I would just like to point something out.  As a long practicing Wiccan, I was incredibly offended by the remarks of the obviously Christian person several posts above who makes the claim that witchcraft comes from the devil.  One of the most basic rules to Wicca is "to give evil a name is to give it power".  Therefore, true Wiccans do not believe in a devil or a hell that bad people are sent to.  To explain the idea of afterlife that we believe in would take up quite a bit of space, and I am not trying to sway anyone to my beliefs.  I respect all religions and all people, and I do have an open mind to new people and beliefs.  However, my mind is not so open that my brain is going to fall out.  I have been persecuted for my unorthodox beliefs, losing friends over it because I did not want to convert to their religion.  Eshmasesh, I agree with you completely, however, there is not a set number of deities to worship in modern Wicca.  The God and the Goddess are very important, but there is also the All (or Spirit).  Worshipping nature is a common facet of many Wiccan branches in modern times, as is the belief that true balance can only be achieved by nature.  As for the multiple deities, Wicca is a polytheistic religion, and there are many branches to choose from.  In branches such as Khemetic (Egyptian Wicca) and Alexandrian (Greek) Wicca, you can devote an entire ritual to one specific God, like Aphrodite or Horus, or encompass several.  The choice is entirely up to the worshipper.  I know that there are teenagers who dress in all black and lots of jewelry and proclaim themselves to be witches, but they are nothing of the sort.  This is not saying that witches don't dress in black and wear jewelry, some may.  But Wicca as a religion, not a fad, requires hard work and dedication.  I look forward to the day that Wicca and all Pagan religions are as widely accepted as Christianity, but I am not holding my breath.  I just ask that Christians try to practice open-mindedness as much as they preach it.  The world would be a better place if more people were open-minded.

   Wiccan Woman, December 23, 2006  (Happy Yule to all the Wiccans, and Merry Christmas to all the Christians!)