Wicca is a modern pagan religion, that many believe originate from the beliefs of northern Europe. The Wicca today was popularized in the UK in the 20th century. A strong part of their belief relies on ritual magic, in fact one of the standing theories as to the origin of this religion is an ancient ritual involving fire to better the chances of hunting game. Wicca is the largest Neopagan religion in the United States, and the largest of the minority religions, with estimations of around 750,000 followers in the U.S. However, it is very difficult to get an exact number due to the fact that many Wiccans choose to hide their faith due to religious persecution, as several people associate this religion with satanic worship. Although the situation for Wiccans has improved during the last couple of years, there are still many cases of violence against them.
This article shows me an example of religious magic in the modern sense, and also an example of modern-day witches. As expected, some persecution does exist, however the reason why they are "witches" is because of their rituals, which have a symbolic meaning. This is another example of how religious magic is perceived today by some people, instead of just in the past by the witch hunts performed in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Will society continue to view this religion as evil? Many people have been misinformed about the religion due to the view of witches (as worshipers of the devil), but will this misinterpretation continue? Or will there be an understanding among people that these people are not "evil"?
Citation: Robinson, B. A. (2006, May 7). History of wicca. Retrieved from http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_hist.htm
I'm thrilled that you decided to include Wicca in this. Wicca truly is a religion with a bad reputation. Many people believe that it is evil, evil worshipping, and witchcraft. This could not be further from the truth. First of all, Wicca is a relatively new religion, started by a man named Gerald Gardner. Witchcraft has been practiced for many centuries. Wicca teaches an amended version of the Christian "golden rule." The Wiccan Rede states, " 'An it harm none, do what you will." So, even though many Wiccans like to use the word "Witch" when referring to themselves, they are merely straddling the fence between true Witchcraft and other more socially acceptable religions. Sadly, there will always be people who refuse to accept religions, or even take them for what they truly are.
ReplyDelete