Is Wicca a Religion?

One reason that the VA gave for refusing the Wiccan request for grave-site symbology, invoked the lacked of centralized authority within Wicca. That might have been part of the answer, but I suspect other factors played a part, factors centered on other aspects of Wiccan practice, aspects that many people refuse to see as being really "religious". On another blog (GetReligion), I posted further thoughts on the "centralized authority" excuse:

The “centralization” thing seems fishy to me. Who’s the central authority for Jews and Muslims? If the VA does have single organizations in mind that it believes represent all Jews or all Muslims, how do the other Jews and Muslims feel about that?

True, there is no “one” centralized authority for all Jews, or all Muslims, or all Christians. But there is The Episcopal Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, and so forth. Of course, there are Wiccan religious organizations, as well.

Notice the former requirements for a religion in order for its emblem to be recognized by the VA:

1. A written request from the recognized head of the religious group,
2. A list of national officers, and
3. A membership tally.

A religion like Wicca, even though it does possess some level of organizational structure, is not dependent upon such structure. It is commonly accepted among Wiccans that one can be a Wiccan without joining a coven, or without being initiated by a priestess or priest. In a nation broadly pervaded by Christianity, where Christianity serves as the model of what a real religion entails (community, belief, sacred text, particular ideas of divinity, etc.), Wicca can certainly appear not “really” a religion, as something people just “make up”. And, indeed, there is tremendous potential for Wiccan creativity in the construction of their Book of Shadows and magickal rituals. Within a Christian framework, that’s not “religion” — religion has a defined Deity (preferably masculine), a defined founder (preferably male), a defined doctrine (preferably written in sacred texts and conciliar documents); religion, moreover, does not involve nudity, or sex, or invoking spirits — things Wiccans have been known to include in their rituals.(By contrast, even Scientologists and Eckankarists are not known for engaging in such distinctive behavior!) From a historically Christian perspective held by many Christians, whether Protestant or Catholic, Wicca might be “spiritual”, but it’s not “religious”.

The definitions that the VA formerly used to define what counts as a religion, originated out of a Christian matrix. I’m not saying that’s ‘good’ or ‘bad’, just that in 21st-century America, governmental administrations have to be aware of the tendency to judge all religious and spiritual paths, in terms of how much they fit into traditionally Christian notions of organizational and ritual characteristics of what “religion” really is.

Without having read all 30,000 documents created by the VA, I would just have to strongly suspect that some of the VA decision-making process involved a conscious and unconscious comparison (and not just at the level of centralized organization, I agree!) of Wicca with Christianity and other formally recognized religions, with Wicca coming up with the short end of the stick.

Pentacle Power

April 23, 2007

The Wiccan pentacle has been added to the list of emblems allowed in national cemeteries and on government-issued headstones of fallen soldiers, according to a settlement announced Monday.

A settlement between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Wiccans adds the five-pointed star to the list of "emblems of belief" allowed on VA grave markers.

Eleven families nationwide are waiting for grave markers with the pentacle, said Selena Fox, a Wiccan high priestess with Circle Sanctuary in Barneveld, Wis., a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

After more than 10 years, Wiccans are now allowed to have the pentacle in national cemeteries and on government-issued headstones of Wiccan military. Now, you might ask yourself, "What took them so long?!" I'm glad you asked.

How do you define a religion? OK, not "you" personally, but the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs? Until 2005, the VA included in its definition of "religion" the necessity of a central headquarters or centralized authority. Since Wiccans lack such a centralized authority, let alone a "headquarters", Wicca was not seen as a real, bona fide, religion. It might be spiritual, but a religion?? Nah! The following is from a Washington Post story from 2006:

Department spokeswoman Josephine Schuda said VA turned down Wiccans in the past because religious groups used to be required to list a headquarters or central authority, which Wicca does not have. But that requirement was eliminated last year, she noted.

The "central authority" requirement was lifted in 2005, so one might argue that that's why it took more than 10 years for the Wiccan request to go through. But even 2 years is apparently a long time by VA standards, so why the prolongation? Conspiracy theories abound, and I'm sure the political climate had something to do with it. Wiccans don't exactly have a pure reputation in America. Many people automatically (or after due consideration) lump Wiccans along with Satanists, demon-worships, dreaded polytheists, pertinacious pagans, and general undesirables. I need not go into why all that is incorrect on this blog. Suffice it to say that many persons see the existence of Wicca as an affront to their own religious tradition, and are (thus, understandably) not too keen on having Wicca recognized -- in any form whatsoever -- by the U. S. federal authorities. But freedom of religion for one, means freedom of religion for all. (See also this.)

There's another issue here, though: what counts as religion in First Amendment definition? Must it be organized with a central authority? Or does it merely have to involve belief in, and practice directed towards, what is super-natural? I'll leave that for another day.