Why so Many Wicca Misconcepations in the US?

[Taylor Seraphim]

Why are there so many Wiccan misconceptions in the US?

Here is a short list of the ones I have commonly found in recent days.

1: Wicca is knowingly Satanic.
2: Wicca is unknowingly Satanic.
3: Wiccans use harmful magic.
4: Only females can be Wiccan.
5: All Wiccans only worship the Goddess.
6: Wiccans where all black.
7: Most Wiccans are teenagers.
8: Wiccans do human or animal sacrifices.

Can anyone provide any insight as to why these exist?

 

[Nietzsche]

Is 7 really a misconception..?

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

Is 7 really a misconception..?

I typed misconcepationS.

 

[Riverwolf]

Probably because that's how the media often depicts Wicca. Even when it's supposed to be secular, most media writers are Christian and know their audience is Christian, and so cater their narratives to that whether they mean to or not. As a result, they perpetuate old stereotypes about witchcraft in general, while simultaneously creating new ones.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

Is 7 really a misconception..?

Oh you mean is number 7 untrue.

Yes it is, most Wiccans are closet Wiccans and are in their late 30s and higher.

A large amount of open Wiccans are younger however.

 

[Nietzsche]

I typed misconcepationS.

I am quite well aware of that. I was referring to 7 specifically.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

Probably because that's how the media often depicts Wicca. Even when it's supposed to be secular, most media writers are Christian and know their audience is Christian, and so cater their narratives to that whether they mean to or not. As a result, they perpetuate old stereotypes about witchcraft in general, while simultaneously creating new ones.

Why would a Christian want to do that?

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

I am quite well aware of that. I was referring to 7 specifically.

Please refer to my previous post.

 

[Riverwolf]

Why would a Christian want to do that?

Well, like I said, often they may not realize they're doing it.

 

[Nietzsche]

Oh you mean is number 7 untrue.

Yes it is, most Wiccans are closet Wiccans and are in their late 30s and higher.

A large amount of open Wiccans are younger however.

You have any census or such data for this? I'm not saying you're wrong, just this conflicts with all the Wiccans I've ever met. I am aware that my position is anecdotal.

Please refer to my previous post.

You managed to reply moments before I'd already clicked the post button.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

You have any census or such data for this? I'm not saying you're wrong, just this conflicts with all the Wiccans I've ever met. I am aware that my position is anecdotal.


You managed to reply moments before I'd already clicked the post button.

Do you have any census saying that most Wiccans are young?

It is simply that most Wiccans that are out of the closet are young because they do not have to worry about workplace discirmination and such like an older adult would have had to.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

A lot of it is bias mixed with preconceived ideas of what the People believe rather than what they read. Insight?

1: Wicca is knowingly Satanic.
2: Wicca is unknowingly Satanic.
3: Wiccans use harmful magic.

Its tied to christianity. You do spells, you are using "power" outside the means of god. As a result, its from satan and because its from satan, its harmful.

I wish believers asked what a Wiccan believes rather than watching it on tv or reading it and cross referencing information to their sacred book without asking the wiccan how he sees things.

Only females can be Wiccan.

T.v. got to love them. Witches are supposed to be female. Wicca is supposed to be witchcraft (as so believed), all wiccans are female.s

Wiccans only worship the Goddess.

They dont know about the faith enough to correct their misconception. Or even want to research and ask wiccans to confirm if thats true.

Wiccans where all black.

I never heard that. Maybe linking it with goth, newage,teens

Most Wiccans are teenagers.

The majority of audiences cater to teens. Many teens are looking for religion. Wicca is very broad. So they go for the jeguar.

Wiccans do human or animal sacrifi

I never heard that in real life. I cant compare it to santera where sacrifice are the norm. Wicca doesnt give off that impression in the real world

 

[Midnight Rain]

Why are there so many Wiccan misconceptions in the US?

Here is a short list of the ones I have commonly found in recent days.

1: Wicca is knowingly Satanic.
2: Wicca is unknowingly Satanic.
3: Wiccans use harmful magic.

To Christians anything non-christian is satanic. Depending on the level of ignorance they might actually be arrogant enough to believe that every "know" christianity is correct and choose to go on other paths intentionally to spite god. Others are content with simply assuming they unknowingly worship satan. And magic is evil therefore satanic and harmful in their minds

4: Only females can be Wiccan.

Mostly media but also the demonetization of women as the likely servants of Satan as witches in the middle ages.

5: All Wiccans only worship the Goddess.

