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From: tredara@ncweb.com (Sue & Ian)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.wicca
Subject: Re: A question on Wicca
Date: 7 Apr 1996 17:51:57 GMT
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In article <4k7ii1$p28@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, sailleduir@aol.com says...
>
>Merry Meet!
>I am teaching myself Wicca and have been reading alot about it. I also
>have this friend who says she is Wiccan. She smokes, drinks and does
>drugs. Now one of the main things in most books is to harm none, including
>yourself. So is this girl not Wiccan,

Probably most Wiccans consider the recreational use of tobacco and alcohol 
to be harmless enough. 85% of drinkers never develop a problem, and while 
tobacco is stupid and expensive it doesn't make everyone who uses it ill.
A smaller percentage of Pagans (and less Wiccans, maybe) accept the 
recreational or spiritual use of other herbs and plant allies.

While all this applies to adults, mainly, teenagers ought to excercise 
special care and probably stay away as long as they can from these 'adult' 
pleasures. 

>Wiccan but (i don't quite know how
>to phrase this) cheating,

Remember that the word rede means 'advice' not law. Often it is impossible 
to fulfill the rede and do right, but we keep trying. So it's not cheating.

>is that not what harming yourself is, or is that
>not a main principle of Wicca?

Your interpretation is very popular among Wiccans, but many feel that their 
bodies are their own, and that as long as they harm no-one else, they are 
OK.
Again maturity brings wisdom, with any luck.
Wicca is more about what you do than what you believe. If you do the 
rituals, study, meditate, worship the god/desses, you will become wiser and 
more able to judge whether any particular thing, like booze etc is truly 
harming you or anyone else.

Great to hear from new folks.

Ian




>Thanks for your help,
>SailleDuir