What is wicca and witches and are they real?

Wicca is a religion; it may or may not include the practice of Witchcraft (which is perfectly allowed in Wicca).

Witchcraft is a skill– you can be of any (or no) religion to learn it.

Male and female Wiccans are called Wiccans.

Male and female Witches are called Witches.

Both the religion Wicca, and the practice of Witchcraft, are choices you make. They are not genetic.

Witches can believe whatever they want.

Wiccans believe in Pagan Gods & Goddesses, not the Abrahamic God of Jews/Christians. We are not an Abrahamic religion, we are a Pagan religion.

No, we do not believe we are evil of course. We do not believe that the world is even a battleground of good vs. evil. Christians are the ones who believe everyone different is evil.

The pentagram (star/circle) symbol has been around for millenia and has meant many things to many religions. Even Christians used it for over 10 yrs as a symbol of the 5 wounds of Christ. In Wicca it represents the elements, + spirit, and the universe that encircles and connects them all. In Witchcraft, it depends on the religion of the Witch.

Blessed be is from a particular Wiccan ritual; in general people use it to mean “may you be blessed” or “I wish blessings to you”.

Two of my friends and one of my ex girlfriends were Wiccans (one of them still plays around with it), so I know a bit about it. Not everything of course, but a bit. Here’s the basic-basic scoop.

– It’s a spiritual belief, but not a religion. Religions have a lot more rules and organizational structure, but it’s the same core idea as a religion. It also hasn’t been around very long, just over fifty years in fact.

– No, Wicca is just a belief that involves witchcraft. Many beliefs also employ witchcraft of various descriptions, but are not Wicca.

– Yup. Strangely, however, around 90% of Wiccans are women.

– Nobody is born a witch, a Wiccan or anything else. Just like any other belief, if you say you’re a follower you are. There is no single standard procedure for becoming a Wiccan.

– Wiccans are allowed to follow whatever other religion or belief they choose. Again, it’s not a religion and doesn’t have all those rules.

– No, not evil. In fact doing harm to others is one of the few things that is completely forbidden amongst Wiccans. While many religions view Wicca as evil, keep in mind those religions view absolutely everything except for themselves as evil.

– No idea what that symbol means. I’ve seen it, but I never asked.

– From what I can tell (and again, I didn’t ask), blessings-be is the equivalent of saying shalom or lord be with you or whatever people say when they exchange such pleasantries.

When you research Wicca, you’re guaranteed to find a few contradictions and different levels of devotion amongst the followers. Every belief is like that, and remember that Wicca isn’t very heavy on rules or centralized authority. There is no Wiccan pope who controls the whole thing, it’s a very individualized faith.

A lot of Wiccans are said to not even consider their magic to be magic. It’s all about working within existing forces of nature and stuff like that (I never got interested in those details), whereas magic is the deliberate manipulation or disruption of natural forces. The vast majority of Wiccans are girls in their teens to early twenties, and many followers leave the faith as soon as they realize the magic doesn’t actually work. But even though the magic isn’t real, the belief still is.

Is wicca a religion? – Yes. There’s gods that are worshipped, so it’s a religion.

Is witchcraft and wicca the same thing? – No. No, they’re not. Witchcraft is a craft. There are witches in every religion (even those that condemn them), and some witches have no religion at all. Witchcraft can be combined with religion, but it is not religious in nature unless you make it so.

(There is some overlap between some types of witchcraft, and wiccan rituals – they use similar symbols, words, props, whatever. Wicca has been heavily influenced by a few different witchcraft practices over the course of its development, but that still doesn’t mean that they’re the same thing. However the influence is enough that most people who are wiccan eventually become witches, because it’s just easy to branch out into something that is already so close to wicca.)

Are males and females both called witches? – Anyone who practices witchcraft can be called a witch, gender and physical sex are irrelevant.

Can you become one or are you born one? – You become one. Even if you’ve got ten generations of competent witches in your blood, you’re still not a witch until you actually practice witchcraft. Some people are naturally more drawn to witchcraft or in some cases more capable, but no matter how much they’re like that, they still aren’t more or less of a witch (and they still aren’t automatically a witch either).

