Jera wrote:
...its more important that they should listen to that voice for guidance than rely solely what they read online or in books.


This is indeed the idea. Problem is we have so many people growing up in western societies now, that have been taught the written word is holy and that little voice inside is to be ignored. So many are cut off from their own inner guidance, they need to read the various descriptions so they can start sorting out what is what. Its hoped as they go along, their intuition will kick start again. Sadly though, for many (especially wiccans), it becomes 'well the founder of my way says its done like this'.

I see nothing wrong with having a list of what we aren'ts. People do their little foray into witchcraft, which usually means a stop over at wiccaville on the way. They pick up all these ideas of what being a witch means. Then they decide to take the scenic route one day and come across this thing called 'traditional'. in their mind, the map of the landscape, says its this way, with these buildings over here. If they get confronted by a page saying 'actually no, we aren't', they very quickly get the idea they aren't in Kansas anymore! It really does help cut through the muck at the start.

What is traditional witchcraft? What images come to mind? You say its this and I will disagree. I will say its that and the person over there, will say its something entirely different. So far, there is more agreement on what it isn't that what it is, so faqs pages are going to reflect that. For one thing, I don't like being blessed. If I want to be blessed I'll go to a christian preacher because I see that as their domain. A lot of trad witches I've come across have a similar view. Yet, another group I'm in say they don't mind. Mind you, most of them have come out of wicca so don't really 'get it'. To them working with Hecate is about as trad as they'll get.