I’ve intentionally given this essay an attention getting title. I didn’t do it to get your ire up, or anything like that. I did it to get you thinking. While it is true that many Wiccans claim to belong to a small and caring community, that doesn’t mean we have to like or agree with every member of that community.

I’m not advocating the division of people into the groups I list below. I’m just pointing out some patterns I have seen, and how I feel about them. I’ve even belonged to one or two of these groups in the past, and may belong to one or two others in the future. No one is perfect, but by examining ourselves and others, we can learn a lot.

I also want to make it clear that I don’t think that all Wiccans fall into the groups below. There are many dedicated and serious Wiccans. These people are very spiritual, and manage to avoid getting caught up in the “fluff” that surrounds our wonderful and deep faith. Many have made difficult and important sacrifices on their path, and I sometimes feel that some less serious Wiccans cheapen the situations these others have gone through. (Which is the point I am trying to make here.) That being said, many Wiccan novices begin in one of the groups below, and then move into a more serious, deep, and beautiful relationship with the Lord and Lady.

Sweetness & Light Wiccans (aka Fluffy Bunnies)

This group of Wiccans only acknowledges the light side of the Lord and Lady. They close their eyes to the aspects of death, destruction, vengeance, etc. Often their knowledge of Wicca is very weak, and they will become very upset if anyone questions what they say. Another sure sign that someone may be a Sweetness & Light Wiccan is a website full of faeries, tinkly music, “We Don’t Worship Satan!!” in big letters, and little else.

Look at me! I’m a Witch!

The members of this group seem to see being Wiccan, or a witch, as more of an attention getting scheme then as a religious faith. Often they wear a great deal of jewellery or dress all in black, claiming it is required by their religion. Hey, if you want to dress like a Goth, go ahead! Just don’t claim you have to do so to be a Wiccan or a witch.

It is also common to see these people reading Wiccan or magic books in public, holding the book up slightly so the title is clearly visible to everyone. I used to see a girl regularly on the bus who would hold her book up in this odd position when reading a Wiccan book, but hold it down in a more comfortable position when reading anything else. These people also like to draw attention to themselves by carrying bags with giant occult symbols on them . They also like to walk around talking about spells and rituals at the top of their voices, or posting about them on all the forums they participate in. And the worst is the constant “Oh Goddess!” this and “Oh Goddess!” that!

If you really feel you must wear all kinds of sparkly occult jewellery and carry the latest Metal BirdMammal book under your arm, stop to think about how you would feel if you saw a Born-Again Christian walking around wearing a bunch of crosses, carrying the Bible, and talking constantly about Jesus. That’s just about how horrified others feel when they see you. Wicca is not about getting attention! It is a spiritual path!

Magic – all day, every day

The members of this group generally think that everything can be solved by casting a spell. Bad day? Well, I’ll just take five minutes to cast a spell to make it better. Angry customer? Let me cast a spell so they get what’s coming to them! Is this really necessary? Why do they want everyone to know what they are doing? Is it a way to get attention?  Being Wiccan isn’t about magic and casting spells. It is a religion that helps us learn about ourselves. And when we know ourselves well, we know what we can do to make changes. If you feel that magic is the only way, perhaps you haven’t looked deep enough.

I’m the best!

This group likes to claim they know all there is to know about runes, tarot, Wicca, or whatever the topic under discussion is. They also tend to put down others when they dare to disagree. I’d love to know why they feel this is necessary. Is this another group looking for attention? No one can ever know all there is to know about any topic. There is always something more to learn, and the person you think is a beginner just might be able to see the problem, topic, issue in a new light.

One other problem I have with the Wiccan community is Witch Wars. Every once in a while a big argument will brew up somewhere about some minor issue. Often, online anyway, it is about the problems with all the books written by a specific author, or whether a tradition is valid or not.

Why do Witch Wars happen? Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but they aren’t entitled to forcing it on others. If you don’t care for a particular book, come up with good reasons why. Included properly identified quotes from the book to back up your statements. Don’t use personal attacks. Don’t pass on gossip, or any information you don’t know to be true. And give people the benefit of the doubt.