Wicca and the youth

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Wicca and the youth

     In our postmodern world where moral absolutes are disparaged and truth statements are doubted, Wicca fits right in. It offers a subjective religious experience that is aided by your own invention. Wicca is the religion of nature worship, of gods and goddesses, of spells and incantations designed to bring influence upon circumstances and/or people.
     The youth who are sometimes get lost in that transition between childhood and adulthood, often do not know what direction to go to find truth and meaning. But this does not stop them from trying. They seek to identify with groups, music, causes, and philosophies. It helps to give them purpose, meaning, and identity. So too with Wicca. It is a world religion based upon ancient agrarian religious belief out of northern Europe that allows them to cater their beliefs and practices to their own desires. How satisfying! Think about it. There is an attraction to the idea that you can construct a religious system that suits your preferences and use that system to gain control and influence. That is why many of the youth of today are joining up with it.
     In fact, so pervasive is this appeal among the youth, that bookstores are now selling books on witchcraft aimed at the youth.

“This New Age "spell'' is among dozens of mystical exercises laid out, cookbook style, in Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation, a 250-page handbook that is flying off the shelves at Borders, Barnes & Noble, and other mainstream stores. Written for 10- to 17-year-olds by New Age author Silver Ravenwolf (a Wiccan pseudonym), it boasts everything a kid needs to become "a pentacle-wearing, spell-casting, completely authentic witch!" That includes instructions for such uniquely teen rituals as the Bad Bus Driver spell, the Un-Ground Me spell, and the Just-Say-No spell.”¹

"Spellbound: The Teenage Witch's Wiccan Handbook" by Teresa Moorey (Ulysses Press, $12.95). "Witchcraft is not just for adults anymore," shouts the press release for this bright, upbeat book written by British astrologer and "experienced white witch" Moorey...The book explains how you, too, can become a very good witch. It tells you how to cast spells to capture a boyfriend or pass your driver's test. The book contains a fairly interesting history of witches (which witch is which!) and goddess worship through the ages. Yet it goes around the bend when it embarks on instruction in "The Craft," including magick spells, witchcraft crafts and how teens can celebrate major Wicca festivals."²

Wicca is a fast growing religion. Some have said that it is the fastest growing religion in America. Whether or not that is true, the fact remains that the number one source of numbers in the Wiccan ranks, are the young. Please consider this small portion of transcript taken from an NPR (National Public Radio) report done on May 13, 2004. The Profile was "Teen-age Wiccans" on All Things Considered.

"It's hard to know the exact numbers, but Wicca is believed to be one of the fastest-growing religions among high school and college students. This form of witchcraft, with its reverence for the earth and nature, appeals to young environmentalists. And Wicca's emphasis on a goddess, as well as a god, draws young girls. Today, the final part of our series on religious trends in America. NPR's Barbara Bradley Hagerty talks to teen-agers in Colorado about the lure of Wicca."
     "HAGERTY: Most teen Wiccans are not out of the broom closet. In part, because of that, it's hard to know how many teens are involved in Wicca. Estimates range from 50,000 to 150,000.
     "HAGERTY: "The Craft," a little-known movie among adults, was a hit among teen-age girls, and changed the way they thought about witches.
     "HAGERTY: The majority of young witches are girls, which may be why Mattel introduced Secret Spells Barbie at Halloween last year. The doll came with witch costume, cauldron and magic powder. For many young witches, their community is the Internet, where they swap e-mails, ideas and spells. The most popular site . . . lists more than 250 college groups and nearly 400 teen-age groups. And there's been a veritable tidal wave of new books aimed at teen-agers interested in Wicca.

Can there be any doubt that our youth are at risk at being entrapped in the occult? It is a disturbing trend to see youthful exuberance and curiosity be turned into the dark paths of Wiccan theology, its witchcraft, it spells, and it's incantations. The same youth who seek to have influence, control, and identity, often lack the critical faculties to rationally examine the validity of philosophical system. But what would we expect in a postmodern society where truth is not absolute? With the foundation of truth undermined by replacing it with subjectivity, there is no accountability, the responsibility, and no consequence. At least, that is what many people like to believe.

But Wicca works!

     Just because something works, it does not mean that it is good. If a Wiccan believes that he or she is getting results through incantations done with candles, cards, crystals, or whatever, what would be the reason to give up such influential abilities? After all, don't we desire to be able to have things go our way? Of course we do. This is why Wicca has a following. But, we must ask the question, "what is the source of the power behind the results?"
     Now Wiccans will tell you that it is the result of finding the truth of Wiccan principles in a God and Goddess and the manifestations of the deities found in history and in nature. But this does not mean that what they are saying is true. We certainly are not calling Wiccans liars. But what we are saying is that it is possible that we can all be deceived to some degree. If we acknowledge that and we look at our own belief system, then how do we find out if we are being deceived or not? Again, just because someone gets results in a séance doesn't mean that what they've contacted is good. Just because someone who's addicted to drugs and feels good while on them, it does not mean that the drugs are good. Just because someone feels good when they are drinking heavily, it does not mean that what they're doing is right. We should never determine truth by whether or not we feel good or whether or not certain results happen.
     Instead, truth is determined by God and he has revealed himself in the Bible. Truth is not dependent on us. It is the result of God's work, not our desires.

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References

SO YOU WANT TO BE A TEENAGE WITCH? , By: Mulrine, Anna, U.S. News & World Report, 00415537, 03/01/99, Vol. 126, Issue 8.
Books on Jesus, Wicca challenge conventions, Detroit Free Press (MI), Aug 14, 2002

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