For pagans, wiccans...?

Question

Whats your take on christians and other people who are ignorant of your religion when they say things like the following..

"Pagans and or wiccans are devil worshipers"

"its a mythological religion"

" they are possesed by the devil"

(I myself do not have these views but I have seen people post similar things to the above on here and other places)

Exactly how am I spreading hate?? Because I do not view these people to be devil worshipers? or evil people ect.

Answer 1

For the first one, I laugh... Because we do not even believe in the devil, so how can we worship him?

To the second one, I could say the same about theirs. And considering Goddess worship has been around for about 2 (3?) ice ages... that's longer than christianity has been around by several thousands of years.

If I am possessed by the devil... wow.. I didn't even notice. That's an amazing trick. But again, I do not believe in the devil.

I once had an interesting conversation with a woman on a bus when she thought it was ok to spit on me, and call my a satanist. I spent the rest of the 30 minute ride telling her that A) Satanist do not worship Satan at all. And B) that I do not worship satan either. In my beliefs, satan does not exist, neither does heaven, or hell. In the end of the bus ride how ever, she just told me that I had only prooven my heathen ways to her, and that I was going to hell. I reminded her that I didn't believe in hell, and bid her a good day. I think they really need to learn about other religions before calling names because it only insults their inteligence.

Answer 2

First of all, Wicca is a religion of tolerance. We neither condemn other paths nor do Wiccans proselytise (recruit.)

The best defense against ignorance is knowledge. Therefore when confronted by such views you can choose to either educate or ignore the source. If you choose the former, here are a few facts to arm yourself against people ignorant about Wicca.

1) Wiccans can't worship the devil because Wiccans do not believe in an evil deity. The devil was a Christian invention based on depictions of the horned god Cernunnos. Since Wiccans often choose to wear upright pentagrams (the point of the star is pointing straight upwards), we often get confused with Satanists who do worship an "evil" deity. Satanists actually do not consider their deity evil but rather that it is a deification of true freedom and a glorification of the carnal and earthly desires. But, that's a much longer conversation for another day.

2) Every religion has elements of mythology--even Christian religions. For instance, the growing up of Jesus, his sacrifice on the cross and resurrection are themes found in many mythological and Pagan creation myths. Jesus' sacrifice is similar to the Wiccan belief about their God who is born of the Goddess, grows up, and is eventually sacrificed in the winter only to be reborn again in the spring. Remember, changing a single letter can change to son of God to the Sun God.

3) You could always accuse right-wing extremists of being possessed by God. See how ridiculous that sounds? To be more constructive though, I would point out that many Pagans act more christian than Christians. Pagans, Wiccans included are some of the most tolerant, and kind individuals you'll ever meet. Many are herbalists and healers of some repute, so if we're possessed by this evil deity (the devil) why are we doing all this good?

Religious infighting seems to be a favorite past time of mankind. You'll never change a zealot's mind, all you can do is discredit their claims with truth. Speaking of truth, here is an analogy I sometimes use in my classes. Draw a circle with a dot in the center. Then ask how many paths are there from the perimeter of the circle to the center dot. Then answer of course is that there are an infinite number of paths. The same is true for the path to truth. I believe the that no religion (even Wicca) has all of the answers or is the one true religion. But each path is a path to the truth if you are sincere and steadfast in your quest.

Answer 3

Firstly, I do not expect Christians to know much about any religion. I have often found that I know more about Christianity then many of them.

Second, if I am in a good mood, I will translate Christian speak into normal speak.

"Pagans and or wiccans are devil worshipers" = I do not understand you and I am too bigoted to try.

"It's the devil's fault" = I am not up to date on how my religion responds, please try again later.

"Magic is evil" = My religion warned ignorant people to avoid magic or magical thoughts. I am not mature enough to read this without getting lost in a fantasy world.

Etc.

Answer 4

My "take" on it is that we live in different realities.

That's not sarcastic, that's a true thing.

Our reality is shaped by our beliefs and expectations, because those color our experiences. Some of our beliefs come from our needs - some people need the certainty of a black-and-white world, in which things are all one thing or all the opposite.

I know that I don't worship any "devil", and I know that as for the "mythological" aspect, that there is mythos in every religion.

I do get annoyed. I do get impatient. I do get tired of explaining over and over again.

Sometimes I think it's worthwhile to explain, and sometimes it's just not worth my time and effort.

So....sometimes I just say "That's nice, dear, Now run outside and play"

Answer 5

Wicca is a somewhat new faith. It replaced into created interior the 1950's. It replaced into based, partly, on historic Pagan ideals. Paganism is a wide umbrella term for many faiths. basically any faith different than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are seen Pagan. Hinduism, which could be seen Pagan, is reportedly the oldest faith. Paganism as i think of you recommend it (alongside with Druidism and different such religions) is actual older than Christianity. Many Christian holiday journeys, rituals, or maybe Saints are "borrowed" from the Pagan religions. Christmas case in point. same with Easter. Even the trinity. they are all "borrowed" from Pagan ideals. Saint Brigid replaced into at one time a Goddess. She replaced into lifted area and parcel from Pagan ideals and transplanted into Christian Sainthood. The Celts exceeded their religious ideals down by using observe of mouth, they did not have a written background early on. yet that doesn't negate the actuality that it predates Christianity by using quite a while. as a remember of actuality, the Romans forcefully converted the Pagan hundreds throughout the time of Europe ("borrowing" their rituals, holiday journeys and Goddess/Gods to make the conversion extra handy to take). So needless to say, the Pagans have been there first.

Answer 6

Most Christians don't understand what Wicca really is.
They have been brainwashed into thinking it is evil and demonic, which is far from the truth.

I'm not pagan or wiccan, but my take on these "christians" is that they need to do some homework before they start pointing fingers and making accusations. Their doctrines are keeping them in ignorance.

Answer 7

Human ignorance is too pervasive to get upset about. A person could spend his whole life like the kid in Catcher in the Rye, Holden somebodyorother, trying to erase 'F** Y**s off walls.

Answer 8

I think before you can comment on anyone's religion, it is essential to study it first. Therefore, I would not make an assumption about christianity, buddhism, islam, or anything else before I understood what I was talking about. Too many people base their assumptions on whatever they have been told, instead of reading for themselves.
I think that is the main problem...ignorant, uneducated, biased people.

Answer 9

Eh. Take it from it's source. I can't help but think that Christians are close-minded, ignorant folk who have been sold on a ridiculous concept. That's not to say I can't stand them, just that I consider their religion to be very silly. Spiritually stultifying even.

Answer 10

If they're that ignorant to not even research a tiny part of my religion (on their own, not through their religion's scratched goggles) before declaring it 'evil' or whatever, they're not worth the time to fend off.