What is the Wiccan View of Christianity?

To a Wiccan Christianity is viewed not much differently than Judaism, Islam, Taoism, or any multitude of religions aside from the one we practice.  If there is any difference it may in fact be related to the amount of animosity at times expressed by members of the Christian faith who outwardly denigrate Wiccan beliefs.  Given this unpleasant reality, it is not uncommon for some Wiccans to view Christianity as a source of oppression. 

To further complicate relations between practitioners of these two faiths, there are historical rifts that have fostered a mistrust and at times animosity towards each of these religions.  Not unlike long held conflicts between different socio-political factions, a history fraught with tension and oppression has produced lingering effects.  It is common for some Wiccans to assume that Christians will be quick to dismiss, judge, or denigrate their beliefs.  This may be based on actual experiences of harassment or abuse, but may also perpetuate this hostility if we are too quick to jump to conclusions.  On the other hand, some followers of the Christian faith harbor negative attitudes or judgments about what Wicca is, in their minds, regardless of the truth.  This can lead to aggressive and sometimes harassing tactics to convert, embarrass, or create discomfort for the Wiccan practitioner.  Either of these two extremes proves detrimental to tolerance and the ability to move forward into greater acceptance. 

 Aside from hostile attitudes stemming from past misunderstandings or historic oppression, many Wiccans view Christianity as containing elements of paganism existing before efforts at transmogrification by the church centuries ago.  Wiccans may recognize the pagan undertones in elements of Christian worship such as the Trinity, the Christmas tree or Easter Egg, or even myriad saint’s days that fall in accordance with pagan days of worship.  The extent that this recognition is a source of contention depends on the practitioner themselves.  Some Wiccans also view parallels believed to have been useful in the acculturation of Christianity.  For example, as Wiccans we honor the birth, growth, and death of a Solar King Deity, as do many other religious systems.  As a result some Wiccans hold the view that Christ is another archetypical Solar King Deity.  Others view him as a sage healer trained by the Druids, but do not as a result, pay homage to him as the son of God.  Wiccans have a plethora of seeking within our own spiritual system without seeking to adapt from Christianity in general.  Like most things however even this carries its exceptions.  Some Wiccan practitioners seek to blend Christianity and Wicca although a majority of Wiccans do not. 

 It is worth noting that within the 13 Principals of Wiccan Belief it is stated “Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be ‘the only way’ and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.”  This explains that in general Wiccans are not seeking to be the polar opposite of any religion, nor are we seeking to “invert” or disgrace the practices of Christians or any others.  The existence of any hostility is a result of centuries of propaganda and anti-pagan campaigns that have sought to drive out the practices of paganism, Magick, divination and healing outside of the institution of the church. 

Article by Angela Kaufman, co-author of Wicca: What's the Real Deal?  Find out more at http://www.wwtrd.webs.com.
 

An Explication of the Principles of Belief: Part 10

“Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be ‘the only way’ and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.”

This principle explains that the extent of animosity, dislike, ill will, enmity, or the adversarial nature toward Christianity or toward any other religion is the extent of hostility that is warranted in response some representatives of the latter faiths who have sought to limit or deny the rights of Wiccans to believe and worship how they choose to do so.  There is also a dislike for those who outright renounce our beliefs.  In other words, it is not part of Wicca to be “anti-” any other religion or philosophy and Wiccans do not convert or proselytize or solicit membership.  We reserve our teachings for those who openly seek them.  If tensions exist between Wiccan groups and those of other belief systems it is a direct result of hostility expressed in the form of harassment and discrimination against Wiccans for our own religious practices.

There is also no part of Wiccan doctrine or general belief that is mutually exclusive of other systems; Wiccans, as a whole, do not deny the right of others to practice their religions even though it may not coincide with our specific beliefs.  In Wiccan practice, we acknowledge that not everyone in the world may honor the Goddess Isis, for example, but we do not inherently conclude that those who do not worship Her are doomed to some ill fate.  We see it as our practice to honor Her and not to convince others of their dire need to do the same.

A part of this principle extends to Wiccans as a guide, and that is in the specification that this animosity is in correlation to confrontation by others and is not an open invitation to rant on others of different faiths or to become lost in a martyr role.  It is not appropriate to direct anger, unprovoked, at members of other faiths who are not responsible for the derogatory or discriminatory acts or speech of the larger institutions with which their religion is aligned.  We do not seek to discriminate or retaliate against individuals of other religions as a repercussion of their religious institution acting in a discriminatory manner toward those who practice our faith.  It is a statement of defending one’s religious rights when warranted and a reminder that harmony is the overall goal when possible.

Angela Kaufman is the coauthor of Wicca: What’s the Real Deal? Breaking Through the Misconceptions, along with Dayna Winters, and Patricia Gardner.  You can find out more about the book at: http://www.wwtrd.webs.com.