Is Wicca, Witchcraft?
No. Wicca is not Witchcraft. It's understandable how so many people confuse the two. Especially since even the founder of the religion confused the two. Gerald Gardner, before even labeling the religion, believed his new "religion" was a "Witch Cult". While conducting rituals to honor the Gods he believed in, he utilized practices we consider to be Witchcraft. So traditionalists may see Wicca as a form of Witchcraft, but Wicca and Witchcraft are two different things, even if Gardner didn't understand that.
Wicca is a religion. Pure and simple. There's no way around it. What makes Wicca a religion? Well, Merriam-Websters Dictionary Online states that religion is 1) "the belief in a god or in a group of gods" 2) "an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods". Wicca's primary focus is the worship of Pagan Gods as well as building and maintaining an interpersonal relationship with them. How do Wiccans worship Pagan Gods? Through belief, ceremonies and rules:
-Esbats are ceremonial rituals conducted at certain points during the year to worship the
Goddess.
-Sabbats are ceremonial rituals conducted at certain points during the year to worship the God.
-The main ethic ("rule", though not actually a rule, but a guideline) of Wicca is the Wiccan
Rede. Eight words that state: "An It Harm None, Do As Ye Will".
-Wiccans believe they experience interpersonal relationships with their Gods; they believe their
Gods communicate with them in a variety of ways, either through signs and symbols or
directly.
So Wicca is a religion. Religion being the worship of Gods. Witchcraft is not a religion. It's not about the worship of Gods. Witchcraft doesn't believe that Gods need to be worshiped because it's a craft. To say Witchcraft is in some way a religion is like saying baking is in some way a religion. Absolutely the two can overlap. It happens in all crafts and religions ALL the time. But, because they overlap doesn't mean they are one in the same thing. Think about it. Painting is not Christianity or vice-versa, but there are plenty of Christian-themed paintings out there. Christianity is also not sculpting, however there are plenty of famous sculptures out there, including Michelangelo's "David".
So for Wiccans to participate in Witchcraft doesn't automatically make Wicca, Witchcraft.
What IS Witchcraft, then?
Witchcraft is a craft. A set of practical skills one develops through study and practice. There are a variety of practices that could be considered Witchcraft, but none so much more than "spells". Spells are not the sparkly *poofs* of smoke and instant materialization we think of when we hear the word "spell". It brings to mind many a Disney movie, doesn't it? Spells are hardly fantastic. In fact...they're pretty underwhelming in production-value. You don't see much when someone casts a spell, aside from perhaps throwing some paper into a small fire and watching it burn, burying an item or putting stuff into a pouch. There's hardly anything exciting that happens...unless someone makes a mistake and throws a little too much into that fire and it throws a fireball into the air. It's not as exciting or fantastic as tv makes it out to be. An outsider wouldn't know a spell was complete unless the Witch stated so. An outsider also wouldn't know a spell was successful because the outsider would be looking for the flash of light or the poof of smoke. The Witch, to determine their spell was successful, would make careful observations to ensure success. Where an outsider looks for smoke and sparkles or for something to appear in an instant, a Witch looks for signs: birds flying in a certain formation that would seem benign to everyone else, "coincidental" occurrences, unexpected messages, either mundane or esoteric, etc. Witchcraft is quite the subtle craft. Not only is it underwhelming to watch, it's also quite boring if someone is not adept. A spell could take anywhere from a couple of hours...to a couple of YEARS to manifest. This is where patience is imperative. If you have no patience, you probably shouldn't look to Witchcraft. It's not a means of instant gratification.
In conclusion, Wicca is not Witchcraft. Wiccans may indeed utilize Witchcraft in their practices, and may not see it as a sinister practice, nor forbit it in their religion, but that doesn't make them both one in the same thing.
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