The Virtual Pagan: Exploring Wicca and Paganism Through the Internet

This is one of those books that has a definite audience. Whiel most of the information in it will be familiar to the majority of people reading this review, there are people for whom it is perfect. Those people are the ones who may or may not be new to paganism, but who are relatively new to the Internet. The general overview of the book is that it's Wicca 101 + Internet 101 - the pagan internet 101. McSherry explains the basics of both Wicca and getting online with excellent detail--she thinks of pretty much everything. It's a good berginner's book just for that material. However, where this book really shines is in online group dynamics. It's obvious she has the experience she claims, as her writing is thoroughly backed up by anecdotes. She's careful to explain how online communication differs from in-person communication, how misunderstandings can arise even easier, and how to deal with a setting that is more easily left than a HPS' home. She also guides the reader through reasons to (or not to) join up with an online group. I only have two very minor quibbles. First, she uses Wiccan and pagan interchangably, and on p. 9 says that all pagasn follow the Wiccan Rede. That's not so--I and many other pagans follow neither the Rede nor any ethical statement like it. The other minor gripe is on p. 45, she says not to follow any group that accepts outlandish things like pop culture entities and the Illumunati as "truth". As someone who has worked my fair share of pop culture magic (and who is married to Taylor Ellwood, author of the book, "Pop Culture Magick") I do have to disagree that modern mythology is less effective *in practice* than ancient mythology. If we can use modern ritual tools to work with ancient beings, we can also use modern (and ancient) technology to work with modern mythology. However, those two points are two very minor disagreements I have, and they do not take aweay from the quality or purpose of the book. If you know somebody who's just getting online, and they're pagan (new or not) pickup a copy of "The Virtual Pagan" for them. I really wish I'd had this back in the mid-90's when I first discovered paganism and the internet about the same time, becuase it *really* would have made my introduction a lot smoother--and probably helped me to avoid some of my early flame wars!

I was a computer illiterate! After exploreing the PC with the help of friends and family I felt better about my skill. I read this book and now, I am a 'thoroughly modern witch'. Not too bad for an old Crone. Thanks for writing this book so that even I can understand.

Lisa McSherry's Virtual Pagan provides a virtual map for getting online, creating a Pagan group, and keeping it vital. The basics of computer user, from email etiquette to building a cyber altar, are here to appeal to a mixed audience of beginners and those with some experience who want to translate the computer world to a meaningful spiritual environment.

This unassuming looking little book is a gem. As a twenty-one year veteran Witch, I have read and reviewed many books on the subject of Wicca, Witchcraft and Paganism. Out of the three books out there on this particular subject, this one is the most concise, useful and practical book I have found.McSherry gives perfectly sensible guidelines for how to get on the Net, how to find Pagans once you are there and what to do with them after you find them. Her chapters that discuss what a coven is and is not is useful for anyone who is thinking of joining one, whether in cyberspace or in the "real world," and her dos and don'ts for online communication should be emblazoned upon the hearts of everyone on the net. She accurately portrays various positive and negative Pagan archetypal personalities one may find on the Internet, and in doing so, gives the practitioner a taste for what the virtual Pagan community is like in an accurate, consise format.If you only want one book about Paganism and the net, this is the one; the others, which I have also read are vastly inferior.