Witchcraft more popular

[Buffy_Rules]

Has anyone noticed that lately witchcraft is becoming more popular lately?

I have i mean they have all those psychic reading things that you can sms and they will tell you your future and heaps of other stuff is happening too

[Elem]

Those 'psychic sms things' have nothing to do with the rise, fall or otherwise changing climate of Witchcraft / Pagan popularity...

They're simply money-making rip-offs .

Elem

[GenevieveDawn]

I think so many teens are getting into it because of the shows like Charmed, Buffy, etc. However, the truth is, our path is not the way it is portrayed on these shows. Practicing magick is not the same as having a genie who will make you rich, skinny, etc. We do not enounter demons and spirits on a 24/7 basis. I have been on this board for over two years and I can't tell you how many stupid spell requests we get. Magick is there to help you and better your life, not to give you everything you think you want.

However, there are some young people that are very knowledgeable and legit with their questions and their practice. Some of these people I think possibly followed this in a past life. One of my theories at least.

Many more adults are getting into it as well. I think some of this is our natural calling to go back to the old religons, the earth based religons. Most of us here have been brought up Christian, and so much just didn't make sense. Sometimes you have to look back at history for man to move forward.

I don't know how old you are, or many of the people on this board. I'm not assuming you are one of the aforementioned types. This has just been my experience.
[/i]

[juliaki]

Actually I think (gods, I hope and pray) that witchcraft as a pop culture movement has reached its peak and will be on the decline. I think that a lot of people took interest in it for reasons other than service and spiritual development, and eventually those folks will get bored when they realize they can't shoot fireballs from their fingertips or float around the room.

[brokenxdreams]

I agree with Juliaki and GenevieveDawn.

I really do wish that Hollywood would stop potraying (sp?) witchcraft as people floating around or making soda appear at the snap of their fingers.

Even when I was a toddler, when i watched Bewitched or some other show that had witchcraft involved, I would always beleive that something was wrong with it. I never beleived in being able to actually fill a glass with milk just by pointing at it or being able to turn invisible with just a blink of an eye.

-brokenxdreams-

[Ravenari]

Actually I think (gods, I hope and pray) that witchcraft as a pop culture movement has reached its peak and will be on the decline. I think that a lot of people took interest in it for reasons other than service and spiritual development, and eventually those folks will get bored when they realize they can't shoot fireballs from their fingertips or float around the room.

This is where I stand too.

The one benefit of its increasing popularity, is that there has been less likelihood in some regions of persecution based on your practices. But the more we get people only invested in this 'spirituality' for egoistic reasons of delusions of grandeur etc., we will eventually create another new 'bad image' for the mystery tradition/s of Witchcraft and Wicca.

Imho, mystery traditions were never meant to become hugely popular, or be worldwide, too many people aren't looking for that kind of commitment to their path or to their deity.

[[Kristin]]

I agree with all of you, but it DOES seem as though Hollywood is hard-selling anything having to do with " the unexplained ". On one night of the week where I live, we have a channel that will force feed you....Charmed, Medium, and Ghost Whisperer.....if you let it.
I do think that these must be big money makers for the moguls in TV Land.

Interestingly enough, I visited the Allison Dubois website. She is an actual person. But, I cannot imagine why she sold out to Hollywood.

Maybe there will be a peak and then a decline in the popularity of these kinds of shows. But, where I live, they are extremely popular...sigh....
"The Mysterious"+Hollywood=Big Bucks A winning formula for those Producers in Los Angeles.

[GenevieveDawn]

Aaaah Ghost Whisperer, I forgot about that one. Everyone keeps trying to get me to see that one. It's like people assume we're ALL like that or something. Drives me nuts.

Plus I substitute teach and I see all these high school kids who think they're witches, wearing all black and drenched in pentacles. It's truly hilarious when I hear them talk. A very slim few know what they're talking about. Most of them just want people to think they're that way so they don't get picked on anymore. I see this ALOT, in every school.

[Ravenari]

Interestingly enough, I visited the Allison Dubois website. She is an actual person. But, I cannot imagine why she sold out to Hollywood.

imho, as soon as she published her book and started receiving royalties for each sale, Dubois cashed in. I imagine she receives a small fortune for every show that is aired, and every extra sale she gets from her book/s because of it.

