Should bad press bother you? (eternal, pagans, worship, confess)

[Kcnorwood]

My wife & I justed watched the re-make of the movie Wicker man, I don't know how many of you have seen it. Good movie bad for Pagans & Wiccans alike.

I know there have been tons of movies bad about devil worshiping Witches & such,
my question to you is does it bother you when hollywood makes another bad witch good christian movie type?

Sure we all like to be scared but for most of the people out there in the world this is how they view us. Other religions complian when someone makes a movie they feel is belittling to them. My question is why doesn't the Pagan & Wicaan community do something about it?


Should we do something? If so what?

Sorry if this question has been posted before.

[BFD_Zayl]

hahahaha, to me it has gotten slightly annoying, at first it was offensive but now its just bleh...i laugh sometimes though because it shows off how stupid, ignorant, mentally unsound, and just plain single minded they are. instead of getting mad, just laugh at them.

[Mike182]

you mean, we pagans should ...organise...? heresy!

i don't particularly mind, film producers will continue to display things however they want to so long as that display is making money. there is enough Pagan literature out there anyway for those who are interested in discovering the truth about our religion, and the ignorant will stay ignorant no matter what we do anyway. we won't change anything on a large enough scale to really make it worth the effort in my oppinion.

[Gentoo]

While it is annoying to have to explain over and over again that what they see in the movies is NOT real (hence: FICTION. I don't understand why it's so hard to understand that fiction, by definition is Not Real), I also see it as a way to help promote the truth, should I be asked about it.

[Feathers in Hair]

I think that if Pagans spent their time being bothered by false representations in the media, that we would never get anything done!
More seriously, it is always my hope that people will look upon these films as simply a form of entertainment.

[Katzpur]

Well, if you don't mind some input from outside the Wiccan community, the way I have learned to look at the bad press my religion gets on a daily basis is that bad press is better than no press at all. It's Wiccans respond to it that ultimately makes the difference.

[MaddLlama]

People will always prefer sterotypes and sensationalized ideas about a group of people. "Organizing" Pagans into a central group won't accomplish anything to change this, and would be an impossible task to boot.
Really, all we can do is provide the right information to the people who care to know it, and everyone else is probably too dull to understand it anyway.

[Guitar's Cry]

I actually think the steps towards removing that bad press are being taken. Pagans are "coming our of the broom closet," so to speak. What has haunted paganism is based on ignorance of the truth and an emphasis on the extreme.

I don't think pagans should necessarily form an alliance (though it would be great), but by openly discussing the truth and keeping it out of the dark areas of the public's imagination.

Except in the case of those groups who enjoy keeping that shroud of mystery, of course. I am curious, how many do enjoy it? I confess a guilty pleasure in it myself, though it is bothersome when it comes to keeping it from my family...

[BFD_Zayl]

Originally Posted by Guitar's Cry

I actually think the steps towards removing that bad press are being taken. Pagans are "coming our of the broom closet," so to speak. What has haunted paganism is based on ignorance of the truth and an emphasis on the extreme.

I don't think pagans should necessarily form an alliance (though it would be great), but by openly discussing the truth and keeping it out of the dark areas of the public's imagination.

Except in the case of those groups who enjoy keeping that shroud of mystery, of course. I am curious, how many do enjoy it? I confess a guilty pleasure in it myself, though it is bothersome when it comes to keeping it from my family...

to me it is needed, andi guess i do feel a sense of enjoyment....i'm quite open about it online but in real life....not to many people know. and if pagans were to come out and begin to dispell the ignorant rumors, I/we would probably still stay in the shadows. the reasons for this are pretty much the same as any secret occult Order's. some of which include not wanting to have a flux of newcomers that might destroy the very basis of everything we blieve and practice, our secrets are for those smart enough to earn them. it might backfire and we might wind up as outcasts....the usual reasons

[Dr. Nosophoros]

I liked the origional better, but I'm glad they kept the ending the same instead of him escaping or "rescuing" the girl, overall I don't feel it makes much difference. It seems to me that most movies come and go- that is as long as no undue attention is drawn to it, demonstrate, protest, get on the news etc. only serves to increase interest in this or that, when given a little time it will just blow away to be replaced by another film. "Wickerman" is no "The Eternal Jew" (or in this case, Eternal Pagan) nor were there reviews for it like this one for the EJ http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/ewig.htm it's just another forgettable churned out hollywood film, youv'e got better things to spend your energy on I'm sure.