Aren't we all Wiccan?

[Sarah]

I was asked if I was Wiccan or if I followed another path. I thought that we were all Wiccan. Is there other names for diffrent areas? I mean I realize that people call it diffrent things like the craft, and the path of light, etc. And that there are diffrent traditions but at the basic level isn't Wicca the base in which everything else is built from?
BB
Sarah

[Krom]

Originally posted by Sarah
I was asked if I was Wiccan or if I followed another path. I thought that we were all Wiccan. Is there other names for diffrent areas? I mean I realize that people call it diffrent things like the craft, and the path of light, etc. And that there are diffrent traditions but at the basic level isn't Wicca the base in which everything else is built from?
BB
Sarah

It depends on who you are talking to. If you ask a Traditionalist than only Trad Wicca is really Wicca. If you ask an eclectic than if you say your Wiccan than you are.

Also not all who practice witchcraft consider or would ever consider themselves as Wiccan.

There was something I was taught many years back. "Not all witches are Wiccan but all Wiccan are witches." :)

[Mairwen]

Um no. Just because you're Pagan, that doesn't mean you're Wiccan. In terms of "age", Wicca is "new" on the religion scene, having arrived in the 1940's in the UK. Many Traditions, particularly those of a hereditary nature (and others, of course), originated long before that. Of course, just because you're Pagan doesn't mean you're a witch, either. There's all types of Pagans; there's all types of Witches; there's all types of Wiccans.

But no, we're not all Wiccan.

Thank the Gods!

[Krom]

Originally posted by Mairwen
Um no. Just because you're Pagan, that doesn't mean you're Wiccan. In terms of "age", Wicca is "new" on the religion scene, having arrived in the 1940's in the UK. Many Traditions, particularly those of a hereditary nature (and others, of course), originated long before that. Of course, just because you're Pagan doesn't mean you're a witch, either. There's all types of Pagans; there's all types of Witches; there's all types of Wiccans.

But no, we're not all Wiccan.

Thank the Gods!

Ahhh Mairwen;

We Wiccan are not all that bad :) hehehehehe

[Mairwen]

I didn't say that Wicca was bad. I'm just not one.

[Spirahl]

Everyone here is Pagan ( that I've seen so far anyway...), but not necessarily Wiccan. There are Druids here, Shamans, Mystics, Asatruars, etc. Practitioners of Vodoun, Strega, Hermetics would fit in here easily, and many who don't have a label for what they are (like me for example...Green Witch, Eco-Spiritualist, Kitchen Witch, Medium, Cottage Witch, Channeler, Earth Mystic...they all apply but none are a "religion" is the defined sense that Wicca is).

To confuse you even further,;) we (nor does anyone!) don't have a singly agreed upon definition of "Pagan". There is one member (at least) who is a Satanist and there has been some discussion about whether that is a pagan faith or not, but either way, she's welcome here.

Another thought, there are those who are Wiccan but don't consider themselves witches because their circle-work consists of worship only, they make no effort made to change or influence things though spell-working.

Finally, there are those that are Wiccan but are combining it with other religions and coming up with something entirely new...but I won't discuss that further...:eek: :D

[eaglewolf]

Originally posted by Mairwen
...I'm just not one.

Thank the Gods!

~ew

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by eaglewolf
Thank the Gods! ~ew

:smash: Hey now!

[Rævyn Cigány]

Originally posted by Spirahl
Everyone here is Pagan

Actually, no, we are not all pagan here...I can think of two people off hand that are Roman Catholic (and most of us who used to be), and not pagan at all...pagan-friendly maybe, but they have decidedly Christian views (not that this is a bad thing...if everyone followed the true Christ's teachings, this world would be an infinitely better place!!).

Just a clarification...! :D

BB
Rae )0(

[Mairwen]

Thanks for putting htat up there. I missed the original post then, because I was bashing EW with the mallet. :D

[eaglewolf]

Originally posted by Mairwen
Thanks for putting htat up there. I missed the original post then, because I was bashing EW with the mallet. :D

Yeah... you'd better get your priorities straight woman!

~ew

[Spirahl]

Yep, I'm sure your'e correct, now I do recall a Catholic member who "hangs out" in the Green Room.

A sign on the door that says "Open minds welcomed here"?:)

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Spirahl
Everyone here is Pagan ( that I've seen so far anyway...), but not necessarily Wiccan. There are Druids here, Shamans, Mystics, Asatruars, etc.

She's right. Not everyone on the board is Pagan. That's a cool thing. We like and understand diversity here. That's what makes us a community. :D FWIW, I don't know many Asatruars who consider themselves "Pagan" ~ they consider "Heathen" to mean something completely different. Don't quote me, but going by the Asatruars I know personally, it's likely to differentiate them from the [current] population of Neo-Pagans.

[Spirahl]

Ok, now I'm confusing myself with my own words... sometimes trying to define things is a completely frustrating and futile exersise! That's what I like about these forums- something new to ponder everyday...
Ok, we are all ourselves; and we are all (hopefully) constantly changing, growing and evolving...come join us if you too are in a constant state of awe and bewilderment...*chuckle*...now I'm just havin' fun...:D

[rantnraven]

It is true that we have several friends on the board who follow a Christian path. And wonderful, they are.

I think this "Porch" (board) offers many various views in spirituality. I have often compared spirtually to a Wagon Wheel:

We walk around the wheel until we find a spoke that suites us. We then follow the spoke to the Hub (even if we periodically jump from one spoke to the next). The Hub is the goal and has many different meanings. However, it would not be a wheel with only one spoke.

Hope that makes scense.

