Women and Wicca Essays

Women and Wicca Essays Women and Wicca Essay Women and Wicca Essay In recent centuries, the concept of religion has evolved along with other human   advancements in every aspect.   Though some contemporary religious sects are mere revivals of early and forgotten systems of beliefs, there are still notable changes in the revived creed.   The archetypal changes and modifications in religious belief systems often coincide with the advocacies and philosophies of its founder and adherents, such as the neo-paganist feminist religion Wicca.Wicca is a religious belief which focuses on earthly spiritual upbringing deriving its principles from the celtic society together with masonic and magick practices.[1]   Wiccas code of morality and spirituality is unique for it does not conform to the traditions and practices of abrahamic religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.   It also tends to stray away from culture based systems of morality found in Buddhism and Hinduism.The general premise of Wicca encompasses on the i dea that beliefs are subjective and unique in every person.   In this sense, Wicca is to be viewed as a new form of religion, a modified version of practices done by ancient civilizations.[2]   And though diverse opinion over tenets of coverage are exercised, the major doctrines of Wicca centers on deities, environmental concerns, gender equality, and human sexuality.[3]Primarily, Wicca differs from Christianity wherein God is a single divine entity in three personas. The latter promulgates that the existence of God is dependent on a persons belief.   In this sense, some Wiccans believe that there is only one supernatural being called â€Å"The All† or â€Å"The One† and this single Deity covers both the male and the female aspect.[4]   Likewise, Wiccans can also deem God in a duotheistic manner wherein a God and a Goddess are worshipped while a number of Wiccans also conform to the traditional pagan practice of worshiping numerous Gods and Goddesses.   There are also Wiccans who view God as a symbol rather than a living entity, this again is dependent of the Atheist perscpective a Wiccan accords with.[5]In a political context, Wicca appears to be a feminist conclave advocating for gender equality and incorporating it with religion through the celebration of the sexual polarity of nature.[6]   Fact of the matter is, self-professed Wiccans present high enthusiasm in the rise of earth based spirituality, Miriam Simos (Starhawk) for example sees the increasing number of Wiccan adherents as a crucial transformation of the conventional culture from male dominance of main religions to the love of life, environment, and feminine principle.[7]A notable premise of Wicca is the concept of liberty, particularly for women, since Wicca is a religious practice that does not limit women to be second rate members or conformists.   The concept of liberty is not simply through the religions focus but on the entirety of Wicca as well. In a strict sens e, Wicca is similar to most religious practices such as Christianity and Islam wherein clergy members are restricted to the male half of the sect and the womens roles are limited to being passive, submissive, and weak.   Wiccan beliefs are not bound by dogma and doctrines that tend to stifle and strangle a woman.[8]   In connection, feminists who prefer to stay with Christianity may just deem the Wiccan belief as a radical feminist movement because the Christian faith advocates for the fulfillment of Gods will and it does call for equality among humans regardless of race, ethnicity, social status, and gender.The rituals of Wicca meanwhile are discussed in a general context, meaning it manifests in different forms.   In any case, the actions involved on the rituals may appear similar to that of satanism, if the perspective is peripheral.   However, the ritual proper suggests harmony of several elements and becoming one with the Goddess.   In this regard the rituals can be c omparable to the meditations practiced by Hinduism and Buddhism wherein individuals concentrate their entire life to achieve Nirvana and become one with God.   In Wiccas case, the rituals are performed to become one with the Goddess. A form of preparation for the event when a Wiccan unites herself with the Goddess is considered to be solemn.The energy being spoken of concerns a positive energy that gives harmony to an individual, harmony that is chi in Chinese tradition.   A Wiccan harmonizes her spirit with the Goddess and the earth. As Zsuszanna Budapest states, a cleansing of the self from the filth and negativity of the patriarchal world.[9]   Through this ritual, the Wiccan rids herself of the ways which have become polluted and corrupted by male authority.