In response to the question asked of me: “Christian and Wiccan? Please explain that one to me…” I penned this response, and I thought it worth sharing to others who may be curious and perhaps also attempting to define their own beliefs. Thanks for listening.

To explain how I am both Christian and Wiccan can take a bit of time; I still haven't worked out a 'sound bite' answer to it, so please bear with me. First off I was raised, baptized and confirmed into the united church, but as I grew older found it to be lacking 'something', so began my search for something more. I really didn't have a clear knowing of what was missing, for me, but something was.

It's only been recently, say in the last six months, that I’ve begun to understand my reasons for setting out on that search over 15 years ago, and have had that search bring me right back to my roots. Along the way I've picked up a lot of information and knowledge, some of it sits with my faith and some of it doesn't.

What I've come to understand is that God, is an all-powerful universal energetic entity completely beyond human comprehension. We can no more count all the grains of sand on a beach, than understand the true scope of God. (Or creator, or universal divine, or goddess- whatever word suits). Humans in an attempt to understand and cope with such an awe inspiring, and admittedly terrifying, truth about the higher power has anthropomorphised God into something they can understand. Humans humanized God, gave the creator human attributes that relate to the society in which humans find themselves.

Case in point, God in the Old Testament and God in the New. It's the same God, and yet the Hebrews relationship at the beginning of the story with their God is drastically different from their later relationship where Jesus enters it. Same God, who's evolved along with His worshippers.

Understanding This, I see that the stories and myths from all religions are humans continued attempt to have relationship with God. There are universal symbols that move through most if not all religions that symbolize God- stars, light, the sun, doves and other birds, flames etc... These are all, again, attempts for humans to have a relationship in a 'knowable way' with a higher power that is completely unknowable.

For me there are practices within Christianity, and symbols, that enhance my relationship with God, just as there are practices within Wicca that do the same. Then there are the crossovers such as the symbolic use of, for me personally, stars and doves.

I have often been told that religion is an 'all or nothing' kinda thing. I can't 'pick and chose what I like from Christianity' but I see that happening all the time within Christianity. Baptists are very different from Unitarians who are very different from Catholics. Some could say that the different beliefs within Christianity have 'picked and chose' for themselves. I say that now, to you, because I'm thinking it, and remembering the last time I answered this question, and that being the response of the last person to question me.

So, to try to sum up, I believe 'religion' to be symbolic and humanized practices that are VERY Necessary, attempts to comprehend a higher power that we can not ever hope to understand fully. A metaphor would be, if the higher power, or God was a diamond we can look at the many faces of that diamond and see them each differently, but they are all part of the same whole that is more beautiful that any of its individual facets. Wiccan’s see one facet, Christians another, I am hoping by looking at as many facets as I can to perhaps, one day, catch a glimpse of the whole.

How was that answer for you? Did it make enough sense to you? I understand that you may not agree, and I’m certainly not asking you too. Please ask any question you may have, if this has brought up more questions for you, I’ll do my best to answer them.

In light, Fairmoon

PS, here are a couple other statements I’ve made in posts/ or blogs (can’t remember where) that are other ways that I explain my beliefs, though I may be stirring the pot too much by adding them, I hope they help.

“I believe that we all have our own way on 'seeing' God. We visualize the unknowable in a way that is Knowable. If one person sees a Goddess and another sees a God, or an animal or an angel, we're all seeing an image of the Divine that we can understand and have relationship with.”

“I believe we see the Creator as something beyond our ability to comprehend and put a face to it because that’s the only way that we as humans can cope with something so utterly huge and overwhelming..."

So what right? Christmas and these pagan holidays are totally different right? Not really, when you look at it. In Pagan Traditions the Winter Solstice celebrates the Birth of the Sun, the rebirth of light and the renewal of life. Kinda what Jesus' birth was all about too huh?

Recently I was talking with my "spiritual advisor" about my beliefs as both a Wiccan and Christian. We have been exploring Christian Symbolism through a Pagan perspective. In Wicca I have a deep relationship with the Female aspect of the Divine Creator, something I've found lacking in Christianity. He suggested that I 'take a walk with Mary' and see how she, as a mother and Christian icon, relates to me.

As I walked with her we spoke of children, hers, and mine she said some things to me that rang true for me and may perhaps ring true for others so I share them here. Do what you will with them.

