How has Wicca, or possibly Christianity influenced culture in the U.S.?

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I am writing a paper for a course, Religion in America, where we are to pick a religion and discuss how it has influenced culture in the U.S.

I have decided to do mine on Wicca, because I am a Wicca and none of the other religions interested me enough to choose them. Although depending on what type of answers I receive here, and information I find out through research, I may change my mind and do it on Christianity.

If you have any knowledge (please just not opinion) on the matter and can help me out with either religion I would greatly appreciate it. Also, if you know of any sites that may help me out also please leave me a link.

Thank you so much!
This can be in a past and/or present matter.
Ok, so i am looking for some deaper insight here. Possibly from someone who has studied the matter themselves and/or are very knowledged on the matter. Answers that consist of information from simple minds with material I already know of are no use. Or, answers consisting of one sentence that contain information I can find by googling my question is no help either.
Thank you for your time, but can I now get some real answers please.
O my geebus!

ASKING ONCE MORE:

PLEASE ANSWER ONLY IF YOU HAVE REAL KNOWLEDGE ON THE SUBJECT!!!!

There are alot more Wiccans than you think! And, obviously you need to do some research yourself because many Wiccans now stand in many different government positions. Please save your opinionated answers for a question that asks for that.
THANK YOU

sassy p and Sha_lynn (sorry if I got those wrong)... these two know what they talk about.
 
Ten commandments are used in the making of alot of the laws....they are posted in some govt bldgs...
 
Since 70% of Americans claim to be Christian I would assume the Christian community can take the credit for United States being the most powerful nation on earth.

Wicca on the other hand is a dead religion. It has few followers. They have no governmental power, and do not influence culture in America. They are considered a satanic cult by many americans.
 
I would say both have 100% influenced US culture (well, maybe not Wicca in the "Bible Belt")

I can say, both have influenced my own culture, Im a Christian but I do have some Wiccan friends who have expanded my knowlege as well as my "culture" and I feel more open minded because I can appreciate their views, traditions, and even partake in their celebrations (in accordance to my own beliefs, when they pray I just direct my prayes at Jesus, or when they do something against my beliefs I just sit and watch)

Wiccans have exploded in the past 20 years, they opened up new markets for the occult and even changed minds from thinking of them as Satan worshipers to more of Earth worshipers. Since it is now socially acceptable to claim yourself as a Wiccan there are book stores, coffee houses, television shows (think Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Willow was a Wiccan and with the populatiry of that show many saw a different side to the religion than what their parents had taught them)
Maybe expand the topic to include all Occult religions, its a broader topic and will provide more information. You can go into the voodoo priestesses of the Gulf Coast, they hysteria of the Salem Witch trials, the Charles Manson cult and the fear that brought on (as well as the Satanistic views of the "general public")
You can write books on how its impacted and influenced culture!

Check your local book store and ask how many Wiccan or Pagan books they sell a week, put that in your paper. Check out resources online stating what areas have large covens. Speak to someone at your local occult store ask them these questions.
 
Here are a few ideas that you might run with:

-The pilgrims first came here for freedom from religious oppression

-America has "In God We Trust' on our money

-The Pledge of Allegiance- "One nation under God with liberty & justice for all....

-The concepts of liberty, justice, etc. were taken directly from the BIble

-Our laws here in America were taken from the Bible. For example, laws on how to handle such things as murder, the death penalty & rape can be found in the book of Deuteronomy. For a more detailed explanation on this, see the link I provided below.

-Also, God sent Moses to free his people from slavery in Egypt. So, this should tell us that God is against slavery & oppression but pro freedom. Have you ever saw a communist country/government succeed & produce a happy people? No nation has ever been as blessed as the United States, and Christians have no doubt that this is not only because of their love for God, but because our nation adapted it's laws & principles directly from God. This would make God an American.

**Note- Don't get me wrong, I'm aware of the problems America is facing now & that a lot are most definitely not acting Christ like. What I am saying is, that the country started out w/ the right idea & has managed to somewhat maintain atleast one group of people that have followed this path since then.**

-Hope this helps; & if not, please let us know more on what exactly you're looking for. I don't understand the 'thumbs-down'; I think most(not all)were honestly trying to help.

**Re: wicca- The answers were that most think that wicca is a satanic cult. This is true. Most do. It would be false if that person said that they knew for a fact that wicca was a satanic cult. Someone cited a few cases that wicca had 'won'. That's great, but it would seem most have never heard about any of that in their entire lives. If it's not that known, it can't have that much influence; common sense.**
 
Concerning whether there's Judeo-Christian roots and influences in the establishment our nation, I do recommend these following websites:

wallbuilders.com
debatingchristianity.com (check out the 3 page discussion on whether the Bible had any influence on the US Constitution. It's enlightening, no matter what view you favor!)

