1. GOD LOVES YOU AND IS SEEKING TO HAVE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to remove the barrier of sin." (1 John 4:10)
God loves you and planned a wonderful, full life for you. He wants to enter a personal and intimate relationship with you that includes fellowship, inner peace, happiness, guidance in life and power to fulfill His special plan for your life.

2. SIN HAS CREATED A BARRIER BETWEEN MAN AND GOD
“All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
GOD is Holy, and cannot have a relationship with anyone who falls short of His righteous character. Sin began when man went his own independent way and rejected his relationship with God. At that point, man became unacceptable to God’s Holy character.
The Ten Commandments were given to show us how good we would have to be if we try to come to God in our own merit. But God doesn’t grade our law-keeping on the curve. He said, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” (James 2:10)
No matter how sincere we are, or how hard we try, or how religious we are, we can never produce a righteousness that God can accept. Even our good deeds are not acceptable in God’s sight, “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags …” (Isaiah 64:6)
So our sin has created a barrier that we cannot remove. Even though God loves you, He cannot compromise His holy character to receive you. Only God can remove this barrier.

3. JESUS CHRIST CAME TO REMOVE THE BARRIER BETWEEN GOD AND MAN
Jesus said of Himself, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)
You see, God so loved us that He stepped out of eternity into time and became a man in the person of Jesus Christ. He lived a perfect life as a man and thus qualified to die for the sins of the world. He then willingly died in our place to purchase a pardon for sins and satisfy the demands of His own perfect justice. When He did, He tore down the barrier of sin that separated us.

4. NOW THERE IS ONLY ONE BARRIER BETWEEN YOU AND GOD YOU MUST RECEIVE THE PARDON JESUS PURCHASED FOR YOU
Jesus Christ has removed every barrier that stood between you and God except one -- you must receive the pardon He purchased for you by an act of your will. You see, a pardon is not a pardon until it is received. There is a pardon with your name on it in heaven, but you must receive it to make it valid.
It is not a matter of how good you are -- or even how bad you are. The issue is, will you talk to God and tell him you receive the pardon he purchased for you. He wants you to come just as you are and confess you can never be good enough for Him to accept.
YOU can change your eternal destiny right now. Wherever you are, just bow your head and tell God you receive His pardon for your sins. Ask Jesus Christ to come into your life and begin to give you a new heart with new desires. He will come into your life and bring a new power and motivation for living you never dreamed possible.
Jesus gave us this invitation, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20) The door represents your will.
The Lord Jesus Christ is knocking at the door of your will right now. Just invite Him in and receive the gift of pardon He gave His life to give you. Then thank Him for the pardon and that He must keep His Word.
Don’t expect feelings right away. Some have them, some don’t. The important thing is to simply believe God keeps His Word and He now has come to live in you. Seek out a Church that is true to the Bible and seek to learn about your new life.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

1. Go buy some acid
2. Take the acid
3. Wait an hour
4. Know God

1. Go buy some acid
2. Take the acid
3. Wait an hour
4. Know God

Ha, yeah.

I've tried talking to God, he doesn't seem to want to try to me. So the jury is out on the God thing.

If there is one advantage to having faith in God to the point where you're sure you're right is that all your questions have been answered for you, I'm still asking questions, dammit.

Knowing god in four simple steps. Sounds like that something dreamed up by an american marketing firm.

Thank you for the post, Dude.

God offers his love even to those who mock him. He is not refusing to love them. They are refusing to love him.

Is that list - 4 steps to know Christianity?

The "four spiritual laws". I can't count the number of times I've seen people go through that little booklet and pray the "prayer of salvation" (a concept not found in the bible), only to walk away from the experience unchanged - except that now they think they're going to heaven.

That's what happens when people formulatize salvation.

God loves you and planned a wonderful, full life for you. He wants to enter a personal and intimate relationship with you....

As a male, I don't go that way. I don't care if he is 'god', he's not sticking that thing in me like he did that poor virgin, Mary.

GOD ... cannot have a relationship with anyone who falls short of His righteous character.

Whew! Looks like I'm safe after all.

I am well short of the sort of "righteous character" of any supernatural entity that ordered infants hacked to death.

Thank you for the post, Dude.

God offers his love even to those who mock him. He is not refusing to love them. They are refusing to love him.
People like that are hard to not mock. They stand out as self-righteous fools.

