Can you be Wiccan or a Witch and still go to church?

[too2sweet]

Everyone likes a little friendly discussion...so let's discuss:

I was reviewing a book on Wicca the other day, and even with my eclectic views, I almost fell off my bed when I read the following statement:

Quote:

"You can be Wiccan and still go to church..."

It may be helpful to know that this book was also written on the premise that "Wicca... is also know as witchcraft."

In the case of Wicca, I don't see how you could do both. I can understand if you are in a position where your parents make you go to church, but in that case you are really just "visiting". But to truly follow both paths, doesn't seem possible. Not only that but it seems disrespectful in a way.

If you are a Witch, I can see where you could choose to follow whatever religion you wanted to, but since most of the Christian religions are so against witchcraft, that would be a little weird (or scary) to say the least if they found out.

Just wondering what everyone else out there thinks.

Edit... to clarify the question a bit, it comes down to can you be Christian and Wiccan, and/or does witchcraft have a place in Christianity?  

[PhoenixMoonStar]

I've read this before too. In fact, I've heard of a group of people who practice "Catholic Wicca".... which is just wierd to me. But apparently, it's something like (and I might get the name wrong) Sataneria... where they combined voodoo (or was it Hoodoo?) And Catholicism. It's out there... people are doing this.

As for can it be done.. well, they're already doing it. As for should it be done.. who am I to judge. As for how it works... don't know. I left the Catholic church running, and I'm not keen on finding my way back.. no matter what it is I do.  

[Dragoness Arleeana]

Well, if anyone would actually take the time to read the bible they'd realize that the teachings of Jesus are very similar to Wicca. Jesus taught tollerance and acceptance, to love and forgive, much like Wicca does. People who continue to go to church and also practice Wicca usually believe in the Lord and Lady as their gods and then also believe in the spreading of the word of Jesus. Jesus was a great guy, but his message has been corrupted and muddled up by the church.  

[lycoris_aura]

My friends are predominantly Christian, and I attend church with them often. It's usually a part of a larger get together (like, we go shopping after, or go after a sleepover) but I would go willingly without that. Their families enjoy having me, and the people there love me.

This may seem unusual, but it makes sense when you consider
A) Only one friend REALLY knows I'm Wiccan, and she is too, so we keep each other out of the lime light-therefore, none of the parents or people there know this either. (My trick is I never lie about it if asked... I answer abstractly wink )
B) I have that persona I put on that makes all adults love me... stare I use it to my advantage.

It's not all that bad though, seriously. Many of the songs are very nice, and most of the teachings can be translated into our ideas... at it's source, Christianity isn't that much different, but it's modern interpretation and practice (On the Christian side) is what keeps us so far apart. sweatdrop

I find that if I get nervous there, it's best to remind myself that there's no place on Earth that can't be considered sacred- so the ground a church is built on is as sacred to me as it is to them.  

[Arrea Delano]

I have a teacher at school who is an amazing Christan but he studies things that are Pagan, Wiccan, and just all around things that aren't considered "normal" for someone that practices Christianity to do. He believes something very similar to what I used to believe. He believes that humanity has hidden abilities that people have forgotten about throughout the history of time. Paganism practices many of these abilities. Such as healing with energy, calming with energy, just all around energy workings. He's a shaman and practices healing other people with energy. He believes that this is the place where Christians and Pagans come to a cross road. He thinks it's entirely okay to practice things that are considered witchcraft and Pagan because he believes that God provides the abilities and energies to accomplish these feats. While he thinks most Pagans think the energy comes from the universe, the Goddess, God, whichever you believe. So yes, it's entirely possible and acceptable to practice Witchcraft/Paganism and attend church on a regular basis.

I have to say I agree with him and I respect him. After all our teachers don't teach for their health. They are meant to be listened to. ^^

Edit: I agree with Dragoness Arleeana. I just think Jesus was a married man, maybe not as amazing as people claim he was but there's no doubt he was a great guy that had found a power within himself and used it to help those around him. Which is what I think is the basis for white magic and Wicca. Just a personal opinion though.  

[mechanical kitsy]

i go to the unitarian church my grandma goes to. it's not a christian church, although christians go there too, and there are actually a lot of people in earth centered religions there.
actually, i help in the nursery, i dont exactly attend the service.  

[The gypsy Queen]

yes a 'christian witch'. ive herd of them. some say that any cathlic, jew whatever that pratices magic is also a witch.

but the church dose use magic so......idk. lol. thats just the deff. that i heard.  

