Who came up with the term Dark Paganism and how is it different from White Paganism?

Question

How many Pagan paths make use of all colors the universe has to offer and not just black, grey and white?

Answer 1

Dark Paganism is more of a psychological view... one who is a Dark Pagan confronts their "darker" side and tries to understand it. Either by fixing what they view as a problem or learning to use it in a positive way. There really isn't a Dark or White Path, even though many use these labels to describe themselves. I think most of those who claim they are White Wiccans/Pagans are simply trying to dispell the bad image Wicca and Paganism has received (and therefore end up looking like "Whitelighters" to the rest of us).

As for who came up with the term, I'm not sure... though John Coughlin made an impact with his book about Dark Paganism (a good book too, in my lowly opinion). Seems when his book came out, though, a lot of Pagans started using the term Dark Pagan, without reading the book itself.

Sometimes I wonder if some Pagans think Paganism is an amusement park, rather than valid spiritual paths.

Answer 2

Dark paganism is a term made up by people who want to make themselves sound bada$$. There really isn't "dark" or "light" paganism, since pagans recognize both the dark and the light in nature, so everything is really more grey. I suppose there are some pagans who focus on the darker aspects of nature, but I suspect they're few and far between, since focusing on the darker aspects of nature means ignoring the lighter aspects of nature, and most pagans are very balanced.

Answer 3

Okay, I have only been on the pagan path about 6 years and still have a lot to learn and have been Wiccan ony 3.

If I understand it correctly, the dark path refers to the use of negative magic to harm people, like putting a curse on someone you are mad at and such and they do not have any problems casting love spells to force someone to love them.

White magic such as what we in Wicca practice is only done for the good and we must ask ourselves if it harms anyone and if so we do not not do it. We do not try and force people do do things against their will.

There are grey areas in magic, but it is still mainly black and white because the bottom line is harm none. Don't try and control others.

This is how I see it at this time, like I said I am still learning.

Answer 4

I am a Pagan and I have only heard the colour term used for witches as christian propaganda has made it hard for witches of any path to be seen as normal people, they therefore call themselves white witches, to try to help those who lack understanding of the Pagan way realise that they are good people.

Answer 5

It's kind of like when they realized that two Sith were not enough to fight and had to invent Dark Jedi.

Answer 6

i have never heard that term,but i would think dark represents evil and lost

Answer 7

It's darker