Cult and silliness. I think poo what a waste of time or energy. Yuck would be my first thought. I am not trying to be mean, but that is just my honest opinion.
I instantly think ? FAD ? this is when I hear other people say 'I am Wicca[n]' given the majority who claim to be Wicca have no idea what it is, I think it is safe to say more people in Paganism think this way, and if we think this way chances are that's the idea others have, and probably our associated to the word. Unfortunate.
In the 19Th century a romanticizing of things Pagan began. Godfrey Leland forged a spurious book called Aradia:Gospel of the Witches that implied that witches were pagans who worshiped Diana (and Lucifer). He plagiarized materials from two previous books he wrote (Etruscan Remains and Gypsy Sorcery). Although the word Wicca isn't mentioned, it was the great-great daddy of the whole thing.
Later on quack anthropologist Margret Murray hatched her own theory about the witches of the European witch trials actually being survivors of a Pagan cult in her books. These inspired Gardner to create his own witch cult witch he called "Wicca" (at first spelled in lower case and with only one "c"). Gardner insisted Witch meant "Wise one" claiming the word derives from the Old English word "Wicca". "Wicce" actually means "to bend", and this is where the word "wicker" comes from. The word "wicked" also comes from "Wicca" (as in a wicked person being "bent").
The word "witch" has a nefarious meaning in every language on earth,including English, but for some reason Wiccans still insist on calling themselves "Witches" (with a capital "W") and their religion "Witchcraft". They feel that the reason people are afraid of them is centuries of "xtian propaganda" meant to defame them. But even if they went to Vietnam ( a predominantly Buddhist country) and said they were a Phuy Tay (Vietnamese for witch), people would still be afraid of them. Of course, a tiny few Wiccans have stopped calling themselves witches, but most probably enjoy the shock value wether they admit it or not.
There were examples of witches who did evil deeds in history (such as the Weirs and LaViosin) but Wiccans don't equate themselves with such people since they were Devil worshippers.
According to Adian KIelly, Wicca was basically created by Gardner so he could be beaten by strong willed women. He was a sado-masochist and nudist.
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word "wicca"?
