Craft Secrecy
One aspect of traditional Wicca that is particularly frustrating for well-intentioned,
sympathetic and interested outsiders is the tradition of Craft secrecy. Why do Wiccans
keep secrets if we have nothing to hide? Different Wiccan groups vary considerably in the
degree of religious secrecy they adhere to, and there are several reasons behind the
secrecy.
The Mysteries
One kind of secrecy has to do with religious mysteries - those religious experiences which
cannot adequately be described in words to someone who has not shared a similar
experience. In Wicca, it is traditional to presume that only those who have attained a
certain degree of formal training will share those experiences and understand the
metaphorical vocabulary we use to discuss such experiences, so those parts of the religion
are kept secret to avoid misunderstandings based on overly literal interpretations. In my
experience, every religion has similar mysteries, and it is possible to discuss religious
mysteries with mystically inclined members of another religion, but some of the more
conservative Wiccan groups feel it's safer to avoid getting into such conversations with
outsiders, even with other Wiccans from a different tradition.
Protective Secrecy
Another kind of secrecy has to do with privacy and protecting the identities of fellow
Wiccans. Historically, it has often been very dangerous to be known as a Wiccan - in
England, practicing Witchcraft was still technically a crime punishable by imprisonment
right up to 1951. Society has become much more tolerant of minority religions in the last
century or so, but it's still a little bit risky to be known as a witch, with all the fears and
misinformation out there. So we have a strong tradition of protecting the identities of other
Wiccans, and that may contribute to a reluctance to invite non-Wiccans to a Wiccan
gathering. Again, this varies considerably from one group to the next.
No Proselytizing
Another factor that may be at work is that we have a fairly strong prohibition against
anything resembling proselytizing. We may be reluctant to discuss the details of our
religion with outsiders simply because we don't really think they would be very interested.
It takes a lot of serious thought and conversation to convey the important points of a
religion to someone who is totally unfamiliar with it, so it may be hard for a Wiccan to
think of anything to say about their religion that would be meaningful and still fit into a
thirty-second sound bite.
(C)Janus of Spawn Far Coven ~ Used with Permission by the Author.
One aspect of traditional Wicca that is particularly frustrating for well-intentioned,
sympathetic and interested outsiders is the tradition of Craft secrecy. Why do Wiccans
keep secrets if we have nothing to hide? Different Wiccan groups vary considerably in the
degree of religious secrecy they adhere to, and there are several reasons behind the
secrecy.
The Mysteries
One kind of secrecy has to do with religious mysteries - those religious experiences which
cannot adequately be described in words to someone who has not shared a similar
experience. In Wicca, it is traditional to presume that only those who have attained a
certain degree of formal training will share those experiences and understand the
metaphorical vocabulary we use to discuss such experiences, so those parts of the religion
are kept secret to avoid misunderstandings based on overly literal interpretations. In my
experience, every religion has similar mysteries, and it is possible to discuss religious
mysteries with mystically inclined members of another religion, but some of the more
conservative Wiccan groups feel it's safer to avoid getting into such conversations with
outsiders, even with other Wiccans from a different tradition.
Protective Secrecy
Another kind of secrecy has to do with privacy and protecting the identities of fellow
Wiccans. Historically, it has often been very dangerous to be known as a Wiccan - in
England, practicing Witchcraft was still technically a crime punishable by imprisonment
right up to 1951. Society has become much more tolerant of minority religions in the last
century or so, but it's still a little bit risky to be known as a witch, with all the fears and
misinformation out there. So we have a strong tradition of protecting the identities of other
Wiccans, and that may contribute to a reluctance to invite non-Wiccans to a Wiccan
gathering. Again, this varies considerably from one group to the next.
No Proselytizing
Another factor that may be at work is that we have a fairly strong prohibition against
anything resembling proselytizing. We may be reluctant to discuss the details of our
religion with outsiders simply because we don't really think they would be very interested.
It takes a lot of serious thought and conversation to convey the important points of a
religion to someone who is totally unfamiliar with it, so it may be hard for a Wiccan to
think of anything to say about their religion that would be meaningful and still fit into a
thirty-second sound bite.
(C)Janus of Spawn Far Coven ~ Used with Permission by the Author.
