The Internet and the Pagan Community (written for Spellcraft Autumn 2009)

In the mid-1980’s, Australia was introduced to the concept of email when they were linked the US’s online system. Meanwhile, out of the depths of the Australian Pagan Community emerged an annual meeting called the Australian Wicca Conference (AWC) in 1984, South Australia. Two years later ‘Wicca’ became a recognised religion by the US. Australian Pagan’s began their battle against the old fashioned laws forbidding the practice of witchcraft in attempt to get the same rights.

Australia was about 5 years behind the rest of the world to get completely online and by the mid 1990s, citizens were overjoyed to have access, to what we now call, the internet. Pagans around Australia slowly began to move their newspaper adverts looking for fellow coven members onto this new form of communication. Small pagan chat forums started up, pagan events were organised more easily, and the community truly began to bloom.

The internet has become a popular medium of connection in the pagan community. One is heard by more people, has faster replies, and it’s much cheaper than trying to organise over the phone! People found web pages where they could happily chat about their beliefs without being identified or flamed down by misunderstanding protestors (except for the odd anti-pagan in the process of being booted off a forum!) Despite protests from those who wished to keep the community private, many pagans strode bravely onto the internet and set up websites explaining their beliefs and inviting people to find out more; reaching out to millions of people around the world in seconds. Yes, the internet has helped those who wished to find the Australian Pagan Community and become apart of it. It seemed like a dream come true… but a coin always has two sides.

Websites with incorrect information popped up left, right and centre and freedom of speech went wild as non-pagans and pagans alike flamed each other online on a stage in front of the world. Then something sad happened. The saying ‘As above, so below’ can be rephrased to say ‘As in the real world, so in the online world.’ The odd fight amongst fellow pagans in their local community was brought online. Pagans sided with who they felt was right and began to push down anyone who had anything to do with that person, including pagan organisations they belonged to. But instead of this being privately discussed and perhaps gossiped locally, it sidled into chat rooms, forums, open online journals and web pages, online newsletters, growing into Yahoo groups, and the now popular, Facebook. Arguments were no longer between you, the other person, and a few local pagans. It was between everyone who had an opinion.

Now, one could say that bringing things out into the open in front of the community was the best way to deal with some issues, and that now they could see any problems coming from a mile away. But slowly those who had once turned to the internet for information about paganism took one look at these Witch Wars and never looked again. Pagans began backing out of the community, upset betrayed and accused, knowing that their name was now spread around the community beyond the local covens to people they don’t even know on the other side of Australia. The internet - a gift that once overjoyed so many people when introduced, began to assist the process of tearing a community apart.

So what do we do? Luckily, this does not apply to every pagan webpage and forum yet. Many administrators are still very strict in their unbiased moderating. There are still places for new pagans to find information and meet new people. The incorrect information on web pages? Nothing much we can do there, but at least most of them are a good laugh! But learn to take a step back occasionally and look at your online personality. It’s incredible how forward; brutal and bitchy one can become under a false name or hiding behind a computer screen. You may not have even realised it came across this way! Yes, you are just being honest and offering your opinion, but try to remember you are dealing with human beings, not just type on a page…