And, the following books are recommended by a proponent of the Judeo-Christian ethical influences.

Christianity and the Constitution, John Eidsmoe
America's God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations, William J. Federer
Original Intent, David Barton
Faith of our Founding Fathers, Tim LaHaye

Although the opponents to Judeo-Christian influences don't seem to offer any of their own references for you to read and cite, I would like to recommend to you the following articles:

Specter, Arlen (Spring 1995). "Defending the wall: Maintaining church/state separation in America". Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy 18 (2): 575–590. http://connection.ebscohost.com/content/article/1027400469.html.

Rob Boston and Richard Pierard in "Wallbuilders Shoddy Workmanship". Church & State (Americans United for Separation of Church and State) 49 (7): pp. 11–13. July/August 1996. http://www.members.tripod.com/candst/boston2.htm. Retrieved on 2007-07-06.
 
Here are a few ideas that you might run with:

-The pilgrims first came here for freedom from religious oppression

-America has "In God We Trust' on our money

-The Pledge of Allegiance- "One nation under God with liberty & justice for all....

-The concepts of liberty, justice, etc. were taken directly from the BIble

-Our laws here in America were taken from the Bible. For example, laws on how to handle such things as murder, the death penalty & rape can be found in the book of Deuteronomy. For a more detailed explanation on this, see the link I provided below.

-Also, God sent Moses to free his people from slavery in Egypt. So, this should tell us that God is against slavery & oppression but pro freedom. Have you ever saw a communist country/government succeed & produce a happy people? No nation has ever been as blessed as the United States, and Christians have no doubt that this is not only because of their love for God, but because our nation adapted it's laws & principles directly from God. This would make God an American.

**Note- Don't get me wrong, I'm aware of the problems America is facing now & that a lot are most definitely not acting Christ like. What I am saying is, that the country started out w/ the right idea & has managed to somewhat maintain atleast one group of people that have followed this path since then.**

-Hope this helps; & if not, please let us know more on what exactly you're looking for. I don't understand the 'thumbs-down'; I think most(not all)were honestly trying to help.

**Re: wicca- The answers were that most think that wicca is a satanic cult. This is true. Most do. It would be false if that person said that they knew for a fact that wicca was a satanic cult. Someone cited a few cases that wicca had 'won'. That's great, but it would seem most have never heard about any of that in their entire lives. If it's not that known, it can't have that much influence; common sense.**
 
Here are a few ideas that you might run with:

-The pilgrims first came here for freedom from religious oppression

-America has "In God We Trust' on our money

-The Pledge of Allegiance- "One nation under God with liberty & justice for all....

-The concepts of liberty, justice, etc. were taken directly from the BIble

-Our laws here in America were taken from the Bible. For example, laws on how to handle such things as murder, the death penalty & rape can be found in the book of Deuteronomy. For a more detailed explanation on this, see the link I provided below.

-Also, God sent Moses to free his people from slavery in Egypt. So, this should tell us that God is against slavery & oppression but pro freedom. Have you ever saw a communist country/government succeed & produce a happy people? No nation has ever been as blessed as the United States, and Christians have no doubt that this is not only because of their love for God, but because our nation adapted it's laws & principles directly from God. This would make God an American.

**Note- Don't get me wrong, I'm aware of the problems America is facing now & that a lot are most definitely not acting Christ like. What I am saying is, that the country started out w/ the right idea & has managed to somewhat maintain atleast one group of people that have followed this path since then.**

-Hope this helps; & if not, please let us know more on what exactly you're looking for. I don't understand the 'thumbs-down'; I think most(not all)were honestly trying to help.

**Re: wicca- The answers were that most think that wicca is a satanic cult. This is true. Most do. It would be false if that person said that they knew for a fact that wicca was a satanic cult. Someone cited a few cases that wicca had 'won'. That's great, but it would seem most have never heard about any of that in their entire lives. If it's not that known, it can't have that much influence; common sense.**
 
Wicca doesnt' really have a place in the political world yet. However, Wicca has moved America to be more accepting of a wide array of religions. Southern Christians who were killing Jews just 30 years ago in Alabama, are now calling themselves Judeo-Christian, and accepting that religion. So, while it is an indirect occurance, the existence of Wicca has indeed caused even the worse of us to better themselves a little.
 
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