Religion & Beliefs
Wicca and Other Fake Religions
By Laurel Snyder / February 19, 2007
There’s a really amazing story at the Washington Post today, about an army chaplain who was, until last year, a Pentecostal Christian Minister at Camp Anaconda. But then, in his own words…Â
I realized so many innocent people are dying again in the name of God…When you think back over the Catholic-Protestant conflict, how the Jews have suffered, how some Christians justified slavery, the Crusades, and now the fighting between Shiite and Sunni Muslims, I just decided I’m done. . . . I will not be part of any church that unleashes its clergy to preach that particular individuals or faith groups are damned.
So what’d he do? He became a Wiccan! Obvious next step…
Guess what happened after that:
On July 6, he applied to become the first Wiccan chaplain in the U.S. armed forces, setting off an extraordinary chain of events. By year’s end, his superiors not only denied his request but also withdrew him from Iraq and removed him from the chaplain corps, despite an unblemished service record.
If you read the story, you may find yourself thinking this guy is a nut. Wearing RenFest garb and speaking in tongues, converting first from Catholicism to Pentecostal, and then to Wicca… but it’s a really interesting story.
Because it makes me think about my own predjudice. I admit I tend to giggle at the mention of new-agey faiths. In theory, I’m all for them, but deep in my gut, I think I may have some respect issues with them. And I think that in part, that connects to my Judaism.
In my head, Judaism is a “real” faith. It’s old and stuff. Like Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, Hinduism and Buddhism. You know, “real” religions. And the newer religions (however deep its roots, Wicca was only organized recently) just don’t feel as serious to me.
I can’t help wondering if anyone else has this same nasty streak. Is it just me? Is there any legitimacy to it? Please understand… I’m NOT saying that my own impulse is okay. I’m only confessing it here, considering it… and wondering what you think of the story…
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I have a lot of the same biases. I grew up Catholic, and your list of “real” religions is pretty much the same as mine. I’d add Islam, but otherwise…
Sorry guys but he is right Wicca is NOT old at all. It may be based on Pagan practices that are old but ‘Wicca’ is not itself ancient, nor is it older than Christianity. I am Pagan, even practiced Wicca for awhile and there is a reason Wicca gets a bad rap .. first off calling someone ‘you Jewish Asses’ doesn’t exactly show through example your belief in tolerance and mutual respect now does it? Also embrace Wicca for what it is and has become, stop trying to validate it someone with age. Many Pagan paths are based on older Pagan practices yet it’s Wiccan’s that tend to run around in an outrage if you point out that Wicca as a religion is less than 100 yrs old. Wiccans also tent to refer to themselves using the term ‘Witch’ and their practice as ‘Witchcraft’ all well and good until the ‘ We don’t do this, We believe that’ sort of statements start rolling in. ‘We don’t do curses’ for example, well maybe Wiccans don’t but some Witches who practice Witchcraft do. Most Wiccans I’ve met remind me an awful lot of the people in my childhood church… the one’s who preached that they were doing it right and the Catholics, hell even the church just down the road was doing it wrong.
You’re joking me, please.
Wicca has been around longer than Christianity. And just as long as Judaism. It’s a branch of Paganism, which has been around since…well. A long time. Arthur’s time. That sounds pretty legitimate if you ask me. I agree with Solus, the condescending attitude attitude towards Wicca is ridiculous and completely unjustified, especially if you know absolutely nothing about the religion and what we practice. It is not up to someone else to decide your Path for you. Find what spiritual practices suit you and don’t judge others for their practices, and never call a religion illegitimate. It is rude, and wrong.
Blessed Be.
Firstly Solus, “Wiccan” is a new aged spin off copy of multi-hundred year old Paganism which is a spin off of the multi-thousand year old Odinism. Don’t tell me, I am a religion specialist in history and scientific research. Wicca was created in the 1900′s, firstly by the British. The first to do so was a woman, she used it to escape tax debt to pay it off, a sign of its’ fraud. Secondly, it derived from Paganism. Pagans have exact same principle except they don’t have cheesy fake magic, they have alchemy. You need to learn science and history, something you lack, obviously. If I were to select ANY religion, it would be Christian or Paganism, as THEY are the most legit practices with more proof of their reality than any other. The Bible has history that was historically proven in it, and Paganism derives from science and warship of the earth itself, not some cheesy false black and white magic, sutras and rituals.
This is Pissing Me Off.. You Jewish Asses.. I am sick of this condescending attitude towards Wicca. Wicca is one of the oldest religions in the world and we do not perform any Sacrifices nor do we perform Prostitution. We Believe that all religions are a path towards our final goal. It is up the Individual to discern which path is right for them in tht particular life tht they are living. So Mote It Be. Blessed Be to all who read this.
Lucifer=Devil, satan, beelzebub, the beast, abomination,dragon,serpent.
Not sun god or whatever bull crap.
God plus Dungens & Dragons = Wicca ?
Which God/Goddess are you refuring to Dearie?Â
What a find, tellner. Congratulations!!
If we haven’t heard much from our resident Nazi/Satanist/Pagan it’s probably because he’s been too busy. And how is he spending his time? Biting little children, threatening high school teachers and casting spells on people around Muncie.
Currently he’s being held in jail where I don’t think they have Internet access.
it was started in the 1940′s and grown from the only written information found for most pagan beliefs. most is orally memorized and they all have the belief that knowledge is power and of great importance to our existence .
 i strongly agree with the community responsibility. there is some society for wiccans in every state that help uot in the community, but not enough..
and we don’t allow the tv shows of witchcraft and wiccanism or the movies which have nothing to do with the faith. spells are just like prayers. thats it!
no pagan or wiccan has sacrificed a child or any human. the celtics sacrificed one animal for the year and that was it. no pagan does so today.
satanists are told to have sacrifices of animala and kill people.
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