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Webster’s Dictionary defines faith as: “a belief in the value, truth, or trustworthiness of someone or something; belief and trust in God, the Scriptures, or other religious writings; a system of religious beliefs” (Webster 64). The faith of Wicca, more commonly known as witchcraft, has a long history throughout the world. A modern-day witch is a “practitioner of a nature-based belief system or religion” (Basic F.A.Q.s of Witchcraft, 1). Contrary to popular belief, witches do not worship Satan; Satan is a part of the Christian religion, and since practitioners of witchcraft are not Christians, Satan is not a part of the deity structure. Also, unlike legend dictates, there are no ‘bad’ witches. Wiccans follow the philosophy: “As it harm none, do as ye will” (Basic F.A.Q.s of Witchcraft, 1). Wiccans have ethical standards just as other religions do, and good and bad witches exist, just as there are good and bad people in all other religions. Modern witchcraft is based on the teachings of Gerald Gardner. It is coven based and each coven lineage can be traced back to Gardner himself (Basic F.A.Q.s of Witchcraft, 1). The definition of culture is: “the act of developing intellectual ability with education; a form of civilization, particularly the beliefs . . . and customs” (Webster, 39). Witchcraft is a culture unto itself; it is considered a ‘mystery’ religion which requires initiation processes and has a ranking system based on training and acceptance of the duties and responsibilities of the rank achieved by an individual (Basic F.A.Q.s of Witchcraft, 1). In this way, witchcraft culture is much like modern day culture. For example, in a business environment, a person is ranked based on experience and training. In order to receive a promotion of rank, an individual is required to accept the responsibilities of the position offered. Often, an ‘initiation’ process, commonly called a probationary period, is required before the rank is bestowed permanently on an individual. Other parts of the witchcraft culture is the ‘uniform’ worn by most witches/Wiccans. Although it is not a set style of clothing, most practitioners of witchcraft favor black, green, and/or purple. They believe that black attracts and holds more natural energy because it is absorption of all colors (Basic F.A.Q.s of Witchcraft, 4). This ‘uniform’ aspect is similar to modern day culture is reflected in many ways; one example being uniforms worn by the law enforcement officials and all branches of the military. The persecution of practitioners of witchcraft and other religions that were not related to Catholic teachings began very early in history. During the Dark Ages, Christians considered “the spread of knowledge” (Dark Ages, 1) a symptom of the end of the world. This prompted book burnings, destruction of libraries and schools, and opposition to education for the common person. Elders in the Church were aware that keeping the public ignorant was in their favor. According to Gregory of Nazianzus, “A little jargon is all that is necessary to impose upon the people. The less they comprehend, the more they admire. Our forefathers and doctors have often said, not what they thought, but what circumstances and necessity dictated” (Dark Ages, 4). Ignorance was helpful to the spread of the faith, so ignorance was encouraged. While the persecution practiced during the Dark Ages did not specifically pertain to practitioners of witchcraft, it certainly set the stage for the persecution in later history. During the Renaissance period, the years of 1350 to approximately 1600, the Inquisition, which lasted for 500 years, was in full swing.
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