Wicca - An Introduction
Any introduction to Wicca,
or witchcraft, must state that it is the old religion of Europe which
apparently evolved from Druidism.
Wiccan is generally a term applied to a "wise one" or "magician,"
and Wicca is the practice of "magic," which is the application
and utilization of natural laws.
As witchcraft competed as a religion with Christianity
(the "new" religion) in the Christianized Western world, witchcraft
became repressed as a form of paganism
(i.e., a primitive teaching) and was given an evil stigma, and therefore
was not practiced openly. However, with the repeal of the English Witchcraft
Act in 1951, many covens, or congregations, have opened up to the public
and many new groups have formed. There are now dozens of Wiccan organizations
in the United States and Europe, with perhaps thousands of active Wiccans
and witches. Most witches practicing the craft publicly are considered
white witches, that is, they use their knowledge for good ends and practice
the Wiccan Creed: "Ye hurt none, do as ye will." Black witches
(which have received the most notoriety, but are considered a minority),
are generally not visible to the public and use their knowledge for selfish
or evil means. Satanism is not considered a form of witchcraft, but was
created by people who believe there is a Satan, or Devil.
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