Journal queenofthe1ring's Journal: Wicca 6

I was reading in my Anthropology textbook and it had a few examples about the Wiccan religion, and some field work that had been done in various covens in London.

While I am loath to criticize the religions of other people, particularly when I know that I have friends that participate in the religion in question, I do have a few comments that I hope will spark a discussion because I am, for the most part ignorant and would like to understand the motivations of the religion.

I understand that Wicca has both a God and a Goddess. Ok, great. I think that Wicca is a lot more nature oriented than other religions. That's fine too.

Thing that bothers me? The whole "magic" aspect. I do not believe that anyone can use powers or spells to alter the world. The text book gave an example of a woman's epilepsy being cured by a spell. The cure? She was in a car accident and flew through the windsheild which stopped her seizures. The wreck was assumed by her, and the "witches" as being caused by their spells.

Kind of a stretch I think. Wrecks happen all the time, and to say that chanting for a cure would result in a car wreck doesn't make sense to me.

For the record I do not particularly believe in "power of Christian prayer" in healing either. There have been studies that say severly injured/ill persons who pray have a greater likelihood of recovering/healing than those who don't. I attribute this more to the stress factor, where Christian prayer allieviates stress in the body and mind, making it easier for it to heal, whereas stress hinders the healing process.

Back to magic... I remember back in highschool I somehow got a free subscription to a Teen magazine type thing. Complete drivel, but anyways, it had an article in it about a "teen witch" who was a practicing Wiccan. At the end of the article, they printed up several "spells" that she had provided them with. Such as the one for love. An interesting note is that she said it wouldn't neccessarily bring you the one that you love, but would bring you someone who was 'right for you at that moment in time.' A lovely disclaimer to provide for the inevitable failibility of the "spell".

Specific to that example, I wouldn't want to think that the only reason a person was with me, was because I cast a spell for them. Is it a power issue? Do they feel so helpless and feel the need to bolster themselves by forcing their will on the universe?

Perhaps this is why magic, and witches, and by association Wicca gets cast in such a bad light by Christians and other religions. How can you account for spellcasting without it looking extremely negative. Why is it that only the select few adherents to the religion are embued with this power, when they are still only ordinary human beings. So either all people must possess magic, or no one does. Though clearly you do not find many Christians, etc, who claim to have this power. How can it be accounted for?

Is there a Wiccan afterlife? How is homosexuality accounted for? I know that it is accepted, but if God and Goddess are two halves of a whole, wouldn't that imply that man and woman are two halves of a whole, and not man/man, woman/woman?

Sorry if this comes off as offensive. I don't mean it to be. My general opion is that if your religion makes you a better person and contributor to society, then whatever as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. But I don't by into the magic bit.

If this gets too hot, it will be deleted. Serious infringers will be foed.