| History: Contrary to popular belief, Wicca is not an evil Satan-worshiping clan out to destroy the world. Actually, we are quite the opposite. Wiccans are peaceful, loving, and kind. We live our lives in a harmonious and balanced way of thinking that promotes oneness with the divine and all that exists. In fact, we don’t even believe in Satan. We worship the God and Goddess, and nature is our gift from our Mother Earth. Everything around us is beautiful, and when in the presence of the Lord and Lady we are not prone to the reconstruction of the Earth by mankind. To be a Wiccan is to be a healer, a teacher, a seeker, a giver, and a protector of all things. It is a great honor to worship the Lord and Lady. Wicca was believed to have originated from Ireland, Scotland, and Whales, but archeologists have recently found cave paintings that are traced back to the Paleolithic Era, almost 30,000 years ago. The pictures were of a stag-headed God and a pregnant Goddess standing in a circle with eleven women. Those and many other findings show that paganism can be reasonably called the oldest religion in the world. Its followers were healers, were in tune with the forces of nature, had knowledge of herbs and medicines, and were valuable to the village and community they lived in. These people understood that we are not superior to the Earth, but are equal to the trees, dirt, bugs, deer, and everything else that makes up the Earth, and must return everything we take or use from it to maintain balance. What We Believe: For starters, we have the strong belief that we are not superior just because we are humans. Everything in nature is equal, and deserves equal rights. If you take something from the Earth, it is only just to give something in return. We wish to understand nature and its powers. We worship the God (Lord/Sun) and the Goddess (Lady/Moon), who go by many different names. Our lives are based around The Wiccan Rede, and more specifically the line "And it harm none, Do what ye will". Our daily lives go by the cycles of the sun, moon, and nature. We celebrate our holidays by the changing of the seasons. The energy of the Earth is what gives us the power to live our lives happily. The elements that make up all of creation are Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. For the most part, we dedicate our lives to trying to keep nature and humanity in peaceful harmony; we rejoice when the Earth rejoices, and cry when the Earth cries. Now we must try our best to keep mankind from destroying the world in their greedy quest for power. Plant a tree, use candles, make your own clothing, or anything that makes you feel like your helping the planet out. All these things cannot only help the Earth, but make our lives more fulfilling and happy. Keep in touch with nature, and love every single bit of it. Humbly serve the God and Goddess, and they will reward us all greatly with their love and compassion. Another part of us that stands out is the belief in reincarnation. A death, although sad because of the parting of a loved one, is also a time for celebration, because that person has moved on to another life. What happens exactly to a person's soul when they die is still a controversy, but many believe we go to a place called the Summerland until our soul enters another body, and thus is reborn again. |
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| Wicca? |
