CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

[Laketear]

I just found an article on the CNN homepage about why Wiccan's hate this time of the year, here's the link to the article I'd love to know what others think of it. The comment section is worth a good laugh too just it's amazing how much of an a$$ some people can make themselves out to be.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/30/for-some-wiccans-halloween-is-a-real-witch/?hpt=hp_c2

[Yorin]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

The comments....oh dear gods. Its hilarious to see all the feminists running rampant all over the damn place there (all the "check your privilege" crap)

However, as to the article itself.....I've had some pretty shitty stuff happen to me because of people finding out that I'm a pagan, but to run off and get all pissy because of people hanging Halloween decorations is a little bit more than over the top. Some people need to just get a thicker skin and grow up.

[iflewoverthecuckoosnest]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

Haha, oh dear.

As excited as I am about it being Samhain, Halloween's still awesome. Free candy. Who could argue with that?
I think that the real discrimination comes from a place of religiosity and ignorance, not a Halloween decoration from the dollar store. Let people have their fun.

[Briar]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

I'm with Iflew on this one. I eat pretty well for most of the year but tonight I will be munching on all the tiny twix and kitkat bars that are left after the 10 or so kids brave my long drive to get candy from me. I will ooo and ahhh over their costumes and tease them about being brave enough to get candy from a real witch. They'll giggle and I'll get my little kid giggling fix for the year. Then I'll get a great sugar high from chocolate covered cookie candy. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday night.

Yes, stereotypes are a pain, I'll agree. Then again I'd rather be thought of as wearing a pointy hat and having warts than spending hundreds of dollars on crystals and believing in karma. There are tons of stereotypes out there and most people are guilty of them from time to time (myself included). I guess I have bigger things to dislike celebrating a holiday for.

Looking forward to tonight's sugar rush.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

It was fun to go through the comments and watch a couple of Wiccans/Witches intolerantly bash each other for intolerance...

I'm kindda perverse, I guess - that kind of stuff always cracks me up.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

Here's another article that might be of interest to compare and contrast with the other one.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/31/garden/if-a-druid-rings-the-doorbell.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

[Malflick]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

Here's another article that might be of interest to compare and contrast with the other one.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/31/ga...ewanted=1&_r=1

This second article makes the first look ridiculous...

[monsno_leedra]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

This second article makes the first look ridiculous...

Sort of makes the first one look like its all about the me me me position where the second is about the spirit and essence of the holiday in my humble opinion.

[Malflick]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

Sort of makes the first one look like its all about the me me me position where the second is about the spirit and essence of the holiday in my humble opinion.

Yes, you said it far better than I did.

[Vigdisdotter]

[monsno_leedra]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

That i'm not sure of. I know it has very much a Wiccan feel to it and uses the Wiccan Wheel of the year if one goes by the few ceremonies / rituals that were mentioned. In part though I think it crosses into part of the Nordic lore that saw Nov 1 or 2nd as the veil dates and had a limited influence on Celtic perspective along border regions I'd think. I'm not close enough to other traditional Druid groups to say what their actual ritual / ceremonial dates are though other sites I've seen suggest 31 Oct to 3 Nov. A few use more of a Greek / Roman slant with Hecate's day being the 29th of each month though this year her Dneiper occurs about the 4th and 5th of Nov.

Myself I have issues with the veil stuff given that until Christianity it was spread out across the year for various European and Med based cultures. Granted the Celtic year aligned with it which makes sense for a Celtic inspired practice if you adhere to those gods / goddesses and such in my opinion. Yet go beyond them and it makes no sense to me.

[Vigdisdotter]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

Yeah, I don't buy the whole "the veil is thinner this time of year" line. IMNSHO, it's just a matter of cultural conditioning effecting perception. Since we're told that X happens at Y time of year, we miraculously see it happening.

[anubisa]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

I don't know why anyone would hate Samhain. It's my favorite holiday.

[thalassa]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

Yeah, I don't buy the whole "the veil is thinner this time of year" line. IMNSHO, it's just a matter of cultural conditioning effecting perception. Since we're told that X happens at Y time of year, we miraculously see it happening.

I've always had a problem with this myself...really, (IMO at least) this whole "veil is thinner" business would make more sense at Yule.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: CNN Aritcle of Wiccan Holiday

I've always had a problem with this myself...really, (IMO at least) this whole "veil is thinner" business would make more sense at Yule.

From a Celtic or even Nordic / Teutonic perspective it makes sense falling on 31 Oct - 1 Nov. Figure it is the time of last life and first death so both extremes are present at once. Yule would be in the middle of the death season so doesn't seem logical to me. I just think it illogical to place those precepts upon a god / goddess who is not associated to that social and cultural perspective.

Figure those from the Med basin would be associated with a three season year vice a four season year. The growing and culling seasons are far different than that of Northern Europe.