Wiccan “art” that makes me cringe

DISCLAIMER: Just like the old 4nongoths “Why Wiccans Suck” website, it’s not Wicca itself that bothers me so much, but the “ahem” individuals who call themselves Wiccan these days and what they have degenerated the tradition into.

With that …

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As long as there have been religions, there have been religious icons. Whether it’s images of sacred symbols or portraits of deities, we like to have these things to help us express our connection to the divine. You can usually tell which religion made the art based on the images chosen and the art style used. Some of it is terribly campy and uncomfortable just to look at, and some is very beautiful and inspirational.

And then there’s this crap:

Wicca is the newest hottest religion to emerge in the spiritual scene, and in the last 50 years of its short life its iconography has yet to settle on a characteristic “look”; Wicca is still in its infancy and tries to claim several cultural traditions as part of its own make-up, much like Christianity did 1000 years ago. As a result, Wiccans see images such as this

And revere them as divine.

Wiccans insist that the ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Celts and Norse were all Wiccan too, so you find these artistic influences smeared everywhere. Particularly popular of course is Celtic knot art.

The funny thing is, I’ve personally spoken to folks from Ireland, Scotland and Wales who become apoplectic when the subject of “Celtic Wicca” is brought up.

Wiccans not only steal imagery from the western world, but also from the eastern world.

You didn’t know the Chinese were Wiccan too?

This work of art has it all! Asian calligraphy, a pentacle and SWORDS! Wiccans love blades for some reason and it’s not uncommon for them to have large collections of knives and swords.

Another popular icon coming from both hemispheres of the globe that Wiccans have claimed as their own is of course the dragon.

I’ve met more than one person who believed they had invisible dragon guardians following them everywhere they went.

Wiccans also love anything Gothic, despite that period of history being Christian.

Do you know how many Wiccan vampires I’ve met? Too many to count. Along with the maligned, misunderstood vampire image Wiccans struggle to “reclaim” are the popular images of the Halloween witch.

And let us not forget the nightmare of the “burning times!”

Never mind that none of the people persecuted, hanged or burned as heretics were Wiccan; they were our sisters and brothers who struggled and died in a hostile, misunderstanding world!

I have no idea why people misunderstand Wiccans either.

Wiccans are just people who want to be who they are, anamorphic Celtic faerie ninja shamans offering tarot card readings for $50 an hour at a Pagan Pride gathering near you!

And finally

I have no fucking clue.