Can witches or people who practice wicca still believe in god? – I’m going to assume you mean the Christian god by this. Yes, witches can believe in the christian god and there are christian witches around, although lots of fundamentalist groups and the like will disregard witchcraft as a sin. It depends on your personal interpretation of the bible, I suppose – do you view the ban on witchcraft as legitimate, or can it be disregarded like the ban on mixed threads and seafood? As for wicca, you cannot be christian and a wiccan at the same time. The two philosophies and practices conflict too much – wicca has its own gods and practices, and they don’t mix at all well with the Christian ones.

Is it evil? – Define evil. Witchcraft only does what the witch wants it to, so you could argue witchcraft is only evil if the person who does it is. You cut vegetables with a knife, that knife isn’t evil – even if knives are used to stab people as well. Are you evil?
As for wicca: the pretty much only rule of wicca, in its least restrictive form (there are a few different ways people can consider it), is “you can consider what you’re doing to be ethically sound if you’re not hurting anyone” – which doesn’t seem that evil to me. (the original phrasing is ‘An it harm none, do as you will’)

What does the symbol of the star inside the circle mean? – Represents the five elements of wicca (earth, fire, air, water, spirit), and some people branch it out beyond that into representing the unity of the universe because it contains all five. It’s a really common symbol, it’s been used by dozens of different groups and cultures in the past – in Christian settings it represents the five wounds of christ on the cross, though it’s a lot less popular in Christianity now than it was in the 16’s.

I see a lot of people sign off saying ‘blessings be’ is there a meaning behind it? – Yes and no. There’s a ritual in wicca called the fivefold kiss wherein you go “blessed be thy feet/knees/etc.” as you kiss the appropriate body parts. Saying “Blessed be” to some people is like a short version of that, you’re literally blessing the other person. However some people just use it as a friendly wiccan sign off. It depend on who you’re talking to – generally the people who say “blessed be” and mean it as a literal blessing will only say it to someone they’d give a full blessing to, so the likelihood of a stranger meaning it like that is very very slim.

Is wicca a religion?
Yes. It revolves around the worship of a God and Goddess of nature an the earth and celebrates 8 solar holidays.

Is witchcraft and wicca the same thing?
No. This is confusing because some Wiccans think it is and will call their religion “Witchcraft.” Usually, however, people understand that Wicca is a religion while witchcraft is a craft. You don’t have to be Wiccan to practice witchcraft and you don’t have to practice witchcraft to be Wiccan. Most wiccans, however, are also witches.

Are males and females both called witches?
Can males and females both be called doctors or carpenters? If a man practices witchcraft, then he’s a witch. If a woman practices witchcraft, than she’s a witch.

Can you become one or are you born one?
One what? You have to chose to practice Wicca and you have to learn to practice witchcraft. Neither are genetic disorders. You would need to become a Wiccan or witch.

Can witches or people who practice wicca still believe in god?
Wiccans believe in the Wiccan God. That is not the same God that Christians worship. Basically, if you’re a Wiccan, you have no reason to believe in the Christian God.
Witches can practice any religion they like.

Is it evil?
There is no such thing as evil.

What does the symbol with the star inside of the circle mean?
A lot of things. Mostly, balance between the elements of nature and the spirit.

I see a lot of people sign off saying ‘blessings be’ is there a meaning behind it?
Yes, “Blessed Be” is part of a longer blessing popular in Wiccan practice that is usually abbreviated to those two words for simplicity. It’s a reminder that everything is holy and sacred.
-Scarlet

Source(s):
I am a practicing witch, not a Wiccan

Many interpretations, both by study and experience of others. Anyway, Wicca is a religion, but magic doesn`t have to be involved in it. Witchcraft is an appropriate term to indicate that magic is both a study and a delicate art, like any craft. Witch is a unisex term, yes. Everyone is born with some kind of magical ability, as for example, our ability to connect to other people and animals is a magic of attachment, on it’s own. In wicca, there are a few gods and it acknowledges the nature spirits, but being a witch in general doesn`t tell what religion you choose, I think. It can be evil, if you abuse it through your will, but you WILL be punished in the end for such selfishness. The pentagram is a representation of the five elements, and as an amulet, protects you with their help, though the circle part of it is debatable as to if it represents spirit(as the alchemy symbol shows) and if it simply means the power of oneness. Nothing special about blessed be.

