Can you call yourself a wiccan without having a god/dess?

[Blue]

Hey all,

I've been lurking for a while, studying...observing...so spoopy...

Anyhow, I was talking to a friend of mine recently and she said that she was also looking into wicca, but didn't know if she could call herself wiccan because she doesn't believe in a god or goddess. She has her own beliefs which are similar to mine, but she doesn't think she could ever bring herself to believe in a deity.

Could she (and I, I suppose) call our self wiccan without having a god or a goddess?

[roro.boat.31]

I'm new to the site and I have an idea of what you are feeling. I'm feeling the same way she does.

[Sakura Blossom]

I'm not Wiccan myself, but (and anyone who is, correct me if I'm wrong), just because you don't believe in a Goddess doesn't mean you're not. There are many branches of Wicca, like Faery Wicca, for example. So I don't think you need to believe in a god or goddess to be considered it.

[corvidus]

I'm curious, what are your beliefs?

[Xiao Rong]

I wrote about this a while ago: Non-Deity-Centered Paganism. The short version is: Yes, there are many Pagans and Wiccans who do not believe in God/Goddess/gods.

[bluejay_1919]

Great question! I'm wondering g the same thing!

[WaterMoon]

yes, you can call yourself a Wiccan without believing in a god/dess. Wicca is not about believing in a spiritual deity although there are many of us, including myself believe in deities. It's not necessarily required. Wicca to me is more about connecting to and having a genuine appreciation of nature and animals.

[Siona]

There are certainly plenty of pagans and witches who do not believe in deity, but when it comes to Wicca I think it's important to keep in mind that Wicca is a religion with a set core of beliefs. There are many Wiccan traditions, sure, but most will share that same core... if you move too far from the core, is it still best to call yourself Wiccan? There are many Wiccans who would say that deity is very woven into the religion as a whole, and much of Wicca is based on deity in some way, and I'm sure there are others who would not agree. In the end, it comes down to the individual to decide if they feel Wicca is the best term for their practice, or if something else would be more fitting.