Yes, but I think it’s much less skeevy to invest your time in religious experiences than to pay hand over foot for information that’s freely available.
Less skeevy, but still shady. Why *wouldn’t *you want to share truth with everyone?
I can’t explain the exact logic behind it, not being Wiccan myself. However, I don’t see what’s shady about having a religion in which the individual results of traditional ritual events is a personal experience. Is it shady that enlightenment in Buddhism isn’t something that can just be shared? Most Christian rituals require time investments, like baptism and confirmation. Is that shady?
Covered_In_Bees!, you have provided us (well, ME) with food for thought.
OTOH, I will go back to Page One and say that Wiccans observe a belief system that is, pretty much, recently cobbled together from a lot of other beliefs, as well as more than a few recently-made-up/cobbled-together belief systems. It may sound dismissive, but if your system makes you happy and a good person, I won’t argue. It’s like with the Mormons. See the “South Park” episode, of all things, to understand the compatibility of unconventional beliefs with happy people.
And I firmly support the apparent Wiccan beliefs regarding the women wearing underwear. And I know that laughing aloud at other Wiccan beliefs will cut me off, but I’m married and it really doesn’t matter.
Really, using the word ‘Magick’ sounds insipid mostly because it indicates that you’ve actually expended effort considering the importance of separating out ‘real’ magic from stage magic.
If I came up with a really cool word like ‘liztard’ because I wanted to make a distinction between regular lizards and the talking lizards, you might think I’m nuts. But the word itself doesn’t really enter into it, does it?
I try and respect most religions; people do take them rather seriously and I’ve discovered that saying “Your religion is silly and wrong” is, at best, counter-productive, and at worst leads to The Crusades.
I’ve known a few genuine, honest capital-W Wiccans and they’ve been lovely, spiritual people who genuinely believe it, take it all very seriously, and have left me with no doubt of the sincerity and integrity of their beliefs.
When I was in High School, however, “Wicca” was generally used as a quasi-socially acceptable excuse by teenage girls to dress like hippies, smoke pot, experiment with lesbian sex, and run around parks and beaches at night under full moons whilst waving twigs and branches about. It’s rather sad that the “legitimate” Wiccan beliefs get lumped in with “Teenage Girls Being Silly”, but I’m not really sure what the Wiccans can do about it at this stage.
So, if these teenage girls grow older and still hop about nekkid a waving their twigs, they are no longer silly?
I don’t follow your logic.
1.) You’re welcome to watch anyone try to attain enlightenment.
2.) You can attend baptisms and confirmations even if you’re not Christian.
ETA:
Sounds more like a lizgenius to me.
I’m still failing to see what part of hot naked redheads dancing around waving twigs isn’t totally awesome. 
The idea that everything has to be done completely in the open otherwise it’s ‘shady’ is a big giggle.
Yeah, I don’t know that “shady” was exactly the word I’m looking for. Maybe “lame” is better.
Most of them don’t grow older and still hop about under full moons waving twigs. The ones that do tend to continue with the moonlight naked twig-dancing have (at least in my experience) started to take it all fairly seriously, so they’re no longer being “Silly”, if that makes sense.
Yeah, but hot gingers running around naked isn’t remotely “lame.”
Why? What’s wrong with having a secret that you share with a small intimate group of people? What’s it to you?
Do you fuck your boyfriend in front of everyone?
Some people just don’t get the point of an ecstatic practice.
And that should be encouraged.
Don’t get me ecstatic. You wouldn’t like me when I’m ecstatic.
What with the skyclad skinnydipping and stick waving (bushwacking). Lot’s of shrinkage in cold pools…
Don’t do *me *no good.
It’s when people start claiming that they’ve got a handle on the Truth About The Universe… Oh, but they can’t *share *it until you’ve been pumping a bunch more money/time into their group. Now, if it were more something like, “This is hardcore oh em gee dangerous magick that will fuck you up if you’re not trained enough to use it,” (something like, “I’m not going to teach you how to break bricks with your head until you’ve been doing karate for a few more years”), then it’s still lame, but less creepy.