Yes Wicca is a religion.
No it is not, you can Wiccan without practicing which craft.
Yes.
Witch craft isn’t like the stuff you see in movies and book, there aren’t spells that can levitate things, or start fires. It’s really more of energy based thing, so yes anyone can become a witch.
Most Wiccan’s do believe in there own god, yes.
No not at all, despite what a lot of Christians will tell you.
Each point of the star represents a element used in or worshiped by Wicca, its like the Wiccan equivalent of a cross.
“Blessing be” means the same thing as god bless.

Source(s):
I’m Wiccan.

Is wicca a religion?
Yes, Wicca is a legally recognized religion and granted all rights according to the Constitution. This was decided by the Dettmer v. Landon case in 1986

Is witchcraft and wicca the same thing?
This is tricky, because there are two definitions of Wicca and two definitions of Witchcraft and one of each of these is interchangeable with the other. Some define Wicca as only a religious belief but seem to leave out that a huge part of this religious belief hinges on the acceptance and use of magic. If you just want to worship the gods or goddesses, then you are Pagan, not Wiccan and not a Witch. As I see it, teach it, and practice it, Wicca and Witchcraft are the same thing. Wicca is the old Anglo-Saxon word that means “Witch”. So being a Wicca is literally being a Witch. It is only through watering down and seeking to ‘soften’ up Wicca as a practice for modern people that separates it from its roots as Witchcraft. To me, you cannot be Wiccan if you do not do Witchcraft.

Are males and females both called witches?
Yes, both are called Witches regardless of gender. Women are more associated with the word ‘witch’ because during the trials, women were often primary targets. Witchcraft was thought to be inherently feminine, as women are the ‘weaker sex’ according to patriarchal religious teachings.

Can you become one or are you born one?
Both, but if you are born with a natural talent for something like writing or sports, you still have to make the choice if you want to train and improve your skill and use that talent as a life path or goal. Same thing with being a Witch. Some may have more of a knack for it, but all have to make a choice to use or practice it.

Can witches or people who practice wicca still believe in god?
I am taking this as referring to the Christian idea of God. That’s entirely a personal decision, but in reality, most Witches don’t follow that concept of God. The word “god” is not a name, it’s a job description. 🙂 Most Witches follow more Pagan ideology or are animists (believe that everything has a spirit, whether or not those spirits are seen as ‘gods’ depends on the Witch). Wicca believes in the Divine as being manifested in both masculine and feminine form, either as a God and Goddess,or as multiple gods and goddesses. Still, not the same definition or belief as the Christian God.

Is it evil?
In Witchcraft, Good and Evil are subjective. If you are attacked and you kill someone or something in self-defense, is that evil? If you work a spell to bring a job to yourself, that gives the job to you and someone else doesn’t get it, is that evil? Depends on the situation and why you are doing it. Something is not good or evil on its own, but intention and desire causes it to be seen as a good or bad thing. Above all, a Witch is expected to accept responsibility for all actions and be mindful of what they do and how it will affect others and themselves.

What does the symbol with the star inside of the circle mean?
This is called a pentacle and for most, the star represents the elements of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit surrounded by the circle which is the all-encompassing power and connection of deity. It can also be said to represent the five corporeal senses, or the human form being connected to the sacred circle.

I see a lot of people sign off saying ‘blessings be’ is there a meaning behind it?
“Blessed Be” comes from part of traditional Wicca/Witchcraft called the ‘five-fold blessing’ It is a shortened form of saying the entire blessing which is: Blessed Be your feet,which shall tread the hidden paths. Blessed Be your knees which shall kneel at sacred altars. Blessed Be your womb/phallus the seat of power without which, we would not be. Blessed Be your breast, erect in beauty and strength. Blessed Be your lips which shall utter sacred names. Nowadays though, people pass it around without actually knowing the true meaning of it the way they would say, “Hello”.

If you have further questions, or would like me to go into more explanation on the things I’ve spoken of here, please email me at gypsyfireserpent@

Source(s):
Priestess and teacher of Wicca/Witchcraft for many years.

‘Is Wicca a religion’

Yes, it is officially recognised as a religion in the UK. In some places in the US, it is too. Of course, even if it were not officially recognised as a religion, it still meets the requirements of a religion as it is a set of beliefs that of course differ slightly depending on the sect of Wicca.

‘Is witchcraft and wicca the same thing?’

Not at all. One can practise witchcraft without being Wiccan. People who practise darker forms of magic, or magick, can not be Wiccan because Wicca is a ‘light’ religion. Though you can be Wiccan and not practise witchcraft, if you do practise it, it can not be the kind that harms others as that goes against the basic tenets of Wicca.

