The Creed of No Creed

First among the beliefs of witchcraft is the "creed of experience." Experience is exalted dogmatically above, and often set in opposition to, creeds or doctrines. In short, experience is superior to doctrine. Aidan Kelly, who was formerly involved in neopaganism, noted: "What really defines a witch is a type of experience people go through. These experiences depend on altered states of consciousness. The Craft is really the Yoga of the West" (emphasis in original).[18] The witchcraft experience is often expressed as a mystical experience, "that feeling of ineffable oneness with all Life."[19] Witchcraft is therefore a religion based first and foremost on the sense of being one and in harmony with all life.

Tolerance is another highly-touted value among witches. Diversity of belief and practice is viewed as not only healthy but essential to the survival of humanity and planet earth, and to spiritual growth and maturation as well. Independence, autonomy, and the freedom to experience, believe, think, and act as one desires are defended as if they were divine rights. Witches do become intolerant, however, when they perceive intolerance and authoritarianism in other individuals and faiths (which they would term "religious imperialism"). So we have statements like number 10 of the Council of American Witches' "Principles of Wiccan Belief":

"Our only animosity toward 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."

These beliefs stem from the notion that ultimately there is no right or wrong religion or morality. Relativism in all areas of life, including ethics and metaphysics, is the rule. Truth is what is true for you; right what is right for you; but neither are necessarily so for me. The only absolute is that there are no absolutes. Thus, all have the right to believe and practice "what they will." In this context, one often hears the story of the three blind men who have all grasped different parts of an elephant (tusk, trunk, and tail), and, in describing it, each man thinks he alone has the truth.

This view of life derives from an "open" metaphysical concept that "reality is multiple and diverse."[20] There is no single logic or view that is complete or adequate to handle the complexity and multiplicity of reality. Therefore, we should not limit ourselves to the narrow purview of one person or religion, but be "open" minded and tolerant of differing views. This understanding of reality is closely associated with three key concepts: animism, pantheism, and polytheism.

World Alive: Three Pillars of the Witches' World View

Animism is an important pillar of the witches' world. As used by them, the word means that the "Life Force" is immanent within all creation: rocks and trees, deserts and streams, mountains and valleys, ponds and oceans, gardens and forests, fish and fowl; from amoeba to humans and all things in between. All is infused with and participates in the vital Life Force or energy, and therefore the entire earth is a living, breathing organism. All is sacred; all is to be cared for and revered. The earth is a (or the) manifestation of the Goddess (and God). "Sacredizing" the world and animating nature, witches view all reality as a continuum of consciousness and being. Thus, they seek to live in harmony and be psychically in tune with nature. (Incidentally, whatever else witches may believe and do, because of these views they are not involved in animal or human sacrifices.)

For many witches, the second pillar of their world -- implicit in their version of animism -- is pantheism. Not only is the Life Force pervasive throughout our world, but all the world is divine.

Divinity is inseparable from, and immanent in, nature and humanity. Since most witches teach that we are divine (or potentially so), it is clear why someone like Margot Adler, a witch herself, approvingly quotes a particular neopagan group's greeting to its female and male members respectively: "Thou art Goddess," "Thou art God."[21] Most are not this brash but nevertheless hold that we, like nature, are divine.

The third pillar is polytheism. As defined by many witches, however, polytheism is not merely the belief in multiple deities -- a pantheon of gods and goddesses -- but also the belief that there are multiple levels of reality (i.e., the "open" metaphysics referred to earlier). According to this view, there are an infinite (or at least incomprehensible) number of levels of meaning and explanations about our world. These allow not only a multitude of gods, goddesses, and religions to exist simultaneously, but also views of reality that would otherwise appear to be mutually exclusive; all are true as far as they go.[22] Hence, witches can align themselves with a particular Goddess and/or God, or group thereof, and still grant the validity of other "alternative" religions.

The Mother Goddess and the Horned God

Most witches experience, believe in, invoke, or worship the Mother or "triple Goddess" and her male consort, the Horned God. Both are believed to be immanent deities accessible to humanity.

