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Saturday, 19 February 2005
Mood:
 quizzical
Topic: Witch or Wiccan
Here are some more thoughts regarding the issue I started in last weeks blog. I posted this over at the Witchschool Forum:
The most valuable gift that the Wiccan Path has given me is the gift of empowerment - the ability to make my own choices regarding what I believe and the ability to connect to deity on a personal level. This has given me such incredible strength and has gotten me through some very difficult times. In the early years of my journey it was this strength that kept bringing me back to Wicca and it was guilt (speaking of old habits that are hard to break) that kept pulling me away. It wasn't until I was able to reconcile the two paths (Wicca and Christianity), without guilt, that I was able to committ to Wicca and move forward. Empowerment was the catalist. Yes, I can believe in Jesus and be Wiccan. Yes, I can believe in Jesus and not go to Mass (because this is not meaning for me - there may be Christian Wiccans who still go to Mass and that very night celebrate a Sabbat - because Mass is still a meaningful way of connecting to Deity for them - I don't know but I am open to the notion that this a possibilty). I think what I am trying to get at here is that I find it so disheartening when people argue about labels. In my mind, we Wiccans are the Kings and Queens of tolerance. Tolerance is not always an easy thing to engage but if we can approach people with an open mind and heart the opportunities for growth are endless. So when someone says I practice the religion of Witchcraft but I am not Wiccan how can this be impossible. For some reason this has become meaningful for them.
The reason why I have not labelled myself a Christian Wiccan is that I am just not comfortable with the intolerance that some labels can generate. I am also not sure that there is enough Christian left in me. Further, can't I be just a Wiccan and believe in Jesus? I know the very definition of Christianity incorporates a belief in Jesus. But Wiccan incorporates a belief in personal Deity and Jesus just happens to be an aspect of Deity that I can personnally connect with. Further, if I choose to answer "yes" to the question "Can I be a Wiccan and still believe in Jesus?" (and not a Christian Wiccan) - is this not my choice - I am not harming anyone - I am just developing my own personal belief system. Now I know it may not always be as simple as this - one's personal belief system may be so outside the Wiccan realm that the label of Wicca just could not fit - for example if you don't believe in the Rede can you be Wiccan? (probably not - but there are other Pagan religions that do have other codes of ethics- is this true of other Wiccan traditions?)
Ok I think I better stop now - I am getting confused. But again, interesting things to ponder.
BB Dana
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