http://anthropik.com/2004/12/super-keen-constantine/ se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:56:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 http://anthropik.com/2004/12/super-keen-constantine/#comment-10199 Jason Godesky Wed, 26 Apr 2006 18:00:04 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2004/12/super-keen-constantine/#comment-10199 Well, that's what they <em>tried</em> to do, anyway. For the most part, Wiccans went into it with little concern for archaeological or historical truth, and ended up with a hopeless mish-mash of confused rituals and symbols--a symbolic language that comes out as mere gibberish. It's not the attempt that I have such little patience with (the attempt I find quite laudable), but rather, what I see as a very lazy execution. Well, that’s what they tried to do, anyway. For the most part, Wiccans went into it with little concern for archaeological or historical truth, and ended up with a hopeless mish-mash of confused rituals and symbols–a symbolic language that comes out as mere gibberish. It’s not the attempt that I have such little patience with (the attempt I find quite laudable), but rather, what I see as a very lazy execution.

]]> http://anthropik.com/2004/12/super-keen-constantine/#comment-10197 ChandraShakti Wed, 26 Apr 2006 17:12:10 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2004/12/super-keen-constantine/#comment-10197 I love your suggestions in this. But you display a great deal of misunderstanding of Wicca. I am not Wiccan, but I came to Neopaganism via New Age. Believe me, a vast majority of Wiccans insist that they are (Neo)Pagan and not New Age. Most New Agers don't need to subvert the symbols as they still retain their alliances to the religions in which they were raised. While Wicca has its own set of symbols, nearly all of them were taken from other things - OTO, Golden Dawn and *gasp* Christianity. If you look at the holidays, Wiccans have made a very conscious attempt to undo what Constantine did. ie: They've taken all those seasonal elements and given them back the old pre-Chriatian meanings. Walk into a Wiccan's home around Yule (winter solstice) and you might well not be able to tell it from a Christians. The only thing likely to be missing is the nativity. Though that might even be there in modified form to celebrate the rebirth of the sun-god. The tree of course, represents the continuation of life through even the darkest, coldest times of the year. The candles/lights are sympathetic magic to encourage the sun to return... Ain't it great that all those Christians are busy increasing their electric bills so that the sun can be reminded to return and shine more and more;) The mistletoe is a purification and blessing of all who enter, and a subtle reminder of the sex necessary to bring a new baby into being. So yeah, Wiccans have indeed already taken the symbols that are alreasy there and subverted them. They just prefer to think that they've RE-verted them. I love your suggestions in this. But you display a great deal of misunderstanding of Wicca. I am not Wiccan, but I came to Neopaganism via New Age. Believe me, a vast majority of Wiccans insist that they are (Neo)Pagan and not New Age. Most New Agers don’t need to subvert the symbols as they still retain their alliances to the religions in which they were raised.
While Wicca has its own set of symbols, nearly all of them were taken from other things - OTO, Golden Dawn and *gasp* Christianity. If you look at the holidays, Wiccans have made a very conscious attempt to undo what Constantine did. ie: They’ve taken all those seasonal elements and given them back the old pre-Chriatian meanings. Walk into a Wiccan’s home around Yule (winter solstice) and you might well not be able to tell it from a Christians. The only thing likely to be missing is the nativity. Though that might even be there in modified form to celebrate the rebirth of the sun-god.
The tree of course, represents the continuation of life through even the darkest, coldest times of the year. The candles/lights are sympathetic magic to encourage the sun to return… Ain’t it great that all those Christians are busy increasing their electric bills so that the sun can be reminded to return and shine more and more;) The mistletoe is a purification and blessing of all who enter, and a subtle reminder of the sex necessary to bring a new baby into being.
So yeah, Wiccans have indeed already taken the symbols that are alreasy there and subverted them. They just prefer to think that they’ve RE-verted them.

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