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| Author: Posted: Nov. 17, 2002 | This Page Viewed: 3,888,159 |
Question of the Week: 87 - 12/1/2002 The Pagan Web 2002... Your likes? Dislikes? No other spiritual paths have embraced the web as dramatically, quickly and extensively as the Pagan communities [Link] have done. So here we are some 8 years later... What do you look for in a Pagan Web site? What brings you back? What are you tired of? What is missing? Do you believe that the noise to signal ratio is out of whack? Too much chatter? Too Little? What changes have you observed? What trends have you noticed? What do you see for the future of the Pagan web? NOTE: Mean spirited attacks against specific Pagan Web sites will be promptly removed. |
| Reponses: There are 50 responses posted to this question. | Reverse Sort |
| Insight | Dec 7th. at 11:11:53 pm EST |
| AppalachianAspen (North Carolina) | Age: 25 - Email |
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>>What do you look for in a Pagan Web site? I look for content that is valid for lessons to be learned in real life. I also look for information that is referential rather than opinionated, because opinionated information is biased. Referential information based on culture, traditions, religious history, and etc. leave many doors open; therefore, leaving the doors of opportunity open to be interpreted in as many ways as the mind can possibly fathom. Essays from different perspectives within cultural backgrounds, traditions, etc. are well and good; however, there is a difference in stating an opinion and stating one that literally has the backing with validated information to provide a decent essay that is worth is value in its “meaty goodness.” >>What brings you back? What keeps me coming back to particular places such as Witchvox and few other Pagan based websites such as this, is the fact that the information provided here is referential, it is not biased, and it also focuses on the community; Pagan and beyond. I mean community in the ways that networking that leads to offline meetings, and possibly, friendships. It also provides information for the community outside the Pagan genres so they may learn of our ways as well; in as detailed as we can be considering the Pagan ways are still meant to remain as silent as possible. >>What are you tired of? I am literally sick and tired of the same old Hodge-podge of Wiccan spirituality being prattled off as if it were something new to the Pagan and general public. I truly get the feeling, and I know it is more than a feeling because it is happening too often today, that many people out there either 1) do not know the Craft or history of Paganism and different cultures beyond the basics of Wicca and/or 2) Do not want to stretch their minds into other arenas and actually put out information that deals with referential information. Opinions on essays are good, as I stated before, but for cripes sake, back it up with something that has some texture and depth to it! >>What is missing? For the most part, I believe it is missing decency and thinking of others beyond themselves. Most of the Pagan based websites I see out there today tend to portray the single minded thoughts of one person, which lacks true, solid information for the mass public. A website should be created that the information you are putting out there is desired; not what you desire! Put out what is valid for the masses to absorb, not what you are absorbing! Think for others when communicating information, not just you! It is like many books of toady's Pagan genre; they all say the same thing with a different tone of voice. Only once in a blue moon do you truly see a fresh twist with validation on a Pagan related topic/subject. I strive to seek these books out, but they are hard to find today! Just as are good Pagan based websites and communities. It gets a little boring seeing the same thoughts and ideas spewed about only in a different flavor or spice of life. You can only add so much spice to one type of food before it becomes mundane and bland; therefore, boring and distasteful. >>Do you believe that the noise to signal ratio is out of whack? Too much chatter? Too Little? I believe the net has become too much a place for the chatter of Paganism, rather than the communication of meeting people to network. It has become a device to be used as a means of getting your ideas out in the open without hardly any disagreements, or literal dissent towards your ideas. It is a comfortable place for most Pagans today because it offers a way to spout off your ideas that you really do not live, yet at the same time you can seem like the best person and Pagan of all time! You can really create an alter ego of yourself on the net and get away with it. I believe that is what the net has been providing most Pagans of the world; a device to hide who they truly are. If I offend anyone, know I mean not to. I only mean to speak my