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Wicca, Witchcraft, And Paganism

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Wicca, Witchcraft, And Paganism
Wicca, Witchcraft, and Paganism are not synonyms, they mean different things. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, paganism is »a religion that has many gods or goddesses, considers the earth holy, and does not have a central authority« (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Paganism, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paganism). Paganism as a term describes religions, that are not Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The word »pagan« had a pejorative meaning in the past and the people practicing that kind of religion didn't call themselves pagans. In Slovenia, for example, the word paganism and pagan still have a pejorative meaning, therefore the term describing that kind of religions used is usually »ancient religions«.
Paganism is not a unified religion. It is the word describing numerous religions. Modern Paganism is called also Neopaganism. Also, Neopaganism is not a unified religion but is more a term
…show more content…
Paganism is much wider term as Wicca since Wicca is only one of the religions under the umbrella of Paganism. We can conclude, that all Wiccans are at the same time Pagans because Wicca is one of the Pagan religions.
It is a little more complicated by Witchcraft. Pagans can practice Witchcraft, or not. Witches can be Pagans, or not. There are religions or groups under the umbrella of Paganism, that don't practice Witchcraft. That means, that only a part of Pagans is at the same time Witches.
But, not all witches are Pagans. Witchcraft is not a religion – it is a craft, as the word says. Witchcraft can be practiced without being a part of a religious group. Therefore there are Witches, that are not pagans.
A big part of Wicca is Witchcraft. Therefore we can say, that all Wiccans are at the same time
Witches. On the other hand, all witches are not Wiccans, because witchcraft can be practiced also outside of a religious

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