Pop-Wiccans (followers, pagans, service, verse, religion)

[MaddLlama]

Do pop-Wiccans do more harm than good? I'm talking about Pagas and Wiccans who have a large media presence, like Fiona Horne, Laurie Cabott, and even people like SRW and Phillis Currot. Does their desire to be the spokesperson for such a diverse religion help or hurt its image? Do their media appearances always have the same result (good or bad)?

And, on a related note (since I've been thinking of fall), do you think that the media propensity to run "human interest" pieces on Pagans around Halloween is good or bad for Pagans as a whole?

[Gentoo]

I say yes. Laurie Cabott and SRW annoy the heck out of me, though I do think it's good that they can make a living out of something they have devoted their lives to (if indeed they did). They are getting Paganism out there so the general public can start learning about it.

On the other hand, some of the misinformation they spread does do a great disservice to those who are really trying to live the life. They do what they do for the money, which is why I often spell it $RW, not for the love of the religion and the desire to really help people.

[mostly harmless]

I think Laurie Cabott's 'followers' (the ones that pledge unending loyalty to her and only her) are way more annoying than she herself is...lol

I am having a blank in my brain here...SRW? I feel like I know this but can't seem to find it in my head...what are the letters for?

Edited to add: Fiona Horne was on Tyra the other day.....frankly I was a bit worried about how Wiccans and Pagans were represented...Fiona was ok...but the others...looked like the 'shocker' w's and p's...the ones that go as freaky and demented as they can get and expect people to take them seriously....

[Gentoo]

SRW = $ilver Ravenwolf

[jamaesi]

I hope you don't mind my input here, I briefly identified as some sort of Pagan during my teens. This is a topic I reflected on quite a bit, though.

I think that, depending on who is receiving the message, it could be negative or positive. Even though some people find the more fluffy aspects of Paganism and Wicca to be nauseating, some other people do genuinely follow those paths (and not for money...). I know I gravitated more towards more light things like nature and peace and flowers and love but without having much respect for those sort of poppy leaders, but mostly because I was pretty solitary.

They're becoming mainstream which gets more people to consider and think about Paganism and they aren't... scary, you know? Some people are plum terrified of Paganism and think it's ridiculous things like kicking puppies and eating babies or somesuch. As people become more familiar with the concept without wanting to run away screaming they can learn more about the "heavier" and more "serious" aspects and paths of Paganism and Wicca.

(This post isn't to knock Wicca, though, I have nothing but fondness and respect for it, but it is easier than some other Pagan paths to make it very fluffy, but there's really nothing wrong with that...)

[Mike182]

Originally Posted by Khalila

I hope you don't mind my input here, I briefly identified as some sort of Pagan during my teens. This is a topic I reflected on quite a bit, though.

I think that, depending on who is receiving the message, it could be negative or positive. Even though some people find the more fluffy aspects of Paganism and Wicca to be nauseating, some other people do genuinely follow those paths (and not for money...). I know I gravitated more towards more light things like nature and peace and flowers and love but without having much respect for those sort of poppy leaders, but mostly because I was pretty solitary.

They're becoming mainstream which gets more people to consider and think about Paganism and they aren't... scary, you know? Some people are plum terrified of Paganism and think it's ridiculous things like kicking puppies and eating babies or somesuch. As people become more familiar with the concept without wanting to run away screaming they can learn more about the "heavier" and more "serious" aspects and paths of Paganism and Wicca.

(This post isn't to knock Wicca, though, I have nothing but fondness and respect for it, but it is easier than some other Pagan paths to make it very fluffy, but there's really nothing wrong with that...)

t'is a pleasure to see you round this part of the forum, good post!

[MaddLlama]

Originally Posted by mostly harmless

I think Laurie Cabott's 'followers' (the ones that pledge unending loyalty to her and only her) are way more annoying than she herself is...lol

I never met her, but I read really strange stuff about her. I went into her shop and her daughter seems like a completely normal, well-adjusted girl. I get the impression from her public "appearances" that she's a bit out there, but I think a lot of the "early" Pagans (like the ones who were into it in the 60's and 70's) seem backward to us because Paganism has progressed since then; for example, you don't see Pagans today hawking Lady Sheba or Gardener as Wicca 101 books.
That being said, I still think she's a bit strange. I think maybe her strangeness gives the Pagan side of Salem a bad name. Sort of like a poster child for the tourism aspect of Salem.

I am having a blank in my brain here...SRW? I feel like I know this but can't seem to find it in my head...what are the letters for?

What Gentoo said. I'm too lazy to type that all out.

Edited to add: Fiona Horne was on Tyra the other day.....frankly I was a bit worried about how Wiccans and Pagans were represented...Fiona was ok...but the others...looked like the 'shocker' w's and p's...the ones that go as freaky and demented as they can get and expect people to take them seriously....

That's part of what got me started on this. I didn't actually see the episode, but I saw the teaser for it when I was on vacation and I thought "Oh, great, another one of those. I heard that Tyra made it a big point to say that she thinks witches are scary and/or creepy.
I also don't like Fiona Horne. I just don't think she's an accurate representation of anything Pagan (and I think her books suck). She's definately a "shock value" Pagan, and in general I just don't like the way the media focuses on shock value members of a religion.

Has anyone here, or anyone you know, been the subject of a human interest piece in a paper? Do the papers where you are even run those types of things around Halloween? We get them all the time in NY (followed by stupid letters to the editor about how the paper is evil for running a story about witches )

[mostly harmless]

Originally Posted by MaddLlama

I never met her, but I read really strange stuff about her. I went into her shop and her daughter seems like a completely normal, well-adjusted girl. I get the impression from her public "appearances" that she's a bit out there, but I think a lot of the "early" Pagans (like the ones who were into it in the 60's and 70's) seem backward to us because Paganism has progressed since then; for example, you don't see Pagans today hawking Lady Sheba or Gardener as Wicca 101 books.
That being said, I still think she's a bit strange. I think maybe her strangeness gives the Pagan side of Salem a bad name. Sort of like a poster child for the tourism aspect of Salem.



What Gentoo said. I'm too lazy to type that all out.



That's part of what got me started on this. I didn't actually see the episode, but I saw the teaser for it when I was on vacation and I thought "Oh, great, another one of those. I heard that Tyra made it a big point to say that she thinks witches are scary and/or creepy.
I also don't like Fiona Horne. I just don't think she's an accurate representation of anything Pagan (and I think her books suck). She's definately a "shock value" Pagan, and in general I just don't like the way the media focuses on shock value members of a religion.

Has anyone here, or anyone you know, been the subject of a human interest piece in a paper? Do the papers where you are even run those types of things around Halloween? We get them all the time in NY (followed by stupid letters to the editor about how the paper is evil for running a story about witches )

I knew that I knew what SRW was..LOL

I was kind of disgusted watching Tyra's show...I don't think she really had an open mind...She seemed to side with the ex-wiccan and couldn't really hide her distaste...I can't really blame her when looking at the people who were representing...Fiona and one other girl were the only ones that didn't dress up in goth gear looking like they were trying to scare people...not that there is anything wrong with dressing like that..but I don't think that is a good way of representing ... I wonder where did she find these people? I can't take a person seriously if I think they are trying too hard on their image...

[Blindinglight]

Yes. It's no different than what Madonna does for Kabalah, and Britney Spears to Voodoo.