With the increase of fascination in witchcraft, WICCA and Vampires, yes that's right, Vampires, today, we've been talking on the show about, not the fantasy surrounding ghosts and ghouls, but the reality of two new trends in American culture.
The movie, "Twilight," and the upcoming release of "New Moon," has young people celebrating vampirism right here in the U.S.A. As a matter of fact, did you hear about the town in Washington state where celebrating the stars of the movies, based on the novels by Stephanie Meyer, the Mayor declared a day of observance to do just that. If not, you can hear all about it in my interview with the author of the new book, "Touched by a Vampire" Beth Felker Jones. (Listen to that show HERE)
Would you believe that witchcraft (WICCA) is reportedly America's fastest growing religion today according to recent studies? Teens are being drawn to it in record numbers, and it is estimated that by the year 2012, WICCA could be the third largest religion in America.
Hollywood has targeted young people through productions on the occult. such as Practical Magic, Charmed, The Craft, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood, the Vampire Diaries, and others, and these appear to have had a huge impact.
One movie, "Jennifer's Body," is resurrecting the satanic demon/vampire Lilith, as one blogger wrote, conditioning the masses for the antichrist.
All this begs the question: how can beliefs and things practiced by satanists so capture popular culture? Even Toys R Us is marketing the phenomena!
Credit in great part can be given to the mainstream media, by saturating the market with movies and television series with such themes as those mentioned above.
So, what is the real history of vampirism, and what are the origins of the gothic trend? We talk about all this on the show this week.
It is definitely true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and perhaps no where more important, than in this arena.
© Sharon Hughes 2009
Sharon Hughes is Founder and President of The Center for Changing Worldviews and a radio talk show host on KDIA in San Francisco, and online at Salem Web Network’s Oneplace.com. Her articles appear in many recognized news sites and publications, including FRONTPAGEMAG. She also writes for NewsBusters.org, a division of The Media Research Center, and has appeared on FOX News and other national radio programs. For further information and other radio networks she is on visit her Websites www.changingworldviews.com, WOMANTalk.us, and Blog http://changingworldviews.blogspot.com. Facebook http://www.facebook.com/cwsharon, Twitter http://twitter.com/sharonhughes_ Or Contact: sharon@changingworldviews.com
