The Acceptance of the Wiccan Religion
The Acceptance of the Wiccan Religion
By: Angela Heitman
There are many different religions in the world, as well as many different variations of each of them. Many religions are readily accepted, such as Christianity. There are other religions that have a harder time being accepted. The Wiccan religion is one of the latter. Over the years those who practiced the Wiccan religion, or witchcraft as it was known in the beginning, have been persecuted and killed for their beliefs. Only in recent times has it become more accepted. The following will compare how the acceptance of the Wiccan religion has varied over time. There are many ways in which the religion is more openly accepted today opposed to how it was vehemently opposed in the past. Persecution of witches, and those who studied the craft in the past, is a dark part of our nations history. The thesis is that witchcraft and Wiccan practices are more readily accepted in today’s society in contrast to how individuals who practiced the craft in the past were persecuted and put to death.
In the beginning, the Wiccan religion was known as witchcraft and those who practiced it were witches. Wicca was also known as “the old religion” and has become the evil side of the Christian realm of beliefs. Within the Wiccan religion there is no belief in an evil entity, this is based on the Christian faith creating the belief that witches are devil worshippers or Satanists. The Christians use the words “heathen” and “pagan” to describe and define witches. To those who are Wiccan these words are not derogatory, but rather are complementary. These words, in Latin, actually mean that they dwell on the heath, or uncultivated land, and in the country (Buckland, 2001). Paganism is defined as a nature based religion that follows ancient views, beliefs, and practices and is commonly referred to as Wiccan or witches and is a pre-Christian religion from which the rituals and beliefs of the Christian faith stem
By: Angela Heitman
There are many different religions in the world, as well as many different variations of each of them. Many religions are readily accepted, such as Christianity. There are other religions that have a harder time being accepted. The Wiccan religion is one of the latter. Over the years those who practiced the Wiccan religion, or witchcraft as it was known in the beginning, have been persecuted and killed for their beliefs. Only in recent times has it become more accepted. The following will compare how the acceptance of the Wiccan religion has varied over time. There are many ways in which the religion is more openly accepted today opposed to how it was vehemently opposed in the past. Persecution of witches, and those who studied the craft in the past, is a dark part of our nations history. The thesis is that witchcraft and Wiccan practices are more readily accepted in today’s society in contrast to how individuals who practiced the craft in the past were persecuted and put to death.
In the beginning, the Wiccan religion was known as witchcraft and those who practiced it were witches. Wicca was also known as “the old religion” and has become the evil side of the Christian realm of beliefs. Within the Wiccan religion there is no belief in an evil entity, this is based on the Christian faith creating the belief that witches are devil worshippers or Satanists. The Christians use the words “heathen” and “pagan” to describe and define witches. To those who are Wiccan these words are not derogatory, but rather are complementary. These words, in Latin, actually mean that they dwell on the heath, or uncultivated land, and in the country (Buckland, 2001). Paganism is defined as a nature based religion that follows ancient views, beliefs, and practices and is commonly referred to as Wiccan or witches and is a pre-Christian religion from which the rituals and beliefs of the Christian faith stem
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