Helen A. Berger

This was a very interesting read. The author functions as an anthropologist and "joins" Wiccan convens to learn not so much their religious beliefs but their perspectives as a people. This is a good introduction for those who don't digest religious content well but are curious about Wicca in the modern world.

Some people are attracted to Wicca because of pantheistic (all is one, one is all i.e. the universe equals divinity, divinity equals the universe) nature reverence. However, many who show more join Wicca feel rejected by the mainstream Abrahamic religions and want a community that accepts their sexuality, how they prioritize their values, and their world view. Wicca, among a reverence for nature, encourages a positive attitude and anything goes as long as one is respectful. In fact, integrity and self-responsibility is expected. If one makes a mistake that person must acknowledge it instead of blaming or passively expecting a deity to excuse them. Yet on the other hand most of life's events are celebrated, the positive and the negative. Likely it is this mentality that makes Wicca so welcoming for the strays of mainstream society.

Many Wiccans are highly educated and want a spiritual community but don't relate to more institutional religions or don't believe in a deity. That's probably my favorite highlight in the book: some Wiccans can believe in a goddess and god, while others can see the goddess and god as personifications for nature. One can have a scientific mind and still associate a feeling of spirituality with the world. Pretty neat! show less

I've reviewed this book here: http://douggeivett.wordpress.com/2010/08/21/is-witchcraft-merely-a-passing-fancy...

Another Library Thing user.
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Library Journal Oct.1, 2003