Why I chose Wicca

[StarrShadowfyre]

Hi everyone,
This is how I personally came to believe as I do maybe it will help with some understanding on why some others have come to believe as they do.
I grew up Christian and I even went to a Christian school for 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. I am Wiccan I have found my own path through research and enlightenment as most of you have. I started questioning my Christian beliefs when I started noticing discrepancies in the bible. When I started noticing discrepancies starting with Genesis the first book of the bible it made me start questioning the whole bible and what I had come to believe all these years. I am in no way trying to convert you to my belief system as I hope you will not try to covert me to yours. I am writing this so you can see another point of view and why I personally believe as I do. I started questioning things in the bible as I read them basically to me I always felt there was something missing. In Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us (the word us means that there is more than one) make man in our image, (again our means more than one) after our likeness: (again the use of the word “our” could this mean there is a feminine aspect here? Since male and female are about to be created?) and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them (notice that the words he, his and him are singular and we are no longer using plural words such as us, our, and them. To me it seems that something was left out of this verse so if man is created in his own image then the female was created in whose image? So to me it would seem that the other half of “our” or “us” is female and the female is created in her own image so to me it shows that their has to be a male and female aspect here so if the male aspect is called God then the Female aspect would naturally be called Goddess. There is male and female throughout nature in humans, animals, and plants so if you follow that rationale then you should be able to consider that the entity of God as written in the bible has male and female aspects also and I feel both aspects God/Goddess should be worshipped equally. Yes I know that some Wiccan’s worship the Goddess alone but although that is not how I personally believe I feel that it is understandable when the male aspect has been worshipped alone throughout history. So basically aren’t we worshipping the same entity known as God to Christians and God/Goddess to Wiccan’s? although we differ in our opinions of how and why things came to be and in the ways we choose to worship in my opinion we are worshipping the same entity no matter what name or names we choose to use we are all acknowledging that there is a higher power and this power should be revered.) This was my turning point and what lead me through research and enlightenment to the path I am on and I hope that it shows you why others may have chosen the path they are on.

Blessings,
Starr

An’ ye harm none, do what ye will

 

[Shekinahs]

Blessings,

I totally 100% agree with you

~ShekinahMoon~

In Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us (the word us means that there is more than one) make man in our image, (again our means more than one) after our likeness: (again the use of the word “our” could this mean there is a feminine aspect here? Since male and female are about to be created?) and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them (notice that the words he, his and him are singular and we are no longer using plural words such as us, our, and them. To me it seems that something was left out of this verse so if man is created in his own image then the female was created in whose image? So to me it would seem that the other half of “our” or “us” is female and the female is created in her own image so to me it shows that their has to be a male and female aspect here so if the male aspect is called God then the Female aspect would naturally be called Goddess. There is male and female throughout nature in humans, animals, and plants so if you follow that rationale then you should be able to consider that the entity of God as written in the bible has male and female aspects also and I feel both aspects God/Goddess should be worshipped equally.

 

[Routerider]

StarrShadowfyre:

Interesting stuff. I had the same thing happen to me minus the Wicca conversion. I wish you well in your spiritual endeavors.

 

[CushBabylonian]

You have to also remember that this English Bible was translated at the beginning of the Renaissance period, it's not the EXACT word of God.

 

[Arikay]

Congrats on the new religion, wicca is pretty good.

Sounds similar to my sorta conversion (not really a full conversion because i dont think I ever really believed). I went from god to god/goddess, then to deism, then atheism.

 

[Myah]

Wonderful Post,StarrShadowfyre, and very well said. I agree completely.

I actually had a wonderful experience tonight at a Christmas dinner that the local VFD that I am a member of. One of the Junior Firemen is a Youth Minister and he and I spent over an hour speaking about our differing beliefs and our similar ones. It was amazing to me how understanding and how willing he was to listen to other's opinions and ideas, and not immediately discount them. It was really a fun and interesting debate...there were also two other young people (Christians) who got involved and though they made it apparent that they stood fast in their beliefs (I didn't have a problem with that in the slightest), it was wonderful to see how open they were to learning about something new.

