Fluffy Bunnies

[bgruagach]

Earlier in this thread I recommended Isaac Bonewits' book "Witchcraft: A Concise Guide." Anyone who is interested in the book should look for the brand-new edition of the book which was recently released with the new title "Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca."

I haven't read the new edition so I don't know how much new material in in it, or if any of the old material was changed. But knowing Isaac, I'm sure the book is good!

[hotaru_rose]

Hello! Thank you for the recommendation on the good read. I will have to pick up a copy now...

Regards,

hotaru_rose

[Guard]

Does it serve any useful purpose to apply the term "Fluffy" to anyone. Personally, I see no gain. I can only see obstacles to learning and growing by the use of that term. Everyone attaches their own individual measure of importance to their chosen religion or belief system. How people approach, discover, learn and grow is hardly a matter of importance in this context providing the end result is spiritual fulfilment for the practioner.

[suanni]

Originally Posted by Uriella

I have never heard anyone refer to a Christian or Muslim as being 'fluffy', ever.

There is an equally derogartory term within the Christian communities for the newly embraced....basically on the same par as Fluffies....they're referred to as 'Happy Clappers'. Don't know about the Muslim world

And I am 100 percent certain that there are many Christians and Muslims who are not what they are for their spiritual edification. Some would have ulterior motives.

And on that I agree. Its the same with all faiths that become 'fashionable' and the different faiths do tend to move in and out of fashion, usually because some pop star/ movie icon has changed faith. For those with an ulterior motive, some mightn't be in it because of that. I'm thinking 'public speakers' who have profitted through 'faith'.

I did enjoy Rain of Brass Petals post on the definition of fluffies although I'm not quite sure if the term is useful or not. Mankind does like its tags and I think we'll be stuck with the term for quite a long time to come. What I would love to know is how many of the pagan community can be categorised within that listing and to what percentage would the 'true' pagan be to the growing movement.

[Käthe]

This is another example of a relatively recent idea in the Wiccan and modern Pagan community which has taken hold, where we seem to forget that it was different only a few years ago.

For the longest time, the word Wicca was a synonym for witchcraft (actually, to be precise, a synonym for witch.) Many authors didn't bother using the term Wicca at all. Gerald Gardner, who many today credit with founding the religion of Wicca, himself used the term only rarely and usually spelled it "Wica." Most of the time he just called what he was practicing and teaching "witchcraft." His books, after all, are called "Witchcraft Today" and "The Meaning of Witchcraft," not "Wicca Today" or "The Meaning of Wicca."

It's only really been since Ronald Hutton's book, "The Triumph of the Moon," which came out in 1999, that there has been anything like a real distinction between Wicca as a religion and witchcraft as something else. I suspect some of the distinction was starting to appear before that in a limited way, but it didn't really take off in the community until 2000 and later. And here we are in 2004, speaking as though this has always been the case and those who use the terms Wicca and witchcraft as equivalent or interchangeable are treated to public name-calling.

There's an additional thing going on that adds to the confusion. In most Interfaith groups, witches tend to identify themselves as "Wiccan" because it's not such an emotionally-laden term, and most followers of other religions don't automatically think they know what "Wiccan" means.

[Bandit]

i just took in a new bunny. he is a rex breed. white with black marks. his name is Digger.
i dont expect too much spirituality from him, though he is fluffy & likes to eat a lot & the dogs get along just fine with him & he likes to be held .

[Blackrose]

Originally Posted by Uriella

I find it terribly sad, and a reflection of the reasons for the current state of the world, that anyone finds it necessary to demean another person with such derrogatory terms. It matters not what their reasons for being there are, we should all just live and let live. I have never heard anyone refer to a Christian or Muslim as being 'fluffy', ever. And I am 100 percent certain that there are many Christians and Muslims who are not what they are for their spiritual edification. Some would have ulterior motives.

I regard those who use the term 'fluffy bunnies' as being playground bullies all grown up in body but not in mind.



Blessings, Uriella :-)

You have lived and still live a sheltered life don't you. There are far worse things in the world then being called names. I grew up an outsider and called various names, yet I believe that what does not kill one make one stronger.

As far as Christians and Muslims being called "fluffy bunnies" it is doubtful that you will ever see or hear that. You may on the other hand hear them called "sheep", part of the herd mentality (flock), being led around by the "good Shepard" (preacher).

I find it terribly sad that there are actually individuals that would willfully choose to be ignorant rather than face the fact that the world is full of all manner of unpleasantness, and is not all Love, Light, Rainbows and blessings. I find it sad the these same people are being preyed up by the purveyors of the mass media of misinformation that has come to be known as 'fluffy' writer and publishers just to turn a quick buck. I think it is sad the state that Wicca is in today because of the misinformation that is being purveyed by these 'fluffy' writers, publishers, and bunnies. I find it sad that many people believe the garbage that many of these writer are spewing out. Much of it is not only non-sense but could be down right dangerous if these managed to actually make contact with the entities they suggest working with. Dragons, the fey, and many of the gods and goddesses.

Out of curiosity I'm going to ask if anyone knows what Woden's Fountain is.

[hotaru_rose]

"i just took in a new bunny. he is a rex breed. white with black marks. his name is Digger. i dont expect too much spirituality from him, though he is fluffy & likes to eat a lot & the dogs get along just fine with him & he likes to be held"

How is he doing? :-) Sounds like he is a cutey...