The Mother Goddess -- whose three primary roles are mother, maiden, and crone -- is represented by and associated with the moon and its three phases: waxing, full, and waning. She is invoked by a variety of names: Aphrodite, Artemis, Astaroth, Astarte, Athene, Brigit, Ceres, Cerridwen, Cybele, Diana, Demeter, Friga, Gaia, Hecate, Isis, Kali, Kore, Lilith, Luna, Persephone, Venus, and more. She is believed to be eternal.

The Goddess's consort, the male Horned God, is associated with the sun. According to most witches, he dies and is reborn every year. He too is called and invoked by many names, including Adonis, Ammon-Ra, Apollo, Baphomet, Cernunnos, Dionysius, Eros, Faunus, Hades, Horus, Nuit, Lucifer, Odin, Osiris, Pan, Thor, and Woden.

Different witchcraft traditions and solitary practitioners diverge in the importance they attach to the Mother Goddess and the Horned God. Some emphasize the Goddess, some the Horned God, while many seek a balance between the two.

Differing Views of the Goddess(es) and God(s)

How do witches themselves view and experience the Goddess(es) and God(s)? Do they really believe they exist? As one might expect from an eclectic religion that highly values autonomy, there are multiple views as to who or what the Goddess and God are.[23] Be that as it may, there are some commonalities. Let's look at the six primary views.

First (but not foremost) is the idea that the deities of witchcraft are simply symbols: the personifications of universal principles, or of the life forces and processes of our world (e.g., the ebb and flow of life as seen in the seasonal changes), and nothing more. They are symbols used to help conceptualize the cyclical pattern of birth, life, death, and birth again.

Second, they are Jungian archetypes: universal symbols of processes and events of nature and of actual potentialities within all humans, springing from the common pool of the "collective unconsciousness" from which we all allegedly drink. Therefore, they exist in the sense that any archetype exists. They are more than "just" symbols, but do not exist externally to, or independently of, humanity.[24]

Third, they are dissociative or dislocative psychological states. That is, they are a split or spin-off from a person's own psyche or being (like a multiple personality state). They have a "life of their own" in that sometimes they can seemingly manifest themselves outside of the person: reason, talk, give advice, travel about, and so on. However, they are dependent on a given person's psyche for their existence.

Fourth, and apparently the most predominant view, the Goddess and Horned God and/or other gods and goddesses are personifications of the monistic, genderless, universal, and eternal Life Force -- the divine primal energy or principle. This source of all life and consciousness, which in this life and mode of existence is unknowable and incomprehensible, is personified by the Goddess and Horned God. They are myths, legends, or metaphors that are used in an attempt to explain or grasp the ineffable absolute One that is all, and gives life to all. This ultimately indescribable Force is primarily manifested in polarities -- female and male, light and darkness, Goddess and God, and so forth. Scott Cunningham tells us that "in wiccan thought the Goddess and the God are the twin divine beings: balanced, equal expressions of the ultimate source of all....They are dual reflections of the power behind the universe that can never be truly separated."[25] Thus, according to this view, they can be described either as personifications of the ultimate Life Force or emanations from or manifestations of it, but they nonetheless can be literal conscious entities. (That is, as literal as you or me.)

Fifth, multiple combinations of the above views are often held, depending on the individual's orientation. For example, some believe that the above four views are all true at one time or another.

Sixth and lastly, we have the agnostic "who cares" view. That is, in working magic or just in everyday life, invoking the Goddess and God seems to work. Thus, because of pragmatic and aesthetic reasons, some who are skeptical about (or even flatly deny) the Goddess's and God's existence still practice witchcraft.[26]

In addition to these varying views of the Goddess and God, some witches believe in good and bad extra-dimensional or intermediate beings, including other goddesses and gods, higher life forms, spirit guides and teachers, elemental spirits, and departed human beings who exist as manifestations of the One and/or are individual literal entities in their own right.

While some witches may be skeptical about the existence of the Goddess and God, they all emphatically deny the existence of the Devil and hell. Therefore, they vigorously reject the charge that they worship the Devil, which many Satanists would admit to.