 

[joelbarrutia]

Maybe this could shed a little clarification... (not trying to do anything but provide some information, not trying to debate)

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us (the word us means that there is more than one) make man in our image, (again our means more than one) after our likeness:
When in Genesis it uses the terms "we", or

What the "we" and "us" is interpreted (I believe correctly) by Christian doctrine is this; it is talking about the trinity, (father, son, holy spirit) this also correlates to
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. (as you read on a little more you see in that chapter that the "Word" is Jesus)

And concerning what woman was made in the image (or glory) of....

1 Corinthians 11:7A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; 9neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

(Christianity is not sexist, in fact men are instructed to love their wives as Jesus loved the church, and he gave his life for the us, so it goes to show that woman and men are different, but basically equal)

 

[StarrShadowfyre]

ShekinahMoon, Thank you. Blessings, Starr

CushBabylonian,
I do understand that that it is not the Exact word of God but most christians believe that it is. Blessings, Starr

Routerrider and Arikay, Thank You. Blessings, Starr

Myah, I have a lot of Christian Friends and it is nice to know that you can have conversations about religion with them without getting into an arguement, I do wish it was the same with everyone else. Blessings, Starr

joelbarrutia, I respect all beliefs and I was stating how I chose my path. There are alot of discrepencies in the bible and the two verses I quoted both man and women were created at the same time then in Genesis 2:22 the woman is created from Adam's rib. So women were created twice as were the cattle and other animals? If there is so much discrepencies in the first 2 chapters of the Bible alone is it any wonder why we question the whole bible? Blessings. Starr

 

[Arikay]

Allthough some do try to say its the trinity, I believe it reverts to "I" in gen 2. Unfortunatly I dont have a source, but I believe the "us" comes from the Hebrews believing in multiple gods, and believing that Yehweh was the top god. That thought is further supported with the thought that two different writters wrote gen 1 and gen 2, as there is definatly a different writting style between the two.

As far as women, the problem with those verses is allthough they suggest treating women well, it still puts women under men, not equal but under.

 

[Kira Faye]

hm might be off topic, but one descrepincy I see is when some people say the bible IS the word of god totally and others say its changable and not totally 100% the word of god, thats one thing that got me.

 

[Navigator6]

Starshaddowfire


I feel both aspects God/Goddess should be worshipped equally.

If you have no proof of the existence of gods/goddeses and you worship them, then you are nothing but a beileve all knower of nothing, just like the christians.

 

[SilverMoonChick]

i hafta disagree...the trinity is full of males...how can they know anything about women?!?! God must have created "men" in his own image, because guys are CLUELESS about women these days and back then too!! besides, he(god) wants us to marry, as he states that marriage is tween a man and a woman...and since he supposedly condemns homosexuality, wouldnt he hafta be the role model and marry a woman??? AKA the Goddess???,....kinda get where I am going here,.......?

 

[MoonlessNight]

The only male, as far as I can see, in the trinity is Jesus, and he was even called our "Morther" by Julian of Norwhich (a Christian mystic). Referring to God in general as "he" is a product of language, not Christianity.

 

[StarrShadowfyre]

Starshaddowfire


I feel both aspects God/Goddess should be worshipped equally.

If you have no proof of the existence of gods/goddeses and you worship them, then you are nothing but a beileve all knower of nothing, just like the christians.

Navigator6,
You do not need proof as you say to Believe in something (definition of Believe is below) Your belief comes from within you, What makes sense to you and feels right to you, and genuinely touches your life. Which is obviously what you seem to be in search of by reading and responding to the posts of this forum.
Brightest Blessings,
Starr


Main Entry: be·lieve
Pronunciation: b&-'lEv
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): be·lieved; be·liev·ing
Etymology: Middle English beleven, from Old English belEfan, from be- + lyfan, lEfan to allow, believe; akin to Old High German gilouben to believe, Old English lEof dear —more at LOVE
Date: before 12th century
intransitive senses
1 a : to have a firm religious faith b : to accept as true, genuine, or real <ideals we believe in> <believes in ghosts>
2 : to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something <believe in exercise>
3 : to hold an opinion : THINK <I believe so>
transitive senses
1 a : to consider to be true or honest <believe the reports> <you wouldn't believe how long it took> b : to accept the word or evidence of <I believe you> <couldn't believe my ears>
2 : to hold as an opinion : SUPPOSE <I believe it will rain soon>
- be·liev·er noun
- not believe : to be astounded at <I couldn't believe my luck>

