Is Wicca/Neopaganism ruined?

Post Reply New Topic

true!

I have no love of dressing up in costumes myself. But what I do have a love of is cultural diversity -- including a diversity of international modern subcultures as well as a diversity of traditional cultures.

In my experience such diversity can, other factors being equal, make life much easier for autistic people and others who are unable to conform to mainstream norms to the degree necessary to fit in with any one particular culture if it were fully dominant.

Anyhow, back around 2005 or so I had an online friend who was an Australian occultist. I did NOT get the feeling from him that people of non-mainstream religions were especially badly treated there, at least not in the specific city where he lived (I forget which city that was). He did tend to be rather blunt, causing some other online acquaintances of mine (here in the U.S.A.) to dislike him. But I personally had no problem with him.

Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans do all tend to be more direct and less prone to courteous language than north Americans. My parents best friends for many years were Americans who relocated from California and I found it really strange how much the wife smiled and was so cheery all the time. So going to the states (west coast) it bowled me over how friendly everyone was. Certainly are cultural differences.

there is quite a following for non-mainstream religions. the north/east coast of New South wales there are colonies of alternative types. Nimbin is probably best known. It was the epicentre for hippies in the 1960s and has remained a refuge for alternative lifestyles since.