MAGIC MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND

Magic is another key component of the witches' world. The working of magic and diverse techniques of divination are part-and-parcel of their religion. Astrology, astral projection (out-of-body experiences), incantations, mediumship (channeling), necromancy, raising psychic power, (for many) sex magic, spell casting, trance states, and so forth, are all tools of their craft. Indeed, "psychic" development (i.e., training for proficiency in magic and divination) is a critical concern.[27]

Altered states of consciousness are another integral part of many witchcraft practices and rituals; these are induced to facilitate the working of magic and divination. Much of a witch's training is with a view to enabling him or her to enter these states at will. This is done by means of chanting, (for some) drugs, ecstatic dancing, hypnosis, meditation, rituals, sex magic, visualization, or a combination of these and a host of others.[28]

For many witches, trance states are the high point of their religious practice. Especially important are the type termed "drawing down the moon [Goddess]" or "drawing down" the Horned God. These involve the Goddess or God entering or possessing a priestess or priest respectively during a ritual with mediumistic utterances given or magic worked.[29]

As elsewhere in the kingdom of the occult, the old occult has been given a new face-lift in witchcraft. The occultic realm is now described as simply beyond-the-physical, but still a part of nature. Thus, Sybil Leek is able to affirm: "I can see little difference in Magic and science, except to have the opinion that Magic is one step ahead of science."[30] Leo Martello says that as a witch he makes no claims to "supernatural powers," but he does believe in super powers that reside in the natural.[31] Many witches share this view: divination and magic are not "supernatural," but supernormal or paranormal, because the processes by which they work are contained within the nature of the universe. This is as opposed to the view that occultism works through the intervention of supernatural beings -- the Devil, demons, or spirits.[32] The current sentiment is conveyed in the attitude that "yesterday's occultism is today's science."

Moreover, witches maintain that magic is a "neutral" power. Like electricity or a gun, it is not morally good or bad in itself. Its moral quality depends on how or for what purpose it is used -- good or evil.

Working Magic

Just as there are many explanations as to who or what the Goddess and God are, so there are various views among witches as to how and why divination and magic work. We'll survey the four most common.

First is the belief that the ability to work magic or perform divination is due to latent psychic abilities or powers that we all have. Some either have more of these natural gifts than others, or else they have developed them to a greater degree. Others may not even realize they have them. But they are nonetheless inherent within us all.[33]

The second view of magic appeals particularly to those who espouse the fourth view about the Goddess and God mentioned above (i.e., the view that the Goddess and God are personifications of the monistic Life Force). It holds that the working of magic is much like tapping into an electrical current. The "current" is the monistic universal energy or Life Force. Since this primal energy composes, interconnects, and flows through all (though manifested in myriads of forms), one merely has to learn how to "plug into" and harness some of this power for his or her own purposes. Thus, it can be manipulated toward the desired goal of the witch.[34]

The third view is that divination and magic are accomplished by the intervention of interdimensional entities such as gods and goddesses, higher life forms, spirit guides, departed humans, and so forth. They can be communicated with, and will supposedly aid us in our quest for "spiritual" growth, knowledge, and all things occultic.[35]

Fourth, the above theories can be found in varying combinations, such as one and three; one, two, and three; and so forth.

In the second and concluding part of this series, we will look further at the beliefs of witches, including reincarnation, their view of sin, and their ethic or "Wiccan Rede," "An it harm none, do what you will." A critique of the witches' world view and practices -- on biblical, metaphysical, logical, and ethical grounds -- will also be presented.

NOTES

1 See Raymond Buckland, Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft (St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1988), 210.

2 Scott Cunningham, The Truth About Witchcraft Today (St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1988).

3 References concerning this point are available on request.

4 See, for example, Margot Adler, Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today, rev. and expanded ed. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1986), 66-72, 99-107; J. Gordon Melton, "Witchcraft: An Inside View," Christianity Today, 21 Oct. 1983, 24; and Marcello Truzzi, "Towards a Sociology of the Occult: Notes on Modern Witchcraft," in Religious Movements in Contemporary America, ed. by Irving Zaretsky and Mark P. Leone (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1974), 633-45.

5 Alleged by Leo Martello in Witchcraft: The Old Religion (Secaucus: Citadel Press, n.d.), 59.

6 Actually, she was not the first to formulate and advance this thesis, but her views had the most impact. 7 For information on the background and development of witchcraft and Satanism, see J. Gordon Melton, Encyclopedia of American Religions, 3d ed. (Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1989), 142-47. Though we do not endorse all of his conclusions, he provides valuable background and bibliographical material.

8Ibid., 142.

