Wicca: Wiccans vs Witches

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Wicca was said to be started by Geroald Gardner in 1954 although not everyone believes this some people believe it is older than that because of Margaret Murray (1863-1963) was a British Egyptology, folklorist, and anthropologist. She is also regarded by many to be a grandmother of modern Wicca, because her books so heavily influenced modern Wicca. In 1921, “Murray published her book,The Witch-Cult in Western Europe(1921). In her book, Murray argued that Witchcraft was the universal, organized, per-Christian religion of Europe. This ancient religion survived across Europe until early modern times. Murray based her argument on her examination of the Witch trial documents of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Murray believed that the ancient Witches worshiped a horned God, which the Christians of the Inquisition claimed to be their Satan. That's why Witches were accused of Satan worship. She called the ancient religion the Dianic Cult, because the female form of this God was Diana, the Queen of the Witches. However, the male Deity dominated the religion. Murray's Witch cult had come from a British race of small people, now known as the Fairies. The Witch cult celebrated eight festivals every year (Sabbats) and minor events (Esbats). They organized themselves into small covens of 13 people.” People were being burned in the olden days due to the fact that spells and rituals were used in the olden days and they were kitchen witches and shaman that healed people. It started in “1692 after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft” but because of these girls not wanting to get in trouble the lied. Because they were called witches even i...

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...eligions/paganism/subdivisions/wicca.shtml
Universal Life Church Ministry,General Wiccan Rite Information,Universal Life Church Ministry,http://www.ulc.org/training-education/guide-to-divinity/religious-ceremonies/28-wiccan-rites/137-wiccan-rites-of-passage/

contender ministries,History and Background of Wicca,unknown,http://contenderministries.org/wicca/history.php
Mystic Blessings,The History of Wicca & Witchcraft,mystic blessing, http://mystic-blessings.tripod.com/id22.html

Geroald Gardner,Articles,Morgan Davis,http://geraldgardner.com/essays.php

Faithology,wicca overview,Sarah Sorge,http://www.faithology.com/wicca/overview?religion=wicca

ayrshirewica ,The History of Wicca ,ayrshirewica , http://ayrshirewica.wordpress.com/lessons/brief-history-of-wicca/ history channel,Salem Witch Trials,history channel,http://www.history.com/topics/salem-witch-trials

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