Okay. That’s good enough for me, Rob.
Humm - I don’t know if I qualify…
I have certainly practice Wicca in a larger sense than any other religion (which I don’t practice at all). When in New Orleans I always to to the Wicca store and stock up on stuff, and then go home and use it, but I’m not sure that qualifies me as a Wiccan.
I think the stuff works, even if only for the positive energy that I get from it.
anyhow - perhaps a real card-carrying Wiccan can clarify.
We really are a “YMMV” bunch. No qualification exam needed, and you don’t have to buy off on everything the person next to you says. It’s all about how you feel and perceive things.
Also, I just went through my 3rd degree initiation, and they still haven’t sent my damn card. Bastards.
[sub]If you want, Al, I’ll forge one for you when I’m making mine. I still owe you a favor for the butter tarts from the Elephant Waiting Room.[/sub]
Just adding my own experiences:
Why are you?
Why am I what? 
Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Why am I Pagan? Because I find there are several points of theology that I disagree with in the Abrahamic faiths (Judeism, Christianity and Islam). Those being (in no particular order), monotheism, the necessity of salvation, the Afterlife and the nature of Diety (whether Diety has an of the OMNI qualities, like omnipotence or omniscience.
To expound, I don’t believe that there is only One God. At best, there are two, male and female or, as I personally believe, there are a variety of Gods. This is a point of debate within the Neo-Pagan community, are there really many Gods & Goddesses or simply a God and a Goddess who we perceive in a variety of ways?
I also don’t believe in the inherent “sinfulness” of human nature. We made do and say stupid things at times, and some humans act in a maliciously evil way, but it’s not an inherent quality within our species as a whole.
I don’t believe that the Afterlife is a black and white, either/or proposition. Either you end up in Heaven sitting on a sugar cloud, strumming on a harp, singing praises about God or you’re forever damned to endless physical torture. Both seem equally silly. I believe that after you die, there’s a place of quiet and contemplation, where you can reflect upon what you did in your past life, learning from both your mistakes and good works before you go back to a physical incarnation to learn something new.
Finally, the infamous OMNI qualities of Diety. I think these have lead to many contradictions about the Nature of Diety. I don’t think any Diety is all-powerful or all-knowing. This isn’t to say that they’re very powerful or very knowledgable, far beyond that of human understanding. In the same way that the science of physics or mathematics is beyond the understanding of a dog or cat.
One more point; homosexuality. No major Church within Christianity has ever fully welcomed homosexuals into itself. Some congregations have, but so far neither the Bishop of Rome or the Patriarchs of the Orthodox faiths nor the Archbishop of Canterbury has fully welcomed homosexual into their ranks. At best there’s been a lukewarm response.
One word of clarification. Modern Paganism is often referred to as Neo-Paganism (to differentiate if from the Paganism of the Antique and mideveal period). Of the many Neo-Pagan faiths, Wicca is probably the best known. There’s also Asatru and Celtic Reconstructionism to name two others.
Were you some other mainstream religion before?
My family was nominally Espicopalian. But, since my father was in the service, we moved very frequently and never really established ourselves in one particlar congregation.
Why did you change?
My own homosexuality made me take a deep, strong look at the Christian church and realize that I’d never be happy within it. I also realized I’m not a Martin Luther or other reformer. I would end up fighting a long, uphill battle and spend lots of time being angry at other the people rather than being spiritual. Also, see my responses to your first question.
How did your friends/family take the news?
When they did find out, just a few years back, they took it well, wishing me all the best.
Do you have any links (magazines/books)that you find particularly helpful?
Where to begin? Margot Adler’s Drawing Down the Moon is an excellent text for getting the basics of Wicca and learning some of its history. For a very deep understanding of Wiccan history, check out Ronald Hutton’s Triumph of the Moon. It’s excellent and very detailed. Be prepared tho, it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a sizable read and very thick in its description.
Do you think your religion is gaining popularity?
Hrm…good question. I don’t have enough data to say yes or no. I know that the local Samhain celebration drew a few thousand people for a weekend of camping.
Woo hoo - A wicca card for me! (I finally found the name of my fav. store in New Orleans - Occult Goods, if anyone is interested - I’m not sure if they have cards, but they do have the coolest Harlequin Great Dane I’ve ever seen.)
I am sorry I haven’t responded earlier. Two sick kids, a lovely jaunt to the doctor’s office, preschool stuff and a husband’s birthday to plan for, and there goes my quality online time.
First, I want to thank everyone for their input and references. I have heard of Scott Cunningham before, IIRC, he is from Royal Oak, Michigan, which is my home town. A nice, up tight blue collar nothing exciting happens here kinda place.(At least not when I lived there.)
