Newsgroups: alt.religion.wicca Path: shell.portal.com!svc.portal.com!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!usenet.eel.ufl.edu!gatech!newsfeed.internetmci.com!in1.uu.net!hodes.com!netcomsv!uu4news.netcom.com!netcomsv!uu3news.netcom.com!ix.netcom.com!netcom.com!aptower From: aptower@netcom.com Subject: Re: What if ANYBODY can be a Witch? Message-ID: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL1] References: <12713IEOWMCYDEHJHRL@compassrose.com> Date: Fri, 19 Jan 1996 06:10:25 GMT Lines: 18 Sender: aptower@netcom14.netcom.com robnbrwn@compassrose.com wrote: : Ok, now that we seem to agree (don't ya hate it! ;) what _do_ we call : those who have _dedicated_ themselves to the gods, but have not been : "initiated". (Now, here, we get into another semantics argument. The : word "initiation" means being taken into a secret. Therefore, you : cannot "self-initiate".) We call those who are dedicated but not initiated, "Simple Pagans.' They are the Goddess' people, just not Wiccans by Initiation. I agree that one cannot self-initiate. However, I do believe that the Gods sometimes do take matters into their own hands and Initiate a person they *want*. A coven may insist on putting that person through a Rite of Initiation, but it is only form. The function already exists. Cronie -- aptower@netcom.com