If you’re a witch or a Wiccan — or know someone who is — the media have influenced how others regard witches, and sometimes how you view yourself, your beliefs, and your practices.

In our current, post-Charmed society, most of the Wicca-as-a-fad trend has faded. (Many breathed a sigh of relief when Wicca stopped being the religion-of-the-month.)

Those remaining in the Craft seem to be people who are committed to their beliefs or seriously exploring their own spirituality.

The following article is a good study — though a little academic — about the effects of popular entertainment and imagery regarding witches and Wicca.

Browse it to see the many media images that may have influenced your beliefs.  This is the kind of study that produces ah-ha! moments among believers and critics alike.

From Jacob’s Ladder (1990) to Charmed, and from Bewitched to The Craft (declared “the worst movie ever made,” by Margot Adler) to Practical Magic, TV and movies have presented lasting images.  Some were accurate.  Most were not.

Despite the cautionary tales, the allure of the occult remained for many years.  Teens and pre-teens were especially vulnerable.  “Magick” offered shortcuts to romance and popularity, and perhaps better grades in school.  If it offended adults, that seemed like a bonus.

Though the Goth (or gothic) lifestyle sprung from a different source, the cultures overlapped in some areas.  That blurry line further confused spectators and critics.

Sometimes, knowing where the stereotypes come from can help you talk to critics and skeptics about witchcraft and Wicca.  Click on the link below to survey contemporary media influences affecting witches, Wiccans, and some Pagans.

Witchcraft in Popular Entertainment: The Craft, Buffy and Beyond

The Pendulum Swings Back

After The Witches of Eastwick in 1987, the Biblical imagery of good and evil that evangelicals brought to public attention seemed to disappear from popular entertainment…

http://www.apologeticsindex.org/2621-chapter-4-witchcraft-in-popular-entertainment-the-craft-buffy-and-beyond