The Christianity meme has been clever here--it makes a virtue out of the fact that intelligent, well educated people will inevitably mock. This gives the advocate of such delusions a rationalization.

I've tried talking to God, he doesn't seem to want to try to me. So the jury is out on the God thing.

If there is one advantage to having faith in God to the point where you're sure you're right is that all your questions have been answered for you, I'm still asking questions, dammit.

One time when I was a teenager I decided to try to use mind power for real. I took a quarter and put it on a glass table and stared at it--trying to push it with my mind.

I think this is a good experiment for anyone who thinks they have special mental powers. The vision we have of moving the coin and the reality that it stays put help the brain sort it all out.

One time when I was a teenager I decided to try to use mind power for real. I took a quarter and put it on a glass table and stared at it--trying to push it with my mind.

I think this is a good experiment for anyone who thinks they have special mental powers. The vision we have of moving the coin and the reality that it stays put help the brain sort it all out.


I tried something similar to that as a teenage too, except it was a ring suspended from a string. It didn't move. Then my brother asked to give it a try. He has a very powerful mind. The ring started swinging like crazy!! It was amazing, and it was not a trick.

Are you saying Thislin has a very weak mind?:slap:

Are you saying Thislin has a very weak mind?:slap:
It may be that my mind has a stronger reality checker in it than his. He asserts that it was no trick. Really now.

I thought all you had to do was run an ad in the classifieds in the newspaper thanking one of the saints and your wish will be granted. Something like that anyway. It's either that or get abused by a priest as a child, I forget.

He asserts that it was no trick. Really now.

Believe what you will. I don't blame you for being sceptical. But it did happen.

I found God on eharmony.com.

We are compatible in 16 different dimensions of our relationship. :)

He asserts that it was no trick. Really now.

Believe what you will. I don't blame you for being sceptical. But it did happen.
Skepticism is the appropriate reaction to anything that doesn't fit the rational world we experience. (Distinguish it from cynicism, which should be avoided).

There have been several occurrences when I have been approached by Vietnamese who are afraid of ghosts, to the extent that their fear is getting in the way of their lives.

(The Vietnamese tend to approach older men who seem prosperous and well fed, asking for advice).

They tell tales that would curl your eyebrows, and they are serious, sober people with minds as rational as anyone.

I would probably believe them except for one thing--Westerners in Vietnam do not have similar experiences. Things that almost all Vietnamese report do not happen to Westerners, even in Vietnam.

(The word normally translated "ghost" is "mah" with a down-tone. It also translates "horror," and this is the translation an English-speaking Vietnamese will generally use).

The fact that so many people report the same phenomena tells me there is something going on, but the interpretation of "ghost," (the dematerialized spirit of a dead person) is only one of many possible interpretations, and by far one of the least likely.

Now I see the Western non-influence as being a consequence of the fact that the experiences, whatever they really are, are culturally defined. The Vietnamese sees the same fact as showing that for some reason ghosts do not bother Westerners.

Why am I telling all of this? It is because there is a lot in the world that remains unexplained. Skepticism is not the automatic rejection of such things (that is cynicism) but only the withholding of acceptance of things that don't "fit."

People like that are hard to not mock. They stand out as self-righteous fools.

The Christianity meme has been clever here--it makes a virtue out of the fact that intelligent, well educated people will inevitably mock. This gives the advocate of such delusions a rationalization.
Thislin your meme is showing...
If one believes in the meme, story

Dude, good post, I'm so busy defending, I often forget to explain salvation.
Thanks for that.

Don't let the negative feedback slow your spreading of the Gospel down. Treated right and the attacks will make you stronger.

By the way did you notice the lack of attacks on the Swaminarayan thread, don't you wonder why that religion wasn't attacked?

Thank you for the clarification Thislin.

The problem with Christians or any religion for that matter is 99% are simply a product of their environment. You grow up in the US you become a Christian, you grow up in India you become a Hindu, you grow up in Iran, you become a Muslim. Each one thinks they are 100% right, simply because they were programmed as a kid to think that way. Not every group can be 100% right, so an educated conclusion is they are all wrong.

As a male, I don't go that way. I don't care if he is 'god', he's not sticking that thing in me like he did that poor virgin, Mary.



Whew! Looks like I'm safe after all.

