Before we get started here, let me just take a quick second and spiritually center myself in preparation for the onslaught of negativity that will be flung my way by opponents of witchcraft…
Okay, we good.
Any time my website comes to the attention of someone who thinks Wicca is evil, I inevitably get some off-color remark about how I’m going to hell, or I’m an agent of Satan, or the Christian God is going to smite me because I don’t worship him. It’s par for the course when you practice witchcraft. I generally don’t let it get under my skin, and I actually count myself lucky that we live in a society where I’m able to openly and freely practice my Craft without fear of being put to death like our ancestors.
So what makes some people believe that the Wiccan belief system is evil? The answer is either a) ignorance/misinformation or b) organized religion. I’ll address each of these.
Misconceptions About Wicca
There are a LOT of misconceptions about Wicca and witchcraft in general… like, a LOT. It’s one of the main driving forces behind why I created this site. Whether it’s stuff shown in movies & TV, or just bad information floating around in the Internets, there’s a whole host of things that are accepted as fact that just… aren’t. Let’s look at a few of them.
Wicca is a Cult. A cult is defined as “a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.” When you think of the word “cult,” it evokes imagery of the Jonestown massacre in the 1970s or the standoff in Waco, TX in the 1990s. Indeed, these are true examples of a cult. And while witchcraft may, to the uninformed, seem “strange or sinister,” the simple fact is that Wicca is not a cult.
Wicca is Devil Worship. The generally-accepted imagery of the Christian notion of the devil is one of a being with horns. And since, in Wicca, we have the Horned God (Cernunnos), it’s only reasonable to assume that Wiccans worship the Christian devil, right? Wrong.
In fact, the imagery of the Christian devil came to be because, in the Middle Ages when Christianity was being forced upon civilizations who already had their own ancient belief systems, many of them had the notion of a deity that was half goat, half man (the Greeks had Pan, the Celtics had Cernunnos, etc.)
In an effort to associate the “old religion” with evil, the Christians re-appropriated the imagery to be that of their devil. This was one of myriad ways Christianity furthered its own agenda. It’s a classic case of “you got your devil in my ancient religion!” syndrome.
So no, Wiccans do not worship the devil (we don’t even believe in such a being).
Wiccan Rituals Involve Human Sacrifice. This is just flat-out untrue and has no basis in reality. While there are cultures in history that did practice human sacrifice, Wicca is not one of them. Wicca has a reverence and respect for all life, and sacrifices of humans or animals does not happen.
The Reality of Wiccan Practice
This entire site is devoted to sharing the facts about Wicca, so it’s beyond the scope of this article to go into detail about the realities of what Wicca really practices. But I’ll give you a snippet of what Wicca is about: it’s about reverence for nature. It’s about loving yourself and loving those around you. It’s about connecting with Spirit and living your life as you see fit, as long as you’re not harming yourself, others, or nature. It’s about connecting with your higher consciousness and being yourself and sharing in this wonderful experience called life.
Christian Arguments
When it comes right down to it, the lies and misinformation about Wicca can all be traced to one common denominator… Christianity. It is from Christianity that we see the majority of the railing against Wicca, witchcraft, and pagans in general. But why is that?
Let me be clear… many Christians are good people trying to life a good life and be good to those around them. I practiced Christianity for many years until I finally decided that it wasn’t for me when I was 20. But there are many Christians who seem to think it’s their Christian-God-given right to openly and vehemently condemn anything that is not Christian; and that includes Wicca. It also includes Buddhism, New Ageism, Hinduism, Islam, Taoism, Atheism, etc. etc. etc. It is these same ilk that rail against anything that goes against their specific set of beliefs. Using the word “xenophobe” to describe them seems a little harsh, but I mean, quod erat demonstrandum.
99% of all arguments from Christians against the practice of Wicca will start with this one phrase: “But the Bible says that…” Christians choose to live their lives by the anecdotes shared in the Christian Bible. They view the passages of this book to be divinely inspired and perfect in every way. And that’s fine, if that’s how they choose to live their lives. But the simple fact of the matter is this: The Christian Bible holds no sway over those who choose to walk a different path.
The Christian Bible does not hold any power over those who do not believe in it. Yes, their book says that witchcraft is “of the devil,” and it says that you shall only worship the Christian God. But there are also plenty of historical accounts of Christians slaughtering millions in the name of their God (the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, and the Salem Witch Trials, just to name a few).
Wiccans do not practice their beliefs in such a manner. We are not told that we have to convert others to our beliefs, nor do we seek to change anyone’s chosen belief system. “Live and let live” is more than just a saying to Wiccans… it is how we conduct our entire lives.
When it comes right down to it, I usually won’t waste my time trying to argue with a Christian whose default response is “you’re evil because you don’t believe what I believe.” I think it’s a waste of precious energy, and at the end of it, neither of us is going to change the others’ mind.
So then, in direct response to the question “Is Wicca Evil?” I say, no it most certainly is not. Are there bad people who do bad things who associate with Wicca and witchcraft? Absolutely, just like there are bad people who do bad things who associate with Christianity. But neither of these statements means that the entirety of the belief system is “bad.”
If Wicca resonates with you – if you find peace, enjoyment, and fulfillment in practicing witchcraft then by all means, continue to practice it. If Wicca does not resonate with you, then I encourage you to continue your spiritual journey and find something that does. I leave you with some of the sagest advice I can think to give anyone: think critically, and question everything.
If you have a question about Wicca that I haven’t answered here, head on over to the Contact page and drop me a line. I’m happy to answer any questions you have.
Until next time, Blessed Be!
