Why is Wicca so difficult for some people to accept?

Question

This question was inspired by this article:

Wiccans Keep the Faith With a Religion Under Wraps
By NEELA BANERJEE
Published: May 16, 2007
Among the most popular religions to have flowered since the 1960s, Wicca — a form of paganism — still faces a struggle for acceptance.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/us/16wiccan.html?ex=1337054400&en=50ee5e3937196edd&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Reading prior to answering would be appreciated. :-)

More importantly... What can be done to improve acceptance?

Once again... Reading prior to answering would be appreciated. :-)

Disrespect of any tradition will not get you a best answer on this question. :-)

Nor will proud public display of your own ignorance... If you lack information regarding the tradition, please at least click the above link.

*No, I am not Wiccan. At the present, I do not claim any affiliation. I accept and respect members of all faith traditions as well as those without. :-)

Answer 1

Well, first, it is just another baseless superstition.

Second, it's not very well defined. It seems to change with each pagan bestseller book.

Third, most religions don't accept most other religions, especially if they vary greatly with that religion.

Answer 2

Merry meet, Great question.. Not that i have the answer but perhaps a tad of the reasoning.. I think most people are scared of what they don't know or understand... sadly most have no clue as to what Wiccan's/Pagans truly do believe nor do they take the time to try.. again i think due to fear of the unknown.. Then on the other side of the coin. the people of the Wiccan/Pagan community still trust in the old ways of trust. "Tell none of another Less ye own be lost", So in essence we hide from not only the outside but our own as well..
I am out of the Broom closet by Choice.. it took me a long time to be that free in my faith.. I am a Pagan with a twist. I believe in many things and ways.. and that is what most people don't know about being Pagan/Wiccan.. there is not really a wrong way to believe.. what ever works for You is the Best for You!!... Brightest Blessings.. Merry Part..

Answer 3

Fear of the unknown and the need to blame someone or something when stuff goes wrong or gets strange are two major factors in the way people respond to Witches and Witchcraft. When Christianity started to spread across Europe, the leaders of the church accused any opponents of being Witches or devil worshipers or any other bad thing they could think of. They told people lies in order to get them to convert, and lots of those lies were about Witches and the Christian Devil. They knew how prevalent Superstitions were among the natives and they used those to make them afraid to not be Christians. Did you know, that the Bible doesn't really say anything about Witches? King James, when he was having the Bible translated, made the translators change "Ye shall not suffer a Poisoner to live" to "Ye shall not suffer a Witch to live" because he had a near death experience involving three real Witches in Scotland. The main reasons for the fear of Witchcraft today still are ignorance and fear. People are actually afraid that a Contemporary Witch or other Pagan is going to cast a spell on them. To me that is mindboggling. What about knowledge and acceptance? Nope, they are afraid that if they learn about Witchcraft something bad will happen to them. It's the same as it has been for centuries.

Source(s): These are just a very few books you may want to have a look at regarding Wicca or Witchcraft, by no means are they a complete list.

A Popular History of Witchcraft by Montague Summers
Irish Witchcraft From An Irish Witch by Lora O'Brien
A History of Witchcraft, Second Edition by Jeffrey B. Russell and Brooks Alexander
Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-Century New England: A Documentary History 1638-1693, Second Edition by David D. Hall
The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft by Ronald Hutton
itchcraft in Europe, 400-1700: A Documentary History (Middle Ages Series) by Alan Charles Kors and Edward Peters

Answer 4

Ancient religion was polytheistic, meaning that many gods and goddesses were worshiped, usually a pantheon or group of local god/esses.
Wicca is a 'rebirth' of this practice, for want of a better word, though many Wiccan's believe their practices can be traced back centuries.
For hundreds of years other religions have dominated western culture with the belief that there is only one god. A masculine Deity which, without question, should be worshiped in totality or the nonbeliever or sinful believer will live eternally with dire consequences.
With this system of religion came power that could rule kingdoms or cause them to fall.
In this age with multiculturalism people have gained knowledge that has allowed them to think about their religious beliefs and make choices that may or may not be choices there parents/grandparents made.
Years of misinformation, blatant misinterpretation and religious vilification has not allowed the fear of being different or accepting differences in others to dissolve.
To make changes will take courage, not only from Wiccans to break away from stereotypes, but from other people to accept them as good honest human beings whose faith differs from their own, in much the same way the suffragettes had to fight for women's rights.
Before you ask, yes I am Wiccan and yes I am a public figure as a Wiccan in my community.

Bright Blessings

Answer 5

Because Christians have demonized it. The horned god is a prominant figure in Wicca but his appearance is associated with satan. The christian faith has little tolerance for anything that is not familiar with their's. My husband and I are Wiccan's. Most of the beliefs and holidays are surrounding nature and the moon and seasons. There is nothing dark or sinister about it but try to explain that to someone that has only seen the pentagram as a demonic symbol.
I was raised Presbyterian, I believe that many of the lessons are good however it is not what I believe.
Our family does not know, we just do not talk about it. We receive pro-military pro-god emails from my aunt all the time. We respect their belifs however I trust that they would not respect ours.
To avoid a conflict we keep it to ourselves, it seems better than getting into a hot debate, already did that with my sister-in -law.
The other factor is the reason christianity is so big, bigger than any other following in this country is because of money, LOTS of money. I believe that if Wicca had the backing of several billion dollars in support sadly I believe it would be far more accepting

Answer 6

If you are a Wiccan, why would you care? Traditional family tradition paganism managed for years without this "Acceptance" there is no real benefit to it, it doesn't make the work any better or worse, so why bother? If you really need others to validate your religious beliefs, the problem is with you and your beliefs, not with acceptance from others. Get on with your learning, the rest is just a waste of time.