I am well short of the sort of "righteous character" of any supernatural entity that ordered infants hacked to death.


ROFLMAO!!! OMFG!!

OH you made my day.

The problem with Christians or any religion for that matter is 99% are simply a product of their environment. You grow up in the US you become a Christian, you grow up in India you become a Hindu, you grow up in Iran, you become a Muslim. Each one thinks they are 100% right, simply because they were programmed as a kid to think that way. Not every group can be 100% right, so an educated conclusion is they are all wrong.


and you get 1rst prize to a vacation resort of your choice!! I could not have said it better myself.

Another path to happiness and salvation!!


The Noble Eightfold Path

1. Right View Wisdom
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech Ethical Conduct
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort Mental Development
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

The Noble Eightfold Path describes the way to the end of suffering, as it was laid out by Siddhartha Gautama. It is a practical guideline to ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing the individual from attachments and delusions; and it finally leads to understanding the truth about all things. Together with the Four Noble Truths it constitutes the gist of Buddhism. Great emphasis is put on the practical aspect, because it is only through practice that one can attain a higher level of existence and finally reach Nirvana. The eight aspects of the path are not to be understood as a sequence of single steps, instead they are highly interdependent principles that have to be seen in relationship with each other.

1. Right View

Right view is the beginning and the end of the path, it simply means to see and to understand things as they really are and to realise the Four Noble Truth. As such, right view is the cognitive aspect of wisdom. It means to see things through, to grasp the impermanent and imperfect nature of worldly objects and ideas, and to understand the law of karma and karmic conditioning. Right view is not necessarily an intellectual capacity, just as wisdom is not just a matter of intelligence. Instead, right view is attained, sustained, and enhanced through all capacities of mind. It begins with the intuitive insight that all beings are subject to suffering and it ends with complete understanding of the true nature of all things. Since our view of the world forms our thoughts and our actions, right view yields right thoughts and right actions.

2. Right Intention

While right view refers to the cognitive aspect of wisdom, right intention refers to the volitional aspect, i.e. the kind of mental energy that controls our actions. Right intention can be described best as commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement. Buddha distinguishes three types of right intentions: 1. the intention of renunciation, which means resistance to the pull of desire, 2. the intention of good will, meaning resistance to feelings of anger and aversion, and 3. the intention of harmlessness, meaning not to think or act cruelly, violently, or aggressively, and to develop compassion.

3. Right Speech

Right speech is the first principle of ethical conduct in the eightfold path. Ethical conduct is viewed as a guideline to moral discipline, which supports the other principles of the path. This aspect is not self-sufficient, however, essential, because mental purification can only be achieved through the cultivation of ethical conduct. The importance of speech in the context of Buddhist ethics is obvious: words can break or save lives, make enemies or friends, start war or create peace. Buddha explained right speech as follows: 1. to abstain from false speech, especially not to tell deliberate lies and not to speak deceitfully, 2. to abstain from slanderous speech and not to use words maliciously against others, 3. to abstain from harsh words that offend or hurt others, and 4. to abstain from idle chatter that lacks purpose or depth. Positively phrased, this means to tell the truth, to speak friendly, warm, and gently and to talk only when necessary.

4. Right Action

The second ethical principle, right action, involves the body as natural means of expression, as it refers to deeds that involve bodily actions. Unwholesome actions lead to unsound states of mind, while wholesome actions lead to sound states of mind. Again, the principle is explained in terms of abstinence: right action means 1. to abstain from harming sentient beings, especially to abstain from taking life (including suicide) and doing harm intentionally or delinquently, 2. to abstain from taking what is not given, which includes stealing, robbery, fraud, deceitfulness, and dishonesty, and 3. to abstain from sexual misconduct. Positively formulated, right action means to act kindly and compassionately, to be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships harmless to others. Further details regarding the concrete meaning of right action can be found in the Precepts.

5. Right Livelihood

Right livelihood means that one should earn one's living in a righteous way and that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully. The Buddha mentions four specific activities that harm other beings and that one should avoid for this reason: 1. dealing in weapons, 2. dealing in living beings (including raising animals for slaughter as well as slave trade and prostitution), 3. working in meat production and butchery, and 4. selling intoxicants and poisons, such as alcohol and drugs. Furthermore any other occupation that would violate the principles of right speech and right action should be avoided.

