Christians and Pagans Agree

[Kern]

Christians and Pagans Agree, Wicca Emerging as America's Third Religion

Christians and Pagans agree that the Wiccan community is growing at an exceptional rate, and is projected to be the Third Largest religion by 2012.

(PRWEB) April 21, 2005 -- Earth Day celebrations are seen as a way to recognize the need to save and protect Mother Earth. For some that image is not simply a slogan or phrase but the center of their worship and religious life. Known as Wiccans, aka Witches and Pagans, Nature worshippers are becoming more numerous and their concepts are emerging to challenge traditional rules of society based on biblical law. They are emerging to become a major force in spiritual communities, having increasing number of adherents, and expecting the same rights and privileges as Christians and other faith practices of the United States.

For Complete Article go here:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/4/prwebxml231351.php

Also see :
http://www.messenger-inquirer.com/news/kentucky/8356222.htm

[Dawa Lhamo]

Christians and Pagans Agree, Wicca Emerging as America's Third Religion A friend sent that to my family a couple weeks ago. We came to the conclusion that Wicca is indeed growing, and at an explosive rate, but so is population, and so are several other religions, such as JW's, Mormonism, Islam... If the numbers of all other religions remained static, then I can see Wicca growing to third, but I think we're going to have some stiff competition since they aren't static, and I dunno that we'll eventually overtake all of them.

It's a nice thought, but scary at the same time. I mean, the values of loving the Earth and personal responsibility that I see as particularly strong in Wicca, would certainly help our society immensely. However, it concerns me because I don't know if we can handle being so big without more churches and some kind of authority, and once you add those in, it all goes to hell in a handbasket... JMHO...

Tashi delek!
Dawa Lhamo

[Silverfire Darkmoon]

Now, are these real, sincere, and dedicated Wiccans, or the sort who saw the Teen Witchcrap Kit and decided that was the best way to be cool, unique, and different? Cause if it's the second sort then, well....eeeep.

[Darkdale]

Is Wicca growing in numbers a good thing? If so, why?

[Valnorran]

Is Wicca growing in numbers a good thing? If so, why?
Indeed, and this is coming from a Wiccan. Seems like whenever a religion gets a big following and gets really organized, is all starts to go downhill. Also, what Silverfire said; are these people truly following the path, or is it just the latest stage they're going through? Or (shudders) are the emerging Wiccans fluffy bunnies (by which I mean people who think "Charmed" is an accurate portrayal of how things work)? That would be too horrible to even think abut.

[Temptation]

Seems like whenever a religion gets a big following and gets really organized, is all starts to go downhill.

I couldn't agree more. That's happened with every single religion I know of. The original teachings and ideologies are distorted and reinterpreted by anyone who comes along and proclaims themselves to be the "high authority" on the subject.

It's sad, but also inevitable. With the growing numbers of followers comes a growing feeling of community and every community needs a leader. The more of them there are, the more they need an authority figure to guide them and tell them what to believe and what is appropriate or not.

Those who find themselves in that "high priest" position get to experience a tremendous sense of power and that can quickly degenerate into illusions of grandeur. Nothing good can ever come of that.

[RubyRose]

Interesting ...

[raminda]

Now, are these real, sincere, and dedicated Wiccans, or the sort who saw the Teen Witchcrap Kit and decided that was the best way to be cool, unique, and different? Cause if it's the second sort then, well....eeeep.

That's how I feel, I would assume that it's the second. I don't know too many people who are open to the idea of paganism/wicca so I cannot imagine it becoming the third largest religion. Strange.

[SilentDreams]

*sighs* I would think this is good but honestly I encounter more fluffy/silly/not serious "Wiccans" more than the real deal. So I can't be happy about so many fakers spreading "Wicca" around.

[SilentDreams]

That's how I feel, I would assume that it's the second. I don't know too many people who are open to the idea of paganism/wicca so I cannot imagine it becoming the third largest religion. Strange.

Well see its not even really paganism. Cause when you say that i think of paganism as a whole and thats untrue. Its just Wicca. Which also is bad cause I'm not really in the mood for every person to think I'm a Wiccan.

[Toby Stimpson]

Does anyone know what the current numbers of Wiccans are...becasue it seems to me that as a world religion...Paganism probably comes as one of the last on the list. Going on the thought that there may be only lets say 5 million Pagans worldwide...that is still miniscule by comparison to islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism. When it coems to the fastest growtrh...if you have very few adherants to begin with and then double...well, your rate of growth will be high to begin with. I might just be arguing bull shit here, but it seems to me that when looked at the numbers may be a bit misleading...*shrugs*

Namaste

Tobias

[Kern]

The original teachings and ideologies are distorted and reinterpreted by anyone who comes along and proclaims themselves to be the "high authority" on the subject.


