Central to Wiccans is a Reverence for Nature

December 31, 2005

Source: Austin-American Statesman

http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/other/12/31interfaith.html

On December 31, 2005 the Austin-American Statesman ran a feature article on the beleifs of Wiccans. Ellen C. Friedman, an Elder priestess with Live Oak Local Council, Covenant of the Goddess, and a participants in the Austin Area Interreligious Ministries, provides her conception of Wicca: "Like other nature-based religious paths, Wiccans believe that all beings are interdependent. The divine is immanent or indwelling within everything. Spirit pervades all life. Hence, reverence of nature is a central facet of our belief... Awareness of the bonds between and the interconnectedness of all beings is important in feeling empathy and compassion for the millions affected by recent events, including hurricanes, earthquakes and wars. If everything in the universe is interconnected, and each individual shares immanent spirit, then we are obligated to respect the worth of all other beings. There are many ways to honor this diversity... Many in our faith work to support equal rights, independent of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. Some of us are active in the peace movement. Some of us work to support the right to marry those whom we love. During the hurricane relief efforts, some of us worked in the shelters, while others journeyed to New Orleans to assist both the human and the animal survivors."