Misconceptions about Wicca

[doistu]

Now, I'm sure most people here are clued up on the initatory, oathbound, orthopraxic, mystery religion bit of Wicca.
I'm also sure that many will notice the common misinformation spread by certian authors and "electic wiccans" etc.
This distortion of the truth has led to a generation of neo-pagans who think they have the right to the title Wiccan and they defend that right.

How did anyone let it get so bad? Why didn't initated Wiccans out these authors? How has this spread happened? I just don't get it. Sure there are very few initated wiccans in comparison to the new wave of neo-pagans but many of them are scholars and could have surely brought attention to the matter?

Quite simply, I'm sick of seeing the same arguement occur over and over again. There's really nothing like it. And in the process many young and potential wiccan seekers are lost because those correcting them cannot do it nicely.
Why?  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

Well, in defense of those who may not come across as nice when they are correcting...some of these people are correcting people on a daily basis about the misconceptions, usually the very same arguments and attitudes, day in and day out. It wears a person down and becomes frustrating after a while.

And a lot of times, they do approach the misinformed in a civil manner. It's when the misinformed keep acting like a child in the discussion that a lot of people throw up their hands and go "You know what? ******** this nice bullshit." When being nice and civil doesn't work, I have no qualms being mean.  

[Ellisari]

._.

There are WAY too many Internet Wiccans out there.
Definition of Internet Wiccan: A teenager [xD Ironic that I am one] that receives a chain letter from some friend talking about Wicca [OmG guyz! gess wut? i found the kewlest religin evr! Its called wicca! u can do NEthng you want and kast magik! Jst reed Silver Ravenwolf's book!!!11one!!], who then goes out and buys said Silver Ravenwolf book and declares themself Wiccan.

Yeah, we've got one too many of those.
See, I think this is the problem: No one WANTS to pay attention to the fakes. Those who do get fed up after a while, lose their temper, and are discredited. O___o Its a vicious cycle.

Sure, there are legit Neo-Wiccans out there who follow their religion based off of what they know of Wicca, but they're still not Wiccan. They cannot call themselves Wiccan unless they are over 18 and initiated in a lineaged coven. Some respect that rule, and others fight it! Why?

I dont understand why they NEED to have the title Wiccan. They dont even understand the religion's secrets if they are not initiated. Yes, some of them understand this, and call themselves Neo-Wiccan. Good for them, but what about the other trillion of them throwing fits?
What is SO hard about just calling yourself a Neo-Wiccan??? [Or Eclectic neo-pagan, better yet]

As for the rude correctors:
What if you were a Wiccan in a lineaged in a coven; you've studied hard to be where you are, and then you hear about some kids picking up a book, then declaring themselves Wiccan??
I'd be pissed, too. ><;
Also, as Violet just stated, if you'd been drilling in peoples' heads for a while that internet Wicca is not, in fact, Wicca, and saw the message STILL hadnt been spreading, you'd get snappy after awhile.
Not only that, most of the time they have to argue for awhile to finally make the person understand their misconception of Wicca. And often those being corrected arent all so willing to give up their internet Wicca.
So I think the rudeness is justified. [Well, in some cases, there's exceptions xD]

Plus, the amount of eclectic "wiccans" VASTLY outnumbers the amount of real Wiccans. It'd be hard for them to just out them.
>.<;; Especially because if you were a teenager eager to cast "magik", you'd rather listen to the neo-pagan person telling you that you can be Wiccan and do so rather than to the real Wiccan telling you of all the hardships you'd have to face to join the Wiccan ranks.

><;; Sorry for the rant. I've had friends before that were "Wiccan" and its so aggravating to explain over and over again that Internet Wicca just isnt Wicca.  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

iChibi-Panda

._.

Those who do get fed up after a while, lose their temper, and are discredited. O___o Its a vicious cycle.

I have to ask why losing one's temper means that person is discredited? If I've lost my temper but am still using Gardner as my reference, someone would be hard-pressed to discredit it.  

[Ellisari]

Ultraviolett1127

iChibi-Panda

._.

Those who do get fed up after a while, lose their temper, and are discredited. O___o Its a vicious cycle.

I have to ask why losing one's temper means that person is discredited? If I've lost my temper but am still using Gardner as my reference, someone would be hard-pressed to discredit it.

o; I think 'discredited' was the wrong word there. I mean, the internet "wiccans" are less likely to listen. Even when you make sense.

What I mean to say is: When you yell at them, have you ever actually gotten through to them? One or two, maybe, but normallly you just get a worse counterreaction. You know-- the usual flammage, etc., then they log off when they cant prove you wrong.
i.e. When the people who work hard to edcuate the teen "wiccans" lose their temper, not much besides a fight escalates. [Well, there are exceptions to everything, of course]

Of course, I could be wrong. Its just my POV, from what I've seen.
^______^ Sorry for the misunderstanding.  

[RubyLight]

Wow, I remember this debate. eek I was one of those "Neo-Wiccan" booklearners pushing for the title of Wiccan. Thankfully, I have since had a reality check and have nothing but respect for the real initiated Wiccans. I really wish other people would get the hint and this debate can get wrapped up. Apparently, I am of a minority who got the message and ceased pushing the issue. sweatdrop  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

iChibi-Panda

Ultraviolett1127

iChibi-Panda

._.

Those who do get fed up after a while, lose their temper, and are discredited. O___o Its a vicious cycle.

I have to ask why losing one's temper means that person is discredited? If I've lost my temper but am still using Gardner as my reference, someone would be hard-pressed to discredit it.

o; I think 'discredited' was the wrong word there. I mean, the internet "wiccans" are less likely to listen. Even when you make sense.

