What's the Big Deal with Wicca?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Worldview with Sean McDowell
 
            Once considered a fringe religion for social misfits, Wicca now has big appeal among teenagers.  Thanks to an extreme makeover by the media (and a 1986 federal court ruling that Wicca is a legal religion protected by the U.S. Constitution), Wicca is now one of the fastest growing religions among teenagers.[1] The influence of Wicca can be seen in video games, books, television shows, cartoons, and the Internet. According to the New York Times, Wicca is the fastest-growing, most lucrative subject in publishing today.[2]
 
What is Wicca?
            "Wicca" comes from the word wicce, which means to bend or shape nature to one's service. Also known as witchcraft, Wicca emphasizes worship of the earth, as well as living creatures and both the god and the goddess. It has spiritual roots in the earliest expressions of reverence for nature.
            Wicca is a very individualistic and experiential religion with emphasis on personal responsibility.  There's no need to seek forgiveness from an outside authority (i.e., God).  Rather, Wiccans are supposed to own up to their own actions, admit their mistakes, and make things right whenever they can.  A rule called the "Rede" is at the heart of Wiccan belief.  It says, "An ye harm none, do what you will."  Simply put, Wiccans have complete freedom to do what they think is right as long as they don't hurt themselves or others.
            Wicca is built around the worship of two deities, the god and the goddess and from them came the seeds of life. Wicca involves worship of the earth-seen as a living goddess-who cares for us and must be nurtured in return. As a nature religion, Wicca states that we are all one with the spirit, with people, with animals, with plants, and with the elements.           
 
Why are teens drawn to Wicca?       
Given the challenges of contemporary life, many teens are looking for direction. Young people are sincerely trying to make sense out of life and find a way to make it work.  And many are looking for answers in the spiritual world.  Many teens find belonging, purpose, and significance in Wicca.
            The promise of personal power over others and the ability to control your own destiny seems irresistible to many teens.  Wicca is revered for its concern for the environment and is seen by many as a female-friendly religion in contrast to a male-dominated Christianity.  Since Christianity is often viewed as rigid and intolerant, many are drawn to the "live and let live" mentality of Wicca.  One of the other big aspects of Wicca is the opportunity to create one's own set of beliefs and moral framework for life.
            Wicca is "buffet-style" religion that gives adherents the freedom to be their own god.  Just as there are different denominations for Christians, there are various kinds of witches.  Some witches follow traditions while others practice their own rituals.There are no central governing authorities, no physical leaders or spokesmen, no universally recognized prophets. It's all about finding what works for the individual, what they like, relate to, and identify with.
 
The Bible and Wicca
            Despite its popularity, there is much reason for Christians to be concerned about the spread of Wicca.  Both the Old and New Testaments refer to the practice of witchcraft and sorcery.  These practices are condemned in every instance in which it is mentioned.
            The Old Testament prophet Micah warned God's people from going to witches for direction in life: "I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells" (<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />5:12, NIV). Revelation 21:8 warns about the fate of those who practice witchcraft:
           
But cowards who turn away from me, and unbelievers, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those who practice witchcraft, and idol worshippers, and all liars-their doom is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.  This is the second death.
 
            Why does God so fiercely condemn witchcraft and similar forms of practice? This reason is that he wants us to rely on Him for guidance, power, and direction.  He is our source of strength in life, not the forces of darkness.
 
What are the differences between Wicca and Christianity?
            Before we look at the differences, it is first important to realize that Wicca and Christianity cannot both be true.  If you start closely examining the beliefs, you will see that their essential concepts-God, truth, reality-are strikingly different.
 

WICCA

CHRISTIANITY

Life after death

Reincarnation

Judgment before God

 
Salvation

Nothing to be saved from, no God to be feared

People have sinned and been separated from God and are in need of salvation

Knowledge of God

Personal experience

Revealed truth from God (the Bible)

Worship

Creation

Creator

Jesus

An enlightened witch

God in human flesh
 
Problems with Wicca
            Since Wicca and Christianity cannot both be true, you must choose which path you think is right to follow.  Choose wisely and carefully weigh the facts.  It's not good enough to just be sincere in your beliefs.  Sincerity will not take you very far when it comes to your eternal destiny or even your life right now. Consider some of the following challenges to Wiccan belief:

1. If we really design our own gods, as Wicca teaches, then our gods are actually weaker then we are.  Logically speaking they would be of no real value or use to us.  We need a God bigger than us, one who we can turn to in guidance and power to deal with the difficult issues of life.  How big is your God? The Christian God is so big that the prophet Isaiah compared him to the number of stars in the sky, which is hundreds of billions (Isaiah 40).
2. Wiccans believe that somehow we obtain power from rocks, trees, and herbs.  Think about it for a moment: Why would you look to rocks or herbs for power when you can grind them up or throw them in the air?  Does it really make sense to seek power from created things when we have access to the one who made them? Romans 1:25 says, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever praised" (NIV).
3. Wicca cannot offer divine love and forgiveness. How can you experience love from nature, a rock, or some "universal energy" in the cosmos? Or how about dealing with guilt? Wicca has no solutions to these questions and more. Only the God of the Bible can offer true love, forgiveness, and freedom from guilt.
4. Wicca is based entirely on feeling and experience.  Think about it: do you really want to base your eternal destiny on feelings and experiences? Christianity is unique because there is historical evidence-fulfilled prophecy, eyewitness testimony, archaeological facts, scientific data-that confirm its truth.

 
The Bible makes it clear that the only path to God is not through religion, but through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Jesus was unique because he was the only one who could bridge the gap between a holy God and sinful people.  Honestly compare Jesus with other religious figures throughout history.  When you do, there will be little doubt in your mind why you should choose to follow him.
 
 

[1] See Steve Russo, What's the Deal with Wicca (Minneapolis, Minn.: Bethany House Publishers, 2005), 12.  This article is a summary of Steve's book, which I highly recommend for further research on Wicca.

[2] Fiona Horne, Pop! Goes the Witch (New York: The Disinformation Company, Ltd., 2004), 17.