6. Right Effort

Right effort can be seen as a prerequisite for the other principles of the path. Without effort, which is in itself an act of will, nothing can be achieved, whereas misguided effort distracts the mind from its task, and confusion will be the consequence. Mental energy is the force behind right effort; it can occur in either wholesome or unwholesome states. The same type of energy that fuels desire, envy, aggression, and violence can on the other side fuel self-discipline, honesty, benevolence, and kindness. Right effort is detailed in four types of endeavours that rank in ascending order of perfection: 1. to prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome states, 2. to abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen, 3. to arouse wholesome states that have not yet arisen, and 4. to maintain and perfect wholesome states already arisen.

7. Right Mindfulness

Right mindfulness is the controlled and perfected faculty of cognition. It is the mental ability to see things as they are, with clear consciousness. Usually, the cognitive process begins with an impression induced by perception, or by a thought, but then it does not stay with the mere impression. Instead, we almost always conceptualise sense impressions and thoughts immediately. We interpret them and set them in relation to other thoughts and experiences, which naturally go beyond the facticity of the original impression. The mind then posits concepts, joins concepts into constructs, and weaves those constructs into complex interpretative schemes. All this happens only half consciously, and as a result we often see things obscured. Right mindfulness is anchored in clear perception and it penetrates impressions without getting carried away. Right mindfulness enables us to be aware of the process of conceptualisation in a way that we actively observe and control the way our thoughts go. Buddha accounted for this as the four foundations of mindfulness: 1. contemplation of the body, 2. contemplation of feeling (repulsive, attractive, or neutral), 3. contemplation of the state of mind, and 4. contemplation of the phenomena.

8. Right Concentration

The eighth principle of the path, right concentration, refers to the development of a mental force that occurs in natural consciousness, although at a relatively low level of intensity, namely concentration. Concentration in this context is described as one-pointedness of mind, meaning a state where all mental faculties are unified and directed onto one particular object. Right concentration for the purpose of the eightfold path means wholesome concentration, i.e. concentration on wholesome thoughts and actions. The Buddhist method of choice to develop right concentration is through the practice of meditation. The meditating mind focuses on a selected object. It first directs itself onto it, then sustains concentration, and finally intensifies concentration step by step. Through this practice it becomes natural to apply elevated levels concentration also in everyday situations.

The path to hinduism

Assimilating the 3 Eternal Values
The purpose of religion is certainly to make us a better human being. It helps us manifest the god or goodness within us for the benefit of oneself and the world.

The Three Disciplines
The basic tenets of Hinduism highlight three qualities to groom the physical, mental and intellectual facets of your personality. The most fundamental of the eternal values can be classified into these three disciplines:

Self control (Brahmacharya) — Regulates the physical personality
Non-injury (Ahimsa) — Regulates the mental personality
Truthfulness (Satyam) — Regulates the intellectual personality
Lessons from the Gita
The Bhagavad Gita has clearly defined the ascetic simplicities that every individual should aim at — the austerity of body, speech and mind:

"Worship of the Gods, the twice born, the teachers and the 'wise'; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-injury; these are called the 'austerity of the body'." (The Gita, Chapter XVII, 14)
"Speech which causes no excitement, and is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, and the practice of the study of the Vedas, these constitute the 'austerity of speech'." (The Gita, Chapter XVII, 15)
"Serenity of mind, good heartedness, silence, self-control, purity of nature — these are called the 'mental austerity'." (The Gita, Chapter XVII, 16)
Assimilating the Eternal Values
The above verses show us the ways in which we can inculcate and assimilate these fundamental eternal values.

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Here're eight things we can do diligently to emerge as better persons:

Worship the God of your heart
Maintain external cleanliness — Physical and Environmental
Practice straightforwardness in dealing with others
Live a life of self-control with respect to all your sense enjoyments
Avoid acts of injuring others from your emotional and intellectual realms
Speak only to express agreeable ideas of permanent value. When the truth is disagreeable to others, maintain a discreet silence.
Maintain pure and serene motives
Maintain a relationship of understanding, tolerance and love with the world at large.
People who follow this steadily and with no desire of quick results will attain eternal goodness. This is what the Gita says about goodness: "This threefold austerity practiced by steadfast men with utmost faith desiring no fruit, is called austerity of goodness." (The Gita, Chapter XVII, 17) And the good are those who refuse to worry about the future because they know that the "future is the resultant of the total path modified by the present."

