In comments at Eschaton, Moonbotica alterted me to this interesting article about the growth of Wicca among younger Brits, especially young women.
A study of teenagers and their consumption of books, magazines, kits, film and other media found that there are some 700,000 internet sites for teenage witches. The Pagan Federation claims to have several hundred inquiries a week from young people, and has set up a network for those under 18.
"There has been a noticeable rise in the number of young people identifying themselves as witches," said Denise Cush, professor of religious studies at Bath Spa University.
Perhaps most interesting are the study's findings concerning the reasons for rising number of young witches: According to Professor Cush's report, based on interviews with witches aged 18 to 24, it is the attitude to women that most attracts them: "Paganism and witchcraft appealed because of their clear feminist credentials and absence of homophobia. A main attraction is the positive valuation of women in comparison with other religions."
Certainly for me and many women of my generation, Wicca's positive attitudes towards women, including and exemplified by its worship of Goddesses, was a huge part of Wicca's attraction. Interestingly, I assumed that other religions, especially the three main Abrahamic cults, would gradually improve their attitude towards women and the feminine divine, thereby depriving Wicca of some of its attraction for women and slowing the growth of Wicca. I was wrong, xianity and Islam, in particular, have, if anything, gone backwards in their attitudes towards women and the divine feminine over the last twenty years or so.
The article concludes with some discussions with young British witches and their reasons for being interested in Wicca now range from "My mother's a witch" to "My family is xian and that didn't speak to me." You'd have been hard-pressed to find a woman in my generation who could honestly (sixties' dubious assertions of long-lived family trads notwithstanding)have given the first reason to explain her interest in Wicca. It's going to be fascinating to watch the development of this religion over the next generation. How big can a religion grow when at its core it is based upon lack of organization, freedom, and an absence of dogma?
PS: How cool a name is "Bath Spa University"?
5 comments:
I love Moonbootica.
Somewhat off topic, but somewhat on, if you don't mind - Friday, the Wall Street Journal ran an article on Dallas as the second most liberal and tolerant city in the country for homosexuals. Second only to San Francisco. I knew this was true, though I can never get anyone to believe me. An openly gay candidate is in a runoff for mayor and will probably win and what is most amazing and telling is that his opponent, who is a Repug (they don't run from parties, but I know he is,) didn't raise his sexuality in the campaign once. He totally avoided it and everyone else did, too.
Dallas is not what people think it is. It is a very liberal cosmopolitan city now. It wasn't always, but it is now. And this is such a hopeful trend that I wish more people would pick up on it. I think our beliefs are mainstream, Hecate. I really do. It's the bigots and homophobes who are on the wrong side of history.
And Moon's story is another example of where I think our ideas and beliefs keep gaining ground with people.
Hecate, i get to see my wife the Pagan teaching our older daughter, and i am certainly interested in how that will turn out.
Incidentally, the 10 y.o. likes Jesus and sunday School, and Susan is supporting her Christian interests. That's another thing i am interested in seeing the turnout.
Jesus today would be excommunicated by the pope and denoucned by all the fundie preachers. He was an intinerant preacher who was funded by a grass roots movement of common people, chose scruffy working-class guys to follwo him, had women among his close followers, preached tolerance and understanding, urged us to take care of each other, and denounced the religous blowhards of his day.
Jesus' teachings are wonderful. It's the religions that claim to follow him that cause the problems.
Sister of Ye, I've a fridge magnet that boils your post down nicely:
JESUS IS COOL
But some of His followers give me the creeps.
oh, this is good stuff.
the internet is good when it does not suck rocks
and I bet you real Christianity, like socialism, lasted about five seconds until people realized that brutally slaughtering everyone who doesn't believe what you do is a terrible PR campaign. Then some nice people with actual morals revived real Christianity (peace,love, etc) and tried desperately to ignore the fundies.
but just saying: that pic you have is Death from the Sandman comic.
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