Are Wicca and Witchcraft evil?
Many religions believe that their way is the only way, that those who do not follow their path are lost souls. This is just one reason why a practitioner may face negativity from others by following the path of Witchcraft. There is also the portrayal of Witches on television and in movies. Those who do not seek out knowledge on the Craft will most likely get a distorted view of what it’s about. Some religions restrict their followers from seeking such knowledge without suffering retribution. Followers of those religions are forced to make an uneducated judgment on other religions because of their own religious restrictions.There are many names for those who are in the Craft. There are mages, sages, shamans, witches, druids, high priests, high priestesses, mystics, pagans, and the list goes on. For the most part, these people are spiritual and kind and their practice is similar to that of Wiccans. There are good and bad people in the world, and the Craft is no exception. Negative people do not speak for the whole.
The Wiccan religion, along with many other Pagan religions, follows a different path. In this practice, all Gods are one. This is why there are so many God and Goddess representations. They are the many faces of the Divine, put in place to provide understanding to the soul who is searching, whoever they may be. By having so many deities in the world, it is possible to reach more of the world’s people. Wiccans worship nature and its creatures as well. By accepting that they are one with the Divine and the Universe, they know that hurting anything is hurting them as well. Wiccans do not practice "black magic". Spells are cast with love and in light, not to manipulate or harm others. Each Pagan religion has different behavioral guidelines, which creates moral diversity. Through this diversity, it becomes apparent that individuals must recognize their own actions and be held accountable for them at all times.
Pagan religions do not believe in the devil. They believe in negative and positive energy and each person being responsible for their own actions. It is therefore impossible to worship the devil, sell one's soul, etc. What you do comes back to you, good or bad. The laws of karma and the flow of energy in the Universe are to be respected. This provides balance in life as well as spiritual growth. Respect for oneself is most important. The physical and spiritual bodies are the closest connection to the Divine and the Universe. For a Wiccan, harming himself only brings more harm and creates a cycle of negativity within his life. The soul has many lives to live and this is called reincarnation. In Wicca specifically, it's in the person's best interest to follow the Rede because all lessons must be learned before reaching the next plane of spiritual existence and growth. There are numbers of earth-based religions that follow much of these same guidelines.
Paganism is not a religion but a way of life. It is the root from which earth-based religions stem; a common ground. Being pagan does not automatically make someone a Wiccan; it only defines an earthly spiritual person. There are many ways to choose in the Craft, or you can create your own path. They all are connected to paganism by certain universal rules that each practice shares.
So, are Wicca and Witchcraft evil? Ultimately, the decision is yours to make. If you follow the Christian religion and you follow what the Bible says then yes, it is evil along with Buddhism, Baha'i, Hinduism and every other non-Christian religion. Pagans tend to believe that an individuals actions are a good measure whether that person is good or not, instead of making judgements based on a label.
Often times the negativity comes from a person who fears the unknown. A person who does not want to see what's outside of the box can become afraid when someone tries to show them what's there. But there are people in all religions that think outside of the norm and question things. They exist everywhere. They are comfortable and sure enough with their own beliefs, allowing them to be unafraid of other ways of life.They have no fear because they are at peace with their own convictions. They are in tune enough to be accepting and non-judgmental.
If you look at religions and compare their themes, you will see that almost all of them have many variations of "Harm None". When you are right with yourself spiritually, this comes as second nature, no matter what words you use to describe it. It doesn't matter what religion you are in, at this level of thinking you are able to be modest enough to not judge, feel enough compassion to not get angry, and sure enough of yourself to be unafraid.
If you find yourself having to defend against negativity due to your beliefs, just remember that these people are not as spiritually evolved and do not understand. Don’t take the insult personally and, in turn, do not think badly of their religion. The energy you send out is the engergy you receive. People manifest good and bad, not religions. You will find both the intolerant and people who will be open-minded enough to talk to you and respect your choice of religion. In the end we all are all souls trying to reach enlightenment. This is the universal goal, the number one factor in human existence. It gives us all the will to live, learn, and love.