The following information addresses some of the most commonly asked questions about modern Paganism, Witchcraft and Wicca.  This information may not be reprinted in whole or in part without permission from the author and is reprinted here with permission

Originally published in The Salem Witches' Book of Love Spells: Ancient Spells From Modern Witches

          The main thing to remember about Witchcraft is that it is a very personal religion without an all-encompassing dogma and with no established authorities like bishops or popes. Because of this, it is impossible to say that all Witches believe the same things or that one person is a “leader” of the Witches. Witches are usually organized into covens, each coven with a priestess or priest or both, and the coven establishes its own rules of religious practice.   To add to the confusion, many Witches practice as solitaries, preferring to develop their own spiritual path in their own way.

            There are some general ethical and religious guidelines accepted by most Witches, and those guidelines are established by the religious practice called Wicca. Wicca is what we’ll be talking about here.

            Wicca  is the best-known branch of the religion of the Witches, and was established as a legal religion by a 1986 Federal court decision. It’s a modern interpretation of ancient Pagan religion, centering around the worship of a Goddess and a God united in a universal deity. Although Wiccans honor many Gods and Goddesses, we believe that they are all aspects of the One. Our deities include the gods of ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt, the Celtic tribal gods, the Norse gods, and many more from various cultures. Wicca is primarily an earth religion: we believe that every living thing is an aspect of our  Earth Goddess, and is to be treated with respect. Most Wiccans also call themselves Witches, and there are many denominations, or “Traditions” within Wicca.

            We believe in reincarnation, in the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. We have no concepts of "sin," "heaven," or "hell." We believe that each Witch carries the responsibility to make his or her life fruitful and happy, and to give that happiness back to the world by doing good wherever possible.

Are there "black" and "white" Witches?

            No. The basic law of Wicca states "Do as you will and harm no living thing."  The second part of that law is, "everything you do comes back to you threefold."  No real Witch would ever consider doing harm: it's against our religion. People who do harm, no matter what they say, are NOT WITCHES.

Do Witches do spells?

            Absolutely. We believe that everyone has psychic power, and that power should be harnessed and used to improve the quality of life. Witches have made a study of harnessing that power. But we never "put spells on people." It's against our religion. What we will do is cast spells for you, if you ask, the same way that your Christian friends will say prayers for you, with the intent to help you solve problems or to have something wonderful happen.

Do Witches worship the devil?

            No. We don't believe in the “devil" or "satan." Satan is a Christian concept and Witchcraft is not a Christian-based religion. The confusion probably arose because of our "Horned God." The Horned God (sometimes identified as Pan or the Roman/Celtic Cernunnos) was the god of the hunt. He was depicted as having antlers and was identified with the animals he provided as food for our pagan ancestors. Without his help in making the hunt successful, our ancestors would have starved in the winter, when there were no crops.

Are Witches anti-Christian?

            No! We respect all religions, as we wish our own religion to be treated with dignity and respect.

What about the Pentagram?

            The Pentagram, a five-pointed star inside a circle, is the symbol of our religion, and means the same to us as the Star of David to the Jew or the Cross to the Christian. The star represents the five senses, surrounded by Spirit and the protection of our Goddess; it also represents the eternal Circle, the never-ending renewal of life.

            Witches wear the Pentagram with the point UP. If you see the Pentagram with the point DOWN, it has nothing to do with Witchcraft. Satanists use it that way, the same way that they use the upside-down Cross.

Is Witchcraft a "women's religion?"

            Not at all. It's true that Witchcraft is a very liberating religion for women, since it's Goddess-centered, but because we hold our God in equal importance, it's also liberating for men. Witches believe that everything in nature has a male and a female side; we also believe that without the equal balance of male and female in nature, nothing can have life. We truly believe that man and woman were created equal, and hold no one sex dominant over the other. We believe that sexuality is a private issue, and do not condemn homosexuals.

            A male Witch is called a Witch. "Warlock" is an old Scottish term and means “oathbreaker” or "traitor."

Why do Witches wear black?

