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Internet Book of Shadows, (Various Authors), [1999], at sacred-texts.com


 
 
                           Wicca vs. Paganism? 
                             By: David Piper
 
 Firstly, Paganism is a collective term for many different faiths and
 Wicca is one specific Pagan faith; however, specifics of Wicca IMHO:
 
 Duotheistic monism *or* duotheistic monotheism (the One transcending
  the Two while the Two still have independent self-existence)
 
 The Lady is the Mother of all Life and Giver of Rebirth: Her Womb is
  also the Tomb - "that which enters the Cauldron living, dies
  but that which is placed in it dead, comes forth living"
 
 The Lord is the Father of all life, Son and Lover of the Goddess: He
  is born of Her, returns His Seed unto Her, returns to Her in
  death, and is reborn of Her
 
 All initiated members are of the Priesthood: as Priest(ess) unto the
  self, if not to a group
 
 The essential equality of all members, together with the respect for
  those of more experience and learning: Elders, HP, and HPS
 
 Wiccans practice a somewhat "formal" liturgy - if only in terms of a
  regular "opening" and "closing" ritual, within which freedom
  and spontaneity can be expressed as the Spirit moves them
 
 A common resemblance of working methods and practice, within a broad
  but nevertheless limited range of acceptable variation
 
 The concept of "Drawing Down" - that the Deities can and do manifest
  Themselves "unto visible appearance" to Their worshippers
 
 A reverence for sexuality as both natural and good, and as sacrament
  of the creative Union of the Lady and the Lord
 
 The Great Rite - as the "Sacred Marriage," in which Goddess and God,
  human and Divine, are brought to Unity, or Unity perceived
 
 Respect for the "Gifts of the Goddess" (to borrow a Farrarian term),
  as the true means by which humans can come to directly know,
  and experience, the Divine - reason and logic fail; emotions
  and intuition and the "psychic" are the channels of contact,
  and experiential "Knowledge"
 
 The concept of "Naked in Her Sight" as expressive of freedom, and of
  obedience to Her, and of equality with Brothers and Sisters;
  whether by literal, "skyclad" ritual nudity, or by symbolic,
  "Naught is hidden from Your Sight" ritual robes
 
 ********************************************************************
 
 Now, some of the ideas mentioned beg for more definition and further
 discussion, but there's my offering for now...
 
 B*B
 David
 ................................................................................
 2743
 


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