‘Are males and females both called witches?’

Yes, male and females are BOTH referred to as witches. There is no gender distinction.

‘Can you become one or are you born one?’

You can not be born one, you must become one as with all other religions. Let me clarify, just because one is born into a certain religious family, does not make them inherently a Wiccan, Muslim etc. It is a choice you make on your own. Wiccans appreciate freedom of individual choice and to say you are born a Wiccan would go against a basic tenet of Wicca.

‘Can witches or people who practice wicca still believe in god?’

This question confuses me. What do you mean by god? Which god to you mean? Do you refer to a creative being or force in the universe? In any case, you can believe in gods, and goddesses, or simply believe that the universe is itself divine with no use for human-like gods or goddesses. It is all up to you.

‘Is it evil?’

If it were, then it would not be Wicca. A basic tenet of Wicca is not to harm others. Whatever you send out, rather it be good or bad comes back to you three fold. There is no place for evil or negative intentions in Wicca.

‘What does the symbol with the star inside of the circle mean?’

The symbol you speak of is called the pentagram. The circle represents the cycle of life and the interconnectedness of all that is. Each point represents something, four of the points represent the four elements which is Wind, Water, Earth, and Fire. The fifth one represents, Spirit, our true being. An interesting fact about the pentagram is that Christians used to use it to ward of evil. The pentagram can be used for protection no matter your faith.

‘I see a lot of people sign off saying ‘blessings be’ is there a meaning behind it?’

I hear ‘Blessed be’ a lot. It’s not really necessary to say that. It just means ‘bless you’ obviously. It’s just another way of saying good-bye. You don’t have to say it to be Wiccan, you can just say ‘take care’, ‘good bye’ etc. or anything else to express good wishes.

Is wicca a religion?
–Yes, Wicca is a 20th century earth-based fertility religion BASED on ancient ideas and practices (the religion itself is NOT ancient)

Is witchcraft and wicca the same thing?
–No. Wicca is a religion, centering on the worship of a God and Goddess; Witchcraft is a craft mainly consisting of folk magic, herbal use, “potion” making (these can include teas, tinctures, etc) and various divinitory practices (though what a Witch may do may vary)

Are males and females both called witches?
–Yes. There are no separate terms for males and females. All are called “Witch”.

Can you become one or are you born one?
–No one is “born” a Witch. All Witches must participate in dedicated study. You may be born into a family of practitioners, but even still you must study and learn in order to develop the much needed skills to practices. None of these skills are inherently developed in the womb.

Can witches or people who practice wicca still believe in god?
–Wicca primarily consists of God and Goddess worship. The religion clashes with the Christian idea of deity worship, therefore there are few (if any at all) legitimate Wiccans who worship the Christian deity

Is it evil?
–What makes a religion evil?

What does the symbol with the star inside of the circle mean?
–The Pentacle is nothing more really than a geometric shape. It’s meaning depends on the person who bears it. Generally, many see it as a symbol of protection or faith. The common association placed on it is representation of the four elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) and the Spirit (top most point), meaning that Spirit superscends the material world. There are many people who also wear the pentacle inverted (upside down). This doesn’t necessarily mean the symbol represents “evil” as many see it as Spirit descending (coming) into the material world.

It is no more evil than the Starbucks logo.

I see a lot of people sign off saying ‘blessings be’ is there a meaning behind it?
–It has unofficially become some sort of greeting or parting message but derives from the “Five Fold Kiss” (I do believe). An intimate ritual.

http://wicca.cnbeyer.com/wicca101/index.…

You are very curious about Wicca,well, Wicca is a religion in which you can convert too. But I was as curious as you about a year ago, I will tell you this, if you decide to do it then close the doors you open, I didn’t and I was attacked by something malicious, so do what you are going to do. Another thing is that the “star in the circle ” is called a pentacle, Also known as the Wicca equivalent of the Christian cross. It shows the star with its apex up and it that is a good symbol, and if you see one with its apex down leave it be, it is a satanists pentagram. The pentacle also shows the Five earthly elements, Which are, Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit.
A male witch is called a warlock.
you can still believe in god, I did.
It can sometimes be malicious but never Evil unless you enter a path you shouldn’t have.
Wicca is a form of witchcraft.
That is all I can say, hope I helped clear the air.

