Questions about Wicca for a research paper

Hey all! I am a freshman student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and am doing a research paper on Wicca. I've gotten a lot of background information about Wiccan beliefs and practices and also about how it has been inaccurately depicted by various institutions, especially the Christian Church. From what I've read, Wicca was allowed to flourish during the 1960's because many of the beliefs of Wicca (such as feminism and environmentalism) were shared by the countercultural movement. Even though these values have now been assimilated into mainstream culture, many people still view Wicca as countercultural. My questions for you are: Do you think many or some Wiccans join not out of genuine belief in the religion, but as a source of rebellion? What are your feelings towards the Christian Church? What would you say to someone who does not consider Wicca to be a legitimate religion?

My most important question (and the one I hope you will focus the most on), however, is: do you (i.e. practicing Wiccans) consider yourselves/the religion to be countercultural? Why or why not.

[norseman]

Hi Cook93. The first thing you need to think about is that wicca originated in Britain, and wicca in the UK is not the same as US wicca.
Second thing to be aware of is that wicca is an off-shoot of the ancient faith of Britain which is still going strong.
Like many, I originally was wicca but soon reverted to the more primitive, ancient form.
You mention feminism and environmentalism - those are issues with US wicca, not UK.
I would be interested in knowing what background you think you have, I suspect it will be of US wicca.
"Wicca was allowed to flourish during the 1960's because many of the beliefs of Wicca (such as feminism and environmentalism) were shared by the countercultural movement."
Wicca originated with the repeal of the Witchcraft Acts in Britain in the 1950's.
Give me a shout if you would like more info but bear in mind, this is a subject that can get rather heated. It has been argued out several times in the wicca thread, I would suggest that you back-read. You cannot research wicca without researching it's antecedents and the national culture in which it originated.

You need to read Chas Clifton's "Her Hidden Children: The Rise of Wicca and Paganism in America." You should also check out the surveys of Pagans by Helen Berger; she has done two of them. Also hit up Ronald Hutton's work. I think these will clarify a lot of things for you. Hutton will give you a decent perspective of Wicca's origins in the UK, while Clifton's work will give you a sense of its development in America. Berger's work just has some interesting demographic data that may help answer some of your questions. Plus, you can use all of these as a valid source for writing a research paper for a university, since they're academic works as opposed to unsubstantiated hearsay from non-authorities on the internet. No offense, Norseman. If she's writing a research paper, she really needs to use certain standards, ya know?

[norseman]

I think I would also add Gardner's biography, certain items from the Sacred Texts site, and books by Owen Davies for a more critical look.
I know exactly the requirements of a research paper [God knows I've marked more than my fair share ] but much of this subject has a comprehensive oral history about which there is much debate. Using solely verifiable data and quotations from published books is Library Research only. There is a need to also dig deep into the myth and legend to sort out the wheat from the chaff.
Also I noticed Cook93 had a cross-purpose regarding christianity and wicca. She could track down Gardner's ordained christian priest status [as well as his other memberships] and how this may have influenced his thinking on wicca. Another fruitful line to follow is the difference between UK and US wicca. How and why did that happen in such a short period of time, for example. Quite a meaty subject in all.
Last thought - wicca and popular culture ? Influence of/on TV and films ?

Also keep in mind Wicca and Witchcraft are 2 completely different things.