What I mean to say is: When you yell at them, have you ever actually gotten through to them? One or two, maybe, but normallly you just get a worse counterreaction. You know-- the usual flammage, etc., then they log off when they cant prove you wrong.
i.e. When the people who work hard to edcuate the teen "wiccans" lose their temper, not much besides a fight escalates. [Well, there are exceptions to everything, of course]

Of course, I could be wrong. Its just my POV, from what I've seen.
^______^ Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Ah that makes more sense.
It's true that sometimes they don't listen - but I like to think that seed is planted and now they've had someone tell them what Wicca actually is. Then in the future when they encounter a group of people even meaner than the last, they have the chance to think back "Oh hey, maybe those other folks were right." That's the way I like to imagine it happening at any rate.  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

RubyLight

Wow, I remember this debate. eek I was one of those "Neo-Wiccan" booklearners pushing for the title of Wiccan. Thankfully, I have since had a reality check and have nothing but respect for the real initiated Wiccans. I really wish other people would get the hint and this debate can get wrapped up. Apparently, I am of a minority who got the message and ceased pushing the issue. sweatdrop

I really don't think the debate will ever end.
There will always be book publishers who will lie to screw kids out of their cash, and there will always be people who feel entitled to things which they have not properly earned.  

[too2sweet]

The funny thing, is that lately I've noticed that some of them are actually trying a bit harder to be nice about it (at least to start). But it's hard, when you say the same thing over and over again. Or worse you just finish up arguing the point and a couple of posts later someone else jumps in with a similar question and they don't even bother to read what's just been posted. I can understand someone not wanting to read a whole thread, but usually when I jump into a conversation, I try to at least check 2 or 3 pages back to make sure that I am not repeating something that has recently been said. If it's a short thread, then I might even read the whole thing.

As so why the Wiccan community allows the misinformation to continue...I really couldn't say. Personally I don't understand it. Some will say that it's because all the covens are spread out, and there is no one in charge, but most of these people are in contact with each other, or can be. I don't think it would be that hard to get some sort of "Council of Elders" together, at the very least to get some sort of consensus on what Wicca is, and maybe legally stop others from using the word (at least marketing wise) unless they actually have a right to use it.  

[doistu]

I fully understand that the same argument gets very boring so I can see why some people would get frustrated and angry. Everytime the argument seems like such a clash and neither party will back down.

Another thing that annoys is that the new wave neo-wicca fad has spread further than "i is a wiccanz. coz i is soooo coolz."
Whenever someone asks me about my path I immediately get battered with questions like "You're one of those wicca people ain'tcha?"

Everytime!! It takes half an hour of explaining before they understand the difference between wicca and what I believe (maybe it take half an hour because the people I know are dumb...?)
So in the end I've just started saying no and walking away...its tooooo much!  

[Ellisari]

Like I said before, another good reason there are more of the fake Wiccans then the true initiated ones is this:

If you were some teenybopper, you'd rather listen to the people telling you that you could be Wiccan rather then ones telling you to study and wait.

;D And the people selling those fake "wiccan" books know that, so.. heh.

I dont like saying my religion either, because of my age I automatically get the "ugh another fake wiccan" or the "O_O REPENT!" reactions.

;P
But I'll admit, I have been seeing a rise in those that teach the real Wicca.
There's hope after all!!  

[Ellisari]

Ultraviolett1127

iChibi-Panda

Ultraviolett1127

iChibi-Panda

._.

Those who do get fed up after a while, lose their temper, and are discredited. O___o Its a vicious cycle.

I have to ask why losing one's temper means that person is discredited? If I've lost my temper but am still using Gardner as my reference, someone would be hard-pressed to discredit it.

o; I think 'discredited' was the wrong word there. I mean, the internet "wiccans" are less likely to listen. Even when you make sense.

What I mean to say is: When you yell at them, have you ever actually gotten through to them? One or two, maybe, but normallly you just get a worse counterreaction. You know-- the usual flammage, etc., then they log off when they cant prove you wrong.
i.e. When the people who work hard to edcuate the teen "wiccans" lose their temper, not much besides a fight escalates. [Well, there are exceptions to everything, of course]

Of course, I could be wrong. Its just my POV, from what I've seen.
^______^ Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Ah that makes more sense.
It's true that sometimes they don't listen - but I like to think that seed is planted and now they've had someone tell them what Wicca actually is. Then in the future when they encounter a group of people even meaner than the last, they have the chance to think back "Oh hey, maybe those other folks were right." That's the way I like to imagine it happening at any rate.

I see where you're coming from.
^_____^
Maybe I was wrong after all.
The effect isnt immediate, though. Thats the point I was trying to make. It takes very long to get it into their heads. [or you cant do it at all]

;D But very very true. There's hope for the educated people after all!  

[RubyLight]

too2sweet

As so why the Wiccan community allows the misinformation to continue...I really couldn't say. Personally I don't understand it. Some will say that it's because all the covens are spread out, and there is no one in charge, but most of these people are in contact with each other, or can be. I don't think it would be that hard to get some sort of "Council of Elders" together, at the very least to get some sort of consensus on what Wicca is, and maybe legally stop others from using the word (at least marketing wise) unless they actually have a right to use it.

I think that's a great idea. That way peple can stop false-advertising the religion.  

[doistu]

All books with the word "wicca" in them should go through a screening lol and be given the wiccan stamp of approval!!

But then that would be censorship I suppose...which is one thing I'd die over...I couldn't deal with censorship in books...

Darn...there's my idea down the plughole  

[WitchyBoy]

personally i dont see the issue, i mean ive never been initiated but i took the wiccan self initiation and after all isnt it really up to the gods as to whos wiccan and who isnt?