ols were the bunny and the egg. Aside from that symbolism most pagan religions speak of the goddess descending into the Underworld for a period of three days. This is reflected in the Christian tradition that Jesus died on the cross, descended to hell (during the three days he was entombed), and on the third day he arose and ascended into heaven. Witchcraft may be the oldest religion. It is very different from all the so-called great religions. The Old Religion, as witches call it, is closer in spirit to the Native American traditions or to the Shamanism in the Arctic. It is not based on a dogma or a set of beliefs. Witchcraft takes its teachings from nature. To the witch the cycles of the seasons and movements of the sun, moon, and stars are sources of inspiration. Neither Jehovah, “the Lord”, or Satan are part of the Wiccan pantheon of Deities. Witches worship a seemingly endless number of pre-Christian deities but these three are not included. Wiccan's do not believe there is an absolute evil or absolute good; there are only appropriate or inappropriate actions. The Devil is a Judeo-Christian invention, most likely devised from a pagan god. The God of the Old Religion was the Horned God; therefore, Christianity associated this god with the Devil and the church deemed witches Devil worshippers. Witchcraft is a way of looking at the world just as Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. Unlike cults, witches do not look to a single leader to solve all their problems; instead they tend to be very individualistic and freethinking people. Witchcraft has always been a religion of poetry rather than theology. The mysteries of the unknown can never be explained, only felt. Just as some people are good at fixing cars or computers, some witches can and do, develop proficiency with spell work and healing. However, there is a universal ethic by which the Wiccan community adheres. The “Wiccan Rede” states, “...
