From my experience, many non-Pagans have certain misinterpretations about Wicca and Pagans in general. While other forms of Paganism may have their own stereotypes, I'll focus on Wicca in this post.
Myth #1: Wiccans are Witches
For the most part, this is true; but Wicca is different from Witchcraft (or simply the Craft). Witchcraft is the belief and practice of magic, while Wicca is a nature-based religion. While they complement each other very well, not all Wiccans practice magic, and not all practioners of the Craft are Wiccans. Some Christians and Atheists have been known to practice magic.
Think of Witchcraft like a methodology; a Christian can practice their faith through bible study and prayer, while a Wiccan can cast spells to praise the gods. Some people use the terms "Wicca" and "Witch" interchangibly, but know that some Wiccans will take offense to being called a witch, so I will use "Wicca" throughout this blog. Also, all the Wiccans and witches I've met aren't covered in warts, wear black pointy hats, or fly around on broomsticks.
Myth #2: Wiccans can Hurt People With Magic
I hate to say this, but this is true. Some spells can just make someone do bad on a test, while others can have someone break their leg. But don't panic and think that every Wiccan is out to get all the non-Pagans; the biggest rule of Wicca, sometimes known as the Wiccan Rede, is "Harm None, Do What You Will". Essentially, this means that Wiccans are generally peaceful people. Combined with the Karamic Rule of Three, or the Three-Fold Law, (paraphrased, it says that what comes around goes around threefold) Wiccans know that if they go out seeking to destroy and hurt that they would eventually receive a much worse treatment. Hence, in the rare cases where a Wiccan would cast a spell to hurt someone, it would only be an act of self-defense or to right a wrong.
Myth #3: Wiccans Run Around Naked and Have Unsafe Sex
False. While some Wiccans hold some ceremonies and rituals naked (known as being sunclad or skyclad), they don't go out in public naked like nudists. Even for those that occasionaly do go skyclad, they'll find an isolated place where they can practice their religion in peace. And while some Wiccans view sex as a celebration of life and fertility, they're not stupid about it; they'll parctice safe and private sex just like anyone else. Some Wiccans are increbibly bland in their sex lives; they'll have sex with one person at a time and only have sex in the privacy of their homes.
Myth #1: Wiccans are Witches
For the most part, this is true; but Wicca is different from Witchcraft (or simply the Craft). Witchcraft is the belief and practice of magic, while Wicca is a nature-based religion. While they complement each other very well, not all Wiccans practice magic, and not all practioners of the Craft are Wiccans. Some Christians and Atheists have been known to practice magic.
Think of Witchcraft like a methodology; a Christian can practice their faith through bible study and prayer, while a Wiccan can cast spells to praise the gods. Some people use the terms "Wicca" and "Witch" interchangibly, but know that some Wiccans will take offense to being called a witch, so I will use "Wicca" throughout this blog. Also, all the Wiccans and witches I've met aren't covered in warts, wear black pointy hats, or fly around on broomsticks.
Myth #2: Wiccans can Hurt People With Magic
I hate to say this, but this is true. Some spells can just make someone do bad on a test, while others can have someone break their leg. But don't panic and think that every Wiccan is out to get all the non-Pagans; the biggest rule of Wicca, sometimes known as the Wiccan Rede, is "Harm None, Do What You Will". Essentially, this means that Wiccans are generally peaceful people. Combined with the Karamic Rule of Three, or the Three-Fold Law, (paraphrased, it says that what comes around goes around threefold) Wiccans know that if they go out seeking to destroy and hurt that they would eventually receive a much worse treatment. Hence, in the rare cases where a Wiccan would cast a spell to hurt someone, it would only be an act of self-defense or to right a wrong.
Myth #3: Wiccans Run Around Naked and Have Unsafe Sex
False. While some Wiccans hold some ceremonies and rituals naked (known as being sunclad or skyclad), they don't go out in public naked like nudists. Even for those that occasionaly do go skyclad, they'll find an isolated place where they can practice their religion in peace. And while some Wiccans view sex as a celebration of life and fertility, they're not stupid about it; they'll parctice safe and private sex just like anyone else. Some Wiccans are increbibly bland in their sex lives; they'll have sex with one person at a time and only have sex in the privacy of their homes.
Image courtesy of Google
Myth #4: Wiccans are Devil Worshippers
Forgive me for a moment while I get on my soap-box, but this irritates me. This is false, and couldn't be farther from the truth. The idea of Satan is a strictly Christian idea, so for Wiccans to worhsip Satan doesn't make sense, since Wicca is a Pagan religion, not a Christian one. Also, the image of Satan was taken from the image of Pan (to the left), an ancient Greek Pagan god.
The reason for this is because the early Christian church wanted to antagonize Pagan gods, practices, and beliefs as much as possible while also adapting those beliefs to gain converts. Oddly enough, this is the reason for several Christian practices today; Pagans worshipped on Sunday like many Christians of today, and Yule, Ostara, and Samhain (Pagan holidays, or sabbats) correspond respectively with Christmas, Easter, and Halloween.
Also, the image of a pentagram (which you can see below) is not an image of the devil. It's Greek roots associated it with Pan, but modern-day Wiccans see it as a symbol of protection and magical enegy, and also represents the natural balance of the Five Elements (Fire, Air, Water, Earth, and Spirit). Even with its identification as a symbol of magic, it is rarely used in spells and rituals. Think of it like an icon for Wicca. Oddly enough, it was at one point used to symbolize the five wounds Christ received while he was on the Cross.
Forgive me for a moment while I get on my soap-box, but this irritates me. This is false, and couldn't be farther from the truth. The idea of Satan is a strictly Christian idea, so for Wiccans to worhsip Satan doesn't make sense, since Wicca is a Pagan religion, not a Christian one. Also, the image of Satan was taken from the image of Pan (to the left), an ancient Greek Pagan god.
The reason for this is because the early Christian church wanted to antagonize Pagan gods, practices, and beliefs as much as possible while also adapting those beliefs to gain converts. Oddly enough, this is the reason for several Christian practices today; Pagans worshipped on Sunday like many Christians of today, and Yule, Ostara, and Samhain (Pagan holidays, or sabbats) correspond respectively with Christmas, Easter, and Halloween.
Also, the image of a pentagram (which you can see below) is not an image of the devil. It's Greek roots associated it with Pan, but modern-day Wiccans see it as a symbol of protection and magical enegy, and also represents the natural balance of the Five Elements (Fire, Air, Water, Earth, and Spirit). Even with its identification as a symbol of magic, it is rarely used in spells and rituals. Think of it like an icon for Wicca. Oddly enough, it was at one point used to symbolize the five wounds Christ received while he was on the Cross.
Image courtesy of www.weebly.com
Those are the myths that come to my mind at this moment. I hope you've learned a few things from this, and if you have any other misconceptions or myths about Wicca, please post in the comments. If enough people ask, I may even do a "Myths vs. Reality: Round Two" post.
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