mind; and when I am asked, and I feel it is appropriate, I speak it! If you take offense to my statement, it might be a good idea to re-assess why you are so upset and offended at what I have to say. >>What changes have you observed? What trends have you noticed? What do you see for the future of the Pagan web? Basically broken down into a nice bite-size morsel, the net has become a get device for most Pagans of the world to situate and become comfortable in a "OHHHH LOOK AT ME!" attitude, and relishing and swimming in each distasteful moment of it. For the most part, the internet has become somewhat of a menace and vexation to the spirit of Paganism. It provides many within Spirituality and Religion alone, mind you not only Pagans, a way to hide who they really are, and to show what they truly only want people to see about them. It is a way of people to avoid the reality of life, and keep themselves in a cozy corner of the world where they cannot be harmed in anyway, shape or form. However, I for one will not subject myself to this torture and turmoil. I would hate it if I did this to myself; secluding and secularizing myself and my ideas for the mere sake of a little coziness and comfort in my life. Life is not all fluffy bunnies, lollipops, and roses; it has it nasty darkness too. I find it very hard to find the websites, and books out there, that reflect this balance, and just give information and try to get people to communicate and network in real life. It is nice to se places like Witchvox still alive, for without places on the net like this (and the few others I visit and am a part of), there would be no hope for the modern-day Pagan information and community. Thank you Witchvox for being here! I look forward to many more years of being a part of your online home! :) -Aspen |
| Pagan And Wiccan Sites.. Where Are They Going? | Dec 7th. at 5:23:40 pm EST |
| Whitetiger (Arlington, Tx) | Age: 29 - Email - Web |
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"So here we are some 8 years later... What do you look for in a Pagan Web site? What brings you back? What are you tired of? What is missing? Do you believe that the noise to signal ratio is out of whack? Too much chatter? Too Little? What changes have you observed? What trends have you noticed? What do you see for the future of the Pagan web?" I thought I would start my post with the copy of your original questions.. So that I would be reminded that you are not just asking about WitchVox but, all pagan and wiccan sites out there. Now.. first I would like to point out that there is a difference between the two.. Wiccan sites are usually the ones that preach the Wiccan rede and show all the good.. goody stuff (this is not true for all but, most I have seen are like this. And pagan sites tend to be mroe in your face.. talk about reality.. and how to use the craft in real life ways for real life situations.. With that said... What I look for in a pagan/wiccan site is 1) New content.. Not the same olde hash 2) Well researched content..the author has provided links to his sources of info. 3) Above all somewhere that does not lump everything into this is what everyone does.. and this is what everyone believes stuff.. We are all different.. and we all see the crafft different.. I do have to say I am tired though of people who complain about wiccan/pagan websites but, never send the webhost a note.. or even have the guts to make one themselves.. I find it rude to be honest.. We as a community should be able to send a note and ask "Hey I saw this on your webpage.." that is not wrong.. and should be encouraged.. after all we are a community that is built off of webweaving, communication, and books.. I could carry this topic on and on.. but, instead.. I will stop here and just say Thank you to WitchVox for being there through the times.. and always providing a very broad forum for us pagans/wiccans out there.. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.. and hope that you will always be there for us. With love, Whitetiger |
| It's Repetitive And Narrow Minded. | Dec 7th. at 3:49:15 pm EST |
| Saradia (Cambpellsport, WI) | Age: 17 - Email |
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I do love Pagan Websites, and I love going to them, but over 80% of them are bothersome wastes of space. There are some horribly common problems that I see all over the place, like generalizing (all Witches do this, all Witches don't do this), too many images. Ugh. Way too many images. I'd rather go to a site completely vacant of images than to go to the ones with those awful images that follow your cursor and block whatever you're trying to read. And the theft! It's amazing, when I'm looking for new information to learn from and I find the exact same article on another site (you can tell that they're stolen because they're word-for-word and sometimes involve personal experience; "I remember one time...") There's faith-bashing, either bashing Christians or bashing other Pagans. There's "All Wiccans are stupid fluffy" pages. There's "I say so, it must be true" pages. There's "Anybody who does such-and-such isn't a real Witch" pages. There are pages for issues such as abortion and capital punishment that claim that all Witches are for or against it. Forums are worse, I only go to forums maybe once every two weeks, because if you say one thing that's different from the collective opinion of the forum you'll get ripped to shreds. I have yet to find a forum that doesn't do this. But anyway, if you use websites to learn as much as I do, take everything with a grain of salt. Not everything you read is true, and almost nothing is true for everybody. |
