To wish more people would learn about my religion of wicca

[AmandaWilkton]

I practice Wicca and as you may know, that it was the summer solstice yesterday. Im surprised how little people know about wicca and how uneducated they are about its practices and beliefs. wiccabritain.com/index.php/faq/

I don't like the term "uneducated" about your religeon. I have no need or desire to "educate" myself about it. I am uninformed, but to educate myself about something that i don't consider to be based in fact or my faith that i WAS educated in. No, thankyou. It doesn't make me uneducated, just disinterested.

I object to the tone of the OP rather than the subject matter. I am sure wicca is all very interesting, just the same as model railways are interesting to some and not others. I quite like spiders, i don't get al huffy because people don't know the difference between a false widow and a garden spider.

"Why do you think their are holy sites where there is water such as holy wells? Where did the 'Madonna and child' come from? Why are wells dressed in some places? Why do you think you cross yourself with water when you enter a church?"

Because people are superstitious?

"What is the purpose of sheela na gigs?"

Fertility symbols? (Because, as above, people are superstitious).

Much like the female figure giving birth to bull heads in Catalhoyuk, one of the most ancient archeological sites known to man.

I wish someone on MN would discuss Buddhism with me! I started a thread but no-one replied.

Maybe they discussed it in a previous life and are bored with the idea now?

TTWK

I just get the following mental images...

brooms, nakedness, forests, chanting, pentograms, more chanting, some crystals, hand holding, praying...they go home for tea.

Am I close?

I'd like to know if the horned God has one horn or two.

OP's not coming back to save us from our 'uneducated' ignorance, though. A shame

note to self googling horned God and selecting images, brings up images I can never un-see....pass me the eye bleach.

That's such a newbie mistake! Why do you think I'm asking OP rather than Googling it?

damn it why do I have to belong to the "google generation"! Bollocks .

At some point, you will come across phrases like 'dragon butter' on here that you will be tempted to Google. Word of advice: Don't!

I wish some people who profess to be Wiccans would learn about the Wiccan belief system too. One of the core principles is that of initiatory lineage, i.e. each Wiccan can trace their initiatory lineage back to Gerald Gardner.

Most of the Wiccans I know would raise an eyebrow at the link that the OP gave.

This website has slightly better information (and grammar .

Thanks for the link worldgonecrazy

I think it's lovely when people have a religion that is important to them that they want to share. Obviously religion/spirituality is a deeply personal thing but it's nice to think that people want other people to benefit from knowing about a belief system. I have a Christian friend who invites me to church things sometimes. I love the fact that she cares enough about me to want to extend the benefits she undoubtedly gets from her faith and its associated practices to me.

The religions we usually hear about in the media are Christianity and Islam so it seems reasonable to want to 'promote' other religions too.

"I think it's lovely when people have a religion that is important to them that they want to share."

It's not even a fine line between a dear friend wanting to share her faith and a random stranger calling you 'uneducated' about her fringe beliefs.

I was sitting in a cafe on the beach yesterday, watching DS play with a friend. Some woman stuck a photocopied A4 paper in my hand and said "Read from the Bible" I handed it back to her and said "I'm an atheist and you are rude."

That was the very opposite of "lovely".

I think it's lovely when people have a religion that is important to them that they want to share.

Really? I avoid those people like the plague.

world, the mentions of 'engaging in sacred play' and 'firelight flickering on naked flesh' on your linked website make Wicca sound like dogging with rituals...

Wicca is quite a new religion isn't it? 1940s? That's probably why not many people know about it.

Cote you are unbelievably rude.

Yes really TTWK. I used to feel like you until I realised I was jealous of their happiness and sense of purpose. But obviously some people are more skilled at sharing their faith than other people....

Why wouldn't you want the peace you have for yourself extended to other people?

ok, what is Dragon Butter... i dont want to look

Wicca has way too much tie-dye for my taste.

What has Cote said that is "unbelievably rude"?

I'm curious, too. Some stranger interrupts a rare peaceful moment as I was enjoying my coffee and shoves an unwanted piece of paper in my hand without introducing herself or even saying "Hello" and I am the one who was rude? Please explain that one.

"I realised I was jealous of their happiness and sense of purpose."

Interesting. I'm not jealous at all the 'happiness' that comes from religious faith as it is based on make-believe. To each their own.

"Why wouldn't you want the peace you have for yourself extended to other people?"

This, I totally understand. When I started running, I was telling everyone how great it makes me feel. Same with yoga, windsurfing, etc - wanted to share stuff I practiced that felt great.

I know a few Wiccans and Pagans, they seem like nice people. I'm not religious, but if I had to choose a faith I think I'd go for something like that - the festivals are very jolly even for non-believers.

Well your first post of yesterday was as patronising as I have seen here for a while.

What has good grammar got to do with religion?

And public forums tend to be frequented by "strangers". That's their point!