Wicca or Witchcraft as some call it, is not merely
legendary; it was, and is, real. It is not extinct; it is alive and prospering. Since the last
laws against Witchcraft were repealed (as recently as the 1950's), Witches have been able
to come out into the open and show themselves for what they are.
And what are they? They are intelligent, community-conscious, thoughtful men and
women of TODAY. Witchcraft is not a step backwards; a retreat into a more
superstition-filled time. Far from it. It is a step forward. Witchcraft is a religion far more
relevant to the times than the vast majority of the established churches. It is the
acceptance of personal and social responsibility. It is acknowledgment of a holistic
universe and a means towards a raising of consciousness. Equal rights; feminism; ecology;
attainment; brotherly/sisterly love; planetary care--these are all part and parcel of
Witchcraft/Wicca, the old yet new religion.
In Christianity there are many denominations (e.g. Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, Baptist,
Methodist). There is no one religion that is right for all people. We are all different. Our
backgrounds-- both ethnic and social--- vary greatly. It is no wonder that there is no one
religion that suits all people. Some like lots of ritual, while some are for simplicity. Some
favor a matriarchy; others a patriarchy and still others seek a balance. Some prefer to
worship in a group, while others are for solitary worship. With the large number of
different denominations, then, there is now more likelihood of everyone finding a path they
can travel in comfort. It has often been said that there are many paths, but they all lead to
the same center. With so many paths, then, you are able to find the right one for YOU;
the one path you can travel comfortably and securely.
Religion has come a long way from its humble beginnings in the caves of pre-history.
Witchcraft/Wicca, as one small facet of religion, has also come a long way. It has grown
to become a world wide religion, legally recognized.
Today, across America, it is not at all unusual to find open Wiccan festivals and seminars
taking place in such unlikely places as family campgrounds and motels such as the Holiday
Inn. Witches appear on television and radio talk shows; they are written up in local and
national newspapers and magazines. Witchcraft courses are given in colleges. Even in the
Armed Forces is Wicca recognized as a valid religion--Department of the Army Pamphlet
No. 165-13 "Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups--A
Handbook for Chaplains" includes instructions as to the religious rights of Witches right
alongside those of Islamic groups, Sikh groups, Christian Heritage, Indian Heritage,
Japanese, and Jewish groups.
Witchcraft is recognized in the United States and in at least some parts of Canada as a
legitimate religion. In 1985, Deter v. London, the District Court of Virginia pursuant to
rule 52 (a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, ruled that Witchcraft falls within a
recognizable religious category and therefore is protected by the Constitution.
Wiccan is a religion of love and joy. Wiccans have an empathy with nature and retain their
ties with it.
The main tenet of Witchcraft, the WICCAN REDE, is:
"An' it harm none, do what thou wilt."
Do what you will........but don't do anything that will harm another. It's as simple as that.
In April, 1974, the Council of American Witches adopted a set of Principles of Wiccan
Belief. I, personally, subscribe to those principles and list them here. Read them carefully.
1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by
the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.
2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our
environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering
fulfillment to life and consciousness with an evolutionary concept.
3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average
person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called "supernatural", but
we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity--as
masculine and feminine--and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions
through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other.
We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol ad embodiment of life, and as one of the sources
of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
5. We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological, worlds sometimes known
as the Spiritual World, the Collective Consciousness, Inner Planes, etc.--and we see in the
inter-action of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal
exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our
fulfillment.
6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach,
respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those
who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
7. We see religion, magick and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the
world and lives within it--a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as
Witchcraft--the Wiccan Way.
8. Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch--but neither does heredity itself, nor the
collecting of titles, degrees, and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within
her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others
and in harmony with Nature.
9. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and
development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal
role within it.
10. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy
of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the only way" and have
sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and
belief.
11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history the Craft, the
origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are
concerned with our present and our future.
12. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity know as
"Satan" or the "Devil", as defined by the Christian tradition. We do not seek power
through the suffering of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by
denial to another.
13. We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health
and well-being.