That has happened to WICCA already,even without the "high authorities".Look at all the solitary Wiccans that make it up or change things as they go along.

If we use the term Wicca to apply to only those directly descended from Gardner(those that practice and believe only what he taught), then the number is very much smaller.

Or if we use the original meaning of the word to mean a nature worshipping person that worships mother earth and uses magic and natural remedies, then it is even smaller than that.

But if we use the term Wicca as a generic term for all those that believe in a polarity of female/male deity and keeping the rede and all the rest is what we make it then the numbers would be larger.

[Dawa Lhamo]

If we use the term Wicca to apply to only those directly descended from Gardner(those that practice and believe only what he taught), then the number is very much smaller.Well, I highly doubt you'll find many people who believe *only* what Gardner taught. Even among Gardnerians, I imagine that number to be miniscule. However if you define it as people who follow Gardner's teachings/practices and base their religion around those (with nearly everyone you'll get some kind of variation...) then I think you'll find that to be a larger number. ^_^

Actually, though, when they take surveys of religions, most countries don't depend on churches or whatever to report their membership. So it doesn't really matter what *we* decide Wicca is... it matters who self-identifies. These surveys are generally self-reporting. ^_^

Tashi delek!
Dawa Lhamo

[Kern]

Well, I highly doubt you'll find many people who believe *only* what Gardner taught. Even among Gardnerians, I imagine that number to be miniscule. However if you define it as people who follow Gardner's teachings/practices and base their religion around those (with nearly everyone you'll get some kind of variation...) then I think you'll find that to be a larger number. ^_^

Actually, though, when they take surveys of religions, most countries don't depend on churches or whatever to report their membership. So it doesn't really matter what *we* decide Wicca is... it matters who self-identifies. These surveys are generally self-reporting. ^_^

Tashi delek!
Dawa Lhamo

Very good points!

[gurlygurl2004]

A friend sent that to my family a couple weeks ago. We came to the conclusion that Wicca is indeed growing, and at an explosive rate, but so is population, and so are several other religions, such as JW's, Mormonism, Islam... If the numbers of all other religions remained static, then I can see Wicca growing to third, but I think we're going to have some stiff competition since they aren't static, and I dunno that we'll eventually overtake all of them.

It's a nice thought, but scary at the same time. I mean, the values of loving the Earth and personal responsibility that I see as particularly strong in Wicca, would certainly help our society immensely. However, it concerns me because I don't know if we can handle being so big without more churches and some kind of authority, and once you add those in, it all goes to hell in a handbasket... JMHO...

Tashi delek!
Dawa Lhamo

I think it'll take at least 50 years for Wicca to become the main religion in America, or maybe the world.

[Aquarian_Moon]

I feel like there's very few of us out there who really believe that they're 'true' Wiccans, because I think that none of us really know where the line is set between being or not being Wiccan. If the whole world did a vote right now over what religion they were, there would likely be a VERY large number of solitary practitioners, coven members, and nature worshippers (to only name a few types of course) who would probably vote that they're Wiccan, but without knowing in their hearts if that is what they truly are.

Perhaps a lot of us are using the word 'Wicca' to kind of 'plug ourselves' into a religious path where we feel most comfortable; where we can talk, learn, and practice with others who share similar interests and beliefs. Certainly, this is the reason why I became Wiccan...

I don't look at it as a bad thing either, but more as something quite positive. For all of us. :)

[Akhkharu Asgard]

Christians and Pagans agree that the Wiccan community is growing at an exceptional rate, and is projected to be the Third Largest religion by 2012.



Just in time for the Mayan Apocolypse!
:muwaha:

[Luminessence]

Now, are these real, sincere, and dedicated Wiccans, or the sort who saw the Teen Witchcrap Kit and decided that was the best way to be cool, unique, and different? Cause if it's the second sort then, well....eeeep.

A lot of them will probably be the second sort... but that's okay, because they'll quit once Wicca is a large enough religion that they can't feel persecuted anymore :)

I don't know much about the numbers, but I could imagine Wiccan becoming the third largest religion on America by 2012 - or if not then, then a little later. It seems to be growing at an astounding rate right now. But as others have said, as religions grow they tend to go downhill. Hopefully Wicca will manage to retain at least most of its integrity, though.

Also, like Silent_lover said, I don't want everybody to start thinking of all pagans as Wiccans once Wicca gets large enough that most people know about it. I don't want to be mistaken for a Wiccan, not because I have anything against Wicca - I have much respect for Wicca - but because it's just not my path. But then, I guess it would be no different for us non-Wiccan pagans than having to explain our path now is... and probably at least a little easier, since people would at least have an idea of paganism...

[DracoJesi]

well if this is the real thing then great :) maybe we will even have some people in a political office or somthing, wouldnt that change things for a change?