SC - End of Subject

[Michael F. Gunter]

>I'm not sure I got the same feeling - I didn't read it as if they were using
>a veneer of Wicca to somehow "validate" their poor research (if in fact any
>research was done)... but then, I didn't read it too teribly closely.
>
>-j-

OK, i know this remark is inflammatory, but i just have to say it: 
Saying that almost anything is Wiccan is constantly used to validate 
poor to nonexistent research. Heck, i've seen some real s**t being 
published under the veneer of Wicca.

I am no authority on Medieval cooking, but it doesn't take a great 
deal of depth or breadth to see some of the egregious errors 
apparently to be found in this book. But this is completely typical 
of "popular" Wiccan "literature".

I feel i can say this as i am both a scholar of ancient religions and 
a practitioner of something that many neoPagans consider Wicca 
(having even been the High Priestess of a coven for quite a few 
years), although i now consider myself Pagan, not neoPagan. I realize 
this is not the forum to criticize the tripe that passes for 
information about Wicca, nor the incredible gullibility of the 
book-buying public. But i don't think that letters to anyone will do 
a bit of good. The publishers saw a void and hired writers to fill 
it. That's capitalism.

- ----- The Brief Constructive Part of this Diatribe -----

However, getting correct information out to the public via other 
means, such as Rose's public access TV show, can possibly do 
something to counteract the drivel. (Oh, yeah, like it's even easy to 
spread information about the tastiness and ease of cooking Medieval 
food in the SCA, where folks *ought* to know better  :-)

- ----- ok that's enough -----

But just as there are people with a romantic notion of the past and 
who have joined the SCA to live out their fantasies, so too there are 
people with a romantic notion of the history of pagan and folk 
religions and have become neoPagans to live out their fantasies. And 
books like this feed those sorts of people, and will continue to be 
written and published as long as some people check their brains at 
the door when it comes to religion.

These comments are based on over 20 years of real-life personal 
experiences with neoPagans and absolutely not aimed at anyone here, 
because i know very little about the religions of most list members 
and i have not met more than a handful of listees - and i have a high 
opinion of those i've met.

Please direct flames at marshmallows.

Anahita al-shazhiyya
getting in touch with her inner curmudgeon...

Okay, okay, so i'm completely out about the curmudgeonly part.

And i'm standing firm and not even looking at the Rock, in fact,
i think i'll just stroll confidently into the Chapel...