I've returned to the Tumblr Ghost Congregation

I had to dig deep and read a lot of history and facts before I wrote this post. I don't ever want to purposefully spread false information. Sources and links for information at the bottom.

What is Wicca?

Wicca is defined as “a religion influenced by pre-Christian beliefs and practices of western Europe that affirms the existence of supernatural power (such as magic) and of both male and female deities who inhere in nature and that emphasizes ritual observance of seasonal and life cycles”

Wicca is a religion created in the mid 1900's by Gerald Gardner and is not, though some will incorrectly claim otherwise, an ancient religion.

What is Witchcraft?

The modern definition of witchcraft is “religious practice involving magic and affinity with nature, usually within a pagan tradition”.

Seems a bit confusing, you said it wasn’t religion?

You’re right, it’s not. It’s the practice and the magic that you do. The religion you subscribe to will probably affect the kind of witchcraft you choose to practice, though.

Why is it a Problem?

Gerald Gardner

Gerald Gardner, creator of Wicca, stole portions of his supposedly "inherited" rituals and based a lot of the rules off of various sources. One of his bigger inspirations was Aleister Crowley, a known bastard who was racist and sexualized POC women. You can see why this may be an issue.

Later in life Gardner became obsessed with publicity and ended up driving away some of his closest fellow Wiccans because of it. These folks ended up creating their own branches of the religion.

There is debate on whether or not these branches are also problematic, I won't be commenting on that.

Erasure

The problem with confusing them, in my opinion, is erasure. Erasure of the many beautiful and wonderful cultures that witchcraft and Paganism deal with.

Racism, white entitlement, and the erasure of other cultures runs very deep in western society.

Sadly Wicca is also full of the all too common practice of stealing from cultures, POC and Indigenous people especially.

Wiccan Creators/Authors

Various Wiccan authors write books claiming to be about Witchcraft (a practice) but after reading further they are actually about Wiccan ideology and beliefs. This has caused, and continues to cause, a lot of confusion for people who know nothing of witchcraft or are starting out.

This confusion is harmful because it makes Wicca out to be as if it's the ruling religion of witchcraft. But Witchcraft as a practice is full of many people with various theological and philosophical beliefs.

Acting as if Wicca is the go-to for practicing witchcraft is harmful and aids in the erasure of many other religions and cultures.

I am not claiming that Wiccan books or information about Wicca is bad in and of itself. I am saying that claiming to write about something as diverse and secular as witchcraft but then making it all about your particular religion is wrong. You are not an authority on a secular practice, Wiccan or otherwise.

Of course there are books by Wiccan authors who do not infuse their practice thoroughly with their religion and then act like it's the true way to practice witchcraft. These authors are wonderful, thank you for not spreading misinformation.

However, there are many Wiccan creators still out there spreading the misinformation, be careful who you learn from. Always research your sources.

A Note to Wiccans

If you do not practice anything in your religion that is stolen or appropriated then great! I am glad you've been able to tear away from the original religion.

I am not demonizing you or criticizing you for having a religion or belief system. That would be unfair and horrible to do. I am simply asking that you be careful about the information you share and the labels you give said information.

If you are writing about your particular religion, please mention that somewhere so beginner witches don't get confused. If you are Wiccan, but whatever information you're sharing is secular, then please label it as such.

To the Wiccans who believe that their way is the only way and actively try to push it on other witches. This is for the ones who don't care about the erasure or damage they are causing by spreading misinformation: You are foolish and rude. There is no benefit in the erasure of cultures and religions that do not fit into your Wiccan standards. Stealing what you please from these cultures and not crediting (or taking from closed practices) is harmful and if you truly believe in your three-folds law then I suggest you stop doing so now.

Your laws may bind you but they do not apply to secular witches or witches in other religions.

To the Wiccans actively breaking away from the origin of Wicca and who are trying to reform it into a helpful and accepting religion: Thank you for doing your research. Keep being wonderful and making sure you recognize the past, not erasing it. Allow your religion to evolve from bad to good and spread the correct information. <3

Sources

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312285051_Wicca_History_Belief_and_Community_in_Modern_Pagan_Witchcraft

Text A: Teasing Out the Influences on Early Gardnerian Witchcraft As Evidenced in the Personal Writings of Gerald Brosseau Gardner Lisa Crandall