Everything Under the Moon

It's important to note that a lot of British people who had a very liberal understanding of Christianity, or a tolerance for liberal Christianity.

Whereas, in the USA, the home of fundamentalist extremism, and abortion centre massacres, they would define Christianity quite differently (in a cultural sense).

And of course in my country which is very Atheist, they would define Christianity the same as literalist Fundies. So see the USA definition.

Yes, you're right - I'd forgotton about that - it's years since I read his book.

Cursefall wrote:Merry meet!

I'm Augustus.

All my life... I have been raised a Roman Catholic. None of my family members were ever Wiccan. To be honest, I feel like Catholicism is the path I should take because it's... It's... CATHOLICISM! Although I try to look at the perspectives of other people. What if they feel just like me. They feel as if their religion is the central religion of everything. Like I said... I'm confused. I know there are many different kinds of religions out there. It's like all these religions are roads that will lead you to different paths. BUT my whole everything is telling me to do great things as a Wiccan and at the same time, respect "The Holy Trinity".

Faith. It's based on facts. All faiths have different facts. I crave for Christian knowledge and I crave for Wiccan knowledge.

Can the Christian and Wiccan road possibly merge?

(I will take all opinions with open-mindedness.)

Blessed be.

If one knows facts one would not call it faith. We must only have faith in things unknown. Facts are things known. It is wonderful that you are thinking and questioning. You are free to work with both your Christian and Wiccan practices and compare which offers the deepest feelings of connectedness to Spirit.. Blessings to you.

I'll chime in because I am Pagan who was raised Christian. I am constantly combining Christianity with magic.

Now, there are a lot of folks on this site who will say you cannot "call yourself" a Christian AND call yourself" a witch. A lot of folks get very hung up on "terms" and they like to say you can only call yourself one or the other. If you call yourself both you're told that you "can't" or that you're "wrong". (However, if I was to start a thread and tell people what they CAN and CAN'T call themselves on their own spiritual path, I would likely be told not to be so rude and to be more open to other people's situation, but I digress)

So, basically, we just need a new label and according to many people on this site, using Christina witch is not appropriate. I've seen Christio-Pagan as a term used before. Also, Gnostism is a faith that follows Jesus but doesn't have to follow the bible. How do they get away with that? They don't call themselves Christians! They are the Gnostics and no one bats an eye.

I have seen multiple posts surrounding this topic since I joined the page last year, many coming from those who are already doing this or are curious about doing this. This makes me think we are all just the front runners of a new tradition that is emerging. Someday, we probably will have some special little name given to us that doesn't constrain us to one practice or the other but allows us to freely blend our practices to fit our own spirituality.

Rosie

Becks wrote:Prefaced with the "in my opinion" moniker.
*Becks is making finger quotes*

Do I think you can be a Catholic and practice magic at the same time? Yes. However it would officially be frowned on by the Church. But hey, Catholics use birth control all the time.

Can you be a Catholic and actively practicing the 'Wiccan Religion"? No.


My personal understanding is that following specifically the path of Wicca and the practice of following witchcraft are different. That is not a belief that everyone here shares. You should here the, out too. There are good points there. We have a good thread about that specific chat. It is also my opinion that Wiccans, as I know them, would not curse somebody with sickness. The Wiccan Rede discourages against that kind of thing. Anyways that's just my background and understanding, and I'm sure you will get another varied response.

So, like Imperious I say technically-nope.

Becks, I agree with you on this and also that there are differences between Wicca and Witchcraft. I love both as all are seeking truth and spiritually. There are so many who dare not leave a receding shore in quest of new more magnificent horizons.

I will admit that I am a Muslim and a wiccan. I practice wicca within the confines and moral principles of the faith so it remains ethical. Would most wiccans like muslims, probably not too much, would most muslims accept wiccans, no. absolutely no tolerance. Do I accept myself and am I doing anything wrong according the the Quran are the only questions that matter. Remember that Jesus did say few are those who enter,so what most people think doesn't matter, the Quran has similar scriptures about how most of humanity is lost. Forget people and go by what your prophets revealed to you and live by the golden rule. I think faith in the All loving is good, personally, but to each his own.

