KU Cauldron student to give Wicca lecture

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Jeremy Adkison wants to help fellow students understand Wicca. He’s the vice president of KU Cauldron and is giving a lecture and presentation tonight called “Wicca: The Religion of Witchcraft.”

Adkison, Leavenworth sophomore, said that one of his greatest passions was Wicca, and that he wanted to show students what the pagan religion was really about.

Q: What got you interested in Wicca?

A: I was first introduced to Wicca when I was 13 years old. The belief in polytheism spoke to me. There are trillions of galaxies in the universe, so I wanted something a little more durable than monotheism.

What: “Wicca: The Religion of Witchcraft” lecture, presentation and question-and-answer session

Who: Jeremy Adkison, vice president of KU Cauldron

When: Tonight at 8

Where: Alcove E at the Kansas Union

Cost: Free

Q: Tell me about KU Cauldron.

A: The KU Cauldron is a non-religious group. It is a metaphysical and pagan discussion group that meets every Wednesday in the Kansas Union at 8 p.m. in Alcove E. We do celebrate the pagan and Celtic holidays but in a non-religious specific format.

Q: What made you want to put on this presentation?

A: Of course I want to educate the populace about something that is still misunderstood, confused with Christianity and Satan worship. There are many people on campus that have heard about Wicca and witchcraft, would like to actually know something more about it, but haven’t had a hands-on opportunity outside of the Internet and books to learn yet.

Q: Why do you think students should be interested in Wicca?

A: I think students should be interested in learning about things that interest them. I heard about a pagan presentation in Topeka where Christians came and heckled the pagans, and eventually the pagans were told to leave. I thought it was sad, and people should understand how benign pagan religions really are.

Q: Tell me a little more about Wicca.

A: I define Wicca as a pagan religion and a nature-based religion that traces its conception to pre-Christian European Reconstructionism. It is polytheistic and duotheistic. At the basic core we believe in a supreme god and goddess. Wicca is tied to magic and witchcraft in the form of ritual and other work. Typically Wiccans will cast spells, cast magic circles to do magic and worship; we also tend to do divination. There is a belief in reincarnation, a belief that the actions we put out into the world will manifest and return to us; reap what you sow.

Q: What do your friends and family think of you practicing Wicca?

A: My friends don’t care. It doesn’t bother them. My family doesn’t talk about it, and I don’t think they really care either.

— — Edited by Heather Melanson

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