From Christian to Wiccan -
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Are you going from being a Christian to Wicca spirituality?
You may be having some doubts, or even terrible fears.
- Are you going to burn in Hell for switching religions?
- What if it's true, the Christian side, and Wicca or magick is evil?
- How do you know if this is the right choice for you, or even safe?
You need answers.
Well, this article is for you!
Here are a few things you should know, to help you through this challenging time. And in the following article are some things you can do to overcome the fear and doubts.
Christians Becoming Wiccan
It's not only when going from Christian to Wicca...
When a person leaves one religion to follow another spiritual path, it's normal for doubts and fears to arise.
After all, most religions invest a lot of energy in brainwashing their members. It's a time-honoured tradition, going back for many millennia. They want you to believe that every other religion is evil and you will suffer torments for all eternity if you leave their church.
Religions have always made up stories about how evil their competition is, and how God only loves those who worship the right way.
It sounds ridiculous, when you think about it. Could God be so petty and narrow-minded?
Still, it's an all-too-effective ploy.
It's even more intense when you are a Christian becoming a Wiccan, because Christian dogma is completely fanatical about Witches. They're not content to let God punish Witches, but bring on the stake and the lighter fluid themselves! (We'll look at why that is, in part 2: What You Can Do.)
It takes time to overcome any kind of brainwashing, especially when it's been instilled in you as a child. Those beliefs are hard to set aside, whether true or not -- as any psychologist can tell you!
So when you're first becoming Wiccan, you will probably feel at least some fear.
Even though Wicca feels right to you, there's this little voice asking, "But what if you're wrong!?"
We'll look at how to deal with this voice in the following article.
You're In Good Company
The second thing you need to understand is that you're not alone.
I think every single ex-Christian Wiccan (or ex-fundamentalist of any kind) has gone through this. You are taking a big step -- from blind acceptance of what other people tell you, to finding the truth for yourself.
If it's any consolation, that's exactly what Jesus himself advocated!
"Jesus said, "The Pharisees [priests] and the scribes have taken the keys of Knowledge and hidden them. They themselves have not entered, nor have they allowed to enter those who wish to. You, however, be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves." (Thomas, 39)You are now forced to look within yourself for what really seems true, and distinguish that from what you've been taught to believe.
And every Witch who has gone through this comes out spiritually stronger, knowing that the only guide to Truth is within their own hearts. (As Jesus insisted.)
You will come through this too, and be stronger for having taken this journey.
All Change Is Scary
Changing from Christian to Wicca Spirituality is a pretty big step. It's a good step, the sort of one that Jesus was always encouraging his followers to take. But it's still a big step.
Change is always a little scary. You don't know all the consequences until you act, so there's anxiety about what might happen.
This is a normal process, and the best news is ...
It will pass.
There is bound to be a period of transition, from accepting the rules of those who want to keep authority over you, to knowing truth within yourself, as Jesus himself taught us to do.
As you become more comfortable following the Voice of the Divine Within, and knowing for yourself what is true, those anxieties fade away.
There's Nothing To Fear
The most important thing you need to know is that there's absolutely nothing you need to be afraid of, no matter who tries to tell you different.
All those dreadful horrors that religions threaten are nothing more than fairy tales... stories created to keep naïve spiritual-children from straying far from the "parent's" reach.
The propaganda that most religious hierarchies have brainwashed into people is, at best, ignorant superstition... and at worst, malicious power- and money-grubbing.
This is exactly what Jesus warns us about, when he says to reject the authority of the priests who take all the keys to Heaven, and won't enter in, and won't let us enter either.
The Church Never Had "Absolute Truth"
The Christian hierarchy, I'm sad to say, has no interest in your spiritual well-being. It is interested only in its own continued power, as every tyrant is.
They try to tell us that the Gospels were written as historical accounts ... by an actual disciple who knew Jesus ... telling literal truth about what God wants. (More on this in part 2.)
But they know full well that's not the case.
Tom Harpur writes, in The Pagan Christ: Recovering the Lost Light
These texts [the Gospels] were never intended as history in the first place. They are almost purely allegorical, and their true meaning is to be sought beneath the surface. - p 122What's more important, though, is the inescapable conclusion that the entire course of Western history over the past eighteen hundred years would have been far different if a more spiritual understanding of the Christ and Christianity had prevailed at the outset, instead of what Paul called "the letter that kills" (i.e., flat literalism).
The Church's deplorable record of persecutions, wars, and other atrocities would never have taken place. Uncounted millions would have been encouraged to nurture and bring to fruition their own moral and spiritual Christhood, instead of always passively waiting for a perfect saviour from outside to do the job for them.
That, of course, would not have suited ecclesiastical authorities bent on maintaining control of both bodies and souls. - p 178 [Emphasis mine]
The Church today, just as the Synagogue in Jesus' day, is a pit of hypocrisy and greed. If this were not so, it would be encouraging you to do what Jesus said to do, and nothing else. That is,
- Reject the authority of those who make rules about getting into Heaven.
- Seek the Light within yourself.
- Go out and take care of one another, and share everything you have.
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Instead, they promote fear, self-righteousness, and judgementalism.
Nowhere does Jesus advocate any of these!
Jesus never spoke of God as the petty, jealous, judgemental, controlling, vindictive deity of the Old Testament.
In fact, this misunderstanding of the nature of God is exactly what Jesus was trying to counteract!
His God was LOVE!
(I often wonder, why ever did Christianity keep the Old Testament, when Jesus himself refuted it?)
Okay, now you have some knowledge under your belt. You still might be wondering what to do with all these feelings.
This article continues on that subject, with From Christian to Wicca: What You Can Do.
(See full list of articles on Christianity and Jesus' teachings, below.)
Next Article on Wicca for Beginners (For more Christian / Wicca articles, see menu below.) 
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From Christian to Wicca Articles:From Christian to Wicca: What You Need To KnowFrom Christian to Wicca: What You Can Do
The True Jesus Teachings: His Core Message
Christianity and Christianism, or, Jesus Never Said That
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