Secondly, I find it rather interesting that a great deal who posted here were raised Catholic, which is how I was raised.
And third, Hi Opal.
I would write deep thoughts now, but child #1 just decided to wake up child #2.
Thanks again.
This is hard to answer… I am Wiccan because I’m me. If my beliefs need a “label” for some reason, Wicca fits the way I think, and is generally the way I will identify myself, if asked by someone who has any valid reason for wanting to understand what I believe. I feel as if I have always been on this path, and just didn’t located a road sign for awhile.
My mother is Catholic, my father was raised Lutheren, but does not believe in organized religion. For most of my life, we (my mom and us kids) attended a UCC church. I was baptised Catholic, and confirmed UCC. What I was as a child depends on who you ask. Most of the religous background from my family has always been Catholic.
I don’t really think of it as “changing” really, more like evolving. There are a lot of factors that pushed me away from Catholisim… not the least of which is that I don’t like to be told what to think
It isn’t anyone’s inherent right to know what I believe. I tell only people I trust, and/or people who have some sort of reason to understand that side of me… mostly these people are friends, and if they know me that well, they understand fine.
I’ve not bothered to broach the subject with my mother or grandmother because it would only hurt them. They are old school, they are indoctrinated, they believe everything the Pope says. They would not understand that my beliefs are not intended to be a slap in the face to their catholisim…
It’s easier for them to believe me to be a lapsed Catholic… and I leave them content in that belief. It doesn’t bother me to attend Christmas mass with my family, family is important, and mass is pretty. Since I believe all gods/godesses are one anyway, Catholic mass is simply a different ritual for me. I do not however take communion, as I feel it would be rude to do so when I do not believe in the whole “body and blood transformation” thingy.
All of the things noted above are good sources.
I don’t know that’s it’s gaining popularity (makes it sound like a new beer or something)… but I do think it has made major progress on it’s way to gaining acceptance with the mainstream population. The classic misconception that “all pagans sacrifice small children in the name of satan (or whoever)” seems to be fading and it seems to be being replaced (especailly among younger people) by more of a “I don’t understand you… but doing your own thing is ok as long as you don’t hurt anyone” kind of attitude.
I like this change. I can’t wait for the day when I feel safe discussing my beliefs in public in my tiny little redneck town.
And Shirley, I really need to say that I admire your non-judgemental - levelheaded - information gathering approach to finding a home for your own personal spirtual side.
I hope you eventually find yourself on a path that is fulfilling for you.
be Blessed
-Pandora
**
I spent part of my childhood in Hawaii, where I was surrounded by Buddhism & Hawaiian beliefs in gods, goddesses & magic. About five years ago I started doing some serious work on my family-of-origin issues and attended Alanon meetings. As you may know, the basis of the twelve-step programs is a belief in a higher power. When I began digging deep within myself, I found that I didn’t really believe in anything, but that I was definitely not a Christian.
In my search for my own personal spirituality I was lucky enough to hear a speaker at an event I attended who talked about paganism, wicca, magic, hinduism, etc. It was like a light coming on for me. Everything I’ve ever believed fit in perfectly with what she was saying. Since then I’ve pursued that path in shaping my own personal ecclectic faith.
For me, “paganism” refers to the earth-based, pre-Christian beliefs & practices of the early Celts, Druids, Native Americans & Hawaiians. I also study Zen Buddhism.
**
I was baptised a Methodist, but I only remember going to church when I was very small. When I was a teenager/young adult I tried every kind of Christian church I could find in search of something that clicked. In fact, there are still occasions where I will attend a Christian church with friends (September 11, for example).
**
It’s funny, the first Christmas after I’d discovered my paganism, my father got us to watch the PBS series “From Jesus to Christ” with him, which examines the life of the actual person and how it sparked a religion. It was the first time I ever remember my parents & I discussing religion, and it turns out their beliefs are similar to mine. They believe in a God, but they’re not so sure about the whole Jesus thing. They were both very accepting of my search for a spiritual belief, although I didn’t actually use the “P” word on them. 
I’ve also found that most of my friends have very similar beliefs, or are very accepting of mine.
**
The ones that I know of have all been listed here by others.
**
Hmmm. I don’t expect anyone to believe exactly the same way I do, and I don’t think of it as a “popularity”, but I do think that various flavors of paganism, wicca, and other non-Christian beliefs have gained slightly more acceptance in recent years. I think the whole “New Age” movement has opened the doors for that. Just look at how many catalogs sell crystals now. LOL!
**
Thank you for starting this thread! I think it’s wonderful that you’re exploring. It’s the journey that counts.
