The Wiccan Rede obviously prevents a Witch/Wiccan from doing harm to themselves or to others, or attempting to manipulate others taking harmful drugs, etc. Thus, many activities that have been tradtiionally attributed to Wiccans-from the laying of curses to conducting love spells- are strictly forbidden to them.

"Evil Witches"according to the early Christian church, never existed. But by the 15th century, the Church had changed its mind. They taught that Witches did exist, that they sold their souls to Satan, flew through the air on broomsticks, were capable of shifting their shapes to resemble animals, and that they dedicated their entire life to harming and killing their victims. This fictional belief was used as justification for the Churchs' subsequent burning at the stake of hundreds of thousands of religious heretics of all types. In reality, few if any evil Witches existed in the 15th century: they do not exist today either, in any significant numbers. Some individuals portray themselves as Witches for monetary gain and offer to cast evil or healing spells at a price. But they are rare and should not be confused with Wiccans. Such Witches are not bounded by the Wiccan Rede or the Threefold Law...So, they feel quite free to cast evil, manipulative spells and curses. Christians sometimes pray to their God with the intent of obtaining God's power to change their life or to heal friends and family. Some light a prayer candle in their homes or churches. Such rituals have many parallels with Wiccan spells. What some Christians call prayers, Wiccans may call magickal spells.

Followers of other religions also cast spells. "Not all witches cast spells, and not all spells are cast by witches. There are many magical religions out there, Wicca being just one of them. Most Satanists, for example, cast spells. Their rules of behavior are different from the Wiccan Rede, since Satanism is a separate religion from Wicca. Satanists are not prohibitited from casting evil spells on their enemies."

Allowable spells:

Wiccans are prohibited from doing harm to others. In other words, forbidding any spell that seeks to dominate, manipulate or control another person without their expressed wishes. Consider a love spell as one example.

"Spells are not about turning people into frogs or granting wishes. A spell is a set of actions and prayers that you do and say in order to ask for divine help with some particular aspect of your life" Mnemosyne's Realm

Charms:

Definition: Chanted word, phrase, or verse assumed to have magic over to help or hurt: an incantation;

Modern meanings:

1. an amulet: an object believed to have magical powere that will ward off evil infulences over the wearer, or bring them good luck.

2. Any action or gesture assumed to have magic power...a witchcraft encyclopedia expands this definition with the following: magical works, phrases, chants, incantation, inscriptions and actions which can be used separately or in combination to make a charm.

Spells:

Spells are one of many ritual activities that many Wiccans engage in. Not all Wiccans cast spells: they are a matter for person preference.

Spells can be designed to attempt to either harm or help others. Thus, there are both evil spells and healing spells. The same magical processes are used for both.

1. Wiccans are prohibited by their belief systems from engaging in spells or other activities which harm others. This is a logical result of Wiccan's belief, in the three-fold law, and their committment to follow the Wiccan Rede: their prime rule of behaviour:

....Three Fold Law: "All good that a person does to another returns threefold in this life: harm is also returned three-fold."

....The Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do what thou wilt". (modern- "Do whatever you wish as long as it harms no one")

Principles of Wiccan Belief

History of the following statements is thus: They were created by 73 witches that formed the Council of American Witches in 1974. In April of that year, at the Spring Witchmeet in Minneapolis, MN, 11-14 April, they adopted the following statements. At that time, wiccan and other Neopagan religions were greatly misunderstood in North America. This statement helped set the record straight.

The thirteen statements are necessarily vague. They do not precisely and completely match any one Witchcraft tradition. But they do provide an introduction to the full range of belief systems called "Wicca".

1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the pahses of the moon and the seasonal quarters and cross-quarters.

2. We recognise that our full intelligence gives us a unique responsibility towards our environments. We seek harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfilllment to life and conscious within our evolutionary concept.

3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person, because it is far greater than the ordinary. It is sometimes called" Supernatural" but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.

4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity- as masculine and feminine_ and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and fuctions through the interaction of masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, kknowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pelasure as the symbol and embodiment of life, ans as one of the sources of energies, used in magickal practise and religious worship.

5. We recognize both outer and innner, or psychological worlds--sometimes known as the Spiritual World--the collective uncscious, inner planes, etc., and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for the paranormal phenomena and magickal exercsies. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fullfilment.

6. We do not have authoritarian hierarchy but do honour those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisom, and acknowledge those who courageously given of themselves in leadership.

7. We see religion, magick and wisom-in-living ans being united in the way one views the world and lives within it--a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft, the Wiccan Law.

8. Calling onself "witch" does not make a witch---but neither does heredity itself, nor the collectiong of title,s degrees and initiations. A witch seeks to control the forces within them that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and harmony within nature.

9. we believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe we know, and our personal role within it.

10. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that it's institutions have claimed to be " the only way", and have sought to deny freedom to others and suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.

11. As North American witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the origins of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.

12. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan" or "The Devil", as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.

13. We belive that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.

Notes:

1. The term "sexual preference" can be misleading. Neither homosexuals nor heterosexuals are sexually attracted to a preferred gender. Bisexuals may be. The term "sexual orientation" is currently a preferred phrase.

2. It appears that in some recent copies of this document, the sentence about ritual sex has been omited, perhpas because of it's potential to be misunderstood by the public. Although the practice of ritual sex has a very long history, the concept is very strange to most people.

3. Left out of the description of this principle is the use of magical powers to actively attempt to help and heal others.

4. The concept of Satan is found not only within Christianity, but in Ismael and other religious traditions.

Margot Adler:

"We are not evil. We don't harm or seduce people. We are not dangerous. We are ordinary people like you. We have families, jobs, hopes, and dreams. We are Not a Cult. This religion is not a joke. We are not what you think we are from looking at TV. We are real. We laugh, we cry. We are serious. WE have a sense of hour. you don't have to be afraid of us. we don't want to convert you. And please don't try to conver us. Just give us the same right we give you-to live in peace. We are much more similar to you than you think."

George W. Bush:

"I don't think witchcraft is a religion. I would hope the military officials would take a second look at the decision they made" G.W.Bush (R) as Governeor of Texas. Interviewd on AB's Good Morning America 1999-Jun 24 by Peggy Wehmeyer. His comment relates to Wiccan soldiers having the same religious rights as others in the military.

Overview:

Wicca is a recently created, Neopagan religion. It is based largely on symbols, seasonal days of celebration and deities from ancient societies, including Celtic, fleshed out with Masonic and ceremonial magickal components. A follower of Wicca is called a Wiccan. Wiccan and other Neopagan religions are currently experiencing a rapid growth in the US, Canada, and Europe. Many North Americans of European descent, who are keen to discover their ancestral heritage, are being attracted to this religion.

Wiccans generally consider themselves to be Witches, Neopagans and Pagans. However, not all Witches, Neopagans, and Pagans are Wiccans. The terms Witch, Neopagan and Pagan can aslo refer to followeres of many other faigth traditions.

Because of religious propoganda dating from the late Middle Ages, Wicca has often been incorrectly associated with Satanism. Wiccan beliefs and practices are no closer to Satanism than they are like Buddhism, Hinduism, or Islam. " It seems to be necessary to preface every discussion on Witchcraft with an explanation that, No, Neopagan Witches aren't Satanists" the Christian anti-God, Satan, has no place in Wiccan philosophy.