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Warning: The answers here reflect the opinions of individuals in WPSA, not the organization as a whole. WPSA celebrates diversity in all forms, so we recognize that there are a variety of differing and opposing views. These answers should not be construed as the absolute or final answer.
The words paganism and pagan come from the Latin "paganus," meaning "country dweller." Today, Paganism (also known as Neo-Paganism) is a religion that celebrates reverence for the Earth and all its creatures. Pagans generally see all life as interconnected, and tend to strive to attune one's self to the manifestation of this belief as seen in the cycles of nature. Pagans are usually polytheistic (believing in more than one god) and/or pantheistic (believing god exists in all things), but some are monotheistic, and still others are atheistic.
Traditional Wicca, based on the teachings of Gerald Gardner, is coven based and each coven can trace its lineage back to Gardner himself. There are offshoots of Gardnerian Traditional Wicca such as Alexandrian Wicca, Georgian Wicca and many others. Most Traditional Wiccans believe in the balance of male-female divinity. A newer form of Wicca has developed since the 1970's which is looser in structure and practice than the Traditional Wicca. These practitioners may follow a mixture of various or "eclectic' pagan and/or non-pagan beliefs. However there are many individuals who prefer to practice alone, they are known as solitaries. Wicca worships the sacred as immanent in nature, drawing much of its inspiration from the pre-Christian religions of Europe.
The popular image of a Satanist as a demon-summoning, baby-eating sinister figure has been greatly exaggerated, mostly by those who want to shock people. Some Satanists consider themselves to be Pagan, in that they acknowledge a pantheon of deities. Some do not. We would be hard pressed to explain exactly what a Satanist is, But if what you really want to know is if Pagans sacrifice babies and worship Evil incarnate, the answer is no - and neither do most Satanists, actually.
The pentagram, or five pointed star, is not Satanic. Pythagoras used it as a symbol of health and his followers wore them in order to recognize one another. In Medieval times, some Christian knights used the pentagram as their symbol. To modern Wiccans the pentagram means many things; The five points correspond to the elements Air, Earth, Fire and Water with the top point corresponding to "Spirit". The pentagram in a circle may also represent a human with their legs and arms outstretched, surrounded by universal wisdom or the "Goddess" - humankind at one with the environment.
Yes. Well, some do anyway. However, the term "spell" is widely misunderstood. Spells, are somewhat like prayers and are used to create needed change in one's own life or the life of a loved one. But while prayers are a petition to an external Deity to create the change, most Witches and Wiccans believe that Deity is present in everything, including ourselves. Spells, then, are the channeling of our own divine selves, our own energies, to create the change. Spells such as those which use love magic to gain the attention of a specific individual, or curses, are considered "manipulative". Most Wiccans believe that anything manipulative-that goes against the free will of another-is considered wrong. Many other pagan paths have similar codes of conduct based upon the tenets of their tradition or belief and almost all believe that the responsibility for their actions will lie with them.
Pretty much what everybody does. We come from all walks of life. We raise families, go to work, throw steaks (or vegetables) on the "barbie" and hang out with our friends. We practice our religions and belief systems, celebrate our holidays with festivals and continue to study and explore our past while contemplating our futures. Many covens and groups meet once a month to worship together under the moon. Pagans tend to hold ceremonies or "circles" out of doors as we feel that being with nature brings us closer to the divinity who creates it. Some pagan beliefs may seem strange to those who have not heard much about them before. Pagans, on the other hand, are usually very well versed in the beliefs of other religions. They find the various religious systems interesting and often encourage their own children to learn about these other religions. Pagans believe in free will and free choice and that an educated choice is always better than blind obedience to any religion or dogma. We are not "against" other religions. We have simply made our choice to be pagan and we expect others to respect that choice as we respect theirs. All that we ask is that we are allowed to practice our religion without prejudice or interference as is our right guaranteed here in the United States under the Constitution and as outlined within the constitutions of many other countries. The freedom to practice religion -or no religion-as you choose-whether it be Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Pagan-is the freedom to follow your spirit and your heart. This precious freedom must be defended, protected and treasured by all or it will no longer be guaranteed for anyone. |