The Straight Dope: What is the historical basis of the Wicca religion (modern witchcraft)?

[Send questions for Cecil Adams: cecil@straightdope.com](mailto:cecil@straightdope.com) FOLLOW CECIL ADAMS ON [TWITTER]( AND [FACEBOOK](! [991029.gif] THREADSPOTTING: THE BEST OF THE STRAIGHT DOPE MESSAGE BOARD — 11/01/2019 I write the songs about the songs. [Click here]( for more. STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC #1 — 10/29/1999 Dear Cecil: What is the origin of the Wiccan religion? Most Wiccans you talk to say the religion is an extension of ancient, matriarchal earth worship and will attempt to turn you into a frog if you disagree. Others point to a descendancy from medieval healers and claim close kinship with all those who were burnt at the stake for allegedly conjuring up spirits, riding on brooms (there's that again), and otherwise hobnobbing with demons. However, some say Wicca as currently practiced is a modern invention and point to the works of a follower of Aleister Crowley, one Gerald Gardner, as the actual starting point of this religion. At least these people don't attempt to magically mess with your personal space. To my mind, linking modern Wicca with ancient paganism is like trying to assert that modern Freemasonry got its start with the building of Solomon's temple, but that's just me. Maybe you can shed some light. — Patrick Malone, via AOL Cecil replies: The nice thing about writing for the alternative press is that you don’t have to cover a lot of boring village board meetings. However, you do occasionally get affronted letters from witches. Not that riling the Wiccans was originally my plan. It’s just that every time I discuss witches in less than effusive terms, as I did a few weeks ago, I hear from folks who act like I just insulted their relatives. The assumption is that modern pagans (neopagans, Wiccans, witches — take your pick) are linear descendants of medieval witches. Some take it farther and say Wicca directly descends — in the sense of being handed down continuously from one generation to the next — from the pre-Christian, pan- or polytheistic “old religion” that was driven underground but never completely destroyed by the papist upstarts. To put it as kindly as I can, this be wack, Jack. [Click here]( for more. STRAIGHT DOPE STAFF REPORT — 11/06/2007 Dear Straight Dope: Why are the previews of coming attractions that we see before a movie called "trailers"? They don't trail behind the movie, they come before it. Shouldn't they be called "preceders"? — G.M., via e-mail SDStaff Gfactor replies: Your logic is unassailable, G.M., and if such previews were being given a name only now, yes, “trailers” would be a counterintuitive choice. But as you imply, it’s a perfectly reasonable thing to call an ad that’s shown after a movie, and back at the dawn of the film industry, that’s in fact when trailers were shown. [Click here]( for more. STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC #2 — 04/24/2009 Dear Cecil: I recently heard a rumor that sugar processed from beets contains traces of a poison used as a combat weapon in World War II. Is this true? What's the difference between beet sugar and cane sugar, anyway? — tomlobur Cecil replies: A good rumor, which this is, is like an Indiana Jones movie. There’s a grain of truth to it, life and death are at stake, and you know Nazis are somehow involved. First the scholarly intro. [Click here]( for more. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [View this message as a webpage](. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. To advertise on The Straight Dope, contact Rich Hummel at rhummel@suntimes.com [Privacy Policy/Terms of Use]( • [Unsubscribe]( © 2019 Straight Dope, LLC. 30 N Racine Ave. Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60607