wicca: just because you're a newbie, you must be fluffly!

[Spring-heeled Jill]

why do so many experianced Wiccans seem to think that begginers are always wrong or fluffy bunnies? i admit that many are, but not all of them. i don't claim to be wiccan, and i've only been practicing eclectic paganism for two years. i've never been a fluffy bunny. (i nearly wandered down that path, but when i noticed it and corrected myself, it made me wiser.) somehow the asumption is made that teenagers are bunnies. although most teens are just begining to study wicca (although most chose witchcraft that claims to be wicca.) in that age group, it doesn't mean that they aren't serious. i get the impression that some of them are.

[maenad nuri]

Well, I'd assume its because people see inexperience for ignorance.

The standard definition of a fluff bunny round these parts is a person that is willfully ignorant. That doesn't include all newbies (some, yes, but usually not)

[Spring-heeled Jill]

experiance doesn't always mean that you aren't ignorant. some one could be "high preistess lady such and such" with three degrees from a coven, ten years of practice under their belt and still be ignorant.

[Ilikepie4]

Kia of the dominions

experiance doesn't always mean that you aren't ignorant. some one could be "high preistess lady such and such" with three degrees from a coven, ten years of practice under their belt and still be ignorant.

I see you have read Silver RavenWolf.

[maenad nuri]

Kia of the dominions

experiance doesn't always mean that you aren't ignorant. some one could be "high preistess lady such and such" with three degrees from a coven, ten years of practice under their belt and still be ignorant.

Very true, but typically they'll be exposed. But experience and good knowledge generally tend to allievate most forms of fluffiness.

[Spring-heeled Jill]

silver sucks. she had drawing down the moon in her basics book....
i dropped it after reading the first two pages. at least people on the internet agree with me.

[maenad nuri]

Kia of the dominions

silver sucks. she had drawing down the moon in her basics book....
i dropped it after reading the first two pages. at least people on the internet agree with me.

For a second there, I thought you meant the book "drawing down the moon" then realized you meant the ritual.

I lost credibility in her when I realized that her linneage is impossible.

[SlaineWildfire]

Nuri

Kia of the dominions

silver sucks. she had drawing down the moon in her basics book....
i dropped it after reading the first two pages. at least people on the internet agree with me.

For a second there, I thought you meant the book "drawing down the moon" then realized you meant the ritual.

I lost credibility in her when I realized that her linneage is impossible.

Ditto.
And I'd like to say that I don't think most newbies are fluffs. I do think, though, that most fluffs are newbies. Ignorance and newness to pagan religions often walk hand in hand, that's all.

[Spring-heeled Jill]

i think that bragging about your linneage is like begging for validation. if i had any i would keep it to myself. it doesn't really have any credibility outside of covens anyway.

[Deoridhe]

Kia of the dominions

i think that bragging about your linneage is like begging for validation. if i had any i would keep it to myself. it doesn't really have any credibility outside of covens anyway.

I'd disagree. Lineage, for a mystery tradition, is essential for understanding the training people have received and the validity of their claims. Since so much of Wicca is Oathbound, it's important to be able to know you're talking to someone else who is oathboand.

You asked: "why do so many experianced Wiccans seem to think that begginers are always wrong or fluffy bunnies?" though, so I'm going to answer specific to Wicca although you're not one.

The assumption of many experienced pagans that someone claiming to be Wiccan is fluffy is because of the current trend in paganism to discount knowledge and study. Wicca is a mystery tradition that requires study with another Wiccan. The vast majority of Wiccan posts I have seen beging with "Wicca is an individualiztic nature religion, The important part is you accept the Wiccan Rede."

This is false information picked up from and passed on to people who either don't know or don't want to take the time to contact actual covens. Since this is false information, those of us who know about it step in to correct, at which point we are often insulted. That is usually the point whre I'll call someone "fluffy."

[Spring-heeled Jill]

as i stated before: i'm not wiccan, so to me, linniage doesn't really mean very much. you could trace back to Gardner, but still have a crappy teacher.

[maenad nuri]

Kia of the dominions

i think that bragging about your linneage is like begging for validation. if i had any i would keep it to myself. it doesn't really have any credibility outside of covens anyway.

I ditto deo here. Bragging about linneage is one thing (which is icky), putting out impossible one is quite another (which is lieing to gain credibility) but linneage is important.

[MissKimmers]

I disagree. I think, although sometimes lineage is important, it doesn't make the witch.

A person can have no lineage at all and have just as much experience/knowledge as someone who's lineage goes back many generations. Although often lineage is important, in some covens and such, it's not essential.

I also think that 100% of new Wiccans started out with a few fluffy ideas. It is only with experience and learning that we start to realise that this isn't the case. However, I'm not talking about COMPLETELY fluffy stuff, "OMG liek we r allll so powrfullz & sTufZ and thE eArTh iz..." I'm just saying that we will ALL have wrong ideas about what Wicca (or Paganism, but I'm looking at Wicca here seeing as this is what the post was about) is about, until we learn.

Please note that Faery is NOT Wiccan, she is just Pagan.

[maenad nuri]

Kia of the dominions

as i stated before: i'm not wiccan, so to me, linniage doesn't really mean very much. you could trace back to Gardner, but still have a crappy teacher.

Very true, but if you have that linneage, think of the material you'd be privy and oathbound to.

That's my problem with Silver. She attempts to do that. Of course, her linneage doesn't follow conventions, and frequently jumps traditions.

Faery: linneage may not make the witch, but it is in important in Wicca, since it was set up to be oathbound and coven based.

[Spring-heeled Jill]

now i feel like i was being rash with the whole "lineage isn't important" idea. sometimes my mouth overtakes my head. sorry for sounding kind of mean to anyone.