Goddess and God - How do you tell which one is yours?

[mirawin]

Ashley the Bee

I just imagine that if the deity were into chastity that offering an all night session of carnal love for worship probably wouldn't be their cup of tea.

I agree i've studyed greek mythology and as long as you haven't dedicated yourself to a life of chasty in the name of a chaste Goddess or do a sex type offering there should be no problem.
Though it would be my advice that just because you have a connection with Apollo does not mean you should have one with Artemis they may be twins but in alot of regards are very different deities. if chasity is really not your thing i would suggest trying to choose a different goddess one that you might have more in common with. Personally i like Hecate who is the Greek goddess of witchcraft and the moon.  

[maenad nuri]

There's actually a really good discussion going on at Neokoroi about Hekate's association with the moon being modern.

Also, of course Apollo and Artemis are going to be different in a lot of ways, despite being twins. My gods! If my twin was the same as me, my poor mother.  

[Keliso Moon]

mirawin

Ashley the Bee

I just imagine that if the deity were into chastity that offering an all night session of carnal love for worship probably wouldn't be their cup of tea.

I agree i've studyed greek mythology and as long as you haven't dedicated yourself to a life of chasty in the name of a chaste Goddess or do a sex type offering there should be no problem.
Though it would be my advice that just because you have a connection with Apollo does not mean you should have one with Artemis they may be twins but in alot of regards are very different deities. if chasity is really not your thing i would suggest trying to choose a different goddess one that you might have more in common with. Personally i like Hecate who is the Greek goddess of witchcraft and the moon.

I read that Hecate is also a virgin goddess. So, if I didn't take a vow of Chastity then it would be okay to honor a goddess like Hecate or Artemis?  

[maenad nuri]

Keliso Moon

mirawin

Ashley the Bee

I just imagine that if the deity were into chastity that offering an all night session of carnal love for worship probably wouldn't be their cup of tea.

I agree i've studyed greek mythology and as long as you haven't dedicated yourself to a life of chasty in the name of a chaste Goddess or do a sex type offering there should be no problem.
Though it would be my advice that just because you have a connection with Apollo does not mean you should have one with Artemis they may be twins but in alot of regards are very different deities. if chasity is really not your thing i would suggest trying to choose a different goddess one that you might have more in common with. Personally i like Hecate who is the Greek goddess of witchcraft and the moon.

I read that Hecate is also a virgin goddess. So, if I didn't take a vow of Chastity then it would be okay to honor a goddess like Hecate or Artemis?

Yes. Don't get too hung up on the one word summaries of gods and goddesses. Seems to me you have a pull towards Hellenic pantheon. Start here for your research: http://www.theoi.com  

[patch99329]

Keliso Moon

I read that Hecate is also a virgin goddess. So, if I didn't take a vow of Chastity then it would be okay to honor a goddess like Hecate or Artemis?

Why not take a look at how these goddesses were honoured historically?
They weren't just honoured by virgins (Artemis is a goddess of childbirth too remember).

A little cultural context never goes amiss. wink

P.S- As Nuri reccommended above, theoi.com is a seriously awesome resource!  

[Keliso Moon]

It's kind of hard to do some research around my house. My parents are hard core Christians and don't even want to think I'm turning Wiccan. Could anyone spend their spare time sending me pm's on how to start out on a path? I'd love some opinions...  

[redwolfshadow]

I'm an eclectic, and i worship a great many deities, but the Celtic brighid has always been the goddess i felt closest to. I'm sorry to hear about your parents. My mother is a lazy christian. she doesn't go to church but calls herself a christian. my dad is agnostic. my dads girlfriend is hardcore catholic, but she doesn't preach to me or anything. My moms boyfriend goes to church sometimes.  

[aoijea23487]

Chastity and celibacy are not always interchangeable terms, just fyi.

For example, by the Catholic understanding of chastity, a priest who takes a vow of celibacy and upholds it is chaste. A woman who takes a vow of chastity and upholds it chooses to not have sexual intercourse until after the sacrament of matrimony. If she only has sex with her husband, she is still considered chaste.

So, likely all celibate people are chaste people but not all chaste people are celibate.

--------------

On topic:

You don't have to find a "god" and a "goddess." Don't force a theology upon yourself unless you really agree and believe in it. When I was exploring neopaganism, I never had a specific "god" and "goddess." I had my ambiguous unknowable polar deities and Shiva. That's it. Still have'em. Maybe that will change with time (where Shiva *is* the unknowable ultimate God but manifests in different ways), but that's what my experience has shown me.  

[Aydenfyre]

Keliso Moon

It's kind of hard to do some research around my house. My parents are hard core Christians and don't even want to think I'm turning Wiccan. Could anyone spend their spare time sending me pm's on how to start out on a path? I'd love some opinions...

Remember, that Wicca is a very precise path. Unless initiated into the proper Gardnerian faith, it cannot be considered thus.

