wicca or witchcraft?

[BondageGoddess98]

I keep finding in some places that witchcraft and wicca are considered two different things. I know that Wicca believes in the harm none rule but i hear that witches do not adhere to this belief so i wonder what else or if this really is the case. If this has already been brought up or posted somewhere i would love to have the link.

[Rowland]

in my opinion they kind of co-exist together its like yen and yan something like that wicca does believe in no harm and witchcraft doesnt mean it does harm its more of the practice of the mind wiccan use witchcraft for aura cleansing spells etc. to do and help positive energy flow to you and people around you its long to explain but that sums it up i guess

[Release.the.bats]

Wicca is a religion which can practice magick or witchcraft.
Witchcraft is a practice and can be used independently or part of a spiritual or religious practice.
Witches don't always have to adhere to the belief of 'harm none', it's a personal karma really. However, if your Wiccan it is part of your religion to believe that reed. But if your not part of a specific religion, you don't have to follow "specific" rules. So you can cause harm and so on.
But I think there are way too many repercussions from doing harmful witchcraft or doing "good" spells with selfish intentions, that it's not really worth it. But this is also my observation and it prevents me from being consumed by my ego(anger,hate,sadness etc.) and then become blinded and actually use magick in a way that not only causes damage to another, but causes more damage to myself.

[BondageGoddess98]

thank you so much that really sums it up for me. Its hard to get a straight answer from books alone.

[Release.the.bats]

I'm glad I could help you.

[Moon_Stone]

I agree with Bats on that too: Wicca is a religion based on the Rede, whereas Witchcraft (and thus Witches) are practicing a craft. Thinking of them as one in the same is like saying a needlepointer is also an old lady, because to needlepoint, you must additionally be an old-lady. This is not so. (But a funny analogy, right?)

I am Wiccan, I celebrate the Sabbats and honor the Rede in my daily life; in every way possible, however I very rarely perform spells. And as a Wiccan, everything I do, whether ritualistic or not, is governed by the messages of the Rede.

The main distinction between the two is: Witches are practitioners of Witchcraft; Wiccans are people who are celebrating the entire balance of the belief system and as a part of that, incorporate spellwork as well.

So, old ladies practice needlepoint, but old ladies also play bingo... so not all old ladies are needlepointers, and not all bingo players are old ladies.

Yah, I'm confusing myself. I think I need to go to bed. LOL

~Bright Blessings~

[[SnowRaven]]

I will suggest that one can be both Wiccan and a Witch at the same time, I've actually never heard anyone separate the two so decidedly Moonstone. Following the Rede does not put one at odds with practicing the Craft, IMO.

There are many that practice the Craft but are not Wiccans - they see it not as a religion but a calling.

[Moon_Stone]

There are many that practice the Craft but are not Wiccans - they see it not as a religion but a calling.

Right, Snow Raven: that is what I meant (and I thought that was what I said) -Wicca is a religion, Witchcraft is a practice; there are Wiccans that are also practicing witchcraft (and often will call themselves witches), though the main distinction between the two is that solely "witch" witches don't bind themselves to the Rede in the same way (or at all) as Wiccans do. I'm not saying that Wiccans are the only ones following and honoring the morals set forth in the Rede, only that the simply 'Witches' allow a personal, internal determinant to decide what their beliefs are and what they choose to honor as their personal set of morals and faith.

Here's how I have always understood it:

-Wiccans:
Practice spellcrafting/witchcraft? Yes, but not always
Follow along with and obey the overall message of the Rede? Yes, generally. (Rede is regarded as the Sacred Text to many Wiccans)
Choose their own method and morals of being? No (Other than the choice to choose not choosing, obviously.)
Practice dark magic? No.

-Witches:
Practice spellcrafting/witchcraft? Yes.
Follow along with and obey the overall message of the Rede? Not usually, but some witches choose to.
Choose their own method and morals of being? Yes, entirely.
Practice dark magic? Some do, some don't; but the option is open.


~Bright Blessings~

[Orion]

The main issue is there are many introduced to Witchcraft through Wicca, so they the craft as part of their religious search. Driving is associated with automobiles, but driving existed before automobiles

It is a common mix-up to those new to Witchcraft or Wicca, and I think MoonStone laid it out pretty well. It is good I didn't explain it, I would've used code snippets, ha.

[LaFiamma]

I will suggest that one can be both Wiccan and a Witch at the same time, I've actually never heard anyone separate the two so decidedly Moonstone. Following the Rede does not put one at odds with practicing the Craft, IMO.

There are many that practice the Craft but are not Wiccans - they see it not as a religion but a calling.

Er...there are plenty of witches who see it as a religion, or in a religious context.

[[SnowRaven]]

I will suggest that one can be both Wiccan and a Witch at the same time, I've actually never heard anyone separate the two so decidedly Moonstone. Following the Rede does not put one at odds with practicing the Craft, IMO.

There are many that practice the Craft but are not Wiccans - they see it not as a religion but a calling.

Er...there are plenty of witches who see it as a religion, or in a religious context.

Yep, that's why I used the word 'many' rather than 'all'

[Ohnomysweet]

The way I believe it to be is like this:

Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are Wiccans.
Wicca is a religion, witchcraft, like the name suggests, is not a religion, but a principle of, or an independent action based on specific or arbitrary earth centered beliefs.
It is very similar to the word Paganism. A pagan is, in its simplist definition, someone who does not follow an Abrahamic religion such as Christianity or Judaism. Someone cannot be a follower of the religion Paganism. You'd get a few cocked eyebrows to say the least. If you do not practice your witchcraft through a certain religion, then a good way of referring to yourself is an "eclectic pagan" if you happen to borrow aspects of other pagan religions to form your own belief system, or simply a "witch" if your practice is based entirely on your own beliefs and does not rely in part or in whole on any pagan religion. Using MoonStone's example, sort of, one can be a "crafter" (pagan) delving in many different crafts, or, simply, a "needlepointer" (a witch.) Using the word "witch" to describe yourself is very clear in definition and one would not have to go through much trouble to define to a questioning acquaintance what it is you believe.
On a more humorous note, if you truly wished to dissociate yourself with paganism, Wicca, and/or witchcraft, you could opt to use the phrase "nature worshiping pantheist who occaisionally stints in metaphysical will chucking and candle lighting" like I do.