Hey everyone!
I'm Gotham Chopra and this is Holy Facts,
the show where we take you on a tour of the
weirder side of religion and spirituality,
from hardcore Hindus to tribal drug trips.
So get out your cloaks and wands and get ready
to dive into the Wizarding World of Wicca.
Luminos Extinguishum!
Humans have long been fascinated with stories
of witches and wizards, like Harry Potter,
“Once Upon a Time’s” evil Queen Regina,
and Magic Mike.
So it’s not surprising that the number of
practicing Wiccans is on the rise.
And although Wicca is seen as mysterious,
dark, and evil by outsiders, it’s got a
number of similarities to more established,
accepted religions.
Wicca developed in the early 1900s and was
popularized in England in the 1950s by former
civil servant and amateur archaeologist Gerald
Gardner.
Which, if you ask us, sounds eerily similar
to another religion popularized in the 50s
by a charismatic science fiction writer named
L. Ron Hubbard.
And although it’s hard to believe THIS guy
was into paganism, what with his clean-cut
demeanor and totally normal haircut, it’s
true.
But whereas Scientology supposedly deals with
“science” and the inner workings of the
brain, Wicca is all about nature, and has
its roots in ancient pagan practices.
Wicca has no governing body and no core text,
so there’s a lot of variation in what individual
Wiccans believe and how Wicca is practiced.
Generally speaking, however, Wiccans believe
in powerful divine forces coursing through
nature and the universe, forces which manifest
themselves in two main deities: the Moon Goddess
and Horned God, although Wiccans recognize
many other deities as well.
To communicate with these forces, Wiccans
hold rituals and practice magic.
Although Wicca has been dramatized and demonized
by Hollywood and conservative America, their
meetings, like this Full Moon Ceremony, seem
no more exciting or outlandish than your average
Christian service.
Darker, with more candles, yes, but without
the lighting bolts and puffs of smoke we’ve
been led to expect.
Many Wiccans practice solo, while others gather
in small congregations of 13 people, called
covens.
Hmmm, ceremony, dress, lighting of candles,
offering prayers … where have we seen this
before?
Oh, just every Catholic church service ever.
Although there is no real bible in the religion,
Wiccans do adhere to a moral code, called
the Wiccan Rede.
The Rede states “An it harm none, do what
ye will.”
Basically, as long as it’s not hurting anyone,
go for it.
Wiccans also believe in the “three-fold
law” which states that whatever you do,
for good or evil, will come back to you three-fold,
not unlike the concept of karma in Hinduism
or Buddhism.
And although those who practice witchcraft
have, throughout history, been demonized,
there are many more-traditional religions
that have or have had mystical or magical
elements.
Jewish Magic was practiced between 500 BC
and 400 AD and Sufis to this day explore the
inner, mystical dimension of Islam.
Even what we think of as mainstream-Christianity
is full of unexplained phenomena and rituals
that can seem a little magical.
Miracle-workers and faith-healers claim to
be able to say a few special words in the
form of a prayer to heal the afflicted.
What’s so different between that and a Wiccan
ceremony?
Do you believe in magic?
Has anyone ever put a spell on you?
Let us know in the comments section below
or by uploading a response video.
