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his son, Horus} who represented the green fertility and verdant growth of agriculture.} Set was the red fertility, warming, heat, and sustenance of the sun and rain {storms} - and both his sun and storm aspects could represent passion and anger. During the Archaic Period, the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms of Ancient Egypt, Set was held in high esteem - a period of well over 3000 years. However, during the Hyksos occupation {between Middle & New Kingdoms} of Egypt, Set was associated with Baal, a Canaanite storm god. Because the Hyksos were so hated {not only in Egypt but throughout the Middle East} and because Set was associated with a Hyksos god, by the end of the New Kingdom, Set's reputation was downgraded to a murdering god of evil, capable of all sorts of atrocities. Like Set's red colour, Set's forked tail also became an aspect of Satan.
Some Wiccans and witches believe that the Horned One is a separate deity from the Goddess; and therefore, worship both. Others believe that the Horned One is a duality of the Goddess - like the Yin and Yang of Chinese geomancy and Taoism - and so, worship one deity with both feminine and masculine aspects. Finally, others worship only the Goddess, perceiving her as supreme.
Other deities are numerous. And like the Goddess and the Horned One, the names of other deities are also numerous, worldwide, and cross-cultural.
Many Wiccans and witches believe that everything has some form of spirit {or a deity} inside itself - and should be thanked when utilized for a purpose and/or treated with respect. Examples of tree and animal spirit respect and worship still exist in other world religions today such as, the First Nations of the Americas and in Africa. Because of the belief that everything has some sort of "spirit", ecology, nature, and "natural" are important to Wiccans and witches. {And therefore, can include both empathy and sympathy for organizations such as, Green Peace and World Wildlife Fund.}
Additionally, Wiccans and witches believe that, even after passing into the light {death}, some form of spirit remains and is likely to be reincarnated {or may even remain as a ghost}. Reincarnation, too, can be found in other world religions such as, Spiritualism, Bhuddism, and Hinduism.
Don't do any harm.
{I'm partially repeating myself here, but more importantly, I'm going into further detail.}
The Wiccan Rede of And ye harm none, do what thou will and the Witch's Rule of Do no harm to others are an ABSOLUTE. Add to that the One-Fold Rule or the Three-Fold Rule What goes round, comes round or Whatever you send out, returns three-fold. These all boil down to the same meaning. And therefore, are all one rule.
THIS RULE IS NOT OPEN TO INTERPRETATION. Any person who does harm is a nitwit, a psychopath, or a sociopath. Witches and Wiccans do not do nasty, mean, rotten, violent, evil, satanic, etc things. If you or a person you know does those kinds of things, then either you or that person have/has no right to call themselves a witch or a Wicca. No ifs, ands, or buts.
I know this sounds terribly snooty and judgmental of me, but to be very honest, I'm tired of the European medieval / religious reputation that we have. It's old, misanthropic, religiously hysterical, probably food-poisoning, and misinformed news.
SO THE DETAILS ARE:
The old part?
Like, at least, a millennium old. And the quote from the bible, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live"? Well, there is both some very compelling evidence and general agreement amongst biblical scholars that the original Aramaic, which was translated into ancient Greek, which was translated into Latin, which was translated into English {King James version}, was, in fact, the word for poisoner!!!!!!! So, you get to draw your own conclusions here …
{It also didn't help that King James the First of England felt that witchcraft - vis-à-vis the infamous Berkshire witches - had been used against him personally regarding his ascension to the throne in England.}
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