Life After Death

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by Amitola

Having previously been a Christian, now converted to Wicca, i get abit torn on how i feel about life after death. As a Christian I believed that your soul passes on to heaven or hell, depending on how well you lived to the Lords word etc etc etc, but while i've been studying Wicca, it seems they believe in reincarnation, that you are re-born as another being, not necissarily human! But i'm not sure i like that idea! I don't believe in hell or the devil, and can't then really believe in 'heaven' but i like to think that when we leave our physical bodies, that our 'souls' meet up 'somewhere' with those we've loved in our lifetimes, family, friends etc

)O(

I thought Wicca embraced faiths, and one did not have to give up one's faith to be Wiccan...hence your concept of heaven and hell, may still be viable for you. All the more to blessed be...

v/r

Q

[bgruagach]

Originally Posted by Quahom1

I thought Wicca embraced faiths, and one did not have to give up one's faith to be Wiccan...hence your concept of heaven and hell, may still be viable for you. All the more to blessed be...

v/r

Q

Wicca draws its inspiration from pretty much any source that doesn't run away too fast. However, I don't think it's accurate to say that you can be both Wiccan and another faith as Wicca is a religion.

Can you be a Jewish Christian or a Jewish Muslim? If the answer is yes, then perhaps someone could be a Wiccan Christian too. If the answer is no, then it's not going to be different regardless which two religions we're talking about.

Borrowing ideas or practices from a particular religion does not make the practitioner a member of that religion.

On the topic of life after death, though, Wicca does not have a single answer. Wicca isn't really a religion of dogma so on almost any question there will be a variety of answers which can all be considered valid for Wiccans.

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by bgruagach

Wicca draws its inspiration from pretty much any source that doesn't run away too fast. However, I don't think it's accurate to say that you can be both Wiccan and another faith as Wicca is a religion.

Can you be a Jewish Christian or a Jewish Muslim? If the answer is yes, then perhaps someone could be a Wiccan Christian too. If the answer is no, then it's not going to be different regardless which two religions we're talking about.

Borrowing ideas or practices from a particular religion does not make the practitioner a member of that religion.

On the topic of life after death, though, Wicca does not have a single answer. Wicca isn't really a religion of dogma so on almost any question there will be a variety of answers which can all be considered valid for Wiccans.

I don't know about Jewish Muslim, but Jewish Christian, yes. Again, I draw my views from people I've met and some books I've read (along with a couple ficticious novels as well, by Orson Scott Card).

Also, much of Christian traditions, holidays, saints, lore, etc., are of pagan origins.

Some would call Druidic Christians and oxymoron, but for the fact that it is an historical truism.

But I digress. I was curious, and got my question answered. Thank you.

v/r

Q

[path_of_one]

Originally Posted by Quahom1

Some would call Druidic Christians and oxymoron, but for the fact that it is an historical truism.

And a contemporary one as well. Of course, modern Druidry can mean any number of things, some of which are compatible with Christianity and some that are not.

I have personally not heard as much about Christian Wiccans (or Wiccan Christians) but some of my students in the past informed me that they felt themselves to be both Wiccan and Catholic, so I guess they are out there. Perhaps they were utilizing the term Wiccan when what they meant was nature-centered, or something of the sort. I really don't know.

[bgruagach]

Originally Posted by path_of_one

And a contemporary one as well. Of course, modern Druidry can mean any number of things, some of which are compatible with Christianity and some that are not.

I have personally not heard as much about Christian Wiccans (or Wiccan Christians) but some of my students in the past informed me that they felt themselves to be both Wiccan and Catholic, so I guess they are out there. Perhaps they were utilizing the term Wiccan when what they meant was nature-centered, or something of the sort. I really don't know.

I think that there are a lot of people who are confusing "witch" with "Wiccan." A witch can practice any or no religion because witchcraft itself is really just about doing magick. Wicca, on the other hand, is a religion.

There are definitely Christian witches, Jewish witches, Wiccan witches, witches who follow other Pagan religions (and aren't Wiccan), Muslim witches, and even atheist witches. But being a witch or practicing witchcraft does not automatically make one Wiccan.

Borrowing ideas or practices from a specific religion doesn't make you a member of that religion, any more than eating in a Chinese restaurant can make me (a Caucasian of British descent) a Chinese person.

[didymus]

I think religion is dangerous for the very reasons I see written here. When you create a religion you automatically exclude other concepts and ideas. Even if not done maliciously or judgementally. The Spirit of God or Enlightenment is all inclusive and loving. When we finally realize that we are more alike than different then we'll see some exciting things happen. Religion may well be the last great hurdle for mankind to get over before we truly come together and great progress is made.

[Azure24]

Nonesense! People often say religion is the cause of war but that is ignorance. The truth if religion is not the course of war then something else will be. Anyway more to the point, religion is not something that separates us people, infact its what brings us togther. Look at Christmas for example. The ones that separate themselves from other using religion are the ignorant ones. Most (if not all) religions tell us to live at peace with one another, so tell me this! If you go against idea then you are the cause for separation!
I myself i am a christian so i quote you this from my 'cause for separation religion' "To live, indeed, is not in our power, but to live rightly is"
Case closed!

[bgruagach]

Originally Posted by Azure24

Nonesense! People often say religion is the cause of war but that is ignorance. The truth if religion is not the course of war then something else will be.

I'm not sure I understand your point. Are you saying that no conflict throughout history was ever triggered or justified by religious claims?

Wars and other political conflicts are rarely ever simple with just one clear cause. Religion is certainly not the sole cause for any war but it is most definitely one of the key factors in many conflicts.

Sectarian violence in Ireland, just as one example, is clearly based on lines drawn between Catholic and Protestant factions. We don't have to look very far to find other examples around the world in the past and even in the present day.

Originally Posted by Azure24

Anyway more to the point, religion is not something that separates us people, infact its what brings us togther. Look at Christmas for example. The ones that separate themselves from other using religion are the ignorant ones.

So for people to be brought together by religion it means everyone has to participate, correct?

Do you attend all the various events sponsored by all the different religious groups just in your own area? Do you faithfully participate in Jewish Sabbaths, in Muslim prayers at temple, in Hindu rituals? Do you attend the ceremonies at all the different Christian churches in your area?

If you're not then you must be wilfully rejecting some of those religions. Is someone who doesn't participate in other religions' ceremonies ignorant and purposefully separating themselves from others on religious grounds?

Originally Posted by Azure24

Most (if not all) religions tell us to live at peace with one another, so tell me this! If you go against idea then you are the cause for separation!
I myself i am a christian so i quote you this from my 'cause for separation religion' "To live, indeed, is not in our power, but to live rightly is"
Case closed!

Many religious groups throughout history have interpreted their religious claim to "live in peace" as only applying to people who are in their own religious community. This is how they justify engaging in conflict with others -- because they are not "true believers" they are therefore fair game for political conquest or even things such as slavery or genocide. This attitude is not embraced by all religious groups of course but it has existed (and perhaps still exists) in many.

Religions say lots of different things but even where you might think its claims and demands are clear there is always going to be disagreement over interpretations. Some groups do treat "live in peace" as applying to all people regardless of their differences but others interpret "live in peace" in very limited and often relative ways. If things were truly simple with regards to religion we wouldn't have all the different religions, or the different denominations and sects within religions, that we have today.

; )

Ben Gruagach