This of course purposely neglects to mention the Adventists, who tend toward vegetarian, and Jehovah's Witnesses, who skip the Midwinter Bloat.
Also it neglects to broach the theory that obesity and membership in traditional churches could have a common cause in most cases: Stupidity. Or even laziness.
An American who is a Buddhist, Wiccan or self-declared atheist has almost certainly been thinking. To join a major church, such an exercise of the mind is not needed.
Is that so? I would rather think wiccan is not something that just happen to you unless you actively avoid it, unlike mainstream religions which most people are born into.
Some of the serious ones are WAY TOO serious, which can also be a drawback, but by and large they've also undergone training and initiation, which tends to weed out the majority of the doing-it-to-piss-off-their-parents crowd. (Just FINDING training requires a certain amount of initiative, and around here, an ability to weed through a certain amount of drama. Also, most covens and churches won't take anyone under 18 for training. Too much potential for problems.)
(My coven isn't Wiccan, though it resembles it outwardly to an extent that most people wouldn't notice a difference.)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-27 09:32 am (UTC)Also it neglects to broach the theory that obesity and membership in traditional churches could have a common cause in most cases: Stupidity. Or even laziness.
An American who is a Buddhist, Wiccan or self-declared atheist has almost certainly been thinking. To join a major church, such an exercise of the mind is not needed.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-27 01:51 pm (UTC)An American who is a Buddhist, Wiccan or self-declared atheist has almost certainly been thinking.
I will disagree with you 100% that claiming to be Wiccan involves any thinking at all in the majority of cases.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-27 04:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-27 04:57 pm (UTC)While there are serious Wiccans, the majority of self-identifying ones have done and continue to do no thought whatsoever.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-28 01:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-28 01:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-09-02 04:30 am (UTC)Some of the serious ones are WAY TOO serious, which can also be a drawback, but by and large they've also undergone training and initiation, which tends to weed out the majority of the doing-it-to-piss-off-their-parents crowd. (Just FINDING training requires a certain amount of initiative, and around here, an ability to weed through a certain amount of drama. Also, most covens and churches won't take anyone under 18 for training. Too much potential for problems.)
(My coven isn't Wiccan, though it resembles it outwardly to an extent that most people wouldn't notice a difference.)