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Okay, I have been reading a lot on Wiccan and Witchcraft. Some claim that they are the same thing, but I don't think they really are. Some places somewhat explain the difference but it is always left a little fuzzy. Can anyone clearly define the difference?

There is a thread that talks about this in detail but it is RIP...so I will answer this here.

Witchcraft is the act of performing magick. Wicca is a religion focusing on nature and the God and Goddess. Wiccans are known to perform magick.

Witchcraft, is an element in some castes of wicca. Not all witches are wiccans, nor are all wiccans witches.

What wicca has done, it has taken the conceptual ideas of how the cosmos works based on the different paths provided for the gardinarian, alexandrian, and ravenwolf esq major paths. Entering it into a tired regurgatation of the same old paths, being a religion not a practice.

One can practice witchcraft, being of any relgion. However wicca is a religon unto itself, with the drive for the power of magick removed.

So those who soley practice Witchcraft and not Wicca do not have any sort of religion that goes along with magic, they just do magic and that is is?

I think I am having a ditz moment with this, lol.

MarkusBlack: Ravenwolf is not a tradition of Wicca. Silver Ravenwolf is an author but there is no tradition that follows her teachings as a tradition.

People that solely practice Witchcraft can have a religion but its not necessary. Most do but the actual religion varies.

Thank you guys for clarifying that, I know it was kind of a stupid thread, but I have been trying to get the answer to that for the longest time and nobody could ever seem to give me a clean cut answer.

Anytime. Always here for help or questions.

Never really knew there was much of a difference.

Witchcraft is a very broad term...it describes the art of performing magick, whether it be good or bad, Satanist or Wiccan, among other religions involving witchcraft.

Wicca is to Witchcraft as Babtist is to Christianity...it is a denomination of Witchcraft. Wiccans believe in the existance of many Gods and Goddesses, but they also worship nature and believe that nature is a blessing from the Deities they worship.

This would be a good time for you to do some research on both witchcraft and wiccan practices. Maybe you can post a thread about other forms of witchcraft.

Even those who are christian can practice witchcraft, it's not necessary to be wiccan or pagan to do so.

i didnt know there was a difference

For anyone further interested I found this site that pretty much answers my question (guess I didn't look as hard as I thought I did, lol) any feedback on the site and if you think its view on it are on target or not would be great too.

http://www.branwenscauldron.com/witch_wicca.html

Wicca is a Pagan religion and Witchcraft is magic and by practicing it you don't need to practice/belive in a religion.

You do not ned to be wicca to practice magic or any other pagan religion for that matter.

what is wicca~

Wicca, sometimes called "The Craft" or "The Craft of the Wise" is one of many earth-based religion. The religion which is closest to Wicca in America is probably Native American spirituality. Traditional Wicca was founded by Gerald Gardner, a British civil servant, who wrote a series of books on the religion in the 1940's. It contains references to Celtic deities, symbols, seasonal days of celebration, etc. Added to this were components of ceremonial magic and practices of the Masonic Order. A more recent form is eclectic Wicca which involves a combination of Wiccan beliefs and practices, combined with other Pagan and non-Pagan elements. The various traditions of Wicca are part of the Pagan or Neopagan group of earth-based religions.

what is wiccan
Wiccan magick is defined as the use of magic or sorcery within the Wiccan religion.

If Wiccan magick didn't work, people wouldn't be afraid of Wiccan magick. But why does Wiccan magick work? And how?

There are many fine books available on how to use Wiccan magick and work divinations. But few books say anything on why Wiccan magick works. Just how does Wiccan magick work?

Recent discoveries in quantum physics (the study of the physics of sub-atomic particles) and in cosmology (the branch of astronomy and astrophysics that deals with the universe taken as a whole) shed much light on how mind interacts with the universe. These discoveries compel acceptance of the idea that there is far more than just one universe and that we constantly interact with many of these "hidden" universes.

Unfortunately, most books on quantum cosmology are written in language that an ordinary intelligent person cannot understand. Moreover, many if not most scientists are in a state of denial of anything supernatural. They are blind to the paranormal and simply cannot see the obvious logical conclusions of their own discoveries.

What is needed is a source that explains in understandable, non-mathematical terms the relationship between mind and matter––how the human mind acts to influence the physical world.

Such a source exists.

Wicca is a derivitave of witchcraft I think.

You have Pagans and Neo Pagans. I would explain but you can google either. Anyone who claims to be practicing Wicca and does not know about the two terms above clearly is not. I was brought up Pagan.

Thanks again everyone for your great and helpful answers

I agree you do not need to be pagan or wiccan to practice witchcraft, but I think your connection to the Gods and Goddesses strengthen your abilities to affect change

As far as I know, witchcraft is an art practiced, Wiccans are a sort of a religion that is much like the Native Americans belief in the earth and such.

as far as i know witchcraft is a practice, wicca is a religion

Rowan - How is it possible to be christian and practice witchcraft. If christianity is based on the bible and the bible condemns those who practice spiritism and divination...doens't that create a bit of a problem? It seems like the only way to have both would be to disregard certain chapters or books of the bible. I'm not trying to bible thump on you...Faith isn't really my thing but I'm curious how you balance the drive within to practice magik and the christian religion's everlong crusade against magik.

they r totally different.

They both are different and i disagree with ravyn they both do magic and witchcraft is what is it and what is always will be if you read my Journal you can see the difference.

People have been practicing magic since the dawn of time. Whether it be for healing or for religious practice. Does this make anyone who practices magic a Witch? No otherwise all the doctors would have been burnt at the stake many hundreds of years ago and our species would be extinct. Dr's have been mixing herbs and curing people's illnesses as a wiccan would do to make a herbal tea to cheer someone up or to heal an illness. Yet people call these such wiccans a witch because they did the same thing a doctor did, however the wiccan used natural herbs and a doctor might have senthisized the herbal properties into a medicine form. You cant call someone a witch just because of their practices. Witch is a term created to put fear into the community and has done so since the term was created.

Yaya speaks Aridai he speaks the truth :D

I believe Raven said they both DO practice magic but that it's not required for someone who is Wiccan to practice magic in order to follow the faith and believe in the Wiccan gods and goddesses...whereas a witch by definition (whether or not the term is appropriate or derogitory) is a practitioner of magic and that one does not have to be a particular religion in order to be a witch.

Wicca has been explained to death by others in this thread, but as for witchcraft? The original definition is actually quite simple. "The Craft Witches Perform", and originates from a time when the witches in question were tied to devils and demons. It has been redefined in the modern age, and means many things. But is beginnings remain in the pages of history.

Thanks again everyone for all your input, you all helped me out a great deal. I know it was probably a stupid question, but I just was having a hard time finding a straight forward answer, I knew I could count on you guys to be straight forward to the point, lol

If ye ask... ye shall recieve.

If you have your question answered, I bid this thread adeiu..

:)