Path to wicca


What is "Wicca"?

This path is referred to by many names, depending on whom you ask. Some call it 'the Craft', some call it Wicca, some call it Paganism, some call it Witchcraft, some call it by the generic title "Earth-based religion', and finally, some just refer to it as their spiritual path. Whatever name or title you choose to tack onto it, it is essential that you understand what it is at its core - and what it is not. What it is, is a spiritual way of life, governed by balance, in which you are responsible for your own actions. It encompasses a belief in a God & a Goddess, respect for our planet and ourselves, and genuine concern for all living things (be they animal, plant, or human). What it is not, is a way to seek power over others, it's not an easy way to get something for nothing, and it is not in any way a belief in the entity called Satan. This path's basic tenet is love. Love for the God & Goddess, love for yourself, love for every living thing.

It is easy for people to forget nowadays that everything is connected. We are all a part of Mother Earth, none is more important than another is. This path acknowledges that by respecting every living creature on the planet. The first and foremost rule of our belief is taken from 'The Wiccan Rede' which, in the last two lines reads... "In these eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, An' ye harm none, do what ye wilt". Which basically means that you can do anything you want to do as long as you do not cause harm to anyone or anything, including yourself. Something else to keep in mind, is that this path, by whatever name you choose to call it, is more than merely a religion to pay lip service to once or twice a week; it is a way of life. To truly be able to call yourself a Witch, you must believe in the principles wholeheartedly and live them every single day.

In 1974, The Council of American Witches set down "The Principles of Belief" as a guideline to the experience of being a witch in America in the 20th century. It basically outlines the ideas behind the Wiccan belief system as a whole. While it is does not encompass everything defining witchcraft anymore than the Constitution encompasses everything about America, it does cover a good many of our basic ideas. I reproduce that information for you here so you can get a better idea of our belief system.


Principles of Belief

The Council of American Witches finds it is necessary to define modern Witchcraft in terms of the American experience and needs. We are not bound by traditions from other times and other cultures, and owe no allegiance to any person or power greater than the Divinity manifest through our own being. As American Witches, we welcome and respect all life-affirming teachings and traditions, and seek to learn from all and to share our learning within our Council.

It is in this spirit of welcome and cooperation that we adopt these few principles of Wiccan belief. In seeking to be inclusive, we do not wish to open ourselves to the destruction of our group by those on self-serving power trips, or to philosophies and practices contradictory to these principles. In seeking to exclude those whose ways are contradictory to ours, we do not want to deny participation with us to any who are sincerely interested in our knowledge and beliefs, regardless of race, color, age, national or cultural origins, or sexual preference. We therefore ask only that those who seek to identify with us accept these few basic principles:

* We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal quarters and cross-quarters.

* We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.

* We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than is apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary, it is sometimes called 'supernatural', but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.

* We conceive of the Creative Power in the Universe as manifesting through polarity - as masculine and feminine- and that this same creative Power lives in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sexuality as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of Life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.

* We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological worlds - sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, the Inner Planes, etc. - and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.

* We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.

* We see religion, magick, and wisdom-in-living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it - a world view and philosophy of life, which we identify as Witchcraft or the Wiccan Way.

* Calling oneself 'Witch' does not make a Witch - but neither does heredity itself, or the collecting of titles, degrees, and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within him/herself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well, without harm to others, and in harmony with Nature.

* We acknowledge that it is the affirmation and fulfillment of life, in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe we know, and to our personal role within it.

* Our only animosity toward Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy-of-life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the one true right and only way" and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.

* As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present, and our future.

* We do not accept the concept of "absolute evil", nor do we worship any entity known as 'Satan' or 'the Devil' as defined by Christian Tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept the concept that personal benefits can only be derived by denial to another.

* We work within Nature for that which is contributory to our health and well being.



All people have certain sets of standards that they choose to live by. Witches are no different. Most people set goals of things they wish to achieve during their lifetime. Again, witches are no different. Being individuals, our standards and goals will not likely ever be identical to any other persons, however, being a witch, we should all incorporate within our set of standards and goals the following things.


