Sabrina, Harry Potter, and the Web help Paganism grow

reuters ^ | June 19,2003 | Pete Harrison

[Jimmyclyde]

Sabrina, Harry and the Web help Paganism grow

By Pete Harrison LONDON (Reuters) - Paganism and the ancient art of witchcraft are on the rise, experts say, as the summer's most celebrated Pagan festival approaches.

Television, the Internet, environmentalism and even feminism have all played a role in the resurgence.

Soaring Pagan numbers have churches worrying and calling for stricter controls on cult TV programmes and films that celebrate sorcery like "Harry Potter", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch".

Record attendance is expected at dawn on Saturday morning at the mystical megaliths of Stonehenge, where Pagans have celebrated the summer solstice for thousands of years.

The trend has worried some of the Protestant church's more traditional elements.

"The rise of interest in Paganism is damaging because it normalises spiritual evil by presenting it as mere fantasy and fiction," said Reverend Joel Edwards of the Evangelical Alliance, a grouping of some one million UK Christians.

"The Evangelical Alliance calls on government and TV regulatory bodies to monitor programmes which promote or glamorise Pagan issues," he told Reuters.

Thirty thousand are expected to dance in the sunrise on summer's longest day at Stonehenge, says English Heritage, which manages the site -- nearly four times the number in 1990, when it re-opened to the public after many years.

Scholars believe the ring of 20-tonne stones was built between 3,000 and 1,600 BC as a sacred temple. Many of the revellers will be there just to party, but among them will be druids, who believe in spiritual enlightenment through nature, and witches who practice Wicca -- harnessing nature's power as magic.

GOOD CITIZENSHIP

At least 10,000 Pagan witches and 6,000 Pagan druids were practising in Britain at the last estimate in 1996, said history professor Ronald Hutton at Bristol University. He too suggested the number was rising.

"Both the witches and the druids were always heavily outnumbered by what I'd call non-attached Pagans," he told Reuters. "There are perhaps 100,000 to 120,000 in Britain."

Paganism has been rising in the UK since the 1950s, Hutton said. "It's a religion that meets modern needs," he added. "Traditional religions have so many prohibitions: Thou shalt not do this or that. But Paganism has a message of liberation combined with good citizenship."

He pointed to the ancient Pagan motto: "An (if) it harm none, do what you will".

Matt McCabe of the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids (OBOD) said his order had grown from a few hundred in the late 1980s to 7,000 worldwide today. Much of the growth he put down to the appeal of remote learning via the World Wide Web.

"People are very reassured by the structured learning we can offer via the Web," he said.

The 1970s environmental movement also had an impact, said McCabe, with a lot of environmentalists attracted to Paganism because of its veneration of nature.

Hutton said feminism in the 1980s had a similar effect, with women drawn to the female god-figure that is also worshipped. Then in the 1990s came the TV programmes "Buffy" and "Sabrina", about teenagers with supernatural powers.

"Anything that makes teenage girls feel powerful is bound to go down well," joked OBOD's McCabe.

Kevin Carlyon, High Priest of British White Witches said "Harry Potter" in recent years had continued the trend, helping create what he called "the fastest growing belief system in the world". But it was not all good, he added.

Fresh back from a trip to Scotland to lift an old hex from the Loch Ness Monster, he warned teenagers against joining witch covens too young.

"There are some bloody weird people out there," he said.

[honeygrl]

"The last time I checked, freedom of religion still applied in this country. "

Not if several on the forum had their way about it.

[honeygrl]

"Or, if that is too difficult, how about a spell to stop a Golden Retriever from shedding???? "

Have it shaved ;-)

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

If there is anyone out there who knows a spell to have a house clean itself, please FReepmail me.

Do what I do - hire a housecleaner. In fact, I've got one coming over today. At $18/hr (for 3 hrs), it's well worth it - she cleans so thoroughly, it sparkles! She comes over about once a month - the rest of the time I just maintain what she's done. :D

[f.Christian]

vegie - girl - matic was better !

[KCmark]

However, most religions are run by people who truley want to serve God.
-------

LOL. And most Unions are run by people who truly want to serve the workers. And most governments ....

I have found the exact opposite to be the truth.

[honeygrl]

"Funny, a Wiccan I know said Wicca could be practiced in any way the person wanted. "

In a way, yes. But none of the ways believe in Satan and hell. There are several varieties of wiccans and even more varieties of pagans. (not all pagans are wiccan) They are polytheistic and don't believe in hell. They do believe there are consequences for your actions though. I think most believe in reincarnation and karma. Not so much in a new-agey hippie way though. A lot of pagans don't even believe wicca is a valid religion. Many of them think that wicca was made up by a man who wrote a book on it in the 60's or so (i think it was 60's.. could be 70's?.. someone can correct me on that one though if I'm wrong)

[The Mike Device]

Isn't it time for Wapner? Was that four Fish Sticks or Eight?

[f.Christian]

It was the jedi - babe - girl ... too much weed --- xtasy !

Food processoring !

[dogbyte12]

Do you have some literature. I find your ideas intriguing.

May I follow you as a guru-/emu-/Apu-/Visnu(kangaroo-Australian x Shrimp oN Barbie(Mattel)Ken?

[Portnoy]

The first time they try one of these spells and nothing happens, well...I'd think they'd figure it out.

Exactly...Back when I was a kid, I tried desperately to "Use the Force". Nothing. Nada. Zip.

I grew up to be a somewhat respectable person with a fine job and a lovely wife.

However, I still catch myself "trying" every so other year or so..... :)

[honeygrl]

But shhh don't tell them about skyclad gatherings ;-)

[The Mike Device]

You are Way too good at that. I'd be a little scared if I were you.

[BSunday]

"There are some bloody weird people out there," he said.

For my money, he can put his paranoid self in that category too.

[f.Christian]

pretty soon ... alpha - omega web site !

FR needs a sadie hawkins day ...

to bring back all the burn outs ---

body snatchers good - get lucky day !

[Dead Corpse]

In the interest of accuracy, there are "Christian Witches". Those who practice folk medicine and sympathetic magiks while maintaining a Christian theology. They are hardly considered "pagans" though.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

He pointed to the ancient Pagan motto: "An (if) it harm none, do what you will".

So I was wrong. Libertarianism does have a political history stretching into antiquity...

LOL!

[dogbyte12]

Sadie Hawkins (Darryl Dawkins)-Philly(chilly.)Willy(Bubba)Gump(shrimp)Fish/loaves/stoves+KiTcHEN!!!

IF you snooze, you cruise!
The early worm gives the Bird!
A penny saved, is copper burned, furn (gulley)Galley, Rally.Monkey (Angels!!!!!!)

[KCmark]

Verging on a personal conceit as there can be no actual proof for a persons faith.
------
That's the way I see it.


Who's to say which is wrong? Not me. Shouldn't be anyone else either.
------
And there you have it. Because of that, we should never inact legislation where the underlying principle is a religious belief.

[Dead Corpse]

Many of them think that wicca was made up by a man who wrote a book on it in the 60's or so (i think it was 60's.. could be 70's?.. someone can correct me on that one though if I'm wrong)

Gerald Gardner. Father of the modern neo-pagan movement. He's pretty much credited with most of the fluffy-headed non-sense being passed around by the hippy revivalists.

The witchcraft tie in to the Christian Satan goes back to the Malleus Maleficarum. Spranger and Kramers work has killed more people than plague and is an excellent example of why religion and government should never mix.

[honeygrl]

do you proofread what you type before you hit post? You make no sense.