With respect to the OP, I am not Wiccan but I have a read a little about it, just as I have about many religions and faiths. While it's not for me, I find Wicca to be quite interesting and the Wiccans I've known are good people. I think the world might be a better place had Wicca evolved into a more dominant role in the world. The three major religions that exist today have not done a very good job IMO, particularly in the areas of respect and tolerance for others and husbandry of the planet. I think Wicca would do a better job in these two areas than the three dominant relgions ... Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
Personally, I have not found any of the off the shelf faiths to have all the answers. I suppose if anything I'm a Cathar, but with influences from many other sources as well, including Buddhism, Wicca and many pagan religions, including those of Native Americans.
As for atheism, I find it has pretty much become a faith as well, with as much blind faith and intolerance as the religions it assails. Atheism has elevated science to an exalted status and made science its religion. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it fails to adequately address spiritual and metaphysical issues.
I think one of the major failings of most religions is that they fail to embrace and incorporate science. Atheism on the other hand fails to embrace and incorporate spiritualism, morality and metaphysics.
The bottom line for me is that if a belief system works for someone, be it atheism, Christianity, Judaism or Wicca, then great. It's probably the right belief system for that individual. My only real complaint is when an adherent to a particular belief system attacks and belittles adherents of a different belief system. I'm guilty of belittling the Vatican myself, but I view the Vatican as more of a political entity than a religious one. I think all faiths, atheism included, have something to offer to the discussion and the solution. So in that spirit I think this is an excellent thread topic because it provides an opportunity for enlightenment on a belief system that many don't know enough about.
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