These are two traditions I am looking at myself right now.  As SG pointed out, they aren't Wicca, but they ARE Witchcraft Traditions.  Reclaiming, as far as I can tell, is Goddess-oriented and very politically active.  They focus on equality, the Earth, and social justice.  They're kind of like the Unitarian Universalists of the Witch world.  Feri (which is how I see it spelled most commonly) is a Witchcraft Tradition started by Victor and Cora Anderson.  It's an ecstatic religion versus a fertility religion, like Wicca. That is to say, it focuses mainly on internal transformation and personal religious experience.  They have their own pantheon and Gods, which include a Star Goddess and a Blue God, who's androgynous.  They have some very unique practices, like The Iron Pentacle.  They're oathbound, so very little about their actual beliefs is published.

Being gay, I think my own future lies in Feri.  I am trying to find a teacher at the moment.  Feri training can last for several years, and is very involved.  I think it's a better fit, personally, for gay and gender variant people than Wicca, with its male/female dichotomy.  Another group you might want to look into is The Minoan Brotherhood.  This is a branch of Wicca solely for gay men; it was founded by a Third Degree Gardnerian, who wanted to have a religious practice for other gay men like himself (he found Wicca too heterosexist.)  They've got a few websites online.  They're also oathbound and use a more or less traditional Gardnerian structure, as far as I know ( almost nothing of their real beliefs or rituals is public.)

Anyway, hope this helps!

Jul 31, 2010 -- 11:27AM, KeaErisdottir wrote:

Jul 31, 2010 -- 8:43AM, Brownowl33 wrote:

As SG pointed out, they aren't Wicca, but they ARE Witchcraft Traditions.  Reclaiming, as far as I can tell, is Goddess-oriented and very politically active.  They focus on equality, the Earth, and social justice.

Reclaiming is nothing more than a political organization masquerading as a Church.  That makes it no different than Christian groups who do political organizing.  Both desire power and control over the population in different, but equally paternalistic ways.  Both are dangerous.  Neither impresses me as being about The Gods.

I do not think that over the long term, that you draw closer to the Gods by being angry.

 

It is false and ridiculous to claim that Reclaiming is somehow dangerous and "Christian."  You do people a disservice by claiming that their relationships to the Gods somehow doesn't matter; how can any of us say such a thing about somebody else's path?  It's not Wicca and doesn't pretend to be, but it's just as valid as anything a Wiccan does.  In fact, I've heard very similar criticisms of Wicca (from Christians, none the less) claiming it's "just" nudism and sex "masquerading" as a church.  It's a very cheap and low blow for anybody to use.

Christian political groups tend to be about taking rights AWAY from people (namely gays, women, and non-Christians)  Reclaiming politics, where they exist, are about equality for everyone.....no exeptions.  That makes it VERY different than "Christianity."  I think it's very possible to be politcally active, AND religious. The question is, what does your religion teach: divisiveness and hate, or inclusion and respect?

I agree, you don't necessarily draw closer to the Gods by being angry.  I think you might take your own advice here, and maybe spend less time attacking and criticizing people who have a different path than you do.

For everybody else, here's a link to a current definition of Reclaiming.  I invite interested parties to determine for themselves whether it sounds "dangerous" and Christian.  For the record, I am not a Reclaiming witch; I just don't like seeing religions bashed and misinformation passed around.

www.reclaiming.org/about/directions/defi...

Aug 3, 2010 -- 1:11PM, TheWhiteHart wrote:

Since Reclaiming isn't Wiccan,  it doesn't really matter if they are political activists or not. That's their business.

I agree.  

Aug 3, 2010 -- 7:24PM, Jehovahs_light wrote:

Chrissuperstar thank you for the info I'll have to look into The Minoan Brotherhood. If its a coven that wouldnt work because of the location I live If I decide paganism is right for me I need to practice solitary.

Thank you for clearing up for me that those that I asked about are not Wiccan. I am a little confused because I must have books that are not very clear on things it listed those traditions in a book that is supose to be on wicca. I understand that paganism is an unbrella term and that it has many different traditions inside itself and that a lot of them are not part of Wicca but which ones I have no clue. I know Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Georgian and Seax are all traditions in Wicca if I undertstand right. So the ones that I mentioned above must be different paths in paganism apart from Wicca I assume.

So that I can better undertsand the different tradtions in paganism, including those of Wicca and apart from Wicca, does anyone know any good acurate books where I can obtain that information on all of them. Like I mentioned above I am mainly interested in finding and learning about ones that one can practice as a solitary. Thank you. :)

Well, that lets out Gardnerian and Alexandrian right away.  With those two you have to be accepted by a coven.  Georgian I am not familar with.