"A Haunting" rant
My letter to the Discovery Channel concerning their TV show, "A Haunting." (My response would have been longer, but they had a 1500 character limit.)
To whom it may concern:
I have watched some episodes of your show, "A Haunting," and each time I have had difficulty watching the entire show, for one major reason - I am wiccan, and your show's portrayal of my religion is degrading at best.
You often portray wiccans as being possessed by or encountering demons or evil spirits after their "forays into the occult." You are perpetuating prejudice and ignorance about a religion which has been misjudged and discriminated against for thousands of years. Here are some of the misconceptions I've noticed in your show:
1.We do not worship or call upon demons or satan.
2.The five-sided star when used in Wicca is NOT a pentagram, it is referred to as a pentacle.
3.The horned god is not an evil or wicked deity, nor is it a portrayal of satan.
4.Our religion is very open and accepting of other religions, including Christianity.
Yes, Wicca has rituals, but so do Christianity and Islam.
Granted, I don't watch this show often, but it seems that every time I do, Wicca is portrayed as the main protagonist of the story. How is this type of prejudice any different from a show saying that Islam or Buddhism were evil - PARTICULARLY on a network for learning?! What kind of message is this giving to those who watch this show without any prior understanding of Wicca?
It disturbs me that you would perpetuate this sort of discrimination on a learning network. What happened to unbiased viewpoints?
To whom it may concern:
I have watched some episodes of your show, "A Haunting," and each time I have had difficulty watching the entire show, for one major reason - I am wiccan, and your show's portrayal of my religion is degrading at best.
You often portray wiccans as being possessed by or encountering demons or evil spirits after their "forays into the occult." You are perpetuating prejudice and ignorance about a religion which has been misjudged and discriminated against for thousands of years. Here are some of the misconceptions I've noticed in your show:
1.We do not worship or call upon demons or satan.
2.The five-sided star when used in Wicca is NOT a pentagram, it is referred to as a pentacle.
3.The horned god is not an evil or wicked deity, nor is it a portrayal of satan.
4.Our religion is very open and accepting of other religions, including Christianity.
Yes, Wicca has rituals, but so do Christianity and Islam.
Granted, I don't watch this show often, but it seems that every time I do, Wicca is portrayed as the main protagonist of the story. How is this type of prejudice any different from a show saying that Islam or Buddhism were evil - PARTICULARLY on a network for learning?! What kind of message is this giving to those who watch this show without any prior understanding of Wicca?
It disturbs me that you would perpetuate this sort of discrimination on a learning network. What happened to unbiased viewpoints?