***Wiccans*** Your thoughts on the Church and School of Wicca

[RedDragon94]

What is your opinion on this group of Wiccans?

Have you ever taken a course from them?

Website: http://wicca.org/

 

[Callisto]

Why do you ask?

Overall, a minor blip in terms of a specific group, the founders themselves having a much higher and damaged profile. The Frosts are an example of how there are individuals who claim to practice Wicca but did not. Their practice is one that was cultivated by selling correspondence courses back in the 1970s via ads in such sterling publications as The National Enquirer.

They were, to be polite, very controversial and polarizing. Not dissimilar to Trump insomuch that they do have supporters who only acknowledge their pagan activism while downplaying their teachings that were not only antithetical to Wiccans but reprehensible to many pagans and witches regardless of religion affiliation. (Lying about having founded Wicca was the very least of it.)

Anyone so inclined can do an internet search on Gavin & Yvonne Frost and find a recent rehashing of their history, prompted by Gavin's death a month ago. Prior to that, they were minimally heard of except for when they were scheduled as guest speakers at a pagan conference in 2014 and prompted another flurry of negative response.

One good, even-handed summation of their legacy can be found here.

 

[RedDragon94]

Why do you ask?

I was thinking, maybe one day I could take a look at one of their courses. I just wondered if anyone had any experience with them.

Prior to that, they were minimally heard of except for when they were scheduled as guest speakers at a pagan conference in 2014 and prompted another flurry of negative response.

Well, that's sick... Is sex part of the initiation process?

 

[Callisto]

Wiccan covens do not initiate by sex. There is the Great Rite which is usually symbolic, typically plunging an athame into a chalice. At 3rd degree, there is the option, though commonly it's still symbolic. The option is decided by the two parties involved, no one else is present. E.g., such as in the case of one spouse officiating the elevation of the other.

In regards to correspondence courses in general, there are none that teach actual Wicca and these schools have spotty reputations, caveat emptor. That said, it's not impossible to learn 101 type stuff and possibly useful information in practices generally associated with witchcraft such as divination, spell casting, or herbalism.

 

[RedDragon94]

Wiccan covens do not initiate by sex. There is the Great Rite which is usually symbolic, typically plunging an athame into a chalice. At 3rd degree, there is the option, though commonly it's still symbolic. The option is decided by the two parties involved, no one else is present. E.g., such as in the case of one spouse officiating the elevation of the other.

So, is the only reason why you aren't in favor of the group because they condoned pedophilia all those decades ago or is there more?

Wiccan covens do not initiate by sex.

But does this group of supposed Wiccans?

 

[Callisto]

The reasons for not being a fan of theirs are pretty much outlined in the two links provided as well as any discussion concerning them. While they wrote the offending piece years ago, they never recanted it. When pressed they (and some of their supporters) claimed what they were really talking about was from an anthropological POV, which is not true; and that since they were never convicted of a crime then they were not guilty of anything - offering as sole proof the fact that they'd never been charged with a crime, and had threatened to sue anyone who came at them. (Why does this behavior sound so familiar....).

Though not the Frosts themselves, I do recall hearing of a case in which one of their daughter covens was investigated by the police after receiving a complaint about the abuse of an underage girl.

But does this group of supposed Wiccans?

Oh, sorry. I thought you were asking a broader question. What they did or didn't do seemed to depend on who's asking and why, and whether Gavin was inclined to give a straight answer. They had over 35 years to recant the statements of their book and clarify their practices but instead of doing so opted to deflect.

 

[RedDragon94]

(Why does this behavior sound so familiar....).

Just goes to show people have no shame.

Oh, sorry. I thought you were asking a broader question. What they did or didn't do seemed to depend on who's asking and why, and whether Gavin was inclined to give a straight answer. They had over 35 years to recant the statements of their book and clarify their practices but instead of doing so opted to deflect.

That's creepy. So, if you don't mind me asking, (since the church and school seem to be not what I need) how did you get started in Wicca?

 

[Callisto]

That's creepy. So, if you don't mind me asking, (since the church and school seem to be not what I need) how did you get started in Wicca?

Back in the pre-internet era, I lived in an area where there was a sizeable population of pagan and occult practitioners who, far more often than not, were part of some witchcraft or Wiccan tradition or magical order. There was an organization that hosted monthly events (long before pagan moots were a norm) and there was a great opportunity to network with area pagans and witches. Eventually, I connected with one of the Wiccan trads, went to their openings and things clicked.

 

[RedDragon94]

Back in the pre-internet era, I lived in an area where there was a sizeable population of pagan and occult practitioners who, far more often than not, were part of some witchcraft or Wiccan tradition or magical order. There was an organization that hosted monthly events (long before pagan moots were a norm) and there was a great opportunity to network with area pagans and witches. Eventually, I connected with one of the Wiccan trads, went to their openings and things clicked.

What are moots?

 

[Callisto]

"Moot" is an old word for "meeting". Pagans will arrange for other locals in the area to get together, like once a month, to network and socialize. Often meeting at pubs, coffee shops, restaurants, etc. Popular sites to see if any are in one's area are places like Meetup.com or Facebook.