Wiccans, is it frustrating that Wicca is so commercialized and that people see it as "gateway religion"

Question

I've noticed, here and in real life, Wiccans get bashed a pretty decent amount, sometimes by other pagans. I know you all have a serious fluffy bunny infestation. I was wondering how frusterating it is to sift through these people?

Night that would be considered an Eclectic Witch. :) Happy you are still with us.

Answer 1

For me the frustration is people who stop seeking as soon as they find a book, website, or person that tells them what they want to hear.

When I was a Christian, I didn't just take the word of the Pastor(s), I read the whole Bible and then referenced that with history books and books on the associated religions.

Gateway? EVERYTHING is a Gateway to something. It's funny, that of the folks who use that term the most, most of them have no real understanding of what a Gateway is.

Gateway: an opening leading from or to something. Sometimes a Gateway can be a good thing. Sometimes a person has to step through a Gateway to realize it is NOT the direction they want to go. Wisdom comes from being willing to admit that you may have taken a wrong turn, not going doggedly onward to prove a point. Thus the frustration with people who think they are entering into Wicca and refuse to be shown that they are either making an honest mistake or are being willfully ignorant.

Answer 2

Hmm this is a very interesting question! I've been reading the answers and mulling it over for a couple of hours now and hopefully I'll be able to properly articulate my opinion. First, I'm surprised at how many people still separate 'christianity' and 'catholicism'. Ok, so you can be Christian without being Catholic just like you can be Pagan and not be Wiccan. But if you're a Catholic you are a Christian. No biggie. BUT it really irritates me at how many still equate Wicca with Witchcraft. Since the original question specifically mentions WICCA, my answer will be from the viewpoint of a Wiccan - not a witch or the ex-Catholic I am ;) I do think they can be combined by Wiccans. For example, the Opening of the Temple Ritual I have learned calls in Archangels. I could see it working especially for those who follow a more eclectic path who pick and choose from other traditions. The Blessed Virgin could be the maid/mother aspect of the Goddess (if you leave out the immaculate conception and mother of Jesus part). The sign of the cross could be interpreted as the triple aspect also. I'm sure there are other correlations but am too tired to think of them right now. Of course this is a one-way street, it would NOT work for the christians/catholics, unless as has been said, they just want to "dabble" in witchcraft and ease their conscience at the same time. As to the why part, well, as I said I used to be Catholic and am still learning Wicca. While I no longer fear any kind of divine retribution or suffer guilt I've talked to others at my school who do not have such an easy time letting go. Whether or not they might desire such a combination as a transition into full Wicca or end up some eclectic christo-wiccan-pagan remains to be seen. There is at least one member I know of at my school who considers himself both Christian and [wiccan or pagan I can't remember which]. Hoping this has made at least a bit of sense, goodnight and bright blessings! EDIT: Wiccanforlife, did you really mean to say that a respectful Wiccan does not practice witchcraft?

Answer 3

I've never heard it described as such, but I guess in a way it's sort of true. Wicca encourages thought and study, at least it did for me. I started a Wiccan, now because of the exposure I've gotten, I consider myself an eclectic Pagan with Wiccan leanings. I've got Celtic, Norse, Wiccan, Agnostic tendencies. I know how the Asatru feel about their Gods being separate beings, I do not feel that way, never have, but I do feel close to Thor especially. My husband is Asatuar, and Thor is his favorite Norse God. I had a visitation from Thor and the Morrigan, separately, on my honeymoon.

I think Wicca incites learning about religion(s). I do not see how that could ever be a bad thing. Maybe it will cause a change from what could be considered 'normal', but maybe it would send someone back to their original religion more enlightened to the world around them.

)o( Blessed Be!

Answer 4

My frustration with the commercialization of Wicca and other pagan paths is that it preys upon lost, confused teens. I've taught middle school and high school for over 20 years and I have had many students who claim to be Wiccan for "shock value." They don't have any real understanding, but see it as a way of rebelling. Just last year I had a very attention-seeking 14 year old student who went around telling everybody "I'm Wiccan and Satan is my Lord, so you better watch out or I will curse you." I had a little talk with her; asked her a few questions. She rambled something about being a "gothic freak" that wanted to "scare people" and that her favorite movie was The Craft. I did the best I could to set her straight about how Wicca and Satanic worship doesn't mix, etc., but what about all the other confused kids out there? There are thousands of kids just like her.

As a 46 years old who has been studying and practicing Wicca for 25 years, I have no problem sifting through the commericalized stuff. My concern is for the inexperienced, lost kids.

