What is the Wiccan view on evolution?
Nemesis
Abby wrote:
> I was just curious as to the Wiccan view on creation. I am watching
> 'Inherit the Wind' in History and it got me thinking on how much I see the
> Bible as just a book of stories, like mythology. I'm not that sure about
> Wiccan creation, I guess I've not read anything about it, or missed it
> somewhere. Could someone shed some light on this subject?
>
> Abby
> age...@peop.tds.net
Well, there are myths of origin in pretty much every trad of
paganism...the ones i've read about come from the mythology of the
particular pantheon/culture the trad draws its roots from.
My own pet theory (and surprisingly enough, one that my catholic and
muslim friends agree on with me) is that the God/dess made the universe
by making evolution happen. In other words, S/He was the spark that
started it all and controlled, to some part, where and what it would
lead to.
nemesis
future perfect
- What is the Wiccan view on evolution? ("Abby" <age...@peop.tds.net>, 20:15)
- Hi.
- I was just curious as to the Wiccan view on creation. I am watching 'Inherit the Wind' in History and it got me thinking on how much I see the Bible as just a book of stories, like mythology. I'm not that sure about Wiccan creation, I guess I've not read anything about it, or missed it somewhere. Could someone shed some light on this subject?
- Abby
- Of course I cannot speak for all wiccans, but I believe most would agree we are all here due to the long, beautiful, amazing process of evolution. As to the bible being 'just a book of stories, like mythology'...bingo- you're right on there. Mythology is what paganism is based on too. Myths are living, breathing, applicable, interpret-able [is that a word? :-)] sacred stories. There are even some christians who are beginning to see the value of myth and metaphor. It is when myths are perceived as fact that they lose their power.
- Brightest,
- M
Bob Ravenwren
Abby wrote:
>
> Hi.
>
> I was just curious as to the Wiccan view on creation. I am watching
> 'Inherit the Wind' in History and it got me thinking on how much I see the
> Bible as just a book of stories, like mythology. I'm not that sure about
> Wiccan creation, I guess I've not read anything about it, or missed it
> somewhere. Could someone shed some light on this subject?
>
> Abby
Well all I can do is tell you briefly how I look at this subject. As
others bring thier prespective in I hope we all can help in that which
you are looking for.
I believe several different ways, the first is Spiritual. How we as
spiritual beings move down the tree of life to the manifest then return
to our source or God or Goddess. What ever your preception may be.
As far as how the God/dess created the universe, well I believe it as we
see it in nature. Life coming from the Goddess, as the spring brings
life born through her. It illustrates how the universe was born only
what we see is of course the microcosm of the Macro.
As I said this is very general, I didn't want to post something very
lenghly. I hope this helps and answers your question.
Bright Blessings
Bob Ravenwren
Abby
Glen Marshall
Abby <age...@peop.tds.net> wrote
Gee, uhhh ... interesting question.
My observation: Wicca is very much a religion of the here & now. Only the
most pedantic among us concern ourselves with where we came from, how we
got here, etc.]
--
Glen F. Marshall
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/glen_marshall
Karen Boelter
Well since many Wiccans (I am one of them) beleive in re-incarnation
so if you go back far enough some of us have been moving up the chain of
life as it has developed. I guess some of us just don't learn to
easily:-)
Tirion
Patricia Corcoran
Bob Ravenwren wrote:
>
> Abby wrote:
> >
> > Hi.
> >
> > I was just curious as to the Wiccan view on creation. I am watching
> > 'Inherit the Wind' in History and it got me thinking on how much I see the
> > Bible as just a book of stories, like mythology. I'm not that sure about
> > Wiccan creation, I guess I've not read anything about it, or missed it
> > somewhere. Could someone shed some light on this subject?
> >
> > age...@peop.tds.net
>
> Well all I can do is tell you briefly how I look at this subject. As
> others bring thier prespective in I hope we all can help in that which
> you are looking for.
>
> I believe several different ways, the first is Spiritual. How we as
> spiritual beings move down the tree of life to the manifest then return
> to our source or God or Goddess. What ever your preception may be.
