wicca and paganism question

[pray for pasta]

what is the relevance of magic to the culture is there any? i do not mean to offend or come of as misinformed or be steretypical i geuss magic can relate to all religions in some instance but why has magic been associated with this culture specifically im asking where exactly does it stem from?

 

[Gjallarhorn]

I'd say there is a huge cultural connection, though not all magic traditions stem from a common source.

 

[Nisou Kitsune]

Magick has always been associated with earth religions because the earth itself is magickal, though this is my opinion.

Magick has been around since the beginning of humans, and possibly even before then. Our earliest "memories" are of drawing pictures on caves to capture the essence of that animal or bring about that desired outcome, which is sympathetic magick. Around that time, you start seeing the worship of the land and animals.

Magick is attributed specifically to paganism because the other religions dont want to admit that they practice it and wish to demonize the practice and concept.

 

[kaknelson]

The Greeks once used magic quite a lot we have forgotten most of it now as our knowlege was replaced by unholy psalm singers

 

[Mata]

what is the relevance of magic to the culture is there any? i do not mean to offend or come of as misinformed or be steretypical i geuss magic can relate to all religions in some instance but why has magic been associated with this culture specifically im asking where exactly does it stem from?

Well, it's hard to make any wide pronouncements, since paganism spans many different cultures, philosophies, and religions. It's only in the neo-pagan revival that people think they have some strong connection to one another.

Now for an answer to the question (hopefully lol): magic is nearly universal, magical thinking pervades nearly all ancient religions and cultures and many modern ones. Some pagan religions have magic as a near central focus (like the concept of heka in ancient Egypt) and others have ambivalent attitudes towards it, like the later polis Hellenes. But anyhow, magic is widely associated with neo-paganism because of the popularity of Wicca, which is slightly unique, because it's a religious system that revolves around magic and spellwork a lot of the time. For many people who aren't too keen on studying religious history, they assume Wicca = paganism, paganism = Wicca.

So, I imagine a lot of the magic stereotypes about pagans are due to that in some way.

 

[Many Sages One Truth]

In my opinion magic is part of life itself. When we act or speak with authority, we are doing magic. Magic is the energy within all life, it is the power of the spoken word, it is the result of all attempts to manipulate life to our whim.

 

[Gentoo]

what is the relevance of magic to the culture is there any? i do not mean to offend or come of as misinformed or be steretypical i geuss magic can relate to all religions in some instance but why has magic been associated with this culture specifically im asking where exactly does it stem from?

Magick is a personal thing, everyone does it differently. We're in a culture of individuality, and making our lives what WE want them to be.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I think this culture uses the word "Magic" specifically as a purpose for ritual and practice. Other cultures do the same stuff (as someone said, it's from a common source), but do not specifically use the word either due to its association with illusion or from stereotype and dogma.