Answer 5

It's definitely frustrating. All I can do is offer good counter-information when someone is representing us badly. But people are free to do what I view as "worshipping badly:" trying to find shortcuts, believing in the books that tell you that everything will be fantastic now that you've found Wicca, etc. however, when they ask why they aren't getting all of the expected rewards, I tell them it doesn't work like that.

Actually, I don't mind Wicca being a "gateway religion," meaning that many people get introduced to Paganism through Wicca and then move on to another pagan practice because they find Wicca too simplistic (or a "trainer religion," as I once saw someone describe it.) If your current practices aren't addressing your needs, then you SHOULD continue seeking answers. And if those answers take you somewhere other than Wicca, so be it. That, however, is not guaranteed to happen. Many of us in our seeking find that there IS more to Wicca than what's in a Wicca 101 book. Some even try to publish material beyond the usual 101 stuff (although it's difficult to get it published, because publishers are looking at dollar signs and Wicca 101 and promises of quick and dirty fixes to your life sell more books).

Answer 6

I don't know exactly where I would fall, I mean what I would be called, whether it be a wiccan, witch, pagan, or what. I have always thought that they pretty much fell into the same catagory. I have always been different and known it but I haven't had the chance to be trained by anexperienced witch. Growing up in the "bible belt" being anything but christian is almost dangerous. The world is getting more tolerant of those of s who don't conform but its still very hard.

All I know is what I feel inside. I've read a few books but most of it is from what I know in my heart to be true. Since I was in a car wreck and died and came back more times than I can count I am different. What I have always suspected for the true ways I know are true. I have rejected all of cristianity for the load of bull it is and look to the Goddess. Now, if you have any insight on what I would be classified at please tell me cause I dont know. I just know for certian that there aint a drop of christianity in my fains.

Answer 7

I know it can be frustrating that so many are seeing Wicca as a cool thing to get into esp the youngsters and alot are being taught by others that don't understand much, the blind leading the blind, but I feel experienced Pagans, Wiccans and Witches from diff. religions or not LOL, have some kind of responsibility to help teach them before it does get really out of hand. If we keep bashing the ones that are starting out or don't understand too much doing they're own thing our community will never grow and it will be commercialized!

Cher

Answer 8

I'm not sure what you mean by "gateway religion." I'm not Wiccan, but I am Pagan. I think Wicca and the more generic Paganism have plenty of fluffies in each. Wicca is just the more recognized name that people use to point out the new age "flaky" aspects that people like that bring to our religion. It is frustrating, I'll agree, especially when you have these fools running around quoting the rede and from all these books they've read, without actually having sought deity on a personal level. I'm not out to change them or educate them; they have to want to learn for themselves. That's what being a Pagan is all about, taking it upon yourself to find your path. However, when they are telling the world that we all believe something when we don't, I get a little annoyed. These are the ones that mainstream society uses to call us all tree-huggers, overgrown teenagers, and starry-eyed dopes.

Answer 9

Well in my case Wicca really did serve as my "gateway" but I know for a lot of people it really is the lifetime path for them and they take it very seriously which is why I took offense when I heard one Asatruar describe it as "Wicca is to other Pagan faiths what the Little Golden Books are to reading". In fact one of the many reasons I don't have anything to do with the mainstream Heathen community is that Wicca-bashing seems to be the favorite pasttime of a lot of Asatruars and I just can't get down with that.

That said I'm not even Wiccan anymore and I still get frustrated with the fluff bunnies, just as much as I get frustrated by the Neo-nazi white supremacists who use Norse spirituality to further their hate-filled agendas. It doesn't helped that thanks to certain authors Wicca has the stigma of being known now as a "feel good" New Age "do whatever you want" religion. It makes ME sick...can't imagine how sickening it is to someone who is Wiccan.

Answer 10

The Fluffy Bunny (what we used to call "pink and white witches") syndrome is much of why I stopped considering myself a witch. The term Wicca now virtually has a copyright on it, evolved from what we used to call Gardenarian witches. It is used to sell books and candles and crystals and so on.

Personally, after my High Priest died, I realized I had no particular need for rituals, did not feel motivated to find a circle to join, and admitted that I used the gods and goddesses as metaphors, archetypes, and did not take them seriously the way those who can be said to "worship" them do.

So now I'm an atheist with a history and knowledge of witchcraft. But I am curious: what is the "gateway" to? To atheism? I think so, having come that way myself. To satanism? Hardly. Satanists don't actually take Satan seriously, it's just another way to get laid. But then all of paganism is often used that way.