Don’t Fear the Witch
There are many things that can come to mind when one hears “witchcraft”. Classic films like “Hocus Pocus”, “The Craft”, “The Blair Witch Project” and many more are famous for their plots that revolve around the antics of witches. The witches are shown to have supernatural abilities such as being able to shapeshift, levitate objects, turn people into animals, and invoke spirits. Delving into the darker side of the topic, the taboo word can incite thoughts of animal sacrifices, hexes, blood magic, sexual immorality, and satanic worship. With a history of persecution and hysteria, one may find that the reasoning behind Wiccan stereotypes is far more sinister than the religion itself.
It would not do Wicca justice if one were to ignore the complexity and importance of its parent religion, Paganism. Paganism is a term used to describe a diverse group …show more content…
There are many types of paganism such as paleo, meso, and neo-paganism. Druids, Slavic Native Faiths, Heathens, Shamans, Sacred Ecologists, and Wiccans are all religions that fall under the category of pagan (“Paganism”). The pentacle is a common pagan symbol that is said to represent the four directions and also the sanctity of spirit (Blumberg). While there are no official religious scriptures or doctrine, as the pagan experience is one that is spiritual and largely personal, there are modern pagan principles set by the Pagan Federation, which was formed in 1971(Jones). The principles are defined as “ - Love for and Kinship with Nature.... This principle recognized that “human beings are part of nature and that our lives are intimately interwoven with the web of life and death.” -- A positive morality “in which the individual is responsible
There are many things that can come to mind when one hears “witchcraft”. Classic films like “Hocus Pocus”, “The Craft”, “The Blair Witch Project” and many more are famous for their plots that revolve around the antics of witches. The witches are shown to have supernatural abilities such as being able to shapeshift, levitate objects, turn people into animals, and invoke spirits. Delving into the darker side of the topic, the taboo word can incite thoughts of animal sacrifices, hexes, blood magic, sexual immorality, and satanic worship. With a history of persecution and hysteria, one may find that the reasoning behind Wiccan stereotypes is far more sinister than the religion itself.
It would not do Wicca justice if one were to ignore the complexity and importance of its parent religion, Paganism. Paganism is a term used to describe a diverse group …show more content…
There are many types of paganism such as paleo, meso, and neo-paganism. Druids, Slavic Native Faiths, Heathens, Shamans, Sacred Ecologists, and Wiccans are all religions that fall under the category of pagan (“Paganism”). The pentacle is a common pagan symbol that is said to represent the four directions and also the sanctity of spirit (Blumberg). While there are no official religious scriptures or doctrine, as the pagan experience is one that is spiritual and largely personal, there are modern pagan principles set by the Pagan Federation, which was formed in 1971(Jones). The principles are defined as “ - Love for and Kinship with Nature.... This principle recognized that “human beings are part of nature and that our lives are intimately interwoven with the web of life and death.” -- A positive morality “in which the individual is responsible