Wicca takes giant leap backward on ABC (priest, worship)

[Evenstar]

Originally Posted by CaptainXeroid

I've never watched 'Wife Swap', nor am I likely to, but for those who did I have 2 questions. Do you guys think they picked this family only because they fit the negative stereotype? and How do you think viewers would react if they showed a Wicca family in a more positive light?

I will admitt they seem to pick the most crazy famlies, and match them up with the complete opposite.
Which in return causes trouble, they will pick real crazy Christians and pal them up with a Pagan family, knowing they won't get on or like it.
Its all for the viewers, it always seems they have to find the most bizzare families out there
Its just sad when they are picking on your religion (Go on yes I know) lol
As for picking a Wiccan family in a more postive light, maybe it may have helped people see we are not all strange, and dont worship the Devil or any such thing.
Wiccans are seen bad evil people by so many, it will be a cold day in Hell before we are all seen as pretty peace loving people, sadly this show don't help.
Ah well jumping off my soap box now

[CaptainXeroid]

Originally Posted by ChrisP

That was pretty much the point I was TRYING to make. Damn subtlety... one day.

Oh, I got your point, and I tend to agree with it. I was curious if our Wicca members saw it as a shot at them more than a ratings gimmick.

[Squirt]

Originally Posted by Draka

I'm watching WifeSwap on ABC right now and my mouth is gaping! I wanted to watch it because it was said that a Wiccan family would be on there and I' was curious. They are outrageous! Jars of lizard skins and guts, "broom rides", pointed curly toes shoes, "house elf" that cleans (yet the house is filthy), the wife is worshipped as a goddess (and she's supposedly a coven high priestess). The house is just so messed up!

Not to mention the other family is from Iowa where the woman waits on her husband hand and foot and he controls all the money. I just can't win here .

On the plus side...the father of the "Wiccan" family comes to his senses and concentrates more on his family instead of the coven, and the father of the Iowa family starts to learn what his wife really does.

It just perturbs me that most people have no idea what Wicca is about and the thought that this is their main exposure to what it is is just downright scary.

Well, I can certainly empathize. As far as the entertainment industry is concerned, promoting inaccurate information about a religion is fair game as long as there is a buck to be made. Believe me, I've seen the same thing happen in portrayals of members of my Church all my life.

[Enigmata]

On a similar show called Trading Spouses, a pagan family traded wives with a Christian family and the exact opposite happened. The pagan family were the normal decent people who had there act together and the Christian woman was utterly insane.That woman definitely gave Christians a bad name. Obviously these things are done for ratings, these things wouldn't be on TV if they weren't, but what they do for the populations views on religion is another matter entirely. Wicca already has a hard time with misconceptions and such. We need all the good P.R. we can get.

[Majikthise]

These shows are all about hype and ratings, I hope no one takes anything seriously from watching this junk.

[Majikthise]

My wife and I both wondered about this after watching this show.
I am an atheist, she is pagan. We have a plain household, clean but not super clean, a few small religious trappings we enjoy ,some christian, some pagan. Alot of science related objects and books, pagan books, wiccan books, magic books, bibles, just lots of books.

Who would we get paired up with?

[Enigmata]

Originally Posted by turk179

Obviously these things are done for ratings, these things wouldn't be on TV if they weren't, but what they do for the populations views on religion is another matter entirely.

Of course we may be overreacting a little. It is there for entertainment purposes and I was entertained, slightly offended, but entertained.

[Majikthise]

Originally Posted by turk179

Of course we may be overreacting a little. It is there for entertainment purposes and I was entertained, slightly offended, but entertained.

I usually laugh my silly little butt off with glee while watching this stuff.

[Enigmata]

Originally Posted by Majikthise

My wife and I both wondered about this after watching this show.
I am an atheist, she is pagan. We have a plain household, clean but not super clean, a few small religious trappings we enjoy ,some christian, some pagan. Alot of science related objects and books, pagan books, wiccan books, magic books, bibles, just lots of books.

Who would we get paired up with?

I don't think that the entertainment would come from the show itself but from the act of trying to find a pair for you both.