Sue
I was just wondering what exactly is the difference between Wiccan and Pagan? I have never been sure on this. Thanxs
HEY!
I’ve gone Frenchy!
I am a Wiccan because when I approached it like I approached all other religions, with a full-on leap of faith, it fit where the others didn’t. I went to the others with an open soul, and the intent to learn, but felt like I had walked to an open door, and been beaten back away from it. That’s the only way to describe how I felt about all the others. Somehow I just knew this was right.
I was very briefly a not-really-practicing Catholic in my early days, up to about 10 years of age. After that I stopped really caring, and around 13 I thought of myself as a full-on athiest. Athiesm became more and more militant up to about 15, but then I decided to give religion a try, to see what I was missing. I changed because Athiesm seemed to me to be really wrong. It seems impossible to me that there is absolutely NOTHING bigger than us with some control, and while I admit my current views could be wrong, I think Athiesm is the most dogmatic religion. When you claim to KNOW that there is NO GOD OF ANY KIND you are overstepping what you can know as a human.
Friends took it fine. Parents are fundamentalists, so I don’t talk to them about it. I don’t hide my altar setup or my pentagrams, and they don’t ask. Whatever.
Online is, IMHO, not the place to learn about this. For just general info, I think it is one hundred percent impossible to beat the book Pagan Ways By Gwydion O’Hara. Available at most New Age bookstores.
Yeah and it pisses me off. Wicca is about joy and love and togetherness with the Earth, but a lot of it is being hijacked by stupid mall-going goth types. (Not that all goths are stupid, just the ones that live at the mall and are just posers trying to scare shoppers) It kind of does piss me off the number of people I see with upright pentagrams that have skulls or swords on them. Blecch.
LC
To put it simply, all Wiccans are pagan, but not all Pagans are Wiccan. 
Sort of like all Methodists are Christian, but not all Christians are Methodists.
-Pandora
Just gotta say… Pandora, I LOVE you!!! That’s almost exactly the explanation I give, 'cept I use Catholic and Christian.
Great minds think alike, eh?
I think I love you too bobkitty[sub](even though I don’t usually like cats)[/sub] Actually, to be honest I like everybody who thinks I have a great mind
p.s. I used to use “Catholic/Christian” in the metophor… till I met the world’s biggest idiot who INSISTED that Catholics weren’t Christian… that they had to be something else. And that the “Catholic church” could not be a branch of the “Christian church” because the Catholics had been around longer". It was a scary conversation. Suffice to say, I could not make myself understood even with the aid of a dictonary and a World Religions textbook. Obviously, I am not yet prepared to fight that kind of ignorance.
-Pandora
Oh my goodness! Do you think we might be long lost twins separated at birth? Just think of me as the Cajun/French Creole branch of the clan (not the sheet-wearing kind, either).
Soeur Sue
Yep. That’s me. Pagan, not Wiccan. I’ll get around to it one of these days. Especially now that I know they get cool club cards.
Why are you?
As so many others have said, I found it to be the best match for the way I felt about the world and about Deity.
Were you some other mainstream religion before?
I was raised Catholic, and was in fact seriously involved with the church up through my early 20’s.
** Why did you change?**
I became unable to live with the contradictions between what I believed and what the church represented. Since my family is Irish, I had been brought up with those myths and found them to be compelling. When I read about Wicca, I found that I liked the idea of having more responsibility and power in my own life. I like a Deity I can come to as an equal, rather than have to entreat for their attention.
** How did your friends/family take the news?**
I have not told them, and do not expect to unless it becomes necessary. It would hurt my mother, who is already upset to know I know longer consider myself Christian. (She asked - and I will not lie about it.)
** Do you have any links (magazines/books) that you find particularly helpful?**
Most of the good ones have been mentioned, but I like Patricia Telasco - she writes about how to integrate belief into daily life. I also like Z. Budapest, who write on women’s spirituality and history.
** Do you think your religion is gaining popularity?**
Since I rarely discuss it, I don’t know.
[QUOTE]
*
**
I got one for the knuckle heads that don’t grasp the concept of Catholics aren’t Christians…Tell these idiots, with a straight face, that “You know, you ARE right, they aren’t Christians…They are Papists.”
Anyways, I am sorry I haven’t been on the boards for a couple of days, by some freak accident by the tech gods, I was banned from the boards for about a day. It was a very long day, indeed. I was forced to interact with the real world…and I met two rock stars. ( I think I’ll start a thread)
Anyways, thanks for all the input.
You’re welcome. You got more answers than I expected. We Are EVeryWhere.
A gift for the witch that has everything: A Wicca Basket. Not sure where to find one? Look it up in the Yellow Pagans.