jritayik asked this question on 5/2/2000:

Hey... that sounds a lot like a paragraph from the book "bucklands complete book of witchcraft" Well, ive always assumed a witch to be basically what you said, but still some things confused me so i did i little more re-search. What iv been told is that, witchcraft was a religion way back when (thats why its called the old religion) but when Gardner first published his book in the 1950's, he referred to it as wicca, and he mixed in different beliefs with the new term as well. People often tell me that wicca is a new religion with old beliefs, and that witchcraft is just the practice of magick. Meaning that not all wiccans are witches (because not all wiccans practice magick) and not all witches are wiccan because hell there are other followers of other religions that practice magick (buddhist...etc) It just never makes any sense to me, and ive been studing it for two years now! For example, scott cunningham believes that wicca is the religion that sometimes practices magick or witchcraft, that they are not the same. But when i read Bucklands books, he gives me the impression that wicca is just a modern name for witchcraft. Do you have any way of explaining this to me?

PS- heres my e-mail- whitemoonshadoe@yahoo.com

may the God and Goddess smile upon you(or whoever you worship for that matter!)~

Love and Light~ ~Black Panther

SatyrWitch gave this response on 5/2/2000:

Dear Big Black Kitty.....

Well, you've done as much research as I have, it seems, and you have reached the same conclusion that I have. Basically, I think that as mutable and interpretive as our faith is, it's pretty much open to personal preference as to which definition you like best. (It's kinda like the old adage, "Is the glass half full, half empty, or twice as big as it needs to be?") Cunningham has one definition of the different terms, Buckland has another, you've heard mine, and I'm sure Starhawk and Silverwolf have still others. (Off-track thought #2: That's something that has always annoyed me about Christianity. There are all these different denominations, and each one claims to be the ONE TRUE path, and that the others are WRONG! Wiccans accept that different people have different opinions and thoughts, and each is true and valid, as necessary as our individuality.) So which definition is RIGHT? Answer: They all are; each works best for the person who uses it. I hope my non-answer answer helps. :)

Blessed be, Satyr

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