> As far as how the God/dess created the universe, well I believe it as we
> see it in nature. Life coming from the Goddess, as the spring brings
> life born through her. It illustrates how the universe was born only
> what we see is of course the microcosm of the Macro.
> As I said this is very general, I didn't want to post something very
> lenghly. I hope this helps and answers your question.
>
> Bright Blessings
> Bob Ravenwren
The Goddess lives, grows, changes, daily, as do we, the earth, the seen
and the unseen. That is creation/evolution. It is continuing. The
Creation is not yet finished.
Geoff Johnson
Abby wrote:
>
> Hi.
>
> I was just curious as to the Wiccan view on creation. I am watching
> 'Inherit the Wind' in History and it got me thinking on how much I see the
> Bible as just a book of stories, like mythology. I'm not that sure about
> Wiccan creation, I guess I've not read anything about it, or missed it
> somewhere. Could someone shed some light on this subject?
>
> Abby
> age...@peop.tds.net
Ouch. You will get various answers to this I'm sure. Some Wiccans do have
a creation story, some don't. Personally, I very strongly believe in
evolution, but of course you have to explain where the stuff came from
originally.
A lot of Wiccan creation stories involve the goddess giving birth to the
world, the goddess just being the universe, and yadda yadda yadda.
Very rarely is the god mentioned in Wiccan creation stories, although he
is in a few.
Geoff
Brian Wright
Glen Marshall (glenma...@worldnet.att.net) wrote:
: Abby <age...@peop.tds.net> wrote
: > I was just curious as to the Wiccan view on creation. I am watching
: > 'Inherit the Wind' in History and it got me thinking on how much I see
: the
: > Bible as just a book of stories, like mythology. I'm not that sure about
: > Wiccan creation, I guess I've not read anything about it, or missed it
: > somewhere. Could someone shed some light on this subject?
: Gee, uhhh ... interesting question.
: My observation: Wicca is very much a religion of the here & now. Only the
: most pedantic among us concern ourselves with where we came from, how we
: got here, etc.]
Like every issue in Wicca a lot of this is based an individual views, but I
see no reason why Wiccans would doubt evolution. I personally believe
strongly in evolution. I think its facinating how life has managed to adapt
itself to a constantly changing world. Studying how the natural world
functions has been something I've always considered important to my religous
beliefs. To only look at a extremely tiny part of the history of how that
life has existed seems to me extremely foolish and bias. I think as
followers of an earth religion it is important that we examine how life has
survived both now and in the past.
Brian
Karen McFarlin
In article <32E96A...@geocities.com>, Geoff Johnson
<rgjo...@geocities.com> wrote:
> Abby wrote:
> >
> > Hi.
> >
> > I was just curious as to the Wiccan view on creation. I am watching
> > 'Inherit the Wind' in History and it got me thinking on how much I see the
> > Bible as just a book of stories, like mythology. I'm not that sure about
> > Wiccan creation, I guess I've not read anything about it, or missed it
> > somewhere. Could someone shed some light on this subject?
> >
> > Abby
> > age...@peop.tds.net
Evolution is the mechanical aspect of Nature's pattern-making and unifies
all living things in kinship. The implications of evolution are profoundly
spiritual. "Creation stories" are cultural poems, peculiar expressions of
various peoples.
Cairns
Susan Profit
In article <01bc0961$3d08dd00$221f...@mypc.tdsnet.com>,>Abby
>age...@peop.tds.net
It depends on the person doing the beleiving. I've met creationist Wiccans
who beleived that the God/dess/es formed the world and that's that. I've
also met Wiccans and Christians who thought Evolution was the proof of the
existence of Deity/ies.
@}->- ;) Tinne :D Laughter Heals :) -<-{@
James M. Connelly
In <32E909...@earthlink.net> Karen Boelter <nera...@earthlink.net>
writes:
Well, not speaking for all wiccans of course; my particular belief is
that the avatar/goddess of the West is water, time, Kali, Shakti, the
Kore marrying maiden, Saturn/ Sateet, flowing, beauty, etc. And that
she is in charge of sex, love, time, and death, and so evolution. She
is the one who changes everything - keeps the genes stired up, so to
speak.
