Calling People Fluffy Bunnies

Maybe you were wondering when I would get to this topic. Maybe not. Either way, it's a long overdue topic. I am talking, of course, about a term that I truly despise: fluff(y) bunny.

Many experienced Pagans/Witches/etc. out there (as well as quite a few of those newer to this whole thang) love to throw this term around. What, precisely, does it mean? Do they know? Chances are they do not. They probably have their own definition of the term, which is why it seems to be applied to so many people.

For some, a fluffy bunny is one who believes only in the lighter, whiter, brighter side of the occult. These people think even the darkest goddesses are big sweetie pies who have been misunderstood. Try calling Kali a big sweetie and see what happens. No, seriously, try it. The people who are calling our 'white witches' fluffy bunnies believe that in order to accept the light, you must also embrace the dark. If you can't harm, you can't heal, for example. I can see that. I tend to see everything in shades of gray rather than black and white, but I think that it's important to know about the less kind aspects of spell casting. I mean, if you're going to do it, you should learn everything you possibly can, even if you don't plan on using it. But I digress.

Other sources refer to fluffy bunnies as InstaWiccans - people who pick up one book and automatically think they are experts. The 'natural/hereditary' witches. The ones who call themselves witches or Wiccan/Pagan just to turn a few heads. The ones who are in it just for the fashion. Check out this site for more: http://wicca.timerift.net/fluffy.shtml

One bit of information from that site that I want to stress here is this: Being new does NOT make you a so-called "fluffy bunny". Honestly, calling anyone a fluffy bunny makes you sound pretentious and obnoxious. The people who meet the criteria aggravate me just as much as the people who use that damned term. Instead of rolling your eyes and calling someone a fluffy bunny (because YOU'RE so very experienced and already know everything about light and dark magic, your path, etc.), why don't you set a good example and actually talk to the person and at least attempt to teach him/her something? If the person won't listen, then you can roll your eyes as you're walking away. Or, I don't know, grease her broomstick or something.