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Buffy Poisoning Young Minds!

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Anonymous

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I didn't think that Buffy the Vampire Slayer was such a bad show until a couple of weeks ago when I was browsing through the popular science/paranormal shelf in my local bookstore. This shelf happens to be right next to the astrology/wicca shelf and on a couple of occasions I've noticed 14 and 15 year old girls reading books on wicca and the occult from things like teen witch which is fairly inocuous to dictonaries of the occult which is quite a scary thought. I mean I have no objection to the Wicca religion or to occult studies in general but I believe that it should only be approached with full knowledge of the possible consequences. I really think that shows like Buffy or Angel or Charmed are pushing girls into this stuff without thought of the consequences. Or maybe its just that I'm getting old.:mad:
 
I think you are saying that they have no sense. I personally believe that many who do start reading about wicca will stop soon after. And it's not like wicca is a bad thing, it's the opposite, although it is not right for some (myself included, thought about turning wiccan last year). If anything Buffy and Angel are making a generation believe again (although some of the stuff on the show is total pants). As for Charmed, yes some of the things would never happen for real (but it is a fantasy show) but they go about certain aspects in a very cool manner.

lucydru
 
Experimenting with magick is as dangerous as experimenting with drugs and sex, and as important for young people to explore. when they're at the stage where they can give informed consent. and if they've made the decision for themselves.

Just as with drugs and sex, us old uns may worry and want to try to monitor & control, but much of the attraction is in evading adult control to find your own identity.

Personally, I think there should be more about all 3 in schools etc, so kids know what they're getting into, but thats not happening any time soon.
 
Kids trying magick because they've been watching Sabrina The Teenage Marketing Wench is like them joining a karate club because they've been watching Ninja Turtles... it's very different to what they were expecting, and most don't understand it enough to do well and eventually give it up once they feel they aren't getting anywhere. Some though may find they have a talent in that area, and just for those few I think it is all a good thing. It still gets on my nerves though when all the Buffy and Sabrina stuff enters the public understanding of what "real" magick is like.

My experience? I'm more interested in the philosophical area of the old religions, some of which are very similar to Buddhism (another system misunderstood by modern western society)
 
DanJW said:
It still gets on my nerves though when all the Buffy and Sabrina stuff enters the public understanding of what "real" magick is like.

Couldn't agree more... and I think we've seen it already once or twice on this very board...
 
I also agree...these shows may lead youngsters to a thoughtful and insightful approach to understanding these religions. However the young are often too impatient and you end up with the heavy metal (read: Ozzy Ozbourne) inspired murders and mutilatoins that were rampant in the states in the late eighties. I admit that my understanding of A. Crowley has many more dimentions now that I understand The Golden Dawn from other sources than an Ozzy song.
 
Yep, I agree there. Only, in my bookstore the girls who look at the Magic and Occult/Wicca literature, are nervous when any of us boys enter the store. They don't want us to think they're 'wierd' I guess. Until we go and look at it aswell, and then we move onto Demonology and such like...Unfortunately, magic is far more potent than people realise or are willing to believe, and the same with Demons. 'Cos this is the 21st century people don't believe anymore...
 
Hmmm... and of course, the "demonology" section of a popular highstreet bookshop will indeed bestow great esoteric knowledge upon you...
 
Only, in my bookstore the girls who look at the Magic and Occult/Wicca literature, are nervous when any of us boys enter the store. They don't want us to think they're 'wierd' I guess. Until we go and look at it aswell, and then we move onto Demonology and such like...

Aw that's so sweet! Bless!
 
Well, the books on Demonology at the bookstore in our town are very popular to all teenage forteans...of both sexes...
 
Buffy IS poisoning young minds!

As a young person myself I feel the need to say BUFFY DOES INSPIRE YOUNG PEOPLE TO MESS WITH MAGICK!!!! Two of my friends are obsessed with Buffy and Angel, also films like the craft and they have now started messing with magick and the occult. I don't think they have a clue what they are doing, but that hasn't stopped them. They think it's like what they see on TV.
I have a feeling that they are not the only teenagers to play with magick because it was on Buffy.
 
I tend to agree, I'm a teenager myself and I've always had an interest in the Supernatural. But lately, I must admit, I have been getting more interested in Magick and the 'arts' since the show reached it's latter series, were Willow gets all freaky with magick and her sexuality!

But, if anything, it's come in handy that more teenage girls are curious, 'cos now, I walk into the main bookstore in the city, Waterstones, and step up to the shelf dealing with Magick and the Occult and Demonology, and there will be a single girl there on her own. She'll turn away at first until she realises that I'm looking at the same sort of literature as her, we get chatting, I get a phone number and we see each other from time to time and we converse deeply on the subject...all rosy for me!
:D :D :D :D :D
 
Anyone think we should email Mark Pilkington and get a new catergory called "Oracle's hormones?" :D
 
Evilsprout said:
Anyone think we should email Mark Pilkington and get a new catergory called "Oracle's hormones?" :D

There's bound to be a joke here about big posts, but I'm too polite.....;)
 
Ha ha, no, I don't say that they're my girlfriend and I don't think of them like girlfriends. They are just teenage, female, fortean friends. They might be in a group and we'll still get chatting and there will be a couple of other lads with them, but still there will be about six girls. So, women really are taking over the planet!
 