A metaphor, if you like - but if you ask her questions in the proper
way, she will answer. And perhaps help you with your own growth.
Jim Connelly RRFTD the rational wiccan
James M. Connelly
In <32E96A...@geocities.com> Geoff Johnson
<rgjo...@geocities.com> writes:
>
>Abby wrote:
>>
>> Hi.
>>
>> I was just curious as to the Wiccan view on creation. I am watching
>> 'Inherit the Wind' in History and it got me thinking on how much I
see the
>> Bible as just a book of stories, like mythology. I'm not that sure
about
>> Wiccan creation, I guess I've not read anything about it, or missed
it
>> somewhere. Could someone shed some light on this subject?
>>
>> Abby
>> age...@peop.tds.net
>
have
>a creation story, some don't. Personally, I very strongly believe in
>evolution, but of course you have to explain where the stuff came from
>originally.
>A lot of Wiccan creation stories involve the goddess giving birth to
the
>world, the goddess just being the universe, and yadda yadda yadda.
>Very rarely is the god mentioned in Wiccan creation stories, although
he
>is in a few.
> Geoff
I'm still trying to propogandize, or propogate, the idea that wicca is
the best religion to relate our emotions and deep psychic substructures
to what science says is really out there.
For instance, the scientists say the universe arose out of random
fluctuations in the quantum void, making the big bang. I say this is
very like the great mother, cauldron of rebirth and possibility, giving
birth to her son, our percievable universe.
If you concieve the quantum void as a limitless chaos, full of infinite
information, and therefor all possibility, then information transfer
(the creation of the limitation of the speed of light) becomes lord
form, the male net of past event, which limits the chaos into our
reality.
So evolution can be understood emotionaly and spiritualy as the god
arising out of the goddess, crystalizing into what we see (percieve).
And we relate to him as either a sacrifice, or a figure of pride,
glorious in his creation, the present moment.
ThePeak999
Like everyone else, I can only tell you *this* wiccan's view on evolution.
I believe it is a wholly valid scientific theory. (That is, I think it's
right.)
The "flaws" people have found in the theory of evolution are due to its
being such a new science, like psychology. It's not something we've had
around for a milennia, like chemistry or biology. (well, yes, I know it's
a branch of biology, sort of...)
Anyway, the main unanswered question in evolution is that if all life goes
back to a single cell floating in the primordial pools of the cooling,
ancient Earth, where did that living cell come from? What made something
non-living into something living?
That spark of life is what I call "God/dess".
BTW i think this all fits very neatly with most mythologies, including
Christianity's creation myth and the whole idea of life springing from the
Holy Hermaphrodite...
~Banlioghan, who hopes everyone forgives her ramblings cuz it's late.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"God is a mountain, and each religion is a path to the Peak."-- from the Vedas, Hindu scripture.
Mikel
James M. Connelly wrote:
>
> In <32E96A...@geocities.com> Geoff Johnson
> <rgjo...@geocities.com> writes:
> >
> >Abby wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi.
[SNIP]
Recently I was exercising my thumb and stumbled across a program on the
Discovery Channel about quatum physics. I terribly sorry but I don't
know the name of it...so I do hope it's on again. Anyway, during the
course of the show, the narator spoke about how scientists have smashed
atoms down to there smallest parts, and what they found were twelve (12)
basic that build all atoms. When they smashed those there was nothing
left but energy. Even odder still was that he went on to say that there
are four (4) types of energy that manipulate these particles which
compse all matter.
I just thought I'd offer this little tidbit I really don't have a take
on evolution as per say. Except that I'm trying to every day...;D
Blessed be,
Mikel
============================================
Sooner or later you'll find out exactly what
you are; not what you want to be...
============================================
ren
JSA wrote:
>
> > In article <32E96A...@geocities.com>, Geoff Johnson
> > <rgjo...@geocities.com> wrote:
>
>
I'm deviluting. but my hopes for you all are grand.
JSA
Azzrielle
As several people have so aptly pointed out, few if any of us would
presume to hold the "official wiccan view" on anything, or even admit the
existence of such a beast.
