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Week 4

Philosophy of Witchcraft part 1

This week we are going to talk about What is Wicca. The definition of Wicca is Witchcraft. Now you will have some people try to tell you Wicca is a type of Witchcraft - NO. Wicca is just another name for Witchcraft. Why do we have this other name? It started in the early days of Modern Witchcraft. It was a cover name used by many witches for their religion. Today between the press and the many books on Wicca, it is no longer an unknown term.

Now a question for you:

What is Witchcraft?

We have people who are not followers of Witchcraft who call themselves witches! We have followers of Anton LaVay's Church of Satan who call themselves witches or Satanic witches. They are followers of La Vay's version of Satanism, so they would not be Wiccan, as they are not followers of Witchcraft. Another type is some of the followers of some of the African religions are called witches, or at least the name they use is translated to witch. Again they do not follow Witchcraft, so they would not be Wiccan. Then we have a very scary bunch - who have no concept of Witchcraft other than what they have read in fiction - they do not know that it is a religion - but they call themselves witches. They will kill someone's pet and defend their actions with it's what we witches do - NO WITCH WOULD HARM A PET OR KILL AN ANIMAL AS PART OF BEING A WITCH....(This doesn't mean that they don't kill animals for food, as some hunt and fish, but they do not kill because they are a Witch and they only do so for food).

And we have another kind the "want to be" Witch. They come in two types, the good type, who is trying to learn all they can, and because of one thing or another have yet to master the craft - most of these upon finding a good teacher will become Witches - their only problem was jumping the gun in calling themselves Witches before they knew the ways of the craft. The other is the person who has read a book and said I am a Witch because the Rede says I can do what I want as long as I don't hurt anyone and I sure don't want to read anymore books, except that one on love spells, and this year and a day of study is for the birds - because I Know I Am A witch! This person as long as they stay to themselves is all right, but if they start teaching others what they don't know we have problems. You can usually tell this person because they are always mad that other Witches don't accept them. They know that the Goddess loves them, so what else is there to being a Witch? These will sometimes come upon a teacher or a Coven and become real Witches.

Lets take a look at the long version of the Wiccan Rede.

This lets you know a lot of what a Witch is, lets look at another poem, the Witches Rune.

And this also shows what Witchcraft is. Both of these poems are done at our major rituals. One of our Maidens use to sings the Rune.  Thank about what they say.

DISCUSSION: What is Wicca

QUESTIONS:

1. What are the Principles of Wiccan Belief?

2. What was the Council of American Witches?

3. What is the Wiccan Rede?

4. What is the Power within?

5. Why is religion important to Spells and Charms?

BONUS QUESTION 1:

In your reading you read about the Council of American Witches.  As a historic side note the council only lasted about six weeks and the only thing they did was write the Principles of Wiccan Belief.  Why did they only last a short time? What kinds of things keep us from having a Council of American Witches? What are some of the good things that could come from a council such as this, and what are the bad things.

BONUS QUESTION 2:

Explain what the Wiccan Rede means to you.

Check your class outline for next weeks assignments.