by Laurel A Rockefeller

Created on: February 04, 2009

Is Wicca a religion? Of course it is! And it is the most beautiful and wonderful religion of all religions practiced in modern times, at among those that I am familiar with. I am a Daoist/Wiccan or a Wiccan/Daoist-depending on the nomenclature that sounds easiest for you to say. In Wicca, this is fine an appropriate and not at all contradictory. For, as others have cited, the Wiccan Rede states, "As long as ye harm none, do as ye Will." This is our moral code, but it is far more difficult to live by than that of my previous religion: Christianity. In Christianity, you have the ten commandants as a moral code. The Wiccan Rede seems more permissive, but actually is not. For how do you KNOW you are not doing harm?

So what makes up a religion? A moral code is a major feature and the Wiccan Rede fits perfectly. Another feature are rites and rituals. That is, religious behaviors that are done either once (a rite) or repeatedly (rituals). Though Wicca provides us with the freedom to personalize our rites and rituals to our individual spiritual developement, there are certain rites and rituals that nearly all Wiccans will do as part of being Wiccan-like observing in some form or another each of the eight Sabbats that mark the cardinal points of the year plus the midpoints between each of those. Those Sabbats are (starting from the start of the Wiccan year): Yule, Imbulc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha (Midsummer's day), Lughnassadh, Mabon, and Samhain.

Should an individual choose or somehow neglect not to follow all eight, then at very least, most individuals will elect to celebrate the two most important of the holidays: Beltane and Samhain.

Third, and most importantly, Wicca is a religion because the focal point of the moral code and the rites and rituals is religious worship of at least two principle dieties: the Goddess and God. If for no other reason than the worship function, Wicca would be a religon on these grounds. Wicca is all about spirituality and spiritual expression, growth.

Yet unlike other religions, Wicca allows you to blend wisdom from diverse cultures and belief systems that are wholly different than Celtic cultures that inform Wicca. I have a background in Asian history. Through my history studies, I discovered Daoism as a spiritual, not just philosophical, discipline, and incorporated that into my religious practice. In Wiccan circles, this is perfectly acceptable-I can adapt Wiccan conventions to include Asian themes and ideas without conflict. Which makes Wicca very flexible and durable.

So is Wicca a religion? Yes. And i am very glad I found Wicca as my spiritual path.

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