Selling out to Hollywood is tempting, it's easy to place money over 'spirituality' if you just want to live a more comfortable life. Also, as far as I understand it, Dubois is neither a Wiccan nor a Witch, nor does she consider herself one. She simply considers herself a medium, free of spiritual tie downs - so she's not offending any spirituality if she 'cashes in'. It is her right to do with her mediumship what she wants.

[LaFiamma]

I really do wish that Hollywood would stop potraying (sp?) witchcraft as people floating around or making soda appear at the snap of their fingers.

Even when I was a toddler, when i watched Bewitched or some other show that had witchcraft involved, I would always beleive that something was wrong with it. I never beleived in being able to actually fill a glass with milk just by pointing at it or being able to turn invisible with just a blink of an eye.

It's fantasy, it's fun. Unfortunately, too many people have problems separating their fantasy from their reality. I like the Harry Potter books, and I sometimes watch Charmed...because it's fun. If someone in the audience can't figure out that Charmed or Buffy isn't for real, it's not the producers' fault.

I can see problem if they were saying "this is Wicca, and this is what Wiccans can do" buuuuuut they're not.

[Moon_Stone]

Good points everyone.
My opinion? I'd say that this is both a good and bad thing. Good in the aspect that Wicca and Witchcraft is being spoken of and not feared so much anymore, (we're not all going to hex the next person we look at and destroy their lives with our Voodoo spells....) but on the other hand, we are in effect allowing the general populus to laugh at us and dismiss our beliefs as "silly".

I guess this is the best we could hope for, but have you ever seen an "entertaining" television show of any kind that mocks Christian beliefs?

~BB~

[Wolf*]

It's fantasy, it's fun. Unfortunately, too many people have problems separating their fantasy from their reality. I like the Harry Potter books, and I sometimes watch Charmed...because it's fun. If someone in the audience can't figure out that Charmed or Buffy isn't for real, it's not the producers' fault.

I can see problem if they were saying "this is Wicca, and this is what Wiccans can do" buuuuuut they're not.

I watch it too. Buuut, yes, they do do that. I havbe heard them say numerous times saying something like "Its our wiccan duty" and don't even get me started about when they were giving the baby his "Wiccaning".

[gapeachwitch]

I think that a lot of people took interest in it for reasons other than service and spiritual development, and eventually those folks will get bored when they realize they can't shoot fireballs from their fingertips or float around the room.

thats so true i think more people are doing it for the fun of it......or entertainment

[thatguy]

Just wanted to add my opinions here. In general I don't think the
supernatural in popular media is exactly new. As far back as the
'Iliad' and the 'Odyssey' the supernatural has been used as a writer's
device. Other examples are 'Sir Gawain and The Green Knight' and of
course Shakespeare's 'MacBeth'.

Often 'magick' or other miscellaneous supernatural tidbits in shows such
as 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' are used as metaphor for aspects of human
nature or as plot devices to expose and develop the nature of the central
characters. In well written novels, T.V. shows and movies, the
supernatural isn't about the supernatural at all; it's about people. Writers
have been using the supernatural this way for eons and I doubt they're
going to stop any time soon. However, there are some very badly
written scripts which don't have much to offer other than some flashy CG
effects, and which deliberately and inaccurately portray certain people's
beliefs in order to sell a ticket or two. There's a good chance I'd be
personally offended if such a portrayal was tarnishing the reputation of
my deeply held beliefs.

So I guess my personal verdict is: yeah, I can see how some cinema is
offensive or irritating to some but respect and understanding must be
given to authors who are competently executing their craft. Witchcraft
isn't the only 'craft' after all! <groan >.

cheers,

T. Guy.

[Buffy_Rules]

hi

I know that those psychic things are fake people just want more money for stuff like that but it was just an example of stuff...


one of my wiccan friends still goes to high school and she told me a little while ago that she was studying for an exam in the library, these girls were in the next row and she heard them say 'here is another witchcraft book...'

the only thing was she was sitting next to another friend who isnt into witchcraft and she was thinking it was strange because they were in the non fiction section...


about tv shows as you can tell from my username i really like the tv show buffy the vampire slayer

that isnt because of the supernatural part in it i just think it is a great show :!:


anyway i have to go