Wiccan's and Pagans?

Question

I would like to know how many people are Wiccan and Pagan in the United States. I would also like to know why people think Wiccan and Pagan religion is of the Christian devil?

Answer 1

"A study by Ronald Hutton compared a number of different sources (including membership lists of major UK organizations, attendance at major events, subscriptions to magazines, etc.) and used standard models for extrapolating likely numbers. This estimate accounted for multiple membership overlaps as well as the number of adherents represented by each attendee of a Neopagan gathering. Hutton estimated that there are 250,000 Neopagan adherents in the United Kingdom, roughly equivalent to the national Hindu community (Hutton, 2001).

In the United States, the ARIS 2001 study based on a poll conducted by The Graduate Center at The City University of New York found that an estimated 140,000 people self-identified as pagans; 134,000 self-identified as Wiccans; and 33,000 self-identified as Druids. This would bring the total of groups largely accepted under the modern popular western definition of Neopagan to 307,000. Other groups measured in the report, such as Native Americans, New Agers and a significant portion of Unitarian Universalists, could be categorized under this definition, but many of these adherents would not consider themselves pagan nor would the mainstream pagan communities accept them as such.

The Covenant of the Goddess conducted a poll of U.S. and Canadian Neopagans in 1999 that estimated the population in those countries at 768,400. This would seem to support the view that there are at least one million adherents, worldwide. This poll was not scientific and represents a self selected subset of all Neopagans, but it does provide some interesting insights that confirm what many Neopagans have observed anecdotally. Some other statistics from this poll are:

* 65% of respondents were between 26 and 39 years of age (Neopaganism appears to be particularly popular among young people)
* 86% were registered to vote, a figure much higher than the national average
* There were nearly three times as many women as men (71%)
* 13% have served in the Armed Forces, and Neopagan women served at a higher rate than the general population - 32% of Neopagans who reported having been in the Armed Forces were female"

Christianity assumes that anyone not Christian is a devil worshipper. There is not tolerance for diversity in Christianity.

Answer 2

This site might help.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_nbr2.htm

This site states that, as of 2001 in the US

Wiccans: 134,000 (A rise from 8,000 in 1990!)
Pagans: 140,000
Druids: 33,000

In Canada, as of 2001, reported by Stats Canada (interesting because I don't remember being asked what my religion is during that time. Then again, it was a long time ago).

Wiccans and Neopagans: 21,080

And also states that

"If we assume that Canada and the U.S. have similar cultures and thus have a similar percentage of Wiccans, then there would be on the order of 197,429 Wiccans among the estimated 277.60 million Americans, compared to the 29.64 million Canadians. "

I've heard it said by newspapers and television news programs that Wicca is the greatest threat to Christianity in centuries.

Answer 3

You can count me as a Pagan. Pagan is a broad term that is a "umbrella" term that describes a various of denominations - know to Pagans as Traditions - including the following: Celtic, Ceremonial Magick, Asatru, Santeria, Druidism, Voudon, Shamanism, Eclectic, Solitary, Wicca, etc. and various of the above. The term "Pagan" means "country dweller" we do not believe in a "devil" Pagans were around before Christianity and to try to persuade Pagans to the Christian religion they put their holidays next to ours. Also the stories of the bible are similar to stories of Pagans (refer to book titled: Deceptions and Myths of the Bible" by Lloyd M. Graham. The Christians got the Devil from the God of Cernnunos the horned God.

"No war has been fought in the name of Wicca"

Answer 4

Paganism is a catch all phrase for various fruitloops and lost souls who model themselves after wicca. Wicca has specific roots in satanism. As in the entire ritualistic part of wicca was taken directly from satanism by the guy who made the whole thing up...Gerald Gardner. My personal opinion is that Gardner was a satanist (he certainly spent most of his time around satanists and took all of his rituals from satanism, word for word) and that the point of wicca is to trick people who otherwise would have nothing to do with satanism into practicing it. Note that almost all pagans use the same rituals. Although not as specifically satanic in its origins (paganism is more a commercial enterprise about selling books and other crap to the weak minded), the rituals are exactly the same.

http://www.churchofsatan.org/vera.html

So. Why do people think wiccans and pagans are all about the christian devil? Because they are. Most are simply ignorant of the history of their "religion". They are so arrogant and quick to disparage Christianity that they never bother to do a little basic research, let alone read the major texts having to do with what they are getting into. Of course, that is just the idiots. The major players in these movements know full well what they are doing. They are intentionally deceiving (actually, just not emphasizing what is open for anyone with an internet connection and a few minutes of time on their hands to find out for themselves) others toward an evil end.

Answer 5

Aiya. How many of us are there? I have no clue, but, we're growing freakishly fast in numbers.

Christians consider Wiccans and Pagans of the Devil because of two verses in the King James version of the Bible. Namely, "Suffer not a witch to live".

People fear what they don't understand. People hate what they fear.

- 16 yo Pagan

Answer 6

There are about 33-50 thousand Wiccians, and about 100 thousand other Pagans.

The answer to your second question is simply, that is how Christianity has portrayed it.

Answer 7

The god of the old religion becomes the devil of the new. Therefor the old pagan archetype of the Horned God, a nature tending, powerful male diety, was transmutated into the image of the horned, hoofy devil.

Answer 8

Well when the Christians werent slaughtering those who didn't agree with them (look it up) they needed someone to blame for the evils of the world. They are no better than the militant side of the muslim population.

Answer 9

no clue how many we are--the numbers aren't that important to us

the church is losing people to our way of life right left and sideways because of our freedom, people can still be christians and incorporate it into their faith, we don't tell people what to do or what not to do, ande we don't judge--our one law is love--people are realizing that they need an individual path that agrees with their lives, their values, and their needs--the church cannot change, or update it's stale old rules and regulations. It cannot rid itself of the stench of brimstone or threats of hellfire and damnation, so it does what it does best and preaches hatred and damnation against us--demonizes us--you'll have that

Answer 10

cus christian have distorted info about it wicca and pagan religion is working with the universl energies and no 1rule in wicca is don't harm any1 help ppl if is necessary with their permission capishthe devil is negative energy opposition to the light when they connect each other klike short in electrical wires u see white light