Paganism and Prejudice
If you had magical powers, how would you use them? To get rich? Or to put a hex on your enemy? In the modern world, most tend to dismiss witchcraft and witches as fantasies. In any cultures, magic is animate and its practitioners are admired and feared. In the U.S. today the most misunderstood religion is paganism.Paganism today is a general term used for all followers of Wicca and other magical, Shamanistic and polytheistic religions. Some typical quotations, which demonstrate this meaning of “pagan”: "Witchcraft, or Wicca, is considered part of the occult, but has little relationship to Satanism. Wicca is pagan (pre-Christian, as opposed to anti-Christian) and is currently gaining popularity." (Tucker, Rob) "Witches do not worship the devil...Witches are more interested in magical arts and the divinity of nature...Wiccans are considered pagans because they worship several nature gods instead of a single god." (McDowell & Stewart) "The World Christian Encyclopedia estimates 6 million Americans profess to be witches and engage in practices like these. They are a sub-group of over 10 million persons the encyclopedia says call themselves pagans, who practice "primitive" religions such as Druidism,
Wicca is one religion (the largest) within Neopaganism. Other Neopagan groups include individuals and groups who are reconstructing Druidic, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Sumerian, Mystery Religions and other ancient spiritual traditions. Many, perhaps most, Witches are solitary practitioners; they perform their rites alone. Others form covens which are informal groups of Wiccans. There is usually no hierarchy beyond the coven; no state, provincial or national organization. Those covens which have a High Priestess and/or Priest democratically elect one of the group to that office. (Monroe, Douglas, 40) Wiccans have many beliefs here are some of them: Odin worship and Native American shamanism." (Sharon Rufus)
Some topics in this essay:
Roman Catholicism,
Goddess God,
Gardiner British,
Wiccan Sabbats,
Silver Ravenwolf,
,
Mystery Religions,
Ten Commandments,
Sharon Rufus,
Wiccans Baptist,
female male,
concern environment,
feel christians,
animals plants,
wiccan sabbats,
minor sabbats,
christian denominations,
goddess god,
wiccan traditions,
male principle,
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Approximate Word count = 1576
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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