| More Real People | Dec 7th. at 12:53:35 pm EST |
| Ailsidhe (Central Texas) | Age: 25 - Email |
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Witchvox is great about bring the community together and often highlights some of them. What I'd like to hear is more about Pagan Lifestyle, how Pagans bring their spirituality into their mundane lives. Specifically, some interviews with prominent Pagan figures, asking them about their every day lives. Not snooping of course... just a gentle peek into the real world of Pagan people. I'd like to see how Pagans get involved in their community as well. I think this would be a great asset to WitchVox. |
| Thank You For Existing! | Dec 6th. at 11:20:00 pm EST |
| Ann Schremp (New Jersey) | Age: 56 - Email |
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Most recently I have been devouring the Kerr Cuhulain articles. I found out about his latest book at Witchvox. I look to this site for ibalanced information that bridges many traditions and for links to other Pagans (such as K.Cuhulkain) and for links to merchants. I find all this and more. It is always an adventure to come to Witchvox. Thanks again and Blessed Yule to all Ann |
| Pagan Websites | Dec 6th. at 4:06:47 pm EST |
| LightSpirit (NS, Canada) | Age: 41 - Email |
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I would prefer to see sites that deal in ancient life, rites and practises that can be factually supported. I find that most new-age wiccan/pagan sites offer little to do with ancient paganism or it's practises. They all seem to have turned these ancient practises into faddish "Do as thou will but harm none" sites. Most of these sites are repetitious copies of every other pagan site and offer their boring sections on the wiccan rede, spells, correspondences, and all the other monotonous dogmatic hooplah that has infiltrated a way of life that is supposed to be based on ancient practises. Most of these do-gooder sites run and hide from the darker aspects of paganism and denounce them, pretending they didn't exist, or perhaps they really don't think that pagans practised sacrifice. While it is always good to promote positive moral values, we need to be a bit realistic about what ancient pagans did and not constantly deny it with statements like "real pagans/witches wouldn't harm anything", wake up, a lot of them would. There is a dark side to every path... I like sites that are not afraid to embrace that aspect... not promote it, but not deny it either. Most pagan sites are too wishy washy and simply don't live in the real world. Most are more concerned about being popular than they are about being accurate. It seems pagan sites are trying too hard to be all sparkly clean. It's no wonder we get walked over and our rights trampled. And all these spells... it's no wonder people think pagans are nutcases, get back to reality. These sites would do better to teach how to live in the world and be successful through hard work rather than teaching how to wave a stick with a crystal in it around and wish real hard and you just may get it. All these sites talk about living in the world and being one with nature but very few teach how. Instead they teach fantasy and lead people to believe their dreams can be realized by lighting the right color candle. I think any real pagan would have a good laugh over that. |
| So Informative | Dec 6th. at 12:37:08 pm EST |
| Sagesse Abiona (Ontario, Canada) | Age: 27 - Email - Web |
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I would say that other then the site that belongs to the tradition that I'm studying, yours is the one that I frequent the most often. I love it that you have so many articles from so many differnt people. I love seeing everyone's thoughts on different issues. I like the diversity. Sagesse Abiona |
| I Love Witchvox Too | Dec 6th. at 11:06:55 am EST |
| MoonOwl (Egypt Lake, USA) | Age: 39 - Email |
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This is the only pagan website that I go to everyday. I've surfed others and always come back to this one. I enjoy all the features here. I feel Wren, Fritz and staff have made an intelligent website. Witchvox is full of information and resources and Witchvox doesn't try to sell me anything or leave pop-ups on my computer. What more could a girl ask for? Keep up the excellent work y'all. Hope Ruby is getting better!!! MoonOwl |