I think that's just awesome Lasiah.

I think priests fit definition of Christian witches, or at least magicians, rather well. Can Wiccan beliefs be incorporated into other beliefs? I think yes, for cannot one believe in both the Goddess and the God as subordinates of the highest Power, which is Nature itself? This coincides with some Jewish views on what is God, and what could be deemed "lesser" Gods.

Can Jesus be evoked along with the Watchers? Author Wait's brand of ceremonial magic does this. Priests exorcise and command demons and otherworldly spirits in the name of God. There is a whole branch of ceremonial magic which is fueled by Judaeo-Christian beliefs.

But some would say that brand of Christianity is not real Christianity. And likewise, they would say that brand of Wicca is not real Wicca. But the kind of people who argue over petty semantics generally aren't concerned with the reason these things exist, or why we as humans are called to explore the spiritual. Instead, they are more concerned with their earthly identity, how they are perceived by others, and how neatly they fit into what they have defined the universe to be.

Just to say "folk" Wicca, the non-initiated type, and folk Catholicism, things such as Santa Muerte and brujeria use similar origins. As does trad Wicca, and many trad Wiccans incorporate a lot of kabbalah and Judeo-Christian stuff. Besides, there is evidence a few pagan religions survived with merging with Christianity, this is especially true about the Aztec religion and is mentioned by academics. I am not opposed to it, as trad Wicca, at the very least, is orthopraxic; based on right practice, not right belief. Folk Wicca (Neo-Wicca) is similar to this. Anyway, I hope this helps.

Those two Paths have a of a lot of conflict between them. A lot of the beliefs of a Wiccan will conflict directly with the beliefs of a Catholic. A lot of Catholicism as well will lie directly against any Pagan religion. The Vatican itself is testimony to that.

None of this actually matters.

These labels help categorize your beliefs. Wiccans have a set of beliefs. Catholics have a set of beliefs. You personally however can take from both religions and create your own life belief. The label is an afterthought.

Okay so I have some additional thoughts for the OP and IDK if anyone mentioned it... But Trinitarian Wicca is a thing, if you're interested and combines both paths.

Now, this is my opinion, but I do not see Christianity as a religion of and by itself. I feel its the same as the umbrella term paganism, where it encompasses many different religions. Christian is about being a "follower of Christ". Keep that in mind.

I believe you can personally incorporate any religion and/or belief into your craft if you choose to. Witchcraft is not a religion. It's an understanding of the universal powers around us and how to utilise them. We all have access to them but very few understand. You can be Wiccan or Pagan without being a witch but you can also be both, just like any other religion. There is black magic , white magic and everything in between. The rules/guidelines or beliefs you follow while practicing are yours to choose as are the powers you call upon while doing so. Unfortunately though main stream religions even today haven't changed much and you won't find one that openly accepts a witch into their church or kingdom. But that's ok, and that's their choice to do so. But... what ever your basic religious beliefs are you can 100% incorporate them into your craft, I just wouldn't recommend advertising it to your congregation. BB

I may sound like a jerk here but you can't be a Christian and a Wiccan at the same time. They are both religions. You can however be a Christian and a witch.

Raven At Heart wrote:I may sound like a jerk here but you can't be a Christian and a Wiccan at the same time. They are both religions. You can however be a Christian and a witch.

I'm not sure that they are actually mutually exclusive. I think it depends on how the individual feels a day sees him/herself.

Snow

I know many people who faithfully practice two religions. It keeps peace in a multi-faith family.
Personally I have unresolved questions and view all religions as true, and that no one, single religion has the whole story. I see similarities between Wicca and Christianity, particularly in the fallen/risen god-form. And I practice witchcraft. The conflicts are in my head, not my heart.