Try to learn a bit, just scan some mythology, books, the internet, are great resources. Try to expand a bit, don't limit to just Greek for your research, but look into others as well, you may find something that you hold a bit more closer to heart, and perhaps a bit more personal, and something that you're looking for.

As for starting a path, that's a highly personal thing. It'll take a while, I'm still solidifying my own, as it stands. (Everything sounds so much better internally, than on paper.) Start with the basics. Before jumping to deity, consider basic beliefs, and philosophies. Search yourself for what you're actually looking for. With a better understanding, you could very well find the answers you seek.

After this time, when you understand what you're after, I'd suggest talking to your parents. Talk to them about things. Parents can be quite understanding, particularly if you sound like what you know you're talking about. However, realize, you are living in their home, and you must follow their rules. When you're young, you have to make compromises. Your parents are still in charge of the household, try to respect that.  

[patch99329]

Keliso Moon

It's kind of hard to do some research around my house. My parents are hard core Christians and don't even want to think I'm turning Wiccan. Could anyone spend their spare time sending me pm's on how to start out on a path? I'd love some opinions...

I don't really see how greek mythology has wiccan connotations.  

[Kuroiban]

Keliso Moon

It's kind of hard to do some research around my house. My parents are hard core Christians and don't even want to think I'm turning Wiccan. Could anyone spend their spare time sending me pm's on how to start out on a path? I'd love some opinions...

Not to burst the bubble, but advising you religiously while you are a minor can have legal consequences in some arenas (I think it can at least, correct me if I'm wrong) and I don't think you or any one involved wants that.

However, we will certainly continue to answer your questions in an informative and helpful manor. 3nodding

Some things to keep in mind:

*Wicca is a specific religion, not a general one. For instance, the Lutheran faith is a type of Christianity. It is a Christian religion. Oppositional to that is Wicca/Wica versus any nature based religion which finds it's faith in a pantheon of gods. It's important to distinguish the two. Calling anything that fits the umbrella like that "Wiccan" is ignorant at best, insulting at worst. Think of it along the lines of considering the Hebrew religion a path of Christianity.

*Research is important. Don't think that you have to look into big scary books found in the new age section. A lot of research occurs in looking at how the gods in question were worshiped, by whom, the period in time, etc. It's a lot of research into social studies and history. I doubt even the most concerned parent is going to raise much an eyebrow at something that looks like homework. wink

*Always question what you read, especially from modern sources. If something seems flakey and unreliable, it's something you want to look into more before you make any hard choices on it.

Hope that helps! 3nodding  

[aoijea23487]

Noble_Nogitsune

Remember, that Wicca is a very precise path. Unless initiated into the proper Gardnerian faith, it cannot be considered thus.

1. Gardnerian tradition is not a faith. It is a practice.

2. Why aren't Alexandrians and Central Valley Wiccans considered of the Wica to you?  

[Aydenfyre]

Illiezeulette

Noble_Nogitsune

Remember, that Wicca is a very precise path. Unless initiated into the proper Gardnerian faith, it cannot be considered thus.

1. Gardnerian tradition is not a faith. It is a practice.

2. Why aren't Alexandrians and Central Valley Wiccans considered of the Wica to you?

1. Poor wording on my part. I've not been feeling to well these past few days, so my wording has taken a plummet, as has my thinking. Sorry for the confusion.

2. I'm not entirely familiar with Wicca as it stands. The only thing I really know are various tidbits from around the forums, and in the ED. As a general, I don't see anything all that often about those two particular. If they're part of it, or not, I'm not sure.  

[Ashley the Bee]

Noble_Nogitsune

2. I'm not entirely familiar with Wicca as it stands. The only thing I really know are various tidbits from around the forums, and in the ED. As a general, I don't see anything all that often about those two particular. If they're part of it, or not, I'm not sure.

There are a number of BTW traditions including Gardnerian, Alexandrian and Central Valley (CV). Each of these traditions is Wicca because they each preserve the "proper practice" that is the core of Wicca and each can trace lineage back to Gardner.

(I think I'm okay in saying BTW >_< )  

[aoijea23487]

Ashley the Bee

Noble_Nogitsune

2. I'm not entirely familiar with Wicca as it stands. The only thing I really know are various tidbits from around the forums, and in the ED. As a general, I don't see anything all that often about those two particular. If they're part of it, or not, I'm not sure.

There are a number of BTW traditions including Gardnerian, Alexandrian and Central Valley (CV). Each of these traditions is Wicca because they each preserve the "proper practice" that is the core of Wicca and each can trace lineage back to Gardner.

(I think I'm okay in saying BTW >_< )

That's right. Gards, Alexandrians, and Central Valley (an umbrella term for traditions like Majestic, 1734, and Mohsian that started up in the CV area of California) are all of the Wica.