Witchcraft Info Trivia Quiz

Answer: country dweller

The word 'pagan' comes from the Latin root 'paganus'. When the Catholic church began spreading throughout the land, they found that most of their congregation came from the cities. Those who lived out in the country were happy with their 'old ways' and the gods they had, and weren't too eager to join the new church. Since more attendees means more tithes, this did not make the Catholic church happy. So, saying someone was 'pagan' came to mean someone who didn't attend their church services, and eventually came to mean someone who worshipped the old gods and respected the earth.

The churches used the word pagan as a derogatory word for many years, so much so that many people came to believe that being a pagan was a bad thing, even evil. Today, many people are reclaiming the word pagan, and use it to define themselves as someone who follows a polytheistic belief structure.

Answer: the elements

The pentagram represents the elements Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. Interesting sidenote: hundreds of years ago the Christian churches, in their attempt to draw in more pagans, used the pentagram to represent the wounds of Christ. There are some old churches in Europe that have preserved their original stained-glass windows, which depict many beautiful and colorful pentagrams.

Answer: oath breaker

While we cannot be sure in this day and age, it seems that warlock may be derived from and Anglo-Saxon word for someone who breaks an oath. The TV show 'Bewitched' brought it into popular use for male witches. Considering its etymology, many witches consider the word insulting and never use it.

Answer: blessing of a baby

Similar to a Christening or Baptism. Friends and relatives gather, gifts may be brought. God/dess parents are named, the baby is blessed and named.

Answer: about 275,000

At least 267,517 - some estimates say several million - women, men, and children were killed during what is called 'The Burning Times'. 'The Burning Times' is generally known as the period in time between 1400 and 1700 CE. The vast majority of these deaths occured between 1550-1650.

7,300+ of the 274,817 is from 1700 CE through January 2002 CE.

This number represents the number of *documented* killings. Accurate numbers are impossible, due to shoddy recordkeeping. Many places did not keep any records whatsoever. Records that were kept sometimes read 'several women killed' or 'a large number'. The most popular methods of execution were: burning at the stake, hanging, crushing with heavy stones, drowning, torture, starvation.

While men and children were included in this rampage, the targets were mainly women (about 75% of the total deaths were women). In some villages, no women were left alive after the court had held their trials. Out of all the lives slaughtered, it is highly doubtful that ANY of them were witches - by the definition we use now, or then.

Information obtained in part from:
http://www.illusions.com/burning/index2.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_burn.htm

Answer: Starhawk

Starhawk has been arrested for protesting Nuclear Power Plants, the World Trade Organization, and more. She writes of some of these situations in her book "Dreaming the Dark: Magic, Sex, and Politics".

Answer: false

This is HOLLYWOOD people. There's not much of real witchcraft in ANY of those productions mentioned.

Answer: all of them

All of these celebrities have made public comments about the goddess being in their life. Cybill Shepherd did so when she gave her acceptance speech for winning a Golden Globe. What a way to come out of the broom closet!

Answer: false

The Supreme Court had NOT recognized Wicca as a religion as of 2005.

The Civil rights Act of 1964 states "To be a bona fide religious belief entitled to protection under either the First Amendment or Title VII, a belief must be sincerely held, and within the believer's own scheme of things religious." (USCA Const. Amend 1: Civil Rights Act 1964 701 et seq., 717 as amended 42 USCA 2000-16

There are several landmark court cases that further the rights of Wiccans. They are: Dettmer Vs. Landon (617 F Suup 592 [E. Dst. Va.], United States v. Phillips (42 M.J. 346) in 1995)(military court), Lamb's chapel v. Center Moriches Union Free School District, Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc and Ernesto Pichardo v. City of Hialeah (508 U.S. 520), Wallace VS Jaffree, Georgia: Roberts v. Ravenwood Church of Wicca (249 Ga. 348), and the Religious Freedom Amendment (RFA or S.J. 48 IS).

Information on Wicca was added to Army handbooks for chaplains in 1980. On March 15, 2001, the list of religious preferences in the U.S. Air Force Personnel Data System (MilMod) was augmented to include: Dianic Wicca, Druidism, Gardnerian Wicca, Pagan, Seax Wicca, Shamanism, and Wicca. Wiccan groups have also been granted tax exempt status by the US and Canadian governments. We've come a long way. More info available at: http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_rel.htm

Please do NOT submit a "correction" notice on this question, backing it up with trials, court cases etc. that DO NOT RELATE TO THE QUESTION. The question specifically asks if Wicca was legally recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 20th century; the Supreme Court had not recognized it as of 07/02/05.

Answer: George W. Bush

On June 24, 1999, on ABC's "Good Morning America", George W. Bush (President of the U.S. from 2001-2009) stated, "I don't think witchcraft is a religion and I wish the military would take another look at this and decide against it". This comment was made while discussing the constitutional rights of Wiccans in the military.