RnR

[Sarah]

Wow- I think I'm starting to understand the whole idea of "Wicca" being a religion. I had always felt that religion was a restrictive word to us in describing something that is so large. But that opinion has come from past dealings with 'church' and all that
So basically being a Pagan is between me and the Goddess and God, and as long as it's something that feels right for me and my life it's cool.
That's what you are basically saying....Right?
BB
Sarah

[Mairwen]

Something like that, yes.

[Astraea]

Mairwen's thoughts on her first post expressed mine as well! Very well said.

I, too, am not Wiccan. But I do consider myself a witch- and call myself a Pagan.

[Mairwen]

Something else to ponder ~~~> Not all Pagans consider themselves Witches, either.

[eaglewolf]

Originally posted by Sarah
...being a Pagan is between me and the Goddess and God, and as long as it's something that feels right for me and my life it's cool...

Sarah, if it feels right for you and your life there is no need to give it any label at all... Wiccan, pagan, witch or otherwise.

Giving a label to yourself or your path only matters when dealing with others, thus the only label you really need for you is You.

Labels are nothing more than conversation pieces... when all is said and done it doesn't matter what you call yourself, only that you are who you are.

Be you to the best of your abilities because nothing else really matters... in my opinion.

~ew

[MystyPines]

Hmmm, let me see, I am a Pagan, Wiccan, Witch that follows some Gardnerian style structure and reveres the celtic pantheon. [smile].....

:crazy:

[Revelation]

I myself am Wiccan, and not a witch.

[Krom]

Originally posted by Mairwen
I didn't say that Wicca was bad. I'm just not one.

I understood what you were saying..I was just making a funny.

[Shy Hawk]

Sorry I'm not a Wiccan either. At best description (and most generalized) I'm a Pagan.

[Rick]

Originally posted by rantnraven
It is true that we have several friends on the board who follow a Christian path. And wonderful, they are.

I think this "Porch" (board) offers many various views in spirituality. I have often compared spirtually to a Wagon Wheel:

We walk around the wheel until we find a spoke that suites us. We then follow the spoke to the Hub (even if we periodically jump from one spoke to the next). The Hub is the goal and has many different meanings. However, it would not be a wheel with only one spoke.

Hope that makes scense.

RnR

~in best Hank Hill voice~ Well... with only one spoke, it'd be one wobbly wheel, I tell you what!

[EasternPriest]

Originally posted by Rævyn Cigány


Actually, no, we are not all pagan here...I can think of two people off hand that are Roman Catholic (and most of us who used to be), and not pagan at all...pagan-friendly maybe, but they have decidedly Christian views (not that this is a bad thing...if everyone followed the true Christ's teachings, this world would be an infinitely better place!!).

Just a clarification...! :D

BB
Rae )0(

I hope I resemble that remark!

[loopy]

*bump*

[random]

From what I understand, to be considered Wiccan you must believe in the Goddess and the God... Which I do not, but consider myself Pagan for all its generalities...

[Rævyn Cigány]

Originally posted by EasternPriest


I hope I resemble that remark!

You do, my good friend, you most certainly do

:loveduv:

BB

Rae )0(

[Myst]

Originally posted by random
From what I understand, to be considered Wiccan you must believe in the Goddess and the God...

Nope, not necessarily. Some people believe Wiccans work with All instead of God/Goddess, or a group of Gods and Goddesses, or just divine energy, or whatever. Others believe if you're not part of an established tradition (ie. Alexandrian, Gardnerian, etc.) then you aren't Wiccan, period.

As always the labels are up to the individual and the choices as well.

[bansidhe]

i agree myst, it is up to the individual, thats whats one of the kewl things about being a 'pagan', imo anyways. and, pagan is classified as 'any religion that is not of abrahamic descent', which i assume are christianity, judaism and islam. i still think that some pagans follow christs example better than some christians.....:)
take care and brightest blessings,
bans. :bubbles:

[CondurerMan]

Been away for a whaile but my computer should be fixed soon i HOPE !!
i couldn't stand beeing aways so i'm using my schoold pc's, it's embarrasing.

nyway i hiope to be back soon!!

merry meet

[Mabriahnna]

I am wiccan and we (possibly I) believe in the goddess and the god ... we give them other names e.g Aradia, Diana, Cernunnos,Ceridwen, Hathor but we do not believe that these are seperate entities or deities we believe that these are just representations of different parts of either the god or goddess .....but no not all pagans are wiccans but all wiccans are pagans

[Keron]

Is there such a thing as an eclectic witch? Or a wiccan witch? Kinda fuzzy up here. I've got cotton wool for brains and nail polish for a memory.

[Shy Hawk]

I suppose there are ecclectic witches...and wiccan witches.

[kittiepoetrygod]

Offhand, I, Kaylara, Sagewitch are all eclectic witches.

To be Wiccan, I always thought you had to be able to trace your linege to Crowley and Gardner.

[Shy Hawk]

I've heard that thing about lineage...but I was fervently disagree, as I know dozens of Wiccans...none of which so far have any ties to them.

[Myst]

Originally posted by Shy Hawk
I've heard that thing about lineage...but I was fervently disagree, as I know dozens of Wiccans...none of which so far have any ties to them.

All depends on your own definitions.

[kittiepoetrygod]

Agreed. In my deffintion, Shy, they would probably be witches.

[Dria El]

Originally posted by Mabriahnna
I am wiccan and we (possibly I) believe in the goddess and the god ... we give them other names e.g Aradia, Diana, Cernunnos,Ceridwen, Hathor but we do not believe that these are seperate entities or deities we believe that these are just representations of different parts of either the god or goddess .....but no not all pagans are wiccans but all wiccans are pagans

Welcome to Mystic Wicks!!!

:)

[Euphoria]

hey ... i was just lokking at this (long time ago i know but hey) and was wondering (kick me if this is a stupid question) has anyone seen Mairwen recently i know i havent for a long while ???