spelled snake incorrectly... but snaca is the proper old english spelling... and would wonder what on earth a leac was...
so please.. be kind, and while you may not like someone's way of spelling something, if it has a specific meaning to them to spell it as so... let it be.

now my response to the starter of this thread
1. Wicca is a nature based religion, which focuses on nature as the divine.
2. Wiccans are not evil and should not burn in hell.
3. No i do not need you to save my soul from the devil.

(of course i live in the bible belt... i have to deal with people trying to save me on a weekly basis!)

[KylalaKitty]

Well the summary of Wicca didnt HAVE to be 3 sentences, that was more of an example. I just needed something that wasnt a long ass explanation, like what I've been giving lately. With customers I been thinking about just saying "Sorry but I cant discuss such matters at work" but I still have curious co-workers, friends, people i meet, ect.

[David19]

I laughed. Well, snorted actually. I'm so ashamed of myself. :bigredblu

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it too :).

[coyoger]

"Wiccans are good. And love the earth. And I'll be over there." ~ Xander Harris in Buffy the Vampire Slayer .

No one can explain any religion in three sentences.

*nods* Yep, Xander says it best.

1) It's a beleif system that includes all known faiths centered around the Earth and Moon.

Anything else than that than they are generaly interested and talks can comense.