Wicca is centered around the use of positive energy, postive though, positive action and love of nature to create an atmosphere of positive energies which are then used for our own beliefs. Wicca teaches that there is certainly a higher power, namely the Goddess and God, often refered to solely as the Goddess, but that the Goddess is always attainable, for She is everywhere: in the tree, in the leaf, in the ant, within ourselves. In this sense, Wicca is a pantheistic religion. (Pantheism is the belief that God can be found in all things.) Wicca teaches that there is much more in our universe than we can see or understand. The central law of Wicca ia: "An it harm None, so what Ye will" which means exactly what it says: as long as you don't do anything that will hurt anyone (including yourself) it is allowed. Many people use this rule as it applies strickly to magic, but some believe that the rule applies to every aspect of the Craft and to every aspect of life. This would include doing unto others as you would want done unto you, abstaining from drugs, alcohol to excess and smoking, learning not to hate and learning tolerance. This rule in reinforced by a second major aspect of Wicca: Everything you put out come back to you threefold. This means that every good deed you do, every terrible thing you do, every good spell you cast, every harmful spell you cast will come back to you thrice what you put out. Therefore, the punishment for breaking the law of Harm None is a threefold return of whatever you did.
The difference between Witchcraft and Wicca is, for many, a fine line. Most think that the two are best differentiated by the idea of religion vs. practice. Wicca is a religion that envolves communion with the Earth, communion with a God/Goddess (or sevral), living in peace with yourself and others, and giving to those who give to you. Witchcraft is the art of magic, the art of energy manipulation, the art of altered states of consciousness. This is not a religion in and of itself. A Witch in the Wiccan religion is someone who has studied very hard, commited the Pagan ways to memory, and has given his/her life over to the Goddess for guidance and protection.
It is important to note: THERE IS NO DEVIL IN WICCA!
Because Wiccans believe in a Horned Lord, many people believe that we worship Satan. The truth is that the Horned God represents the animal side of nature. The Horned God has existed long before Christianity... long before Satan was 'invented'. The flaw of modern times is to think that Paganism and Witchcraft/Wicca are the same things as Satanism.
Here are a few 'guidelines' about Wicca :
Witches do not do evil...
They believe that doing evil and harm is against all ethical and moral laws. Witches simply do not do harm!
Witches DO NOT worship Satan...
Simply put : He's their boy... NOT ours! Witches do not have a Satan/Devil or any all-evil deity in their religious structure. Witchcraft underscores polarity and veiws the God and Goddess as equal entities.
Witches wear clothing of every color and style...
Many witches do choose to wear black clothing or ritual robes. The color black is the culmination of all vibrational rates of light on the material place. Black absorbs light information and helps Witchess be more receptive to psychic impressions and energies.
Witches come from different backgrounds...
Many Witches are professional people. Witchcraft does not discriminate against color, orgin, sexuality and veiws everything as equal in the eyes of the Goddess.
Witches do use spells...
A spell is a thought, a projection, or a prayer. The word 'spell' does not imply doing evil or harm.
The Pentacle is a symbol of protection...
The five pointed star with a circle around it represents the human body emcompassed by the protection of the Goddess/God force. It is a symbol for Universal Wisdom.
In the United States, Witchcraft is a religion that has been tested and upheld in both state and fedral courts as a religion that requires, and must be guarenteed, full and equal protection under the Constitution.
Many misconceptions about Witches came to life during the Burning Times. Witchcraft was a strong force of faith among it's followers, and the God and Goddess were well respected. It was no mistake that those who tried to usurp this postition of strong faith used liess in an effort to convince everyone of the evil ways of Witches. These religious leaders, in order to gain power, held the people the only way they knew how, gripped in fear. Those they could not sway with fear where subjected to torture and death, these very acts increasing the fear in others. It is estimated by many sources that somewhere between 9000 and 9,000,000 men, women and children where tortured and killed under this wrong definition of the word 'Witch'. I say that if even one person died under this wrong definition, then the Witches of today must never allow those times to be forgotten. Today, Witches refuse to be held by fear. Instead, we strive to gain knowledge and educate. Witches are demanding and standing up for their rights. We wear the title "Witch" proudly, to be sure that everyone learns the correct definition. Today, every Witch knows that every question and even every nasty remark is an oppurtunity for them to educate people to the reality of our ways.
The God and Goddess have came out of the shadows, and once agan they publically stand in the love and respect of the Witches. For myself, and for my children, I say...
NEVER AGAIN, THE BURNINGS!!!