First and Foremost, Wiccans are not Satanists.
    Wiccans do not even acknowledge the existence of a personification of evil, such as the devil or Satan, therefore, contrary to popular myth,  Wiccans certainly DO NOT worship, or otherwise consort with demons or the devil.

What do you mean you aren't Satanists?  Isn't Wicca and Satanism the same thing?
    No!  Wiccans do not believe in or worship any entity known as Satan or the Devil.  This misconception arose because most Wiccans worship an aspectof God known as the Horned One, Consort of the Goddess and a living symbol of fertility and strength.  The Early Church, during the time of the Inquisition, declared that the ancient Horned God of the Pagans was actually the Devil.  The Inquisitors subjected thousands of innocent people, mostly Christian women and healers, to horrific torture and imprisonment.  They  promised to end the torture and bring on a swift and merciful death if these "witches" signed confessions acknowledging devil worship and naming other so-called "witches." 
   There is a religious movement called Satanism that began during the Middle Ages as a political-religious protest to the control  exerted over the masses by the Church.  Satanism continues in the present day under a variety of names.  Satanism has nothing to do with Wicca.

What if you meet someone who says that they are Wiccan or a Witch, but they claim to "hex or blast" people, "worship" Satan, participate in blood and animal sacrifices, illegal drugs and/or sexual orgies as part of their  worship? 
    Make sure that you have your facts straight. Rest assured - If your information is correct, then this individual is NOT WICCAN. Also, before you judge, remember that there are practitioners of Santeria and Voodoo who perform ritual animal sacrifice and Native Americans who use peyote as part of sacred ritual. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld these religious sacraments. 

Wiccans do not practice evil or harmful magick. As a Religion, Wicca is decentralized and unorganized, however, all Wiccans follow the Wiccan Rede.  The Rede states, "An' it harm none, do what ye will."  The word an' is an archaic term for the word "if;" the words, "harm none" refer to bringing no physical, mental, emotional, psychic, spiritual, or magickal negativity against another.  No matter how diverse Wiccan  beliefs and practices might be, this tenet holds true for all individuals claiming to be Wiccan.  Therefore, it would be a direct violation of our entire religious system to practice harmful or negative magick.

Wiccans are not interested in converting or proselytizing anyone, especially children. We recognize that our religion and lifestyle is not for everyone.  We are not anti-Christian;  we are simply non-Christian.  We ask only that others respect our right to religious freedom and allow us to worship and function in peace.  Wiccans believe that when an individual is ready, s/he will find the Wiccan path if it is meant to be, therefore, we do not proselytize.  Many, if not most coven groups will not admit anyone under the age of 18 without parental consent.  No one is EVER forced to become Wiccan or to remain Wiccan. Contrary to the movies, Wiccan covens do not kidnap people, initiate them against their will or threaten their lives if they wish to leave. 

There is sometimes a vow of secrecy taken (more for safety's sake than anything  else), but individuals are free to leave a coven, and Wicca, at any time.  The art of being Wiccan belongs to the heart; no one can force this on someone else.  Most Wiccans do not want to be secretive and underground about our religion.  We have been forced to maintain secrecy as a measure of security.  Wiccans have been, literally, burned out of their homes; denied employment (or fired because of their beliefs); and killed (in a variety of nasty ways) by misguided and misinformed individuals. We have often been persecuted simply because our society has never been particularly tolerant of that which it does not understand.  Most Wiccans would love to share their knowledge and their love for God and Goddess with the non-Wiccan world.  Perhaps this will become more possible as the Age of Aquarius progresses.

Can a person be both Wiccan and Christian or Jewish, etc.?
    In general, no one in Wicca is asked to renounce or turn aside his/her religious ancestry or practices.  Most followers of Wicca hold that ALL traditions and religious practices are valid and that there is more than one true way to enlightenment.  Many faiths, such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Bahai also follow that philosophy.  Keep in mind, however, that Christianity, Judaism and Islam specifically prohibit the acknowledgement of any other faith or the recognition of any other version of God.  Therefore, many individuals who are drawn to Wicca find that, after a time, they must choose between their religious paths.

By what other names is Wicca known?  
    Actually, the religion of Wicca is known by many names including, but not limited to: The Craft, The Old Path, The Old Religion, Witchcraft, Wiccacraft, Craft of the Wise, Path of the Wise and many others.

Do Wiccans believe in God?
    Not only do we believe in and worship God, we also honor the Divine as Goddess.  Worship is a very personal thing among Wiccans.  Wicca is non-dogmatic, subscribing to no one "official" creed, belief or pantheon. Some Wiccans view Deity as a single force or energy.  Others are polytheistic - worshiping many Gods and Goddesses and honoring the Ancient Ones of many cultures.  