I agree that media has turned wicca and witchcraft into " the
cool thing to do" among young girls! It started with the movie
The Craft. I have many friends that are wiccan that said
that in her school dhe would get asked by girls (that before wouldn't have anything to do with her, calling her THE WITCH)
to teach them spells like they saw in The Craft! I think it's rather
funny.....
 
I think kids have always been drawn to the occult, in my day (1960's/70's) we were influenced by Dennis Wheatley type stuff, and kids folklore type techniques (c.f. Levitation thread).

Lets not forget that the Spiritualist thing started with kids, and the records are full of other examples (e.g Gef the Talking Mongoose!).

Also teenagers are, and always have been, prone to religious over enthusiasm (Bernadette etc).

Buffy et al might have changed the fashion in terms of influencing the style and content, but I don't think they've had any much deeper influence.
 
wintermute said:
I think kids have always been drawn to the occult

I agree entirely, it's the most natural thing in the world. One of the first things I did when I managed to remove myself from adult supervision for a weekend was to make a quija board. I don't expect it's ever been any different. Only thing is that now they don't hang half of your village if they catch you, they just try to sell you lots of pointless paraphenalia.
 
I agree that kids have always been drawn to the occult but I think that that's because kids are drawn to shortcuts. From the outside the occult looks like a way to get a lot out by only putting a little in. I doubt very much if it's like that on the inside.

Cujo
 
Yes, I've definitely noticed an influence too. Last year ( my last year of high school ), someone got caught carving a stake out of an expensive chair leg...it was actually pretty funny. Seriously though, some of the people you least expect are at it. I was surprised at some of the people I found to be doing it.
 
From the outside the occult looks like a way to get a lot out by only putting a little in. I doubt very much if it's like that on the inside.

In my experience its precisely the reverse!
 
Woops !!

I have to reply to the opening post made by FK1121

Why is Wicca dangerous ? What could possibly be dangerous about this most innocuous of religious practices that could be comparible with Christianity for example ??

Wicca is not about magic, and anybody who tells you otherwise is being sorely mislead. Wicca is about worshipping nature and everything that she provides you. It's not about magic and casting spells. If 14 or 15 year old girls decide to read up about Wicca, let them, and good luck to them.

Wicca is a harmless way of life for millions of people all around the world, and is not about casting spells and curses. Get your facts right before passing off some sad misguided Christian principles as the right path for everyone to take.

Moggadon
 
I may not have a television but some phrases used on the demon box do come to my attention.
'Tree-hugging hippy crap' is the one that just sprang to mind.
If you're a Wiccan reading this, I'm sorry....
Sorry you're a Wiccan.
 
Dead Flag ?????

I see your sort everywhere I look.
The stench of misunderstanding and ignorance blasts my senses.
And yet, I still pity you.

Moggadon
 
I think a lot of you forget the Wicca has been around a lot longer than many other religions, including Cristianity.

lucydru
 
Woops !!

Actually, Wicca, in its current form has only been around since the 1950s. Before that, and indeed, before Christianity made it's mark on these shores, Wicca wasn't actually an organised religion of any sort whatsoever. It was a loose collective of ideals and general way points for people to worship and live their lives.

Christianity, you may or may not be surprised to know, actually has many Wiccan or Pagan facets to it.

Moggadon
 
Ok I do admit I was wrong about that but what became wicca has been around for some time.

Many things we do at Christian holidays are from wiccan/pagan beliefs.

lucydru
 
Spot on !!

If you walk into any book shop and make your way to the mind and spirit section, you will find a multitude of books on charms, pagan holidays, how to be a witch, the list goes on and on. All these books are written by different people who have moulded what they beileve to be Wicca into what they want it to be. And that's the great thing about it. It's what you want it to be, what you want to make of it. As long as you abide by the Witches Rede, there's no harm in defining your own version of Wicca. Christianity is nothing like this, in fact it's so far removed in the way in which it's regimented, it's almost sad to see people devoting their lives to it.

Moggadon
 
The pompously professed pity I can handle, but the assumption that just because I disagree vehemently I obviously don't understand - that I find trickier.
I just find the workings of nature to be as worthy of worship as the fact that the pub urinal flushes itself now and then. Also, you can only assert that Christianity is regimented if you ignore even blatant differences like Catholicism v Protestantism. Or maybe you think I'm a Muslim? They split as soon as it came to choosing Big Mo's successor. Anything so metaphysical and subjective will necessarily engender differences of opinion, but all offshoots use the main name of their strand for the inherent prestige.
Just out of interest, am I also free to define my own version of Wicca, then get annoyed at it for being self-indulgent and precious?
 
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