I, personally, believe in evolution, for a myriad of reasons. The two
that leap to mind in the context of this discussion are: 1) The process
of evolution seems, to me, to be infinitely more pregnant of magic and
miracle than the disspiritingly mundane concept of some God/dess form
going "Zap". And...
2) To date, whenever I've argued with a creationist and asked them to
explain the plethora of scientific evidence, the fossil record, the
verifiable process of mutation in species currently under study, etc. etc.
ad infinitum...the only answer I've gotten back is that said evidence was
"planted by Satan to tempt us to doubt." When I find a
non-Christian-based, rational argument as to why I should overlook the
evidence, and my own intuition, I'll probably be a little more receptive.
Blessed Be
Azzrielle
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>)O(<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
My personal revenge will be to give you...
These hands that once you so mistreated...
And failed to take away their tenderness.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>)O(<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
ren
Some Wiccans believe that evolution is central to the religion itself.
Wicca grows like a tree, the tree of knowledge. Hopefully we shall
develop ourselves to our full potentials, and beyond. It's the GREAT
WORK.
Zardoz
The basic practices (whatever they are -- shamanistic, circles, magick,
etc.) of the old religion predate what we think of as "human." The
oldest known stone ceremonial circle was dated by the Leekys at
2,030,000 years old, long prior to the advent of "homo sapiens." But
assuming that, we get a cause and effect question. My personal view is
that in some ways the Old Religion *created* the human race. We evolved
and became human in part because of what our ancestors were doing. So
when we begin our ancient rites in our circles and it feels so much
like its part of our bodies as well as our minds, that's because both
our bodies and our minds have been in part created by evolutionary
changes resulting from the needs of the religion. We are inseperable
from our selves and ourselves are inseperable from the Old Ways, both
were created together, and resulted from an interweaving of the other.
The Old Ways created humans, and humans created the Old Ways. We are
togeher one.
Blessed Be
ZardoZ
The opinions expressed herein are mine alone and do not represent the
opinions or policy of any organization.
All material is the copyright property of the author and may not be
reproduced in any manner without specific permission.
Peter Stephen Thomas III
I've always thought of this idea as being kinda silly on the grounds that
it's mixing apples and oranges.
Evolution is based in the sciences, with all of it's hard data and
evidence. Wicca is based in the spiritual realm, the realm of
interpretation. I feel that mixing the two is what really confuses the
issue.
*bright blessings*
Peter Thomas
--
Bearhugs & Footrubs
"I'll lose my beard when they shave it from my cold, dead face!"
Quote from the Razor's Anonymous Handbook
Peter Thomas is p...@csd.uwm.edu B3/4 f+ t w- s r k+ (aka Freyr on IRC)
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Michael O'Brien
In article <5dfrij$n...@uwm.edu>, Peter Stephen Thomas III
<p...@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu> writes
>Evolution is based in the sciences, with all of it's hard data and
>evidence. Wicca is based in the spiritual realm, the realm of
>interpretation. I feel that mixing the two is what really confuses the
>issue.
Science continues to prove (eventually) that which Wicca has known for
centuries!
BB
Krow
--
Michael O'Brien (kr...@mobvus.demon.co.uk) http://www.mobvus.demon.co.uk/
"Lamh laidir an uachdar" (The Strong Hand From Above)
ren
Zardoz wrote:
>
> The Old Ways created humans, and humans created the Old Ways. We are
> togeher one.
Well spoken.
Peter Stephen Thomas III
Michael O'Brien (mob...@mobvus.demon.co.uk) wrote:
: I have never found science and Wicca to be mutually exclusive.
: Science continues to prove (eventually) that which Wicca has known for
: centuries!
: BB
: Krow
: --
: Michael O'Brien (kr...@mobvus.demon.co.uk) http://www.mobvus.demon.co.uk/
: "Lamh laidir an uachdar" (The Strong Hand From Above)
To clarify the point I was trying to make, think the sciences as one type
of tool, religion as another type. You don't use a screwdriver for
pounding nails and you don't use a wrench for driving screws. Using a tool
for which it's not suited can only lead to incorrect results.
Karen McFarlin
Humans grew here, just like so many walking trees.
Cairns