help with my information..

[Uta Sumire]

I hope this is the right place to post this..

I have some questions on what I've been learning about pagan and Wicca. But, because I'm too lazy to write it all out, these are the places I've gotten my information from:
- Sleepy Hollow (I'm fully aware that's all inacurate, but I love that film)
- the group TheWiccanConnection on VampireFreaks.com
- this website
- this one as well
- my trip to Salem, MA. (Which also probably was inacurate)
- One of the Episodes of the Simpsons (also probably wrong.)

I've read the information on the guild homepage, if that counts.

So, is what I've learned so far acurate or is there something missing?

 

[Sanguina Cruenta]

All really awful.

Protip#1: If it looks like it's trying to sell you something, it not only probably is but will lie about Wicca in order to do so.  

[Morgandria]

Uta Sumire

I have some questions on what I've been learning about pagan and Wicca. But, because I'm too lazy to write it all out, these are the places I've gotten my information from:
- Sleepy Hollow (I'm fully aware that's all inacurate, but I love that film)
- the group TheWiccanConnection on VampireFreaks.com
- this website
- this one as well
- my trip to Salem, MA. (Which also probably was inacurate)
- One of the Episodes of the Simpsons (also probably wrong.)

I've read the information on the guild homepage, if that counts.

So, is what I've learned so far acurate or is there something missing?

I'm going to go through these individually, if I can.

- Sleepy Hollow is, as you said, just a movie. It's pretty, but it has nothing to do with Wicca, witchcraft, or paganism as it exists in the modern world.

- VampireFreaks shouldn't ever be considered a useful source of information regarding...anything.
It's a social networking site, and as such has no quality standards for what people choose to discuss or post.

- 'My Wiccan Spells' - Wicca is not about spells. It is a religion that includes witchcraft in its' practice, but in no way is it the primary focus of the practice. Also, if a spell were genuinely Wiccan, it would be considered oathbound information, and not revealed to non-initiates.

- 'Witchcraft - World of Witches' - this site makes the mistake of using the terms Witchcraft and Wicca interchangebly. They're not the same thing. The information there is not accurate, and in some cases is highly misleading.

- Salem, MA. - Well, some people enjoy the concept of the place. I'm not a fan. Lots of fluff and money-grubbers there, lots of ego and witch wars. In the end the place is a tourist trap, and wants you to spend money on what they have and do there.

- The Simpsons: Really? You'd consider a cartoon a resource? I've seen all of the episodes that deal with 'Wicca' - it's not really Wicca, just the same old tired flaky misconceptions about gothic teenagers in the woods. I can't even watch that episode. It irks me.

Since I helped write part of what's on the guild's pages, I stand by it. If you haven't read the Wicca sticky on the main forum, I suggest doing so.

A few things to know:

Wicca is an oathbound, initiatory Mystery faith. Boiled down, it means that you have to be initiated into the religion to have access to actual Wicca, and you take some pretty serious oaths to do so. Part of those oaths includes not revealing anything considered 'oathbound' to non-initiates; this includes things like the rituals of Wicca, the way certain ritual gestures are performed and why, etc.

If you come across a website or a book offering to teach you these things, it's not actually Wicca. This goes DOUBLE if they say learning Wicca will cost you money. Proper Wicca has laws against charging for its' teachings.

Witchcraft and Wicca aren't the same thing, nescessarily. Witchcraft itself is not a religion. Witchcraft is just that - a craft, the ways and things witches make things to perform their magic. You do not have to follow a specific religion to be a witch - a witch can be any religion, or none at all. You can find plenty of books about witchcraft, and websites. Pay attention to what they're saying, though. If they imply it's a religion, or say 'all witches do X or Y', or that all witches have to be Pagan, it's probably best to avoid.

All Wiccans are witches, in that witchcraft was built into the practices of Wicca, and are initiated so. But not all witches are Wiccan, and some are quite offended when you assume they are.

----------------------------------------------
If you have more specific questions, you should ask them. It's hard to know what specifically you've picked up from these sources, let alone if they need correction.  

[Uta Sumire]

Morgandria

Uta Sumire

I have some questions on what I've been learning about pagan and Wicca. But, because I'm too lazy to write it all out, these are the places I've gotten my information from:
- Sleepy Hollow (I'm fully aware that's all inacurate, but I love that film)
- the group TheWiccanConnection on VampireFreaks.com
- this website
- this one as well
- my trip to Salem, MA. (Which also probably was inacurate)
- One of the Episodes of the Simpsons (also probably wrong.)

I've read the information on the guild homepage, if that counts.

So, is what I've learned so far acurate or is there something missing?

I'm going to go through these individually, if I can.

- Sleepy Hollow is, as you said, just a movie. It's pretty, but it has nothing to do with Wicca, witchcraft, or paganism as it exists in the modern world.

- VampireFreaks shouldn't ever be considered a useful source of information regarding...anything.
It's a social networking site, and as such has no quality standards for what people choose to discuss or post.

- 'My Wiccan Spells' - Wicca is not about spells. It is a religion that includes witchcraft in its' practice, but in no way is it the primary focus of the practice. Also, if a spell were genuinely Wiccan, it would be considered oathbound information, and not revealed to non-initiates.

- 'Witchcraft - World of Witches' - this site makes the mistake of using the terms Witchcraft and Wicca interchangebly. They're not the same thing. The information there is not accurate, and in some cases is highly misleading.

- Salem, MA. - Well, some people enjoy the concept of the place. I'm not a fan. Lots of fluff and money-grubbers there, lots of ego and witch wars. In the end the place is a tourist trap, and wants you to spend money on what they have and do there.

- The Simpsons: Really? You'd consider a cartoon a resource? I've seen all of the episodes that deal with 'Wicca' - it's not really Wicca, just the same old tired flaky misconceptions about gothic teenagers in the woods. I can't even watch that episode. It irks me.

Since I helped write part of what's on the guild's pages, I stand by it. If you haven't read the Wicca sticky on the main forum, I suggest doing so.

A few things to know:

Wicca is an oathbound, initiatory Mystery faith. Boiled down, it means that you have to be initiated into the religion to have access to actual Wicca, and you take some pretty serious oaths to do so. Part of those oaths includes not revealing anything considered 'oathbound' to non-initiates; this includes things like the rituals of Wicca, the way certain ritual gestures are performed and why, etc.

If you come across a website or a book offering to teach you these things, it's not actually Wicca. This goes DOUBLE if they say learning Wicca will cost you money. Proper Wicca has laws against charging for its' teachings.

Witchcraft and Wicca aren't the same thing, nescessarily. Witchcraft itself is not a religion. Witchcraft is just that - a craft, the ways and things witches make things to perform their magic. You do not have to follow a specific religion to be a witch - a witch can be any religion, or none at all. You can find plenty of books about witchcraft, and websites. Pay attention to what they're saying, though. If they imply it's a religion, or say 'all witches do X or Y', or that all witches have to be Pagan, it's probably best to avoid.

All Wiccans are witches, in that witchcraft was built into the practices of Wicca, and are initiated so. But not all witches are Wiccan, and some are quite offended when you assume they are.

----------------------------------------------
If you have more specific questions, you should ask them. It's hard to know what specifically you've picked up from these sources, let alone if they need correction.

As I said, I'm aware the Simpson's episode was wrong along with Salem. But, thank you anyway for the corrections. I'll keep all of that in mind and reread the sticky (my eyes tend to focus various things when I read, so it may take a while for me to finish and fully understand).