A few questions about witchcraft?

[lightbearer]

What Gods and Goddesses do witches worship?
What is the difference between wicca and witchcraft?

[Lady Dunsany]

In my practice at the time and still I am one with Diana and Apollo. I can not speak for others but generally Wicca was made public by Gerald Gardner which combines supposed traditional Witchcraft with ceremonial magic. I believe we have a thread on this some where. There is the old ways or what we call wise women and the new modern way. I was raised in Traditional witchcraft and A form of Folk Magick. As we touched on one of the thread you can be a wiccan without being a witch and a witch without being a wiccan. It was told to me by a woman who's mother is a high priestess that you are not a wiccan unless you are initiated in garderian. My ways are a little different as we have a thread on traditional at our sister site. I am sure our members who are more familiar with the Wicca religion could probably explain it much better than I have.

[redhand]

You don't actually need to worship Gods/Goddesses to be a Witch! Wicca does because it is labeled as a religion! Usually it is with those that you feel a kinship with such as those of your ancestors.

[Balam_del_Monte]

You don't actually need to worship Gods/Goddesses to be a Witch! Wicca does because it is labeled as a religion! Usually it is with those that you feel a kinship with such as those of your ancestors.

Just do some research and go with the feeling in your gut when you reach it/them

[chronazon]

to answer your questions I'd say plenty and that witches are more solitary

[Lady Dunsany]

I have been both, and for me in this stage of life, solitary is better.

[isis]

defently i like working on my own and i sometimes like it but not all the time..

[lightbearer]

Thanks for the information.

[Mirfalan]

Gods and goddess aren't necessary to practice witchcraft, though i think many witches do have them. Though what gods and goddess can range widely. As far as i am concerned you can even be a Christian witch if you choose. :)

Deities are not required, I suppose, but they are definitely encouraged by most traditional witches. Most will say that whatever power humans can wield comes from deities. Or, they will say the power comes from nature, which is essentially treated like a deity. Traditional witches are actually encouraged to start their training by studying historical texts to find a culture that resonates with them. Then, they are to study the religious practices. After that, it would be wise for potential witches to have a patron and/or matron deity or an entire pantheon that existed in the ancient days. Then, and only then, is a potential witch taught magic by a traditional family. Of course, linking with one is difficult. Fortunately, there is the Internet.

Usually, Traditional Witchcraft designates the ancient Celtic (such a broad and often times conflicting word)--namely Gaelic and British faiths. The Germanic faiths are usually referred to as Heathenism by the practitioners.

As for non-traditional witchcraft, anyone can be a witch, I suppose. But it would make more sense to go by the title related to whatever religion or spiritual system you were following.

Still, what many people forget, is that for the ancients, magic was not magic, but simply life. Their religion was truth, or truth enough. Their rituals were for ensuring successful crops or celebrating good harvests. That was their life. It was not something mystical. Wiccans tend to forget this, even though they erroneously claim that their extremely recent faith has much to do with Traditional Witchcraft.