9 See Adler, 45-56, for a refutation of, and specific information on, Murray's theory; and 45-72 for other theories and general information on the history of witchcraft. For additional argumentation against Murray's theory and other pertinent information, see: Norman Cohn, Europe's Inner Demons (New York: Basic Books, 1975), 107-20; Mircea Eliade, Occultism, Witchcraft, and Cultural Fashions (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1976), 57-58, 71-73; J. Gordon Melton, Encyclopedia, 142; Elliot Rose, A Razor for a Goat (Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1962), 14-21, 40-53, 56-79, 130-31, 200; Jeffrey B. Russell, Witchcraft in the Middle Ages (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1985), 36-37.

10 Doreen Valiente, An ABC of Witchcraft: Past and Present (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1973), 184-89.

11 Melton, Encyclopedia, 144; see also Melton's Biographical Dictionary of American Cult and Sect Leaders (New York: Garland Publishing, 1986), 96-97.

12 See Adler, 62-66, 81-85, 93, 560; T. M. Luhrmann, Persuasions of the Witch's Craft: Ritual Magic in Contemporary England (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1989), 42-43; Martello, 69-71; Melton, Biographical Dictionary, q.v., "Gardner, Gerald Brosseau," 96-97; Melton's Encyclopedia, 144; and his Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America (New York: Garland Publishing, 1986), 212; and Truzzi, 636-37. For even stronger charges, consult Francis King, Modern Ritual Magic: The Rise of Western Occultism, revised (Dorset, Great Britain: Prism Press, 1989), 179-80.

13 Melton, Encyclopedia, 144-45.

14 Ibid., 144, 789; Encyclopedic Handbook, 212.

15 For additional information on various types of witchcraft, see Adler, 68-80, 113-30; Melton, Encyclopedia, 777-801; and Buckland, 225-28.

16 For a detailed list, consult Adler, 475-544.

17 See the author's article, "The Many Faces of Satanism," in Forward, Fall 1986, 17-22. For instance, if a Jehovah's Witness believes what the Watchtower teaches, they cannot be saved. Likewise with a Mormon who subscribes to what Mormonism teaches. Nonetheless, the Mormon does not believe what the Jehovah's Witness does, and vice versa. The same is true with witchcraft and Satanism and/or other forms of the occult.

18 Aidan Kelly, quoted in Adler, 106. For further material on this point and other beliefs, see 99-135.

19 The Covenant of the Goddess information packet, Northern California Local Council Media Committee, n.d., "Basic Philosophy."

20 See Adler, 25, 29, 172.

21 Ibid., 25, 166.

22 Ibid.,24-38.

23 Ibid.,20, 112.

24 Ibid.,28, 160, 172.

25 Cunningham, 76, 117. Also see 4, 62-64, 69-77.

26 See Adler, e.g., 169, 173.

27 See, e.g., Buckland, 101-34, 155-74; Justine Glass, Witchcraft, The Sixth Sense (California: Wilshire Book Co., 1974), 20, 94; Starhawk, The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1979), 37, 108-58.

28 See, e.g., Adler, 106, 153-54, 157, 163; Starhawk, 7, 18, 46-53, 110.

29 See Adler, 109, 142, 166, 168-69; Buckland, 101; Cunningham, 91; Farrar, 67-68; Leek, Diary, 151, 159-60, 202-206; Starhawk, 46-54, 139-58.

30 Sybil Leek, Diary of a Witch (New York: Signet Books, 1969), 144.

31 Leo Martello, 12.

32 See, e.g., Adler, 7-8, 102, 153-75; Cunningham, 23-24; Leek, 13-14; Truzzi, 630-32, 635-36; Simos, 132.

33 Buckland, e.g., 101; Cunningham, 19.

34 See, e.g., Cunningham, 3, 17-25, 105, 109, 111; Simos, 108-38.

35 See, e.g., Buckland, 155, 157; Stewart Farrar, What Witches Do: The Modern Coven Revealed (London: Sphere Books Limited, 1973), 81-84, 141-43, 151-52, 156, 158-63; Leek, The Complete Art of Witchcraft (New York: Signet Books, 1973), 43, 45; Valiente, 152-58.

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"The Modern World of Witchcraft: Part One of Two"

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R. Poll, CRI

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