August’s offering is a letter I wrote to a dear friend, who finally came to me saying “LynAnne, what’s it all about?”  She just wanted to know a little more about Wicca and Paganism.  If you’ll forgive the conversational style that I am well known for, we will explore a little more about it, and some of the facets of it.  Please do know, that not all Pagans or Wiccans will agree with what’s written here, but most will see themselves and smile.  Love to All, LynAnne

Dear Dorinda,

LOLROFL. Just an FYI, I’m not tempting you not to follow your savior as you know him. I honor that and respect it. In return, I ask that I not be tempted not to follow my Goddess as I know her or my God as I know him. If we can all agree to that…we can agree and let it alone. Nuff said.

No, neither Wicca nor Pagans offer up live (or dead) animals (or children, and that includes teenagers, however tempting that might be, but that’s some other belief system). We love the earth and all of her children, and this would be counter to that belief. Many of us are Vegan and some don’t even eat dairy products, wear fur, or leather as they are animal exploitative, some others don’t eat fish either, feeling they are the earth’s creatures too. I am a meat eater, and I do eat fish and fowl as well as I eat eggs and dairy. Some of my sisters and brothers in the craft are not appreciative of it either. You will find Pagan/Wiccans very ecologically oriented and many of them do the ‘all-natural’ thing as part of their duty to their Gods.
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Some Pagans/Wiccans hold their festivals au natural, as well as nude during circle; some don’t. This is not the same as having wild sex with anybody that’ll participate. (That is so hippie 60’s and 70’s). With the STD’s that are running rampant in the world today, that is just plain insane and irresponsible. Pagans/Wiccans are not insane and we are very responsible. You can go to many nudist camps and the same philosophy applies. Running naked in this desert sun would be suicide, just so you know, I don’t…at least not during the day.

As far as sex goes…with Pagans, it can go the whole relationship gamut; from the traditional male/female marriage, to polyamoury, gay sex and any combination thereof.  I know it bothers you, so I will tell you that while the Ex does live here…it is not a polyamourous relationship, although many of our acquaintances and friends assume it is.  He is the Ex for lots of reasons, none of which I will discuss here.  I am an intensely private person as you know (many pagans and wiccans are), and I see no reason to discuss it.  People will think what they want to anyway. As I have stated in the past and still will… it’s nobody else’s business (except Frank’s) who I love, or have sex with, or in what capacity.

I am laughing like crazy at the fairy question. I personally don’t believe in fairies, although I know a few Pagan/Wiccans who do. Some of the gay communities refer to their kind as fairy Wicca, sort of as a joke. Many of the gay community follow paganism since we don’t judge them and they can do their own thing; but, not all, by any means. Its ok, I don’t believe in unicorns either. Dragons…yes, I believe in those…those I have seen, and no I wasn’t drunk.

Being Pagan/Wiccan is a happy thing. We are always laughing, singing and are loving what we are doing. If we can’t do that, we examine it closely to find out why not, and fix it. Our lives are like anybody else’s though, we have our challenges to living, work and other problems. It’s a human condition.

Male witches are not warlocks, nor are they called wizards. There is a tendency today to call them warlocks or wizards, but that is an insult among many of us (although some look at it as a hilarious joke, and walk away laughing.). In Wicca, they are the Wicca (male wise one), a woman is a Wiccee (a female wise woman). It is old English for The Wise One. Witch does the job for most of us. Our people are equal in the sight of the Goddess and the God. Neither is subjugated to the other. A coven is likely to be lead by a Priestess, but in many traditions, it could be a Priest (or both). They aren’t necessarily married to one another either.

We do not worship Satan. Satan is considered a Christian deity (an anti-god) and is not part of our belief system now, nor has he ever been. Christianity didn’t believe in him either; until during and after the crusades. Look it up in your history…it’s there. He is a construct that was designed to frighten and control the masses; he is a political tool and hell has been corrupted into that as well.

We do not believe in the Bible or the Koran, so please do not quote it to us.  But if you do, keep in mind that most of us were brought up Christian and can respond to you in your own text. Sometimes it is unpleasant, such as, I might ask you how much you sell your child for (a real text in Deuteronomy and Numbers). Your religion doesn’t operate that way anymore, neither does mine.

We are recognized by the United States of America as an organized religion, just as Christianity, Buddhism, Catholic or Jewish, Taoist, Hindu or any other organized religion. To attack us, or persecute us in any fashion is punishable under the anti-hate laws that exist in the USA. That includes kidnapping and trying to ‘re-program’ us.

I do not do what is called ‘black’ magic. For me, to do that is to violate the Wiccan Rede and I will not do that willingly. The Rede is a simple law that states what you do will return to you 3×3, except and unless what you do is in self-defense or protecting your loved ones or one who comes to you for protection. Just because I don’t do black magic, does not mean I can’t. A Witch who cannot harm, cannot charm either. Just as a Christian does not believe in doing the wrong thing, does not mean that he isn’t capable of doing so… only that he usually chooses not to.

Cults (one person or a few persons, mind controlling and directing their people) don’t exist among us very often or for very long. You also won’t see us evolving into a Megalo association either trying to control a large group of people’s beliefs. Wiccan/Pagans are rugged individualists who have suffered derision, persecution (often from their own families), abandonment, and ridicule. Trying to lead a Coven (our groups of 13 or less) is very much like trying to herd cats, and getting an agreement to go forward into anything can be difficult and time consuming. But, you won’t see a roomful of Wiccans or Pagans dying or dead from a directive to drink poison either, or having the FBI shoot at their women and children. We don’t roll that way. We obey the law of the land. We all believe in free will and running our own affairs, and if someone is being led by someone else not to do that… it’s a bad situation, and needs to be addressed if the follower will allow it. Often they will not, believing in whatever cause or belief they are directed to. I will say it if no one else will… it’s not how Wicca is practiced or 99.9% of Pagan beliefs either.

We do not proselytize. If you do not believe as we do…we’re good with it and you won’t hear from us trying to change your mind. We only ask that you don’t proselytize to us. But, if you do insist on telling me the good news, I want equal time… it’s only fair, and my news is good too. But, we’ll both be wasting our time. Let us, rather, enjoy our time together and love each other. The differences are far fewer than the similarities.

I appreciate that you have asked me these questions and I hope you don’t mind that I answered a few more. If you have any more questions about what I believe, I welcome it, and I’ll answer you as honestly and factually as I know how. I appreciate that you are trying to understand what I am about, and I know how difficult it has been for you to say, “Tell me about it.” I want to assure you, that I am not controlled. Frank can tell you how really funny that is and would be delighted to do so. So would my Priest.

I love you and I care for you. Thank you so much for trying to understand me. I cannot tell you how much that means to me.

Love always,
LynAnne