13 Goals of a Witch
1. Know yourself

2. Know the God & Goddess

3. Follow your Path

4. Learn

5. Apply knowledge with wisdom

6. Achieve balance

7. Keep your words in good order

8. Keep your thoughts in good order

9. Celebrate life

10. Attune with the cycles of Nature

11. Meditate

12. Honor Nature

13. Teach by example

Because there are many denominations of Witchcraft, each coven is free to create and operate under their own rules (within their chosen tradition) pertaining to degree system, dedications, initiations, etc. Should you decide to join a coven or group, you should make it a point to make yourself familiar with the rules and workings of any group you ask to be a part of. After all, if you aren't interested enough to find out how they work, Why are you there in the first place?


Ethics

Ethics, now there is a word you don't often hear without expecting to hear a lecture following it. This may be the exception or it may not, depending on how you look at it. First, let's examine the word ethics, which is defined as� 1) the study and philosophy of human conduct, with emphasis on the determination of right and wrong -or- 2) the principles of right conduct, especially with reference to a specific profession or mode of life. In other words, when one refers to your ethics (or lack thereof), they are referring to your moral principles, code of right and wrong, social values, conduct, decency, respectability, etc.
Now, I imagine you are asking yourself what that has to do with the study of Wicca. The answer is - a great deal. This is a spiritual path that is, at best, misunderstood by the masses. As witches, we know that we are accountable to the God and Goddess for our actions. Anyone who believes in and follows the Way of the Wise will know what you are about when you tell them you are a witch; but those that don't believe in the Goddess, or Wicca, will judge you and everyone else who calls him/herself a witch by your actions. Like it or not, as a witch, you are a representative for an entire spiritual belief system and all those who follow its path. That may seem overly dramatic to you, but I assure you it is the truth. It is a huge responsibility to undertake and a challenge that, sadly, not everyone is up to. You must take this responsibility into account before making your final decision to be Wiccan.

There are a few things that every witch should remember with each action they take. Among these things are...

1. You are directly answerable to the God & Goddess for each action you take.

2. You are responsible for your own actions. No one else, just you.

3. The three-fold law. Everything you do comes back to you times three.

4. Is the action you are about to take going to benefit anyone?

5. Is the action you are about to take going to cause anyone harm? If it is, don't do it!!

6. Witches do not intentionally lie to, steal from, or cheat others. It causes harm to people.

7. Witches do not intentionally break the laws of the land. It can cause harm to people.

8. Drugs, alcohol, and magick do not mix. It's just like drinking and driving; you can't control a vehicle properly if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In order to control magick, you must be in control of yourself.

In order to maintain any level of positive ethics, you must have a certain amount of discipline for your own self; Wicca is a discipline because it teaches levels of consciousness and levels of being. Alex Sanders once said, "Wicca teaches power and free will to use it, once you understand how to use it. The training brings such a balanced outlook about power, that it gives you a sense of responsibility. So you very rarely use your power... only when you think it's absolutely necessary, and only when it's with the will of the other person. You're working on your physical, material level, but you're also pulling the highest aspects of yourself down into that level and realizing them; spiritual realization in the physical manifestation."

The central aim of Wicca is the spiritual and psychic development of each individual and for this, self-analysis and self-criticism are essential. Unlike some other religions or spiritual paths, Wicca doesn't lay down specific rules about what is or is not sinful. However, you will find your sense of what is good and what is right becoming refined to the point where your attitude toward selfishness, trouble-making, insincerity, injustice, cruelty, disloyalty, hypocrisy, promiscuity, and dishonor reach a whole new level. In other words, being Wiccan helps you avoid compromising your ethical beliefs. This is partially thanks to the three-fold law, which in its simplest form states that every action you take comes back to you times three. In other words, if you do something nice for someone, that nice gesture returns to you three-fold. Also, if you were to do something to intentionally hurt someone, that negative gesture would likewise comeback to you three-fold.

Aleister Crowley once said," Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." The rest of that statement is, "Love is the Law, love under will" - love in the general sense of living in a community. "The moment you get this sense of the power of love, you think; I'd better not do this. It's all right for me, and it might be all right for the next person, if he's agreed to it, but it must be his will as well as mine. And there is power, it gives you a sense of responsibility".

Being a witch is more than saying you follow the God & Goddess, more than learning the Wiccan Rede, and more than learning about elements, circles, and spells. Being a witch means demanding more from your self. It means that you don't fudge over what may be right or wrong, that you give your word sparingly and once you've given it, you keep it. It means that you consider the intent of your actions before you carry them out because you know that whatever you put out, you get back three-fold.