Do Wiccans believe in Jesus?
    Jesus is a Christian Deity.  Wicca is not anti-Christian, but it is non-Christian.  Many Wiccans acknowledge Jesus as a prophet or an Avatar and Enlightened Being.  These individuals honor Jesus as they do any other great spiritual leaders such as Buddha, Moses, Mohammed, Krishna, etc. Some Wiccans honor Jesus and Mary as patron Deities, their personal image of the Lord and Lady, however, this is probably not a common practice. Again, Christianity would prohibit the practice of both faiths. 

What is a Witches Sabbat?
    We honor our Deities and our spiritual and familial Ancestors on holy days, called Sabbats and Esbats.  In general, Sabbat Festivals mark the changes in season and the various agri-pastoral events which take place throughout the year. Sabbats are primarily solar-based. There is an emphasis on the God as he waxes and wanes through the cycle of the year going from a Green Man and God of the Grain to a God of the Harvest and the Hunt.  Esbat rituals are attuned to the changing lunar phases; we honor the Goddess in Her Triple Aspects of Maiden, Mother and Crone.

A "Witch" and a "Wiccan" is the same thing, right?
    Not necessarily. Anyone can practice witchcraft, meaning simple folk magick and call themselves "witches" regardless of ethics, beliefs or  philosophy. 
   Wicca, on the other hand, has a basic ethical and moral code which includes: dedication to a spiritual path; worship of the Goddess and/or God; adherence to the Wiccan Rede and belief in the Three-Fold Law. Many Wiccans are reclaiming the word "witch" as a word of power; they believe that 
this word has been unfairly maligned.  There are  people  who  use  the term  "Witch"  who follow a spiritual/religious/ethical path, but who are not specifically Wiccan.  

What is the Wiccan Rede?
    Wiccan philosophy and ethics are summed up in the following "traditional" poem that, for all intent, is a Wiccan Code of Conduct:  

Bide the Wiccan Law ye must, 
In perfect love and perfect trust,
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, 
An' ye harm none, do what ye will,
What ye send forth, comes back to thee, 
So ever mind the Rule of Three,
Follow this with mind and heart, 
And Merry Meet and Merry Part!

An' is an archaic form of the word "if;" and "harm none" refers to all life on all levels: physical, spiritual, magickal, mental, emotional, etc. The Wiccan Rede is a reminder to live consciously and responsibly.

Do Wiccans believe in magic and spells?
    Yes, most (but not all) Wiccans believe in and practice magick (spelled with a k to distinguish it from stage illusion).  The Wiccan Rede dictates that no spell may be directed at anyone with the intent  to cause harm. Even spells for healing and assistance should be undertaken only with express consent, or a request, from the individual for whom the work is done. 

Do Witches really dance around naked or wear long, black robes?
   There are Wiccans, associated with specific Wiccan Traditions such as Gardnerian Wicca, who practice ritual sky-clad (naked, clad only by the sky).   One reason is the belief that magick and the flow of energy, is best worked when the body is as close to its natural state as possible. This work is taken very seriously; anyone who tries to join a sky-clad working group for the wrong reasons, such as believing that sex will be an end result, will find themselves disappointed and ousted very quickly!

The art of magickal garb, or dress, is an ancient and well-honored tradition.  Many people who are disturbed at the thought of people wearing long robes to religious rituals seem to forget that this custom is common among the clergy of MOST religions, from the vestments of the pope, to the habits of nuns, to the saffron robes of the Buddhist monks and Robes worn by most Christian Ministers. Many of these vestments are black. Wiccans are not the only ones.  In fact, not all Wiccans choose to wear the color black, although many do.  To us, black is a color of power, a color strongly associated with the Goddess. We do not associate black with negativity or death (and it should be noted that, to many cultures, black is the color of marriage and white is the color for funerals).  At any given Festival one is likely to see robes of all colors and designs.  Sometimes the color represents a particular aspect of the season (such as green or white at Ostara, the Spring Equinox), but most often color is personal choice.

Why is Wicca associated primarily with the British Isles?
    There are at least two reasons:  Firstly, most Wiccans consider Gerald Gardner to be the "founding father" of Wicca. Gardner was English and, supposedly, reporting the practices of an English coven. Whether or not we follow the Gardnerian Tradition, most of us realize that without Gardner's efforts we would still be practicing in the broom closet.
     Secondly, Paganism, survived within the British Isles later in history. While there were many invasions over the years, the British Isles were still relatively isolated from the rest of Europe. Christian influences were slower to arrive and slower to take root. Christianity and Paganism existed side-by-side much longer here than on the Continent where the newly converted Romans were trying their best to stamp out all vestiges of Goddess worship. Many Pagan customs and beliefs such as Goddess worship, Sacred Wells and Trees, the belief in the Faerie Folk, etc. although suppressed by the Early Church, survived in rural areas. Particular Ireland where they still practiced Goddess worship and believed in the Faerie Folk long after the introduction of Christianity.