| Pagan Websites | Dec 6th. at 10:21:42 am EST |
| Acacia Moonfyre (Holts Summit, MO) | Age: 25 - Email |
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Truthfully, I am a little bored with what is out there now as far as information on Wicca and paganism. Akin to the books out there, it appears that one person made a factual website and had a million clones who added spells and stores that offered the same overpriced junk. For newbies, these websites can offer vital information, but it is often contradictory. Most websites state that one should follow the Rede, yet offer spells on revenge, "dark magick", and otherwise breaking the Rede. This, I am sure, thoroughly confuses the newcomer. As a High Priestess and practicioner for 10 years, I find the websites highly lacking and actually offensive. They probably have good intentions, however seem to only debase and destroy the true meaning of Wicca - to honor the earth, the God and Goddess, and to honor one another. I personally rarely ever cast spells anymore, since spells are there when all other options to solve a problem have been exhausted. Of course, looking at these websites today, they seem to promote spells as a game and Wicca itself as dress-up time so that people can play witch. The only website I view as having merit is Witches' Voice. The involvement with the community that this website has is astounding and commendable. I thoroughly enjoy this website and think that, once someone has found it, they need not search for another. There isn't a better website for honest, truthful Wicca out there. So, my likes: Websites that are involved with the community, that offer honest interpretations of Wicca, and that support pagans all over the world. My dislikes: Clone websites cluttering up the web that offer hypocrisy instead of truth ("Harm none...here, cast this binding spell.") and offer no new, advanced, or otherwise purposeful information....Okay, I think my rant has passed. Blessed be everyone! Acacia Moonfyre |
| Goooooo, Witchvox! | Dec 5th. at 9:38:50 pm EST |
| Mailei (USA-West Coast) | Age: 22 - Email |
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I love Witchvox.com. I started my search for pagan info around 1997. Since then I've done meta searches on every pagan related word I could come up with. I have researched magick, witchcraft, wicca, religious philosophy, origins of christianity, occult, etc. A lot of sites had good solid information, others have been lacking in the common sense department. I rarely book mark pagan related sites, preferring to glean what factual information I can from each, then move on. Witchvox is the only pagan related site I visit on a regular basis. I read the daily news headlines, the front page articles, and the adult essays. I also make good use of the local pagan links to shops, adult groups, and individual pagans. |
| Gotta Love Witchvox | Dec 5th. at 2:58:45 pm EST |
| bookhenge (New Mexico) | Age: 20 - Email |
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As a Pagan who doesn't follow a particular path, I have yet to find a single website that meets my needs, and that's fine. I know how to do websearches for what I need. I love Witchvox because mainly because of its "front page" features: the articles, news stories, and survey questions like this one. I also appreciate the local search feature, although living in New Mexico (Goddess, I miss Florida), I don't have much of an opportunity to network. This is the only Pagan website I visit on a regular basis, and that's because of its commitment to excellence and originality. The only complaint I have for the website is a technical one; on the news articles, the comments always go from newest to oldest, which is really irritating when you have to go forward and to the bottom of the page to find the posts that everyone else is responding to. I think it would be much more user-friendly to have the posts run from oldest to newest. Happy Holidays Bookhenge Ed. Note: Thank You Bookhenge for your kind comments about TWV. Good News!!! Two weeks ago we a added 'reverse sort' LINK as an option on All the news comments pages (and on question of the week responses as well)... Check it out at the top of comments on the right. Thanks for helping us to make this happen. Fritz Jung (Webcrafter TWV) |
| Goddess Bless The Pagans! | Dec 4th. at 11:45:57 pm EST |
| Faiedra (united states) | Age: 18 - Email |
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i see that pagan webs are getting more and more popular and i like that because that means that paganism and wicca alike are becoming more recognized as well. i check out a lot of the pagan sites out there and i enjoy all of them. i hope to make my own wiccan website on day. blessed be! |
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