Witchcraft as a Religion

Witchcraft, Wiccans, Pagans, and Witches are all known to be associated with the Devil or Hell. They have all been wrongfully judged. Just because a person states that they believe in Witchcraft or anything of the nature doesn't mean that they are evil or out to do harm. These judgments are placed upon Witchcraft by other un-educated religions. These other religions fear the unknown and misunderstood. People generally choose a religion because it makes them feel at ease or peaceful. Why is Witchcraft any different? From the beginning of time there has been good versus evil, love versus hate, heaven versus hell, and so on. There are two sides to every story, and in this paper I have chosen to argue the good in Witchcraft as a religion, also known as "Wicca". The modern term for this earth based religion.

Wicca is the preferred word for "Witchcraft" with witches today, since it doesn't carry the negativity associated with the stereotypical witch promoted by Christianity. It denoted the positive nature oriented by Pagan religion derived from pre-Christian roots (Buckland, The Witch Book: The Enclylopedia of Witchcraft, Wicca, and Neo-Paganism). Although Wicca was first announced publicly in the mid 1950's, it goes much further than that.

In the Book of 1 Samuel 28:3-25, the Bible shows an example of Saul going to a "medium" for help, and she did indeed help him without harming him. Some people believe that a "medium" is a form of a witch and that is why I use this as an example. In this example Samuel had died and Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land. Saul saw the army of the Philistines and was afraid. Saul inquired unto the Lord and the Lord did not answer him by dreams or by prophets. Saul said to his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium that I might go to her and inquire of her." Saul disguised himself and went to her at night and he said, "Please conduct a séance for me" (T. N. Version). This is early evidence that "Witches" of some sort existed even before Christ. Not only is it evidence, but it doesn't show the woman as being hostile towards Saul. She did indeed help him and even fed him and his servants before she sent them on their way (K. J. Version).

It is true however that some Wiccans choose to worship such Gods and Goddesses. Although I don't believe that this is right they can't be judged because they have found something that gives them inner peace and works for their life. It isn't our place to judge other people based on religion, sex, race, or anything. Judgment isn't tolerated in any religion, although most religions are very judgmental religions. This is what causes Wiccans to stay hidden, to avoid such judgment when all they want to do is live their lives like any other human being on this planet.

Wiccans are known by many different names. They are known as witches, pagans, neo-pagans and also as the "Old Religion." When talking about the "Old Religion" it is referred to the history of Witchcraft. The old religion was before Christianity was even a religion.

As Christianity gradually grew in strength the "Old Religion" was slowly pushed back. Until the time of the Reformation the "Old Religion" still existed in the outlying country districts of Europe. Non-Christians at that time became known as Pagans. Pagan comes from the Latin Pagani and simply means "people who live in the country." The term was appropriate for non-Christians at that time, because they showed no signs of being evil. (Buckland, Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft.)

Wiccans are well known for casting spells or performing rituals to help aid them in different aspects of life. What Wiccans did in the old days was reversed and used against them. They would do magic to promote fertility and to increase crops, and the Church claimed that they made women barren and blighted the crops. No one stopped to think that if the Wiccans did what they were accused of then they would be hurting themselves as well; after all they also had to eat to survive. Roughly nine million people were burned, hung, or tortured to death on the charge of Witchcraft between the late 1500's and 1700's. Not all of these were followers of the "Old Religion." This turned into an opportunity for some to get rid of those who they bore a grudge against.

In 1604 King James I passed his Witchcraft Act, it was repealed in 1736. Only to be replaced by an act that stated there was no such thing as Witchcraft and to pretend to have occult powers was to face being charged with fraud. By the late seventeenth century any surviving members of the Craft had gone underground into hiding. For the next three hundred years it appeared that this religion was dead. But a religion that had lasted twenty thousand years, in effect, did not die so easily. In small groups, surviving covens often times only of family members, the Craft continued. (Buckland, Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft.)

During this hibernation of Witchcraft, the Christian religion published numerous books and articles about the wrong doings of the Old Religion. Since the Old Religion had no other choice but to lie dormant they couldn't stand up for themselves and for the truth, for if they did they would've literally been risking their lives. It wasn't until 1921 when Dr. Margaret Alice Murray produced The Witch Cult in Western Europe, she studied records from the Middle Ages on the Witch trials and the Christian allegations against Witchcraft. Her theories were, in her time, farfetched. She went on to release her second book in 1931, The God of the Witches.

In 1951 the last laws against Witchcraft were appealed, finally giving Witches a chance to speak out for what they truly were. In 1954 "Wicca" was introduced in America by Gerald Gardner. Gerald Gardner was of European decent and was initiated into a coven in Europe in 1934. When the leader of that coven died Gardner decided to make Witchcraft or Wicca known for what it truly was. He started producing books in America and the idea of a "Nature Religion" boomed. This was happening in the late 1950's and the religion soared, into the 1970's. Numerous other authors followed after Gardner and started publishing books. Wicca is a textual religion (S.Clifton), modern day Wiccan's have learned all that they know from books, the internet, and in meeting other Wiccans or joining covens.

A coven is a small group that meets together on a regular basis to practice their religion. To most members, it is an extended family. In fact, many coven members feel closer to their fellow coven members than they do their own family. Covens are usually part of a specific tradition of Witchcraft. There are various denominations of Witchcraft as well as Christianity. Many of these denominations in Witchcraft are found in coven form. With Witchcraft