Wicca is dying?

[frauholla]

I scan Witchvox every so often and today I found this article http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=uswi&c=words&id=14905
This point of view does not match up with my own experience.  The Wiccan elders, mostly Gardnerian and a few Alexandrian, that I know say they have more than enough people seeking them out.  The problem is that many of the

Comments

[donnalee_kiss]

Some of us just don't want to be wiccan, just witches. We're eclectic due to experimenting with different spiritual paths. And speaking as someone who's seen the problems of being able to join a coven quickly and easily....I think the standard should be the old-fashioned year and a day. Too many want things entirely too easy.

Personally I'm not a joiner due to not playing nice.

[moonwolf23]

Have to agree with this. Though I don't see the need for a year and day. Time to get to know the person, sure but meh.

Nor do I feel that hierarchy, time, tradition equals harder. Or that hierarchy coven style is more useful etc.

Just because some eclectics are fools, doesn't make the rest of us(ok, some of us follow the sacred fool journey) idjits.

Personally, I don't find hierarchy to be useful. I don't do non Alpha well and I find the pomp and formality asinine. Victorian chotzkies(sp?) have their use, just not in my religious activities. Nor do I feel the need to go back to feudal society either. I enjoy my Americanisms to much.

[donnalee_kiss]

I have issues with anyone telling me absolutes. Some of us to not have an altar out on display, with an exacting criteria of what should be on it at any given time. Some of us do not want to wear formal clothing for the occasion. Some of us enjoy a little bit of naughty with our nice. And some of us really like our technology!

My dislike of christianity comes from a dislike of something with outdated, antiquated ideas telling me how to live my life in a way which doesn't work for me at all. I'm anti-christian like they're anti-women. Not saying they all are, but it's pretty much the dominant theme.

Being feminist, pro-choice, scientific and bisexual...those things are fine in pagan/wiccan circles, which have changed with the times.

[moonwolf23]

At the time, Christianity was actually very good for Women. The misogyny I believe comes from Rome, vs Judaism.

I don't believe Jesus primary message, is outdated though. Treat others like you wish to be treated, other parables that I've forgotten.

[hagazusa]

Women were very powerful and influential in early Christianity. There are frescos and mosaics of women priests and even a possible woman bishop. It's when Christianity became an institutional religion with lots of power at stake that the real male domination started. But that's the human-made institution. Jesus never actually said anything that relegates women to second class status.

[donnalee_kiss]

But when you take the Bible as a whole, not exactly good for equal treatment for women at all. It's all Father or male figurehead who rules women and children. And as much as you like to say Jesus message good....rest of male figures like Paul are what's taught more. The closer to the Bible types all have women as broodmares and second-class citizens.

[moonwolf23]

The Bible as a whole was edited at the council of Nicea. Take into consideration people started following Paul, and the politics involved.

The old testament also went through revisions. The whole being made to marry your rapist part, if you look at Jewish sites, show that there is a whole lot more involved.

The more conservative Christians yes follow Paul more. However... They aren't the only denomination.

[moonwolf23]

Not necessarily. Being an Eclectic doesn't mean you don't study. I would say some Eclectics have the freedom to be more academically correct in what they practice, without having to work around set Dogma of BTW.

[moonwolf23]

Because you can read history books. After a certain time in your life, you don't really need someone to test you to make sure your grasping the knowledge correctly. If your talking magically, you do and you figure out via doing how well you grasped the knowledge.

When I'm more awake, I'll post an argument/debate in my lj and talk religion on some of this. I need to formulate the questions, because I feel this would be a very interesting debate/discussion etc.