I haven't met a wiccan that doesn't worship a goddess.

6: Wiccans where all black.

I've never heard this one before. I have heard it about Voodoo. Maybe the one thinking this has confused the two?

7: Most Wiccans are teenagers.

Probably true but the teenagers who were part of the Wiccan boom a few years back were probably not wiccans in any sense of the word except name only. I don't like to say no one was a "true wiccan" ect but they were following the hype and shortly fell out of it. I think Teenagers are not the majority of long term practitioners

.
8: Wiccans do human or animal sacrifices.

I haven't heard anything about this before. Ironically its what Jews used to do.

Can anyone provide any insight as to why these exist?

gave it my best go.

 

[Quintessence]

Honestly, it's been my general impression that these perceptions are not much of an issue in 2016.

As for academic appraisals of where these stereotypes come from, I'm sure I've read something at some point in the literature, but it's been long enough that I can't recall and the day of the week is also Friday.

But the "Satanic" one is easy enough, really. It's an all-purpose snarl world used by Christian culture to demonize things it disagrees with. That's pretty much all there is to it. Though as I said, here in 2016, we really don't have to harp on the "Pagans (including Wiccans) aren't Satanists" tripe, because we are no longer in the Satanic Panic of the 80s and for the most part, I don't see people saying that at all anymore. If you're reading earlier Wiccan/Pagan literature, you'll see more references to that.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

To Christians anything non-christian is satanic. Depending on the level of ignorance they might actually be arrogant enough to believe that every "know" christianity is correct and choose to go on other paths intentionally to spite god. Others are content with simply assuming they unknowingly worship satan. And magic is evil therefore satanic and harmful in their minds

Mostly media but also the demonetization of women as the likely servants of Satan as witches in the middle ages.

I haven't met a wiccan that doesn't worship a goddess.

I've never heard this one before. I have heard it about Voodoo. Maybe the one thinking this has confused the two?

Probably true but the teenagers who were part of the Wiccan boom a few years back were probably not wiccans in any sense of the word except name only. I don't like to say no one was a "true wiccan" ect but they were following the hype and shortly fell out of it. I think Teenagers are not the majority of long term practitioners

I haven't heard anything about this before. Ironically its what Jews used to do.

gave it my best go.

Well while Wiccans worship the Goddess all but a few branches also worship the God.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

Honestly, it's been my general impression that these perceptions are not much of an issue in 2016.

As for academic appraisals of where these stereotypes come from, I'm sure I've read something at some point in the literature, but it's been long enough that I can't recall and the day of the week is also Friday.

But the "Satanic" one is easy enough, really. It's an all-purpose snarl world used by Christian culture to demonize things it disagrees with. That's pretty much all there is to it. Though as I said, here in 2016, we really don't have to harp on the "Pagans (including Wiccans) aren't Satanists" tripe, because we are no longer in the Satanic Panic of the 80s and for the most part, I don't see people saying that at all anymore. If you're reading earlier Wiccan/Pagan literature, you'll see more references to that.

It may just be due to my area in the U.S. but I have found these misconceptions within a few weeks.

 

[Midnight Rain]

Well while Wiccans worship the Goddess all but a few branches also worship the God.

Ah. I misunderstood the question. I missed the ONLY part. Yes I would almost say all; Wiccans worship a goddess but also worship a god as well. Only Dianic Wiccans are focused solely on the female. Well they are the only major semi-organized sect. I am hesitant to call anything in Wicca organized in terms of sects. There are only customary practices.

 

[Quintessence]

It may just be due to my area in the U.S. but I have found these misconceptions within a few weeks.

I'd remember to consider the source of the things you hear, and in particular, whether or not those sources are representational or authoritative. On the internet or through poor quality news outlets, for example, it is easy to run across all sorts of ridiculous $#@% that is neither representational nor authoritative.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

Ah. I misunderstood the question. I missed the ONLY part. Yes I would almost say all; Wiccans worship a goddess but also worship a god as well. Only Dianic Wiccans are focused solely on the female. Well they are the only major semi-organized sect. I am hesitant to call anything in Wicca organized in terms of sects. There are only customary practices.

It is debatable if Dianic Wicca should be considered Wiccan, however I see no reason to cause a conflict over it.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

I'd remember to consider the source of the things you hear, and in particular, whether or not those sources are representational or authoritative. On the internet or through poor quality news outlets, for example, it is easy to run across all sorts of ridiculous $#@% that is neither representational nor authoritative.

You have a good point.