Bad Interpretations of Wicca (rituals, beliefs, churches, pagan, worship)

[Tez]

Originally Posted by Jensa

One minor nitpick.

The pentagram's use was first recorded in 3000 BC, long before the origin of Wicca.

I looked into the history of the pentagram a while ago, since I was curious to where it actually came from. I found that it was first written in ancient Babylon in with come cuneiform writing it was used for the word "UB", (just in case you don’t know cuneiform is the oldest written language we know of). Since then it has been used in many religion, Christianity used to use it to represent the five wounds of Jesus. It also was used to represent the seal of Solomon, but then that got changed to the six-pointed star.

[Enigmata]

Originally Posted by john63

Persecution isn't exclusive to Wicca. I get profanity all the time because I'm a Christian. You can see just in this forum alone that Christians are the most disliked group in the world. People hate us worse than they hate terrorists!

I would have to disagree with you there. It is because of this forum that I have changed my views of Christianity. I have never met such a kind and thoughtful group of Christians than I have on this forum. I have also learned that it is not an individuals religion that makes people dislike them. It is how they represent their religion that will make or break an individual. And beside, I thought Christianity was still the majority religion in the U.S. Why are you worried about a select few people causing you grief because they wont take the time to find out the type of Christian you are?

[jeffrey]

I refuse to tell my eldest daughter of my Wiccan beliefs. Her and her husband are hard core Christian-I'm-right-your-wrong philosophy where they have a preset idea of something and nothing will change that. If I told her, she would disown me!

[john63]

Originally Posted by turk179

I would have to disagree with you there. It is because of this forum that I have changed my views of Christianity. I have never met such a kind and thoughtful group of Christians than I have on this forum. I have also learned that it is not an individuals religion that makes people dislike them. It is how they represent their religion that will make or break an individual. And beside, I thought Christianity was still the majority religion in the U.S. Why are you worried about a select few people causing you grief because they wont take the time to find out the type of Christian you are?

Yeah, I guess your right. I was basing that on my experiences only. My apologies.

[ChrisP]

Originally Posted by turk179

I would have to disagree with you there. It is because of this forum that I have changed my views of Christianity. I have never met such a kind and thoughtful group of Christians than I have on this forum. I have also learned that it is not an individuals religion that makes people dislike them. It is how they represent their religion that will make or break an individual. And beside, I thought Christianity was still the majority religion in the U.S. Why are you worried about a select few people causing you grief because they wont take the time to find out the type of Christian you are?

It's more about the atmosphere than the religions. People just accept that it's O.K for others to think differently from them. (well some of them, the ones who don't get +'d to ignore)

[naomi]

It might interest you to know that I spent the morning leading an activity for teenagers about Imbolc and I also have a display up on the chaplaincy noticeboard. One student came to me to say the pentagram I'd used wasn't the most appropriate for pagans so I just came back to the office to print a new poster out of respect for her opinion. I found this thread on a google search because of the picture (thank you it is just what I wanted) I'm a Christian and I spent my morning teaching people about Paganism. Whether you use capital letters or lower case bunching people together is just silly. Yes, many Christians misunderstand paganism, but two wrongs don't make a right.

[Saint Tigeress]

Originally Posted by naomi

It might interest you to know that I spent the morning leading an activity for teenagers about Imbolc and I also have a display up on the chaplaincy noticeboard. One student came to me to say the pentagram I'd used wasn't the most appropriate for pagans so I just came back to the office to print a new poster out of respect for her opinion. I found this thread on a google search because of the picture (thank you it is just what I wanted) I'm a Christian and I spent my morning teaching people about Paganism. Whether you use capital letters or lower case bunching people together is just silly. Yes, many Christians misunderstand paganism, but two wrongs don't make a right.

Wow! That is really awsome that you are teaching your fellow christians about paganism! I am speechless that you would go so far out of your way to promote tolerance. I hope you stick around the forum. I am sure you are probably very knowledgable and that everyone would enjoy your contribution to the discussions!

Felix
I'm Very Aware It Sounds Pompous To Think That People Would Actually KILL Because Someone Was Openly Wiccan, But Unfortunately There Are Extremists Out There.

