Why do so many teens give Wicca a bad name by watching Charmed and thinkin' they're a Witch?

Question

Why do so many teens give Wicca a bad name by watching Charmed and thinkin' they're a Witch?

Answer 1

Answer: Many of them don't realize that it is a REAL religion and takes as much discipline as any other religion (and more than some do)

Answer 2

I don't know but it needs to stop.  We get enough c**p as it is.

Answer 3

It is a fantasy stereotype.

How many priests go around giving exorcisms.

Answer 4

Gee there's a lot of disrespectful answers to this! I'd get philosophical and say hmmm, something going on. I think shows like Charmed and Xena are attractive on a lot of levels to some girls. When I was growing up, being a b*tt-kicking female was not acceptable - now it's the norm. I think Charmed and Xena have a superhero quality that some girls really resonate with. There is an element of spirituality and honor, especially in Xena, that is compelling and not seen much in female characters. And of course in Charmed there is magick, not the real thing but at least something provocative. Haven't any of you ever play-acted pretending to be a character from a show? What's wrong with that? I don't understand the desire to put down others.

Answer 5

I think they're perfect Wiccans/// for their age. I mean, at some point they will have to evolve past that, but if they're in the Charmed phase of Wicca, why not let them enjoy their youth while they have it.  

Answer 6

The Entertainment industry has always had an inflated notion of Magic & the Pagan faith.

One of the biggest criticism about Charmed was the notion that you can instantly have an (over the top) magical power - that you can skip all the hard work, research etc.

OTOH a positive (& there is only a few) is that Charmed has been able to bring at Pagan Ethics to the Mainstream Audience.

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Answer 7

They don't fell like doing hard research on the actual religion.

Answer 8

er... laziness? Deluding themselves into believing in an alternate fantasy? As a teenager who happens to be Wiccan, I can assure you that there is no lack of immaturity among many of my peers...

Answer 9

Merry Meet,

Many answers here are interesting to say the least. My thoughts on this topic is simple, if this is all that a teen has to take reference from then they will assume it to be true.  Many teens out there really want to learn the Craft and specifically Wicca. Why, because they are seeking something bigger then them. They really want to know the truth about the Craft and Wicca, but their resources are very limited either by location or finances. Most Mentors won’t even touch them even though by law some have reached the age of consent in many states as early as 15 or 16.

I feel that a mentor needs not teach the deeper mysteries of the Craft to teens, but what about the Basics. The SCWF has moved forward in NC to address this issue. We have donated over 200 books to the library systems around Charlotte, NC to include its neighboring four counties. In this way we are attempting to close that divide and lend a hand to those who are seriously seeking to understand the Craft.

Also if Wiccan groups and organization got their federal tax exemption, they would be more able to do more for teens in their area so that we don’t have more falling through the proverbial cracks. We all can help to address this issue in our communities. Start by donating books to your local libraries. I know that we all have books we don’t use anymore, why not help someone out that cannot afford one. If you liked that book, most likely others will as well. Training our teens start with us getting a better education and then sharing that information when we can, the future is our children and our hope is that we do a good job as a parent and even a role model. Especially in the Craft!

Always in Light and Love

Nyjh

Answer 10

Because of a lot of teens are crying out for attention because mommy and daddy were too busy fighting to pay any attention to them.  Or, the parents were too busy doing the social thing and trying to be social butterflies, rubbing elbows with this person or that person to notice their child cutting themselves in the corner while rocking back and forth and a blank look on their face.

Or the children themselves are just complete idiots from no fault of the parents, and are just THAT superficial.  But that usually means the parents are superficial, so refer to first paragraph.  "OH LIKE FOR SURE!"

Answer 11

I guess it makes them feel special.

It doesn't just have to be teens though.  I had a 50 year old woman call me.  She said she had been "practicing Wicca" for a year, and wanted to know when she would learn the spell to make her furniture levitate so she could clean her house easier...

Answer 12

You can't become a witch from charmed that is for sure. You have to do research. And not all teens want attention. Just to let you know that! My guess is they like what they see and think it's easy but it is not it's way more things then what they see on the show. You need different ingredients for your spell and a book of course and lots of knowledge and research.