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| Julie Baumgardner | |
A new book by a local Christian teacher and researcher says the religion of Wicca has a broad appeal and those who are aware of it have a number of misconceptions.
“Many will be surprised to find it is an official religion,” said Dillon Burroughs, the co-author of “Generation Hex: Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca,” “and it should be treated as such.”
He said it should not be mistaken for satanism, nor do all its followers dress in black. He said most of its adherents are “kind and gentle people,” are “spiritually sensitive” and are open to spiritual discussions.
Mr. Burroughs, a writer for Ankerberg Theological Research Institute and instructor at Tennessee Temple University, said what should concern Christians about the religion is its foundational belief that as long as something does not harm someone else it’s all right to do.
“There’s some people who are Christians, or involved in churches, who also dabble in witchcraft,” he said, “and they don’t see the inconsistencies between the two.”
However, Mr. Burroughs said, on foundational issues Christianity and Wicca “are far different, and it’s illogical and inconsistent to say you believe both, or follow both, at the same time.”
The God of Christians is the trinitarian Father, Son and Holy Spirit, he said, while Wiccans worship a God and Goddess who exist together.
Wiccans also hold a love of the environment because they worship creation as part of their system of belief, Mr. Burroughs said.
“As Christians, we’ve had this stereotype of not caring for creation well,” he said, “so those who care very deeply for environmental issues who are not part of either system are going to look at the two and say Wicca more closely reflects my beliefs and values.”
Parents, according to Mr. Burroughs, should be aware that everyone who is involved in Wicca is involved in some form of using magic and spells.
“If you’re concerned about your children or teenagers being involved in communicating with the spirits of the dead, this is something that should concern you,” he said.
In general, Mr. Burroughs said, people should not fear Wicca, especially if they already have a belief in an all-powerful Christ.
Instead, he said, Christians need “to be proactive in building relationships (with Wiccans) and showing love so, if you really believe Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, you can show it by your lifestyle and be appealing to that person if they are open to a change.”
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I am a Pagan, a followerer of the Religio Romana path. This means that I follow the relgious practices of pre-Christian Rome, but I make certain consessions for the fact that I live in the 21st century.
I think that the author of this book is under the misconception that everybody that is Pagan is also Wiccan. Not every practicing Pagan is Wiccan, which should have been made clear. There are those who are reconstructionists, such as myself, and many other different types of paths that fall under the Pagan header. Wiccans are Pagan, but not every Pagan is Wiccan.
My problem with this book is that I get the feeling that it was specifically written in oreder to try to convert Pagans to Christianity. I don't want to convert, thank you very much, and I think that it is mildly insulting to assume that Pagans/Wiccans need to be 'saved'. Saved from what? From happily practicing a religious path that makes them happy and speaks to them? I say let people practice what they want to and just worry about your own life.
Also I would like to disagree with the stance that a person who's Christian can't practice witchcraft. You can be of any religious path and practice witchcraft. There have been Christians practicing folk magic since the dawn of Christianity so to say that it can't happen is ridiculous. There is a difference between being a witch and being Wiccan. Some Wiccans practice it and some don't, just like some Pagans practice it and some don't.
Many Pagans, Wiccan or not, respect their dead ancestors and venerate them. This also happens in Catholism when the Day Of The Dead is celebrated. Saying that it is a purely Pagan/Wiccan trait is false.
I would suggest that the author of the book, and the author of this article, should have done a bit more research on the subject. Having a Pagan/Wiccan point of view in the article would have been a good thing to have, because there are a ton of misconceptions included in it that could have been countered by a person who is actually Wiccan/Pagan.
Wiccans believe in naturalism [the doctrine that all religious truth is derived from a study of natural processes and not from revelation]. Consquently refusing God as the creator.
I enjoyed the commentary posted at 3:15pm by C_D, and very much agreed that Mr.Cooper's article is simply another attempt at conversion, masked by an ultrathin veneer of civility.
I found the later (4:39pm) commentary by J_R a bit puzzling, in that he would presume to inform Wiccans of their beliefs. I've never met the gentleman; how amazing that he would be familiar with my, and every other Wiccan's beliefs!
Please take a look at John Morehead's excellent review of this book at:
http://johnwmorehead.blogspot.com/2008/0...
Thanks!
Ok, so I guess I am just little late on commenting on this article, but I just recently found it on the internet. LOL
I'm a ChristoPagan. I believe in the Salvation offered by Jesus Christ and I'm also a Wiccan. I embrace that God can be viewed as the trinitarian Godhead of Christianity and also as the Triple Goddess aspect. I view Magick as a more indepth and active form of Prayer.
I'm coming to realize that trying to convence someone that your beliefs or religion are better is like trying to tell someone that your imaginary friend is more real than their imaginary friend.