"I wanna be Wiccan because I'm in tune with nature". Riigghhtt...

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I think the one phrase I loathe and detest the most with people either IN a Pagan religion or thinking of becoming part of a Pagan religion is "in tune with nature". Whenever I hear this phrase, the epitome of fluffiness pops into my head, and they lose all credibility for me.

I mean, it's like the only ones who say this are those who have no clue what they're talking about and/or have learned what they know from shoddy sources like Fiona Horne or $ilver Ravenwolf.

What's that supposed to mean, anyways? What does it mean to be "in tune with nature"? Does this mean you somehow communicate better with nature than anyone else (in a Pagan sense)? Does it mean you believe you see the cartoon-representation of fairies jumping up and down on mushrooms in bright sunlit woodland groves?

I've yet to have ONE person who uses this phrase explain it to me, despite asking over and over. No one can detail to me what it means to be "in tune" with nature. I have good intuition and feel great comfort and calmness whenever I'm in a natural setting, but I don't go around bragging to people that I'm "in tune with nature, and that makes me Wiccan".

Anyone can be "in tune" with nature, that has NOTHING to do with being Pagan. There are plenty of Christian AND Atheist botanists, naturalists, environmentalists, etc who don't go around saying "I'm Christian..." or "I'm Atheist, therefore Im in tune with nature". These people are probably in tune as much as any Pagan with nature...maybe more so because they work so closely with nature, and it has ZERO to do with their spirituality. In fact, I think it would make MORE sense for these botanists, naturalists, environmentalists to make the claim "in tune with nature", than Pagans because I think these people have more education in the natural field than most Pagans. The Pagans who make the claim that they're "in tune" with nature generally are the type who've read maybe 2 Pagan related books and believe they know everything (note I say generally).

I think it's just generally irritating for me to see someone say they want to learn something like Wicca, but feel the need to add that they're "in tune with nature" as if that's some prerequisite to be part of the religion. Reverence for nature is certainly a plus, but hardly a requirement.