Answer 7

I can't give you a correct answer of why, I'm not sure anyone knows why for sure, but it has been going on basically since the dawn of time. Wicca or Paganism is often called that “old time religion” because it has been around since the dawn of time. From what I have studied and researched, a lot of it came with the advent of Christianity. Christianity is a man made religion, where Wicca is not. In the beginning the church had a hard time converting followers, and to do so often borrowed from the Pagan traditions. Take for example Christmas. Its not by accident that Christmas and Winter Solstice are so close, Christianity even when they had “converted” people, had a hard time taking them away from Pagan celebrations, so they incorporated Pagan aspects into the Christian holidays.

As time went on, and the Christian church become more powerful, Pagans/Wiccans were forced to hide their true religion because of punishment or death from the Christians. Before this Pagans didn’t have to hide or do things in secret, once the threat of death came, they were forced to hide for fear of their lives. Many appeared to be Christians, attended church, etc., but at home practiced the Pagan faith. This may very well be the reasons behind the Pagans/Wiccans practicing in private.

Even now, if people were to find out that you are Pagan/Wiccan, in most cases you’ll never hear the end of it. I know a business woman who hid her faith because if the community knew she was Wiccan she would loose business and thus her store. She also had problems and complaints when she would sell things on Yoga. (She owned a health food store.)

I was raised as Christian, but I was lucky that as I got older my parents didn’t force it upon me. I was allowed to do research and I found that I much prefer the Wiccan way, and it followed along with my true feelings and believes. Wiccan is the ONLY religion I ever felt welcome in. I had let one of my “friends” and co-workers know at a previous job, within mins I had at least 3 people “praying” for my soul and trying to convert me. I got hit daily with emails and the like of people telling me Jesus loves me, and of the work of Jesus, and anything to get me to come to church with them. It got to the point I went to my boss, and told her this was against company policy for me to be treated in such a fashion, she agreed it was against company policy but personally she wanted to help me, and asked me to go to church with her.

I only speak of Christian vs Pagan/Wiccan because those are the ones I studied most. For the most part Christians have a want, and as I’ve been told by plenty “a calling” to “testify” to others, wanted or not. A lot of religions believe it is their way or no way, Pagans/Wiccans however have more of a everyone has a right to believe how they feel without having another religion shoved down their throats.

I would also suggest some research of your own, and I know the history channel has some very good shows on this, as my father would watch them with me, and ask me questions. I think this is just one of those “hate” type problems that can’t really be explained as of to why.

Answer 8

Why is Wicca so difficult to understand, one word ignorance.
It isn't stupid, or cruel, we don't cast evil spells!
We do not want war, cruelty to others, we want the earth, to survive in a harmonious blend.
Do you not pray for a wonderful summer? Or a good harvest? Or heath of your Family, Friends, and Others?

Of course you do? There is so much more to this.
I don't get on my knees in a Temple, Church, etc, and donate to the most Wealthy Corp in the world.
If your starving would your Church help you?
Take a Class at your Community College on Theology.
You may learn something.
One of you said, they burned Witches. No they didn't, they burned their Wives, & Children who disobeyed or spoke up against their Husbands, Church & State.
Remember Joan Of Arc? Was she a witch?

Hate is not something we use. But from reading what has been written, I guess hate, is a word that is used in some of your beliefs.
Do unto others, and you would have them do unto you!

Answer 9

People are afraid of the unknown. The fear, change and different from their selves. This has been going on for centuries. I don't think it will change over night. That is why I never let people see the real me. Until you are sure your surrounded by pagans and wiccans in a group. I love what I am, but why cause conflict.

Answer 10

Personally, I think that Wicca, which started (if we're being honest) in 1950's England as a closed, secret, initiatory mystery religion, would be better served by returning to its roots. It is *very* hard to take seriously what "Wicca" (really, neopaganism) has become under the influence of Raving $ilverwoof and the rest of the Llewellyn hack writing stable. The tendency of the flakiest local "plug 'n' play covens" to seek media attention every Halloween by whining that xtian children in goblin, princess, fairy, TMNT, and yes, witch costumes are trivializing or stigmatizing their "traditions" (most of which they ganked from "Wicca for Dummies" or R$W to begin with) doesn't help much, either. :-/

Answer 11

Because they don't understand it (the variety of misconceptions in this set of answers alone demonstrates just how badly it is misunderstood) and for whatever reason they choose not to learn about it, but rather cling to their misconceptions.

I don't think they need to "accept" it - however I do believe that they need to RESPECT that we have as much right to our religious beliefs as they do to theirs.

It is slowly coming out of the broom closet, though - the VA thing is a significant step forward, and I was encouraged to see that among the people supporting the approval of the pentacle was John W. Whitehead of Christianity Today.