Home

F.A.Q.

Canon and Tenets

Wheel of the Year

Pantheons

Traditions

Correspondences

Ritual and Spells

Divination

Notable Witches

Literature

Advanced Wicca

For Parents

Glossary

Links

About DTW

Contact DTW
Frequently Asked Questions

Wicca, isn't that some kind of freaky cult of airy-fairy people?

Many people seem to think this way. It is not true but modern Witches tend to be portrayed that way (thought by no means all of the time). In addition, most of society has most either never heard of Wicca or else has no idea of what it really is. The main reasons for this being that we are all taught from a very young age to fear witches (think way back to Hallowe’en as a kid and recall the images of haggard old women with hideous green faces casting evil spells in rhyme over an oozing and bubbling cauldron full of animal parts, garbage and rot). As well, most of us are also taught that there is one God and one God only, and these religions tend to assume that all other religions are incorrect or not real. We seem to lack the capacity to open up and consider other spiritualities. We are also conditioned to perceive magick as fake and to rely solely on what science can prove, making us skeptical of anything else.

Aren't many Pagans and Wiccans gay?

Some people seem to think that Pagans are more inclined to be homosexual than the rest of society. There are no real statistics to show this, however Pagans tend to be very excepting of alternative lifestyles other than what is considered mainstream. It is a possibly that Paganism has a larger homosexual population than other religions as homosexuals would not feel as threatened as part of a Pagan religion than in a religion that looks down on them. However, most Pagans are not gay even if they do support gay people, so it is an unfair assumption that Paganism is a religion of homosexuals. The assumption may also be related to the belief stated in the question before this one.

Well, I'm Jewish/Christian/Muslim, so if the church condems Witches, shouldn't that be reason enough to think of Witchcraft as evil?

Of course not! Wicca and Paganism look to pose no threat to Judaism, Christianity, or Islam, or any other religion for that matter. The way witches were portrayed during the Burning Times of the 14th to 18th centuries was not correct at all. It was the figment of the imaginations of the people of the time period. The reason for this being that when Christianity gained control over Europe, the people did not just simply convert easily. Pagan (from the Latin paganus, meaning a country dweller) came to mean any person or group who did not give up their old "pagan" religion for the new one. The number of people in this category was large at first, but as the Church gained power, it systematically wiped out Paganism or forced it underground. Hence, more and more people became frightened and converted the Christianity. The Church (or more specifically certain Popes in history) became corrupt and did not want to risk losing power, and labeled all Pagans (or non-Catholics) as evil devil worshippers, and the hated image of the Witch was created from this. The "Evil Witches" that the church condemned did not really exist, at least not in the way in which they were thought. A few citizens in remote locations kept on the (not evil!) traditions, but most of the people killed during this time would have been innocent Catholics. Note that this answer is not meant as slander against the Christian religion or the Church today. It is a very different Church today, and not one that keeps up the misconceptions of centuries past.

Is Witchcraft for real, or is it just a fad that people are buying into because of all of the "wizardry phenomena" thats out there today?

Actually, Wicca has existed for much longer that the current phenomena. Paganism has existed since the earliest times, but in its modern form since at least the early 1930s. Before this, the word Wicca was not used and the old religion was simply composed of some families passing down old traditions long forgotten by the rest of the world. Today's wizardry phenomena way be simply related to the recent popularity of Harry Potter and fantasy books, or it could be a result of the fact that more people are interested in and aware of Wicca. However, most of the Witches and Wizards in books and movies, though fun, do not reflect real witchcraft. We cannot open doors using the "Alohamora!" spell (unfortunately). Sometimes, however, people do become interested in real witchcraft because of these books, and then they find out it's not exactly like they imagined.

Exactly what do Wiccans believe?

Wiccans, and most Pagans for that matter, believe that Nature/Mother Earth is sacred and is to be respected and taken care of. They believe that deity has both male and female aspects and are referred to as the Goddess and God. Deity is present in all of creation. It is the energy that flows through and connects everything; this reflects ancient beliefs. In magick one works with the Divine (no attempts are EVER made to bend the Divine to one's will) in order to manifest changes for betterment. Wiccans follow one rule, which is called the Witches Rede, which states "An it harm none, do what you will" meaning simply that you should live your life and perform magick as you wish as long as you do not intend to harm someone else or make them do something against their will.

Are all Pagans and Wiccans the same? Are all Wiccans necessarily Witches?

No and no. A Pagan religion defined to be any religion other than the main world religions, that is, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. There are many different pagan religions that exist, such as Voodoo, Native Spirituality, et cetera, as well as Wicca, which has the most adherents. Also Wicca has many "traditions" or "subdivisions." There is Gardnerian, Pictish, British Traditional, Celtic, the list goes on and on. Though most traditions are similar and share pretty much the same beliefs they all have differences of opinion. Some are more ceremonial while others are laid back, some focus on magick, some do not, different traditions may focus on different pantheons, et cetera. Also there are those who do not practice magick but merely agree with the beliefs and points of views of the religion, and they tend to not consider themselves Witches but are solely Wiccans.

Do Wiccans practice black magick?

No. Wiccans do not believe that magick can be evil in itself, it is the individual who desides what to do with the energy around them. Many Wiccans dislike the terms "Black Magick" and "White Magick" because it implies that one colour is good, and the other is evil. This is a very scary way of thinking, as racial prejudice is something we face every day, and Wiccans do not support it. Sociological studies have shown how the english language has racial connotations in it, and we do not need to add one more. Some African-American Wiccans do practice "Black Magick", a unique Witchcraft tradition that mixes Voodun Dieties with practices developed by slaves in the 1800's. Wiccans do not practice magick used to harm or control minds, and most believe in the Wiccan Rede, "An it harm none, do what you will."

Are Wiccans Goths?

No. Being a Wiccan does not make you a Goth. You do not have to wear black or listen to heavy metal music. But, there are Wiccans who choose to do both these things, just as there are Christians who are "goths" also. It is a choice made by the individual, and does not have any connection with Wiccan culture.

Where can I meet other Wiccans?

It can be very hard for people who are new to the craft to find young Wiccans in their area. It is important when you start to search that you look for people who are accually serious about Wicca. WitchVox is a great place to start. You can search for Witches in your area, and create a profile of your own.

Next, look for any local new age stores. These can be pretty hard to find, for they are usually not advertised on the tv or radio. In Durham Region, there are Odyssey and Serenity. Ask the clerk of your new age store about classes and discussion groups. The Odyssey holds a monthly teen circle where you can meet a few Durham Teen Witches in a safe setting.

All material herein except otherwise noted is the property of Durham Teen Witches. Material may be reproduced for personal use and on other websites if proper credit is given to the author. A link to our website is not required, but much appreciated.
Durham Teen Witches does not advocate or support any ads appearing on this page or as pop-ups with this page.
Any questions, comments, or concerns can be sent to durhamteenwitches@hotmail.com