Solitary Eclectic Wicca

Gavin and Yvonne Frost: Good Witches or Bad?

2009-11-29T02:20:00.000-05:00

I really need to think about this a bit. I have always believed that Gavin and Yvonne Frost are straight up a_holes who are using the good name of witchcraft (irony, i haz it) to promote their twisted views on sexuality. I have never read any of their books in full, but I have read snippets of some and what little I read disturbed me. Last night I listened to Pagan Perspectives with guests Gavin and Yvonne Frost on Blog Talk Radio. And now I am forced to reexamine my thoughts and look a little deeper.

Like all things in life, this isn't a simple case of black and white. It's not as clear cut as the good guys on one side of the fence and the bad guys on the other. Listening to the program, I found the Frosts to seem rather straightforward and sensible. Knowledgeable, even. Yvonne seems to be down right charming. This isn't to say that I suddenly agree with everything that they have to say. But I am rethinking my previous opinions.

Wife Swap: Wiccan High Priestess vs Iowa Housewife

2009-11-24T01:16:00.001-05:00

Have you seen the episode of Wife Swap between the Wiccan High Pristess, Bella Thompson, and the housewife from Iowa, Alison Askam? I just got done watching all seven clips on YouTube.

I think I need a drink.

I am sick to death of people going on reality TV with the intention of getting the truth out about modern day witches. Each time we hear there will be a Wiccan or other Pagan on some entertainment program there is much chatter in the community with breathless hopefuls wondering if maybe, finally, this will improve our public image.

There's just one teensy little problem: the goal of reality TV is to entertain through sensationalism, not to produce a documentary. Common sense tells us that if the show entertains through sensationalism then an easy target like a witch with a tattoo on her forehead is going to be made an absolute fool of.

Why do so many Pagans lack this basic common sense?

You can not go on reality TV and then bitch that it's not really like that. You don't get to whip out the persecution card after you see how they took things out of context. You're supposed to know that going in. A big part of being a Wiccan, especially a Wiccan High Priestess, is personal responsibilty and personal responsibility says that if you let someone make a complete fool of you and your family on national TV then you have no one to blame but yourself. That shit wasn't possible without you allowing it to happen.

What's next, are we going to contact The National Enquirer to do a story on real life Wiccans? Or maybe we should see if The Onion wants to do a write up, but only if they pinky promise not to do it in satire.

It's ok to be a bit fanciful, but flat out stupidity is unexceptable.

What Are the Top 5 Lies About Wicca?

2009-11-03T16:08:00.002-05:00

Wicca, a religion based on The Mysteries, is naturally full of misconceptions. Many of these misunderstandings are silly and harmless, but some times the lies get out of hand and things can get dangerous. For this reason we must continue to educate the general public on the truth about Wicca.

Here are the top 5 lies that are told about Wiccans.

Wiccans steal children and eat them
Probably the biggest, most ridiculous story told about Wiccans and other Pagans is that they engage in child molestation, kidnapping, human sacrifice, and cannibalism of children.
Collectively this is referred to as Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA) or Satanic Panic. All of it is bunk. These allegations were first used by the Romans against the early Christians in the first century CE. It was false then and it is false today.

Over time the Satanic Ritual Abuse story has been used to suppress various groups of people including heretics and dissenters of the Church, lepers, Jews, Cathars and Knights Templar. Today these same tired lies are told about Wiccans, Pagans, and Satanists.

A new round of Satanic Panic emerged in 1980 with the release of "Michelle Remembers" a fictional book told as a true story. Within three years, allegations of satanic ritual abuse were pouring in all over the U.S. Law enforcement and the F.B.I. investigated these allegations and to date have not found one single case of ritual Satanic abuse.

Wiccans are Satanists/Wiccans worship the Devil
The idea of the Devil is a part of the Christian mythos. The Devil is not related to Wicca in any way. Wiccans do not believe that an all-evil entity exists. Wiccans do believe that their gods and goddesses, like the elements of nature, are both nurturing and destructive. Wiccans do not believe the Gods are evil. Evil is a choice of man, not an act of the Gods.

Wiccans are only women
Both men and women are Wiccan. Some covens, or groups, require an equal number of male and female members for balance. Other traditions, such as Dianic Wicca, prefer to work in female-only groups. There are also male-only groups but they don't yet have an established name such as the Dianics do.

Wiccans cast evil spells
Yes and no. Magic, manipulating the energy in your life, is a basic part of life for a Wiccan. It is perfectly acceptable to do a working to help you find a new job or a new home. The use of magic gives one the power to make positive changes their life. But, with power comes responsibility. On the one hand, most Wiccans choose not to participate in harmful or negative magic. On the other hand, what is referred to as hexing is useful, when done correctly, to protect home and the community.

Wiccans are all fluffy bunnies
A fluffy bunny is someone who is new to Wicca and doesn't yet understand the depth of the religion. They are like a young teenager in love; high on life with their head in the clouds. They are sometimes entertaining, often times annoying, but perfectly harmless. Fluffy bunnies either grow up to be real Wiccans or drop out when they learn that Wiccans have all the same hardships other people do.

And now you know the truth: Wiccans don't eat babies, engage in human sacrifice and cast evil spells while riding pink unicorns and sprinkling magical fairy dust. They are normal, average everyday people trying to lead a honorable, ethical life. Just like you.

2009-11-03T15:22:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Solitary Eclectic Wicca.

Here I will share with you how I practice my tradition of eclectic Wicca and how it relates to my daily life.