* Wicca is an official, legal religion in the U.S., and a fast-growing one at that. Judges have ruled that witches must be allowed to lead prayers at local government meetings, and that Wiccan convicts must be provided with requested “sacred objects” so they can perform spells in their cells. Witches in the armed services have even formed covens and routinely “worship” on U.S. military bases. * “Witchcraft, sorcery, magic and idol worship have been around since the earliest days of man,” said WND Editor Joseph Farah. “They do, indeed, pre-date Christianity as we know it today – just as their practitioners like to point out with pride. But they do not pre-date the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the one who created the universe. They are, in fact, part of a rebellion against Him and His laws.” * Added Farah: “Ever since the 1960s, this rebellion has been growing. It’s kind of the spiritual side of the political and social rebellion that took place in the latter part of that decade. Yet, this spiritual rebellion has continued unabated since then, and has grown exponentially faster and darker with each succeeding decade.”
Modern Witchcraft / Wicca * Witchcraft and Wicca are one of many Pagan paths that could be classified under the umbrella term ‘Paganism’ along with things like Druidry and Asatru. It is a nature-based, mystery religion that honors the Goddess and the Horned God in their many guises, which can be viewed as psychological archetypes. The terms Witchcraft and Wicca are often used interchangeably and seen as synonymous, although not everyone would agree with this definition. It is perhaps truer to say that Wicca is a form of Witchcraft but not all Witches practice Wicca. There are now many forms, branches and traditions of Witchcraft, with rituals and beliefs that can vary quite widely, the main ones are summarized below. * Probably the most well-known manifestations of modern Witchcraft are often referred to as ‘Gardnerian’ and ‘Alexandrian’ Witchcraft; so-called due to the people who are seen as being mainly responsible for their growth, namely one Gerald Gardner and Alex Sanders. Although Alexandrian Witchcraft could also be considered to be a slightly later variation on Gardnerian Wicca, with its main distinguishing feature being its greater use of ceremonial magic. It tends to be these two branches that are more readily identified with the terms ‘Wicca’ and ‘The Wica’. People following these paths tend to be a member of a Coven that meets regularly to celebrate the festivals and work magic. Rituals are often performed ‘skyclad’ (naked), and ideally there should be a balance of male and female members, though this is often not achieved in practice. There is an overall emphasis on fertility, and the natural cycles of the year. * ‘Traditional’ Witchcraft is thought to have a link to an older tradition. Members are more likely to wear robes during ceremonies and usually work outside. Like the Gardnerian and Alexandrian Craft, Traditional Witchcraft observes the cycles of nature and is woven together with native, British folklore and customs. Robert Cochrane, a contemporary of Gardner’s, is the name generally associated with the resurgence of interest in Traditional Witchcraft. * The connection with nature is an exceptionally strong theme running through what is considered to be another form of modern Witchcraft, namely the more Goddess-orientated, Eco-Witchcraft which has been popularized by American authors like Starhawk (nee Miriam Simos), and Zsuzsanna Budapest. Generally speaking, this form of Witchcraft has tended to attract more women than men, and those women tend to be older than those attracted by the previously mentioned traditions. * You also get individual Witches / Wiccans, often called ‘solitaries’ or ‘hedge witches’ who practice alone by choice. Rae Beth’s book Hedge witch was particularly influential in this movement. Hedgewitches tend to be more shamanic and are