Wicca/Wiccan, Pagan/Paganism, Witch/Witchcraft

[BabyBear]

I was looking and couldn't seem to find any post dedicated just to helping others note the differences between Paganism, Wiccan and Witchcraft and was wondering why not start one and if it gets deleted well at least I tried as they say.

As someone who spent a lot of time looking stuff up and reading through paths and making them work for me Ive found many people have different ideals as to what the separations are but most agree on certain things that define each path
this is just some of the post i posted on my blog (link below) but i hope that this would help people at least narrow down where they should search for what their path is or considers

http://samnikkiejournal.blogspot.com/20 ... anism.html

WITCHCRAFT
Witchcraft is the practice of using earth, elements and natural energies. This meaning people who are herbalist or aromatherapist who use natural properties of herbs, fruits, flowers and so on to aid them in a cause be it healing, relaxation, pain relief and so on. This also applies to people who do say yoga because it helps with pain or acupuncturist who use pressure points to alleviate pain and brake habits. Witches are more so Shamans then Wiccans and do not have to believe in Gods or Goddesses and can practice any religion freely. They do not have to adhere the the Wiccan Rede and are not a religion. And a witch can be anyone who uses natural remedies as oppose to medicine, say your Grandmother who tells you about using sweet onion oil for ear aches, or chewing whole clover to numb your gums cus you have a tooth ache and are out of Orajel. Witches can also cast spells without calling on gods and goddesses for help.
Witches can be both Wiccan and Pagan but can choose not to be.
(DISCLAIMER: This doesn't give you permission to call your grandma a witch.)

WICCA
Wicca, is a new religion based on old Pagan practicing of covens worshiping and having ceremonies and traditions for various Gods and Goddesses. The term Wicca, like I stated before is actually the male practitioner and Wicche the female. Now they are both considered Wiccans. Practitioners of Wicca believe in Gods and Goddesses and follow a standard of living and practicing based on the Wiccan Rede (the link is the full version). It was published by Gwen Thomson in Green Egg Magazine in 1975, and attributed to her grandmother. The Rede has been redone several times and most have shortened it down but all follow these rules:

An it harm none, do as ye will.
This means if it harms none then do as you please.
And ever mind the Rule of Three:
What ye send out, comes back to thee.
That what you do comes back to you 3 fold, or 3 times as bad or good.
Follow this with mind and heart,
And merry ye meet, and merry ye part.
Follow both the laws and the beliefs with all your heart and mind otherwise you will not be happy and you will not enjoy your practice to its fullness.

Now with Wicca you can be a Witch just like you could be a Witch if you are Christian, however you do not have to be a witch. Now most Wiccans believe that all Gods and Goddesses are real and just chose to focus on one set pantheons, or set of mythologies, or pick and choose what feels right to them, usually after spend years ahead of time studying and learning to the best of their abilities about their practice before choosing the God(s) and/or Goddess(es) who they believe has chosen them or to work with and even after then they spend all of their lives learning from their God(s) and/or Goddess(es) to learn what all they are willing to teach them in this life. Some also choose to believe in just Male and Female energy aka God and Goddess or Father and Mother. They do not choose a named god or goddess but just focus on the energies that the Male and Female represent.
Wiccans are Pagans and most are Witches.

PAGANISM
Paganism is an umbrella term for any one who dose not follow the Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Muslim and Judaism. All pagans are nature based religions or cultures and include everything from Buddhist, Hinduism, Native American cultural practices, Naturalist and Yogies. Pagans are people without God meaning the Abrahamic god.
Pagans do not have to be Wiccan or Witches.

Again this is just my opinion and feel free to add your own advice or thoughts about it but I feels the need to post something so i did hope it helps someone


EDIT: paganism are nature based or cultural based

[Xiao Rong]

Paganism is an umbrella term for any one who dose not follow the Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Muslim and Judaism. All pagans are nature based religions or cultures and include everything from Buddhist, Hinduism, Native American cultural practices, Naturalist and Yogies. Pagans are people without God meaning the Abrahamic god.
Pagans do not have to be Wiccan or Witches.

I just want to point out that while indeed "Pagan" has been used in some contexts to mean anyone practicing a non-Abrahamaic religion, I don't consider it to be a very useful or meaningful term in that regard, since it would include everyone from Wiccans, Buddhists, Hindus, Pastafarians, Jedis, atheists, agnostics, people who don't care about religion one way or another, babies who don't understand religion yet, etc.; it erases the differences between an incredibly diverse and vast population of people and falsely implies a sense of unity among them. I also would consider it a mistake to characterize all non-Abrahamaic religions as more nature-based (certainly some paths are more nature-based, but there are also others that aren't as well).

I still think "Pagan" is a remarkably inclusive and diverse movement, encompassing a wide variety of practices and beliefs. But first and foremost, Pagan should be a form of self-identification. I wouldn't want to foist a label on anyone if they didn't want it, as a basic matter of respect. I also generally prefer labels that describe what I am ("I am a woman"), rather than what I am not ("I am a non-man"), even though Paganism is still a very broad term without clear and definite boundaries. This is probably the best description of the diversity of the modern Pagan movement, describing it as a mix of four "centers" of Paganism where people tend to gather.

[BabyBear]

I still think "Pagan" is a remarkably inclusive and diverse movement, encompassing a wide variety of practices and beliefs. But first and foremost, Pagan should be a form of self-identification. I wouldn't want to foist a label on anyone if they didn't want it, as a basic matter of respect. I also generally prefer labels that describe what I am ("I am a woman"), rather than what I am not ("I am a non-man"), even though Paganism is still a very broad term without clear and definite boundaries. This is probably the best description of the diversity of the modern Pagan movement, describing it as a mix of four "centers" of Paganism where people tend to gather.

I enjoyed the link and agree with its separations
I also have to agree with label someone if they don't wont it

I just want to point out that while indeed "Pagan" has been used in some contexts to mean anyone practicing a non-Abrahamaic religion, I don't consider it to be a very useful or meaningful term in that regard, since it would include everyone from Wiccans, Buddhists, Hindus, Pastafarians, Jedis, atheists, agnostics, people who don't care about religion one way or another, babies who don't understand religion yet, etc.; it erases the differences between an incredibly diverse and vast population of people and falsely implies a sense of unity among them. I also would consider it a mistake to characterize all non-Abrahamaic religions as more nature-based (certainly some paths are more nature-based, but there are also others that aren't as well).

I have to agree with you to a point but i would also like to state that i was basically restating the definition when i got to paganism because to me there is just to many religions that people argue are Pagan.
I also think that its dose encompass all religions that are non Abrahamic but also encompasses life styles, and people like me who take parts of a religion that i think is right and make my own path in life, and like your link points out the four centers of Paganism.
I also would like to state that i think babies do not fall under any religion and until they grow to a level of understanding were they are able to make a choice or learn about religion and comprehend it that they dont fit into any set religious term.

[BabyBear]

also im not saying they are all nature based im saying they are nature or cultural based religions