It’s probably pretty safe to say that many Wiccans likely have a negative knee-jerk reaction to the word “faith.” I know that I did for the longest time, but I want to explore ways we might reconsider the use of the word. I may upset a few people with this post, which isn’t my intention, but I can’t please everyone. My hope is that I pose some thought-provoking questions, if nothing else.
“Faith” has become a loaded, triggering word for many pagans and Wiccans. This likely stems from religious trauma experienced at the hands of evangelical and extremist Christians. It is true that there are people out there who have weaponized the word “faith” to excuse their bad behavior. And history has shown us that they’ve use the word to describe and excuse absolutely abhorrent behaviors.
There are others, however, who use “faith” to describe their belief in something that is beyond their control or understanding and outside of their ability to reason. For those people, “faith” calls them to suspend their disbelief long enough to accept that something is happening even if they don’t know what it is or why it’s occurring. Many people place their faith in something like a Higher Power. Some place their faith in other people or simply themselves. So where, if anywhere, do Wiccans place their faith? In what, if anything, do we place our faith?
Where Do Wiccans Place Their Faith?
Suppose for a moment that Wiccans do have faith. We know that there’s plenty that science has yet to observe or explain. And let’s say that magic is one of those phenomena yet to be observed or explained by science. If Wiccans believe magic is real, despite lacking scientific evidence to support our belief, then are we not placing faith in magic? And, by extension, if Wiccans are the ones creating the magic then are we not actually placing faith in our ability to manifest magic? Faith requires a suspension of reason but reason tells us that magic does not exist unless we’ve experienced evidence to the contrary.
Do you remember the first time you cast a spell? Or the first time that you made an offering to a spirit or deity? And, for some of us, do you remember the first time that you prayed? There was likely nothing that occurred before you took that action (praying/casting a spell/whatever) that was evidence of that thing (magic, Deity, whatever) existing…so why did you do it? And how did you accomplish doing a spell, offering, or prayer unless, for a moment, you decided to suspend your disbelief in that thing? You had to suspend your disbelief long enough to take an action that suggests that you actually believe it exists. Faith began the first time you decided to take action against conventional reason and engage in a behavior that science or society says isn’t based in reality. I firmly believe that Wiccans have faith. Magical practitioners have faith, even if that faith is simply rested in their own abilities. And this notion is irrespective of whether or not we believe in the gods or a Supreme Being.
The Power of Suggestion
Is there a difference between faith and belief? Faith doesn’t require (scientific) proof or evidence and belief seems to be tied to one’s experiences. So, perhaps one could say that what started out as “faith” may eventually turn into “belief” following experience. Magical workers believe in magic because they’ve seen it work, even if they’ve only ever seen it work for themselves. We don’t have to prove to others that magic is real – we only have to convince ourselves for it to work. We just have to convince ourselves long enough to change our behavior to “prove” that it works. Though, there’s something to be said about movies like The Skeleton Key (a personal favorite of mine) where the power of suggestion can eventually lead into a belief in magic.
Anyway, I’d love to hear your thoughts on “faith” and “belief” and how they do or do not apply to Wicca. Send me a DM! And for more of my thoughts on Wicca as a religion, check out a previous post “What Good Is Wicca As A Religion?”
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