HelmetWB

posted by Era
Can you now understand the reason many academics tend to see the religion of Wicca as a silly fad or an incompetent technology?
Regards,
Era

posted by NiceWookie
*taps his foot* I'll wait for "many acedemics" to show up and proclaim Wicca a "silly fad" or an "incompentent technology".
Of course it's not going to happen because those are narrow, ignorant, and egotistical generalizations. Ironcially made in the guise of some sort of intellectual honesty. At least they are good was good for something.... a laugh.

A good source for information on neo-paganism is Margot Adler’s ‘Drawing Down The Moon,’
which I would recommend to anyone who is at all interested in neo-paganism.

More on Ms. Adler from www.beliefnet.com:

“Beliefnet Columnist -- Margot Adler is the author of "Drawing Down Moon," the classic study of goddess spirituality and contemporary paganism, and "Heretic's Heart: A Journey Through Spirit and Revolution." She is a correspondent for National Public Radio, and her reports air on NPR's award-winning shows "All Things Considered," "Morning Edition," and "Weekend Edition." She hosts "Justice Talking," a new radio show on the subject of the U.S. Constitution, which is produced by the Annenberg Center for Public Policy of the University of Pennsylvania. She also lectures widely on paganism and earth traditions. She has been a priestess of Wicca for more than 25 years.�

Ms. Adler considers Wicca to be part of witchcraft. However, she does not proclaim Wicca to be ancient in origins. On the contrary, she writes about “The Myth of Wicca.�
Quote: “Many have observed that myths should not be taken literally. This does not mean that they are ‘false,’ only that to understand them one must separate poetry from prose, metaphorical truth from literal truth.�

My view is that Wicca is no more a “silly fad� than any other religion, especially Christianity with its god that came to Earth to be born of woman, a god who was burped and had its diapers changed. Point being that it is easy to make fun of religion -- all religion -- particularly if folks insist on looking for the ‘literal’ as opposed to the ‘metaphorical.’

Heathen Dawn

Era’s points are all valid, but to me they’re old hat. I’ve now known for long that Wicca is only 50 years old, that it is not Celtic, that it isn’t synonymous with witchcraft etc. And far from disturbing me, I think all these are a good thing. The newer the religion, the less likely it is to conflict with modern sensibilities. As for cultural connections, I’m much more partial to a universal religion than to such a culturally-bound religion as Celtic Reconstructionism or Hellenismos or Ásatrú. And as for being a religion and not just plain witchcraft, I say fine! Religion is just what I was looking for. So I perceive all those supposed weaknesses of Wicca as strengths. It’s a recent, nature-based, life-affirming, mystery-connecting, symbolically ritualistic and deity-worshipping religion, and I like it that way.

jess

[hijack]
wow, I come back after about a year, and familiar old faces are here---
<waves> Hi Auntie Bill and Kassiana (PBUH)!
I'm gonna lurk some... don't know when I can come back....
[/hijack]

Wicca(tm) is, IMO, on a basic level, Christianity with sex and women in power. Christians having issues with Christianity can find refuge in Wicca(tm) for a while.

There are Wiccans who are not trademarked, however. And I agree, Llewellyn did much of the (tm).

returning to lurking...

Heathen Dawn

Say what? At the most part Wicca is similar to Catholicism, what with its mass-like rituals and all. But between Wicca and fundamentalist Christianity a great gulf is fixed. And Wicca is duo- or polytheistic, unlike Christianity including Catholicism. More like Hinduism, I’d say.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but my issues were with atheism and Judaism, not with Christianity.

jess

bubble? burst?

sorry--- I was talking about Christians who become involved with Wicca temporarily to deal with the issues of women being below men and the prohibition on sex. I prolly should have said Catholics, however.

I believed I had made a diff between that type of Wiccan and the other by the (tm). I'm sorry if I wasn't clear, or if I insulted anyone.

Rusty posting...

Heathen Dawn

Okay. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

gsx1138

Well if there are Christians looking for sex in Wicca they're in for a great disappointment. At most, they'll be able to freely discuss sexuality. Otherwise, putting sex fests and Wicca together are just a fundies wet dream.

Wicca is compatible with Christianity because of its passive nature. However, the absolutist nature of Christianity does not allow for cross belief.

jess

gsx: it's the freedom of sex--- not the access to it--- that I feel draws people into it.

The relief of the guilt of sex and sexual drives. One of the things that lets them go back is maturing past that and accepting it in Christianity...

HD: I made myself clear?

gsx1138

I guess I see what you're saying. It's been awhile since I was a Minister and while I understand the theological aspect of Christianity I've forgotten what it is like to feel guilty all the time about sexual issues.

Kassiana

Hi Jess. I'm rarely here, check the boards maybe once or twice a week, but if you give me a wave occasionally I'll probably say something to you.

My cockatiel is scratching her head with her foot. She looks so ridiculous doing that!