 

[Carico]

The only way to have conversations with Christians without getting into an argument is if Christians don't care enough about your soul to point you toward eternal life. After posting on this forum, I'm getting to the point where I could care less about the souls of the unbelievers. It's pointless to care because they don't care themselves. All they want is if their beliefs make them happy today. But that will be their only reward. I hope Wiccans are happy today because that is all they want. It's the same as giving an alcoholic a drink or a drug addict their drug of choice. It makes them happy. What's good for them is irrelevant. What matter is that they get the warm fuzzies.

 

[Heathen Dawn]

because guys are CLUELESS about women these days and back then too!!

We could do without this dose of stereotyping the opposite sex. As for God: the god of the Bible is indeed male, but that&#8217;s because he was made in man&#8217;s image. The god of the Bible is a fake. The true God is not in any way anthropomorphic. He transcends sex (I use &#8220;He&#8221; for lack of a more suitable pronoun). He is one and only and alone, and has neither a consort nor a son.

 

[Teh Wiccan]

On that note, I noticed in the bible it was always the Women who were barren, never the men.

 

[StarrShadowfyre]

The only way to have conversations with Christians without getting into an argument is if Christians don't care enough about your soul to point you toward eternal life. After posting on this forum, I'm getting to the point where I could care less about the souls of the unbelievers. It's pointless to care because they don't care themselves. All they want is if their beliefs make them happy today. But that will be their only reward. I hope Wiccans are happy today because that is all they want. It's the same as giving an alcoholic a drink or a drug addict their drug of choice. It makes them happy. What's good for them is irrelevant. What matter is that they get the warm fuzzies.

Calico,
As I said before: Your belief comes from within you, What makes sense to you and feels right to you, and genuinely touches your life. Wicca has done that for me and many others and I'm sure if you ask other Christians, Buddists, etc most of them feel the same about the religion they have chosen. Personally I believe that the path you choose to follow in life should make you happy. You talk basically about unbelievers so let me just say this we are not unbelievers we just believe in different things. The world is full of choices and it us up to the individual person to decide what they want to do with thier life whether it is deciding to become a doctor, lawyer, etc. or whether it is Wiccan, Christian etc. I don't see people asking doctors to become lawyers? and why is that? It is because that individual chose his profession, just as we have chosen the religion we follow.
Brightest Blessings,
Starr

 

[sOuLifieD]

i hafta disagree...the trinity is full of males...how can they know anything about women?!?! God must have created "men" in his own image, because guys are CLUELESS about women these days and back then too!! besides, he(god) wants us to marry, as he states that marriage is tween a man and a woman...and since he supposedly condemns homosexuality, wouldnt he hafta be the role model and marry a woman??? AKA the Goddess???,....kinda get where I am going here,.......?

I believe that God has no gender. He simply is God, referred to as a "He" because on earth we need something to identify Him with, rather than "it", and as man is created to be the head of his household, God is the head of the world (whether all of it's occupants acknowledge that or not)-- it's also a meteophorical concept with male and female, demonstrated in marriage.
Therefore, since God has no gender, the title GOD doesn't refer to either male or female. He is both male and female, and neither at the same time. He posesses both feminine and masculine qualities, and is yet has no gender. He simply is.
Remember the Bible says that God created man and woman -- which signifies that before that, there were neither man nor woman. If He was already a man, He wouldn't have needed to say that He created man and woman, all He would need to say is that He created woman, because man was already in existance. You see?

Another thing is that, ALL believers are the Bride of Christ. The Holy Trinity is One in the same, and His bride, is His church. The scripture in my signature is an example of that. He will always be the only God, but God chose His church to be His bride-- and created heaven, to be ours together and to discover true marital intimicy after life on this earth has passed.

Not trying to press my beliefs on you, just representing my side.

 

[ALW]

Does anyone know if there is a gender-neutral word for God in any language? (dead or alive language?)

Carico, You keep making me think Fuzzy Bunnies when you write "fuzzies"