If you need anymore advice on any paranormal topic Email me at
Willwaters1994@

SEE YA!!!

“‘Is witchcraft and wicca the same thing?’

Not at all. One can practise witchcraft without being Wiccan. People who practise darker forms of magic, or magick, can not be Wiccan because Wicca is a ‘light’ religion. Though you can be Wiccan and not practise witchcraft, if you do practise it, it can not be the kind that harms others as that goes against the basic tenets of Wicca.”

She is right here, except for the part of you can be Wiccan and not practice magick. That isn’t possible because the Wiccan religion has a lot to do with magick.

‘Can witches or people who practice wicca still believe in god?’
If you mean the Christian God then in a way perhaps. In some sects of Wicca there is a belief in the diamond God concept. Which means that there is a God with no sex, but to understand this God we give this God a female and a male, to understand the aspects of the male and female we break them down into sections. Maiden, Mother, Crone, Hunter, Lover, King, and Sorcerer. Then to understand those aspects of the God and Goddess we break them down further into the pantheons, such as Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, etc. Inside these pantheons are the Gods and Goddesses; Athena, Zeus, Bragi, Hella, Set, etc.

So you see Christians believe in a God the all powerful, then the son and the holy ghost which is all part of one whole all powerful being that created the universe. So in a way this sexless God is everyone’s God. So depending on what sect you want to follow it’s the same God, but don’t think you can be Christian and Wiccan at the same time, because it’s not possible. Christians don’t agree with witchcraft at all.

‘What does the symbol with the star inside of the circle mean?’

“The symbol you speak of is called the pentagram. The circle represents the cycle of life and the interconnectedness of all that is. Each point represents something, four of the points represent the four elements which is Wind, Water, Earth, and Fire. The fifth one represents, Spirit, our true being. An interesting fact about the pentagram is that Christians used to use it to ward of evil. The pentagram can be used for protection no matter your faith.”

When she said this she is correct about everything accept the name. It is a Pentacle. A Pentagram is JUST the star. A Pentacle includes the circle.
Pentacle
(Penta)gram Cir(cle)

I quoted some of her answers strictly to clear up some confusion. A lot of people get those things mixed up so I hope this helps. 🙂

Source(s):
11 years of practicing Wicca

1.Is wicca religion? Yes it is
2.s witchcraft and wicca the same thing? Witchcraft is part of wicca as I was taught you can not really have one with out the other
3.Are males and females both called witches? they can both be refereed to as a witch yes
4.Can you become one or are you born one? Both some are born into families and some like myself train to become a witch.
5.Can witches or people who practice wicca still believe in god? yes while most believe in more then one what you believe in is your choice we do not judge well most of us don’t anyway I don’t
6.Is it evil? Evil is a relative term because a lot of things can be called evil the man down the street can be called evil. No it isn’t evil we worship nature and the gods and no god is evil in itself there are dark gods but that does;t make them evil.
7.What does the symbol with the star inside of the circle mean? it is the symbol of all five (yes five) elements which are:Earth. Air. Water, Fire, And Spirit the one with in and the ones around.
8.I see a lot of people sign off saying ‘blessed be’ is there a meaning behind it? This like saying good by and be safe or I hope your day is filled with good things. Many people say have a nice day when someone leaves well if they are having lots of good things happen that is having a nice day and those things can be considered blessings so it is like saying good bye.
I hope this helps you.
blessings to you and your family

ok first of all wicca is a legal religion. now the real meaning of witchcraft, is the art or craft of wisdom. witches were the wise ones in the clan or tribe. healers and shamans. i am male and wiccan high priest. and see self as make witch. but that is not true for all, as most wiccan’s are witches, but not all witches are wiccan. i believe there is a god, as well as a goddess, as in all things there is a balance m and f. positive and negitive. the pentigram for me, stands for earth, air, water and fire. fifth point is for spirit in a unending circle of life, death, and re birth. blessed be is our greeting same as merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again. we are born, live and die. the soul is forever, and thus we meet again. blessed be.

Source(s):
40 yrs wiccan

people of nature who respect nature and work with nature are so called”witches and magic ppl’ its spirituality and understanding of nature that allows the free energy to flow through one to another not (magic ) its energy

Source(s):
experiance

They consider themselves real, but they don’t have any real power.