In Fact, A While Back, Maybe Ten Years Ago, There Was A LYNCHING Of A Wiccan, Just Because Of Their Religion. Every Month There Are Reported Shootings, Attacks, And Robberies Of Witches, Just Because Of Their Beliefs.

One Of My Sisters In My Coven Was Verbally Attacked About A Month Ago In The Local Store, Some Big-Headed Christian (I Don't Mean To Point Fingers At A Specific Religion) Was Babbeling On About How She Was A "F***ing Witch" And She Was Here To "Conjure Up Satan."

People Do Get The Wrong Ideas Of Wicca.

And Jensa, Your Comment On The Pentagram, Although It Was Created Before Wicca Was A "Religion" Pursay, The Wiccans Have Adopted It To Show The Different Elements.

Satanists inverted the pentagram and used it as their religious symbol, but it more frequently appears with a goat's head inside it, which forms the symbol of Baphomet.


Religious Tolerance With Wicca Is An Issue And Should Be Taken More Seriously

Wow! The thing is stuff like this probably still happens to all kinds of various people of various faiths. I think it is just downplayed by the news. Why hear about a wiccan, muslim, or jew or others being discriminated agianst when you can hear about Lil Miss Spears?!

[Mike182]

there are misconceptions about every religion, so Wicca is in no way special for that.

Wicca is certainly the most prominant of the Pagan religions, it seems to be the one most represented in book shops, so although there are misconceptions about Wicca, decent enough information on Wicca is easily available.

anyway, i like the misconceptions brought up in the OP, i think i'll write my own reply to them


1)That wicca is a brainwashing cult

ok, well first of all i think it's important to distinguish between solitary practitioners and group practitioners. if it's just you on your own with some books learning, trying, experiencing and practising then there is no group to use the word cult - because it's only that one person teaching themself. in group workings, it is harder to say, because i have never actually had to reply to this specific question. the characteristics of a cult become predominantly clear when members try to leave the cult. Wiccan covens have never had any problems with people leaving them, so that would be a pretty clear indication to me that Wicca is not a cult.

one need only look at the techniques and teachings within Wicca to realise that individual members are instructed to work and develop on their own as well as in a group setting, which would surely have the oposite affect to brainwashing - it would make them independant.


2)That Wicca is just a womans religion.

well, that laregely depend supon who you talk to... the vast majority of Wiccans will say no, Wicca is not just a woman's religion, because one of the key underlining principles of Wicca is the idea of universal balance. the masculine and the feminine are needed to create life, the God and the Goddess created and sustain the earth, molded and breathed life into humanity... plus many other examples of the need to balance the masculine with the feminine. for Wicca to just be for women would destroy that sense of balance.


3)That Wiccans Worship The Devil (Satan)

to be fair, Wiccans do have the Horned God. the Horned God, who goes by many names, like Herne, Kurninos, Pan etc, is a sexually active force, and sexuality is traditionally something that is looked down upon in Christianity. so in that respect, Pan is horned and sexually deviant, it is easy to see how comparisons were drawn between Pan and the Satan of Christianity. but no, Pan is also a guide, an inspiration, and a teacher, who is not at all interested in bringing about the mindless destruction of humanity. He is not Satan.


4)that wiccans can conjure demons

that depends upon who you talk to. some Wiccans deny the existence of demons all together, so would see this question as moot. other Wiccans won't deny the existence of demons, some of whom will say they have no intention or desire to work with demons so wouldn't consider it, others will say that they do work with demons and receive informations from demons in order to balance out their point of view.

although, the notion of demons is a vastly complex one anyway, so this question could take up an entire thread to itself.

i will however say that it is nothing like Charmed or Buffy. that is just a dramatisation with flashy filming. it does make for good watching, i certainly enjoy Buffy and Charmed, but don't use them as the authority on Pagan matters.

[Mestemia]

One thing I have noticed is that every tom dick and/or harry that comes up with a new belief system tends to call it Wicca.

There used to be a website called WhyWiccansSuck.com, but I have been unable to find it for some time now.
But it did an excellent job of showing the difference between wiccans and fluffy bunnies.

[Saint Tigeress]

Originally Posted by Mike182