Is it normal to be wiccan or other pagan?

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15 Comments

I know Pagans (of which Wiccans are a subset) are way in the religious minority, but wondered if people think it's OK or not OK to be Pagan. Paganism is by far the fastest growing religion in the US, but members still only amount to around one million. And it's the fifth largest religion in the US (larger than Buddhism), if you lump all the Christians together as one group. There are actually more Pagans in Europe.

I thought this would be a good time to ask since Easter was originally the major Pagan sabbat called Ostara (from Eostre). It was a celebration of Spring and fertility. The celebrations included rabbits (because of their fertility), egg decorating, and decorating with plants and flowers. No coincidence we still have the Easter bunny and these other forms of celebration. Other Pagan sabbats that were covered over by the Christians include Samhain (All Hallows Eve/All Saints Day - Halloween), Yule (Christmas), Beltane (May Day).

Your thoughts? Is it OK/normal to be Pagan?

Voting Results
67% Normal
Based on 36 votes (24 yes)
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Comments ( 15 )
  • XvoltaireX
    8 years ago

    One of my childhood friends is a Lavayan Satanist and he subscribes to paganism. He's one of the greatest human beings i know. As of now, he's studying law at Harvard University, and every Christmas he'd bring gifts to the orphanage he grew up in. When we were in high school, i'd help him set up seances in his basement. I'd even stay and join him, despite i don't believe in the same things he does. It was finish homework, then attempt to invoke some entity that would bring peace.

    As for Wiccans, Wiccans have always felt to me like hippies. Except the kind of hippies that aren't annoying, and don't try to force their views on you. Cooler hippies.

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  • stopandthink
    8 years ago

    I'm sorry, but I highly despise Wiccans since I found out my ex girlfriend was one.
    She was keeping it all hidden, her little rituals and meetings, all that time she hadn't bothered to tell me. She even went to one of their little 'dance around naked' meetings for two whole fucking days, telling me it was camping.
    Anecdotes aside, even without that, I don't see why anyone in their right mind would follow a cultist group with no deep moral foundation, modern origins, unfixed stance on the world's creation, wear black robes, and all round perform 'magic rituals', some of which I dare not speak of.
    It's too bad that nitwits are falling for this day by day.

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  • thegypsysailor
    8 years ago

    IMO anyone who purports to ascribe to paganism in any form is doing so only to be different and seek attention, just like the goths, for instance.

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    • Ellenna
      8 years ago

      Not fair gypsysailor: you're judging all pagans by the attention-seeking ones. There are very many pagans who quietly live their lives and follow their beliefs without advertising them

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      • Anonymous Post Author
        8 years ago

        Thanks. "An it harm none, do what ye will."

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      • thegypsysailor
        8 years ago

        Fair enough.

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        • Ellenna
          8 years ago

          Now that's VERY strange, yr above post isn't the same as the one which appeared in my in box, where you said you'd change it to pagans who flaunt their beliefs .... now why would that be?

          I'd amend it further, to anyone who flaunts their religious/spiritual beliefs and I reckon the mainstream churches are far more guilty of that than pagans are

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      8 years ago

      True Pagans, especially the Wicca, do not seek undue attention. Most keep their faith underwraps to varying degrees because of others misunderstanding the religion. In fact, proselytizing (recruiting and advertising) is only to be done sparingly and discreetly.

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  • LizardSkin
    8 years ago

    I don't think the synagogue of Satan are handing out invitations.

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  • RB190
    8 years ago

    Modern day Pagan faiths aren't the same as back in the day, a lot of the customs have changed and there is no official divine chain of command that can be claimed.

    Modern day Pagans tend to simply be people trying to either play act or revive old faiths or new age stuff based off of extinct pagan religions.

    They may use similar iconography and symbols may have retained their original meanings, but they aren't the same, most modern day Pagan religions were invented in relatively recent times and don't have any original roots connecting them directly to pre-Christian beliefs.

    Much like the modern day Templars, they claim to be the descendants and inheritors of the original Templar Knight Order, but have no real connection to the extinct organization, it's just people from the outside trying to revive something they find endearing based off of information that they have been able to collect, as a result you'll see these new belief systems tend to be more humanist without any real moral code nor actual prayer rituals holding any actual divine significance.

    There are many religions still alive which are not a part of the Big 3, and many tribes and different cultures have retained their true religions, sadly Wicca and the neo pagan faiths aren't one of them.

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    • Ellenna
      8 years ago

      "Humanist without any real moral code"??? You know nothing about humanism or you wouldn't make such a ridiculous statement

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      8 years ago

      I'm actually a High Priest in a Wiccan coven. Much of what you've said isn't true. Wiccans have well-defined, detailed rituals and moral codes. One thing you said is true - we do try to follow the old practices, but next to none of it still exists in writing and the witch hunts sent pagans "underground" and even talk about it to pass on information died down. But a good deal of knowledge about ritual work is still known. Otherwise, we've had to rebuild.

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      • RB190
        8 years ago

        So would you be considered actual descendants of the pre-Christian religion, or are you descendants of the people who refounded the wiccan faith long after Christianity had dissolved the original practices; I mean to say is your faith the same one from pre 20 BC or are you the descendants of the wiccan faith that originated/was reborn in the 1700-1800s.

        because if you're not the ones from pre-Christian times nor the ones from before the conquest of the British isles or Ireland, then you aren't actually the same people.

        and do you rituals have actual divine meaning, do you guys have a concept of the soul(a thing common in all original faiths)

        Because it seems more like the actual religion died out and some people tried to bring it back to life. do you still possess the meaning behind most of your scripture or about how rituals are supposed to work(not the technique but the meaning behind them)

        do you have an origin myth or any information on the after life? do you believe in God (not talking about specifics but the general concept of creation common in other religions)

        as a High Priest do you claim direct contact with our maker? do you have any special information or guidance given to you? are you in your position a leader of your faith like the Pope is for Roman Catholics?

        do you have any general divine law of things permitted and forbidden?

        If you have rebuilt your faith you cannot claim it to be the same faith as the original unless logically you have approval from the source of the original information.

        i.e. if God(again not talking about the Abrahamic concept) created your faith via revelation, as all religions claim, then after your faith was purged and then rediscovered, the only way that it can be accepted as being accurate and as a continuation is if you can claim that it was accepted by the original source.

        assuming God created you religion and that such a thing exists for arguments sake.

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        • Anonymous Post Author
          8 years ago

          Wow, too many questions to answer with a post. Go to wicca.com to find out more. That site has a Celtic Wiccan bent to it, but still has useful info.

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          • RB190
            8 years ago

            okay

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