Wicca is a modern pagan, witchcraft religion

Wicca is a diverse religion with no central authority or figure defining it.

Wicca often involves the ritual practice of magic, though it is not always necessary

Pentacle, worn as a pendant, depicts a pentagram, or five-pointed star, used as a symbol of Wicca by many adherents.

Beliefs in Wicca range from hard polytheism to even monotheism.

Wicca is typically duotheistic, worshipping a god and goddess traditionally viewed as a mother goddess and horned god.

The term Wicca first achieved widespread acceptance when referring to the religion in the 1960s and 70s

Application of the word Wicca has given rise to "a great deal of disagreement and infighting".

The Goddess and the God may be regarded as the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine

The God and Goddess are generally seen as lovers and equals, the Divine Couple who together co-create the cosmos.

Traditionally the God is viewed as a Horned God, associated with nature, wilderness, sexuality, hunting and the life cycle

The Horned God is given various names according to the tradition, and these include Cernunnos, Pan, Atho and Karnayna.

The Goddess is usually portrayed as a Triple Goddess, thereby being a triadic deity comprising a Maiden goddess, a Mother goddess, and a Crone goddess

Some Wiccans, particularly from the 1970s onwards, have viewed the Goddess as the more important of the two deities, who is pre-eminent in that she contains and conceives all. In this respect, the God is viewed as the spark of life and inspiration within her, simultaneously her lover and her child.

Showing posts with label jewish culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jewish culture. Show all posts

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Shofar Callin The Rosh Hashanah Song

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Shofar Callin The Rosh Hashanah Song
Stand your ground October we posted a story about G-dcast, the new reading of each lecture Torah parsha in the form of a four-minute bouncy moving picture. Wellspring, the G-dcast team has done it another time. This time it's a special bouncy moving picture for Rosh Hashanah, explaining the direction relating the shofar and the bang of the Cover of Isaac (The Akeda) that is read in the synagogue on the highest day of the holiday.This version is not your proverbial Bible story presentation. It's done in a hip-hop bring into being by a singer from Savannah, Georgia who calls himself Prodezra Beats.If you doubted that the Chassidic and hip-hop Jewish music worlds are coming together, in shape contain out this nippy video of original Jewish hip-hop singer, Y-Love, shmoozing it up with the king of Chassidic music, Mordechai Ben-David.
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Sunday, July 22, 2012

White House Hosts Two Hanukkah Receptions As The Holiday Ends

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White House Hosts Two Hanukkah Receptions As The Holiday Ends
As Hanukkah was ending yesterday late afternoon and evening, President Obama hosted two separate Hanukkah receptions at the White House. The White House has posted the full text of the President's remarks at the first of the receptions, many of which focused on the unusual overlap of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah. Navy lieutenant Rabbi Amanda Lurer gave a rather tactful introduction to her lighting of the Hanukkah menorah-- a day later than the last candle was to be lit according to Jewish law. She said:

Hanukkah formally ends tonight as the sun goes down this evening. But it will always be appropriate for us as we gather to remind ourselves and the world of the meaning of this holiday.She also recited only two of the three traditional blessings over the Hanukkah candles, omitting the one praising God for commanding the lighting of Hanukkah candles-- since there is no commandment they be lit at the holiday's end.

UPATE: The White House has now posted the full text of the President's remarks to the second of the Hanukkah receptions. This one was attended by three Supreme Court justices, members of Congress, Israeli diplomats and others. The President's remarks were more substantive, weaving a defense of his Iran policy and a tribute to Nelson Mandela into a Hanukkah theme. At this reception, Hanukkah candles were lit by Rabbi Joshua Sherwin, a lieutenant in the United States Navy, who recited only one of the three blessings that are used during the holiday itself-- the "shehecheyanu".
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