It's trendy to be a "Pagan"?

Question

I've seen a couple of remarks this weekend that claimed those in Paganism were doing so simply to be "trendy". I wonder... how long have the Pagans been Pagan?

I'll start. I've been a Pagan for 24 years. I am 36 (might as well say 37 - one more month and I'm there). Do the math. That's some "Trend".

Corrosionfactor - Which religion was started in the 70's? Wicca was started in the 40's in England. I'm not Wiccan. I'm Celtic Recon which works with ancient rites of the different religious beliefs of the Celts. Again... that's some Trend. One that's been around longer that most of the Religions "alive" today.

lazarus- I understand it CAN be trendy (I've been around long enough to know when I see a Trendy Pagan). But the religions themselves aren't Trendy. It's not like people are joining up by the thousands just because it's "Cool" lol There's a difference. You can say a person is doing it because they feel it's Trendy to do so. It's totally another thing when a person does it because they have some kind of connection outside of the "Coolness".

Actually the question is more to point out to others that it's not always a Trendy thing when someone claims to be a Pagan.

ROFL corrosion!!! Your granny told you about it??? Come on... This is something different than growing long hair because it is "unacceptable". Yes in Greek it was "country dweller". It didn't become used as a Religious Term till the Catholic Church started using it as a description for those hillbillies that didn't fall in line with the stated Religion - Christianity. But if you wish to go with the original meaning of the word... I'm still a Pagan. I live in the hillz of Caintuckee. LOL Animist is another definition for it... I can agree with that, to a degree. But that only describes that all natural things have a "soul"/spirit. That hardly represents the religion(s) as a whole. You didn't do enough study. ;-)

Whillow95 - I am so sorry to hear that, but glad to know that you are following what you feel is right. =)

Sherl - Thanks for your response... and I have to agree with your teacher lol =)

Answer 1

Oh, yeah, definitely. Heck, it was just a college thing for me. Too bad it's been 10 years since college. Guess I just haven't found a way to break things off. ::rolls eyes::

Eh, I guess some people do it as a trendy thing - and, unfortunately, those tend to be the more visible ones. Most of the long-timers I know tend to fly under the radar because they're average folk, and don't do anything terribly odd to attract undue attention.

Answer 2

Guess it depends on how you define being "Pagan". Since few if any Pagans/Neo-Pagans/Wiccans claim to have gone through a "conversion", I think most of us can claim having that Pagan feeling for most if not all of our lives. I remember being 8 years old and singing a spell to the stars that came true. My father was from Peru and so I consider myself half Native American, and we redskins could be considered indigenous Pagans (not Neo-Pagans). Wiccan stuff has been around before Gardner. English and Irish Witches claim to have banded together to cause the storm that sank the Spanish Armada in 1558. So unfortunately I think dates and definitions are impossible. Maybe what you're asking is why there is an outpouring of people proclaiming their allegiance and how far that dates back? Again dates and definitions are pretty impossible, but I think it started in the Summer of Love, 1967, when Americans started exploring all sorts of spiritual areas that had once been taboo, and in the 30 years since, we've had ebbs and flows of acceptance and people hounding us. Sometimes it's fun and sometimes it's not. This year it has astounded me the level of retail Halloween witch stuff that's available!! If you go to any Halloween costume place and count the number of female costumes and determine the percentage of them that are witch costumes, I bet you'd come up with more than half. Not that we're more acceptable or less feared, mind you, but more prevalent! ;)

Answer 3

In a couple of weeks I'll be 47 and I'm afraid I'm long past being trendy in anything!
I have been pagan for about 20 years, and it wasn't trendy at all then, in fact, I don't think anyone had ever really heard about it.
I do agree though there there are 'fashion pagans' out there all black and purple clothes covered in lace lol. But they may grow to a deeper understanding, or they may just grow out of it.........its no worse than any other trend though is it?

Answer 4

I can't say that it's "Trendy" here....

I've been a Hellenic Polytheist since I was about 18, even though I made an attempt to "act Christian" because of an abusive relationship for a portion of that time.

And considering that I'm now 40.... The math is obvious....

And considering that there is evidence that the worship of the Greek Gods may have been continuous in part of either Pakistan or Afghanistan since the time of Alexander the Great among descendants of his soldiers, I would say that being a Hellenic Polytheist is a very LONG-LIVED so-called "trend"

*phah!*

Answer 5

Unfortunately this is true many young people in the pagan religions such as Wicca do it because they think its cool to clam to be a witch.I have been pagan now for over 50 years and have seam them come and go.After a period of time those who are into it just to be cool will lose interest and move on.

Answer 6

No, it's definitely not trendy to be PAGAN..

It does seem that it's trendy to be an IRABO* neo-wiccan, though, especially if all you have to do is dress in black, slap on a pentacle and read $ilver Ravenwolf.

Or pretend that you're one of the characters in the movie "The Craft".


* I Read a Book, Once


I've been a Pagan Witch all my life, though I didn't understand what it was until around 30 years ago.

Answer 7

Yep, a trend that began in the 1970s with other fluff bunny stuff. Eckankar, Western Buddhism, Pagan/Wiccan, a reaction against established faiths. Oh, and don't forget EST, I think it's still lurking out there.

Edit: Sad how few know the word pagan is from old Roman, meaning country dweller. Today we call them hicks, hillbillies, rednecks, etc. Along the centuries, somebody decided old animist beliefs should be called pagan. Enough said.

I know about what you call Celtic paganism. My grandparents were from Scotland. I asked lots of questions of my grannie and have done my own studies. Animist is closer to the definition.

As far as the trendy part goes, it was like having long hair in school back in the late 1960s/early 1970s. We wanted to show we were rebels, as do the young people today who claim Pagan/Wicca. And yes, we were trendy though we denied it.

Answer 8

True religion/spirituality is not about trends; it's about doing what's right for you. You're a true Pagan, unlike some who may claim to be just because it is "trendy." Those people won't last long in any religion! (I'm not a Pagan...but I have friends who are. And again, they're true Pagans, not just people who are following some trend.)

Answer 9

i think that we are born to be what we're supposed to be. sometimes it just takes a little while to find our path.

i don't want to sound like i believe our every step is preordained, because i don't believe that. we choose what we need to learn before we come here. whether we listen to our higher selves is up to us.

i've been pagan for more than half my life, but i've always been drawn to the earth religions. even when i was trying to do the christian thing for my mom. that was a mistake.

my teacher called those pagan wannabes those fairy and light people...lol.

i thought emo was the trend of the day...

bright blessings.

Answer 10

Ive been a Wiccan for several years now. My teacher has been one for over 12 years, her teacher for over 20. I plan to continue practicing wicca for many years to come as it leaves me with a feeling of peace and happiness. I feel like I have come home finally.

I may not be the best wiccan but I am working to improve. I plan to keep studying and some day teach it to others.