Melancholia

Melancholia

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Wiccan Salvation?

In a time of global warming and suicide bombs, Wicca could very well be the salvation of our planet. The Wiccan Rede (code of ethics) is 'an it harm none do what ye will' - more commonly phrased 'live and let live'. If only humankind could get behind this philosophy.

Part of the appeal of Wicca is its mystery. Wicca does not presume to know what lies beyond the realm of this life. Nor does it presume to know the origins of life. There are of course creation stories, but none that claim to be written in stone. In fact, it is openly acknowledged that these creation stories exist only to help us humans relate to divinity, an unknowable power that we could never hope to comprehend.

Social movements often have a goal: to become a part of the mainstream in order to be a catalyst for change. Ironically, if a trend is successful in its endeavor to become mundane, it loses something in the process - it becomes over-simplified, commercialized, and superficial, often defeating it original purpose. There are of course exceptions, but I have to wonder where Wicca fits in. With its respect for Mother Earth and its tolerance for other belief systems, Wicca could be the salvation of our planet, but it would take the power of the mainstream to accomplish that task. If this ever happened, would it be like everything else? Become diluted; lose its meaning, its magic, and ultimately its mystery? If it lost its mystery would it lose its appeal and thus its power?