Your own conscience is, and must be, the final judge, and if it rebels against an action you are thinking of taking then pay attention!! Remember that Wicca does not lessen your personal responsibility, it makes larger demands from it.





Gods & Goddesses

Most belief systems encourage their followers to believe in God, but only God and only one (for example, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism). Even some of the pagan traditions lean so heavily toward the God that a Goddess is almost never mentioned (Asatru, for example) and some pagan traditions follow strictly Goddess worship so the God is hardly ever mentioned. As Wiccans, our belief in a God and a Goddess is part of what separates us from other spiritual paths. One of the other things that sets us apart is the way we view our relationship to our deities. We do not grovel to them, tell them we are unworthy of their attention, and then ask them to fix all the problems in our lives. Instead, we work with them, as partners, to improve the parts of our lives that need improving. We honor and love them, of course, but we are not required to sacrifice our dignity simply to gain their attention.

There are literally hundreds of Goddesses and just as many Gods from a multitude of pantheons; each has a different name and a different specialty associated with them. They are called by many generic names, Earth Mother and Sky Father, the Lord and the Lady, or just the God and Goddess, but whatever names you choose to call them by, they are equally important. Each is as necessary as the other and together, they create the balance and energy essential for all living things. It is often said that all Gods are one God and all Goddesses are one Goddess and, together, the God & Goddess are One.

The Goddess has three forms, Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The Maiden represents youth and innocence, magick and new beginnings, and the thrill of discovery. She is not yet mated but is on the threshold of her sexuality. The Mother represents caring and nurturing, protection and justice, and fertility. She is usually mated and in the prime of her sexuality. The Crone represents logic and wisdom. She considers anyone younger than her to be her child and can be frighteningly vengeful if any of her children are harmed.

The God also has three forms, Warrior, Father, and Sage. The Warrior represents youth and vigor, hope and vitality, and the thrill of the hunt. He is not mated yet and is at the peak of his sexual drive. The Father represents security and wisdom, devotion and spirit, and growth. He is usually mated and is virile and productive. The Sage represents discretion and reasoning. He advises and loves all his children and will retaliate quickly if they are harmed. Choosing your Matron Goddess and Patron God may not be an easy task. It will likely require much thought and research on your part. Rather than give you a list of Deities, I am going to let you know that there are several books available, written by credible authors, which list the many Gods and Goddesses, their pantheons, names, and realms of control. I choose to let you find out about the deities on your own, so as not to influence you choice of Patron God and Matron Goddess. Your decision should be your own and will be decided partially by the path you are on, and partially by your own personal preference. For instance, if you find yourself drawn to a particular pantheon, your Deities will, most likely come from there.

However, the choice may be made for you. It is not uncommon for a witch to be chosen by a God or a Goddess. If you find yourself drawn to a specific Deity, you are probably being given a clue that you have been chosen by them. If this happens, pay attention! Research the deity, meditate on their particular pantheon, go on a guided journey to meet them; whatever method you choose is fine but you should definitely try to find out more about them. You will encounter, and work with, many Gods and Goddesses on this path. The more you learn about them, the more comfortable you will be in invoking their energy. They are there to help us improve our lives and, while they do not expect sacrifices from us, they do expect us to respect them. One of the best ways to show someone respect is to show an interest in them and learn what they are like, not just on the surface, but in their hearts. It is no different with the God and Goddess.

Skeptics have asked for eons how it is that we know the God & Goddess really exist. We, as witches, know they are real because we feel their divine energies in our own souls. We see them manifested in all the life that surrounds us and we feel their presence in ritual and everywhere else. To those whose lives are so closely tied to every living thing, the question is never If we know they exist, but rather, how can others NOT know they do?

1. GOD LOVES YOU AND IS SEEKING TO HAVE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU

2. SIN HAS CREATED A BARRIER BETWEEN MAN AND GOD

3. JESUS CHRIST CAME TO REMOVE THE BARRIER BETWEEN GOD AND MAN

4. NOW THERE IS ONLY ONE BARRIER BETWEEN YOU AND GOD YOU MUST RECEIVE THE PARDON JESUS PURCHASED FOR YOU
Surely that's one step not four.