            We don’t always wear black. You usually see us wearing black or black robes in October because it’s the Feast of Samhain, a time for us to honor our dead, and black is associated with that day. Black has always been the color of the clergy, and many Wiccan clergy wear it while serving in an official capacity. However, most Witches don’t wear black or robes all the time, just as a priest or pastor doesn’t wear full vestments all the time.  We have jobs and lives and wear what everyone else wears.

And how about those flying brooms?

            We wish. Especially at rush hour.

Does Witchcraft involve any "sacrifice"?

            Never. Our Goddess and God do not require any human or animal sacrifice, no matter what you see in the horror movies. The very idea of harming a living thing is repulsive to Witches, so much so that many of us are vegetarians.

Do Witches hold rituals at night?

            Quite often. Our Goddess is associated with the Moon, and our God with the Sun. And Witches, being part of a nature religion, prefer to hold rituals outdoors. This is one reason that we have no churches, no buildings: we believe that the proper place of worship is where we can be in touch with the Earth.

            But during the Spring and Summer, when our festivals revolve around the Sun God, we hold our rites in the sunlight.

            Our rites also involve dancing, singing, and playing instruments like the flute, harp and percussion.

What are the "Witches' Sabbaths?"

            It's not "Sabbath," it's "Sabbat." There are four Greater Sabbats: Samhain (Halloween), our New Year and the Feast of the Dead honoring those who have gone before us, including the thousands of people tortured and murdered as Witches;  Beltane (May Eve and May Day) when we celebrate the sacred marriage of our Goddess and God to renew life;  Imbolc  (Feb. 2) when we celebrate the first signs of returning Spring; and Lughnasad (Aug. 1) when we celebrate the first harvest.

            There are also four Lesser Sabbats: the Winter and Summer Solstices  (in December and June) and the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes (in March and September).

            From this, you can see that Witches celebrate the turnings of the seasons. Our Pagan ancestors in agricultural societies worshipped this way, believing that their survival depended on the fruitfulness of the Earth.

            These days, we still celebrate these holidays as passages in our lives, as a time to reflect on where our lives have been and where we're going, and to honor the Old Gods in the way our ancestors did.

            Our celebrations are serious, but joyful, inviting the Goddess and God to live in us and renew us, that we may be forces for good and renewal in the world.

Do our rites involve children?

            Not usually. We have a rite called "Wiccaning" which is much like a Christian christening. It's performed for children at the parents’ request and is intended, not to make the child a Witch or bind the child in any way to our religion, but merely to give the child the protection of the Goddess until the child is old enough to make his/her own religious decisions.

            Children can take part in our religious rites when their parents feel the child is old enough to understand what its all about. Like any Christian or Jewish parents, we raise our children according to our own beliefs, but whether or not a child eventually chooses Wicca as a religion is up to him/her.

            There have been many movies and novels (like The Witches and Rosemary's Baby) linking Witchcraft to kidnapping or a hatred of children. Be assured: we've got our hands full raising our own kids -- we don't need anyone else's.

Do our rites involve nudity?

            We believe there's nothing evil or sinful about the body. However, most Witches prefer to practice in robes or comfortable clothing. In the first place, we usually practice outdoors. In the second place, we use candles and incense, and you could get burned in some painful spots.  Some of us feel that the wearing of ceremonial robes focuses our attention on the religious rites.

            Some Witches do practice "skyclad" as we call it, but this is a matter of personal preference and is done with discretion.

Do Witches believe in spirits, possession, and exorcism?

            We believe that spirits are all around us and are nothing to be afraid of. In fact, they're usually willing to help you, as a means of working out their own karma.

            Hauntings are sometimes confused spirits trying to get help. Wiccan High Priestesses and High Priests can perform exorcism, but it is a gentle, loving procedure designed to guide the spirit into the right place for it.

            We don't believe in "demons" or "demonic possession."

With all the negative associations, why do we still use the term "Witch"?

The word "Witch" has been much abused through the ages. It is our aim to correct the lies that have gone unchallenged since the Dark Ages, and that have resulted in the persecution and discrimination that still continues today. We aren't asking people to "convert" or even to agree with us, but we are insisting on the dignity due any ethical religion that is faithfully held. It is our hope that, as more Witches speak out, the word "Witch" will begin to lose those undeserved associations.