She spoke of Christmas, and the birth of her child being celebrated the world over and she reminded me that all mothers hear a voice, or see an angel telling them that their child will be special and to remember that. At a time when it seems to politically incorrect to say "Merry Christmas" to think that Christmas can be more than just a celebration of the birth of one child, but can be the celebration of the birth - or rebirth- of our own Divine Child within ourselves.

Christmas brings us light; we can find that light within ourselves and celebrate that as well.

She also asked the question, who has more fun at Christmas Adults or Children? And if nothing else remember that children do, so be like a child at Christmas and enjoy the holiday through the eyes of children.

So this year I will celebrate Christmas as more than just the birth of Jesus and a visit from Santa Claus, but also as the rebirth of the Divine within me, may it shine with compassion and understanding,

Blessings and Merry Christmas everyone, FM

There was a lot to think about after the birth, so much happened so fast, and even when you think you’re ready for it, it’s never what you expect. For me in these last few months I’ve experienced similar feelings and I haven’t written about them because as Mary needed to ponder all her happenings for a time, so have I.

There are still some events that I cannot, and will not share here, they remain too young and raw and I need to keep them close to my heart. But there are others that I feel a desire to write about and share and continue to explore here.

I’ve recently discovered Wondercafe.ca, it’s very interesting discussion website created by the United Church of Canada- My church. *And yes my minister knows I’m a Witch* we’ve had a couple chats about it and will likely discuss it more in the future. It’s worth a visit and I’ll probably wander around there a lot more in the next while.

In a post a few months ago I expressed the question asking how it was that Pastor Dave and Surrogate could “talk to God” with out too much backlash and how I felt that if I were to do the same there would be A LOT of backlash. They response I had to that was very comforting- thanks everyone who said they’d like to hear it from me.

So here we go…

I talk to God, or rather God talks to me. Freaky isn’t it?

What I’ve discovered during my hiatus from writing is that even though I remain Wiccan, follow my Wiccan practices, and more often than not visualize the Divine Creator as a Goddess, I also see a male, God if you will. And though many Wiccan’s find the term hard to swallow—I do not. I can say God; I can say “I believe in God” without feeling uncomfortable or that I’m somehow letting down the Goddess or my feminism.

That’s the first thing that I want to say.

The second is: When I say God I’m also saying Goddess, Creator, The Divine, The Universal Power, The Universal Energy etc… but God is short and my auto correct Capitalizes it without me having too, so I may just keep writing it that way.

Yet I’m talking about something MORE than the Christian ‘image’ of God. My beliefs go further than that image and all of its ideology. I very strongly believe that Christian Dogma has limited the scope of God and has reduced it to some puppet form of a greater higher power. That being said most Christians that I know and have conversation with also go beyond this Dogma God of an old man sitting in the clouds on a throne. I feel comfortable in the assumption that they believe, as I do, in the high, unknowable power that does not have one look or face. I believe that they see the Creator as something beyond their ability to comprehend and put a face to it because that’s the only way that we as humans can cope with something so utterly huge and overwhelming. This is more, bigger than the image, I believe, ‘the church’ (as a generalization) wants people to see.

Christianity has reduced God to something easily swallowed by the common masses. They did it centuries ago to simplify conversion. Now I think there is a movement to drop all that and return to the higher power in a stronger and deeper way.

These thoughts that I am writing are still new to me and know very well formed. They are thought that I continue to explore as I re-explore my Christian roots.

When I look at God in this way my mixture of beliefs Pagan and Christian do not challenge each other. They work together seamlessly and without strife.

And what’s more, God told me that’s how it’s supposed to be...

yup I'm leaving you hanging with that one. Will write more later...

FM

I'm rereading them myself and find it interesting how my opinions and beliefs have evolved since i first began writing here.

I wouldn't say changed because at the core I still have the same faith in the same creator as i always have. However the words, the humanity with which I have relationship with the Creator has altered, evolved, if you will, and it's doing it so fast my brain is having a hard time catching up to my heart and my soul.

hopefully I'll figure out away to explain it all, someday. But as i learned at my silent retreat sometimes it's better to just 'let it be' and not force understanding or the need to figure it out.

sorry to leave you all hanging, but that's just the way it is these days.

FM