[Dragoness Arleeana]

The gypsy Queen

yes a 'christian witch'. ive herd of them. some say that any cathlic, jew whatever that pratices magic is also a witch.

but the church dose use magic so......idk. lol. thats just the deff. that i heard.

Well, if you're practicing magic, which is considered witchcraft, then you WOULD be a witch. Some Christians follow the word of Jesus but still practice witchcraft.  

[PhoenixMoonStar]

xXx kitsy xXx

i go to the unitarian church my grandma goes to. it's not a christian church, although christians go there too, and there are actually a lot of people in earth centered religions there.
actually, i help in the nursery, i dont exactly attend the service.

CUUPS.... I'd fogotten about them until you mentioned it. "Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans"... usually works out of a UU church. I actually went to a few workshops at one before I got married and moved away... I wonder if there are an here in Denver.. *wanders off to go look*  

[The gypsy Queen]

Dragoness Arleeana

The gypsy Queen

yes a 'christian witch'. ive herd of them. some say that any cathlic, jew whatever that pratices magic is also a witch.

but the church dose use magic so......idk. lol. thats just the deff. that i heard.

Well, if you're practicing magic, which is considered witchcraft, then you WOULD be a witch. Some Christians follow the word of Jesus but still practice witchcraft.

well yes, if you put it that way then technecly all christans are witches. they do magic in the church such as caandle and insence magic.  

[Tari_Leralonde]

I agree that Christians can be witches while still practicing the Christian faith, but I don't believe in "Christian Wiccans". Christian beliefs are completely different from Wiccan beliefs.
I have a friend who claims to be Christian Wiccan, but I think it's completely ridiculous.  

[Dragoness Arleeana]

The gypsy Queen

Dragoness Arleeana

The gypsy Queen

yes a 'christian witch'. ive herd of them. some say that any cathlic, jew whatever that pratices magic is also a witch.

but the church dose use magic so......idk. lol. thats just the deff. that i heard.

Well, if you're practicing magic, which is considered witchcraft, then you WOULD be a witch. Some Christians follow the word of Jesus but still practice witchcraft.

well yes, if you put it that way then technecly all christans are witches. they do magic in the church such as caandle and insence magic.

Most Christians don't do that actually. Yes, most churches light candles as symbols of something or another, but they don't do candle or incense magic. Their worship to God is in no way magic if we want to go by the definition of magic. They praise and worship God and pray for miracles and wishes. Then according to them their God decides if he's going to fufill those wishes or not and then does them himself, DIRECTLY. Pagans use their own willpower to make things happen, the supernatural is channeled through the witch to make things happen. It is not done directly by our Gods, they merely give us the tools and abilities to do it for ourselves.

There are less than a handful of Christian churches that practice any sort of witchcraft, as it is against the word of God. The few who do do not usually follow the Christian God, but merely the words of Jesus. Christianity is more about Jesus than God, so it IS possible to be a Christian witch, but there are very few of them.  

[PhoenixMoonStar]

best way I've heard it put was actually a Dar Williams song. "You find magic from your God, we find magick everywhere"  

[lycoris_aura]

xXx kitsy xXx

i go to the unitarian church my grandma goes to. it's not a christian church, although christians go there too, and there are actually a lot of people in earth centered religions there.
actually, i help in the nursery, i dont exactly attend the service.

Unitarian Church, huh... what's that like? Is it a church for all religions, or something like it? How do the serivces and similar events go?  

[mechanical kitsy]

lycoris_aura

xXx kitsy xXx

i go to the unitarian church my grandma goes to. it's not a christian church, although christians go there too, and there are actually a lot of people in earth centered religions there.
actually, i help in the nursery, i dont exactly attend the service.

Unitarian Church, huh... what's that like? Is it a church for all religions, or something like it? How do the serivces and similar events go?

it's an interfaith church... the basis of them is pagan (or similar) and christian, although i have seen jewish and people of other religions in there.
heheh... sweatdrop
actually i've only (technically) attended 1 and a half of the services. but this particular church has, based on the time of year, they talk about different religions, tolerance, yadayada... they do joys and concerns (which is like people come up to the front of the church and talk about something good or bad that's affected them), and other stuffs, and they have other stuff, not just on sundays, but like community things; but i dont like large groups of people so i go hide out in the nursery and help there.

and i dont really remember christian services at other churchs, except the catholic ones, and even then i dozed off after about an hour... i couldnt help it, i was a little kid.
oh, wait... i've gone to about 3 or 4 and a half services at the UU church, i just got to thinking about it.