what is the most annoying part about being a pagan?

Question

i get annoyed all the time by people calling me a devil worship when i think the devil is a just a **** *** nobody. i also get annoyed when they call me a healer because im a pagan wiccan and even though its kinda a compliment, they show they know nothing about my religion. its also annoying when christians tell me i'm wrong and going to hell. i dont believe in hell!! they tell me to convert and that is the only way to make my soul pure again, but i dont ever tell a christian to convert to a pagan.

christians dont seem to realize when theyre trying to convert someone, because they regard it as normal and all should be a christian.

i love my religion. i only want to hear and know the truth and not some lies that christians or pagans have made up.

im shocked by my amount of answers. thanks, i respect almost everyone's opinion. even those who arent pagan. people who judge others by their religion are just messed up. i feel all the pagan's pain who posted here. im afraid teachers will change my grade and i wont even tell my parents because they went to church every sunday for almost 30 years. i wont wear my pentacle out when im in public (without my parents)because people will stare or point. i always keep it with me because i am proud though. im also annoyed by the stereotypes and jokes because most of them are wrong. we shouldnt have to go through this for our religion. we deserve respect without constant, are you sure or why or what wrong with you?
ohh . . . and horomonakingi and Jesus Saved This Lost Lamb, you can go and rot in your non existant hell. and i dont know the story about daniel in the lions den.

Answer 1

I agree with you, being told that I worship some non-existent devil, or that I am going to hell, are both very annoying. I haven't yet been to I need to convert, although if someone had the nerve to try that, I would tell them I am a pagan and a Witch and have zero plans to go back to Christianity.

The other thing I find EXTREMELY annoying about being a pagan is that people do not take it seriously. You can tell someone that you are a Christian or Jewish, and there is no incredulity, no feeling that this is not a real or valid and recognized spiritual path. Tell them you are a pagan and you might get some raised eyebrows, maybe a snicker. Tell them a Witch and you might get outright laughter bc they think you are kidding.

I personally find it VERY insulting. Our path is just as right to us as theirs is to them.

What a terrific question!
Bright Blessings,
Lady Morgana )0(

Answer 2

Christians know absolutely nothing about Paganism, Wicca, and Witchcraft. Nothing. But they believe they're all-knowing for some reason. They call anybody that isn't Christian a devil worshipper whenever they get the opportunity.

When they are told that Pagans, Witches, and Wiccans do not believe in their devil and that the devil and hell is a Christian concept and NOT ours, they refuse to believe it because the majority of Christians choose intolerance and close-mindedness over truth. Trying to educate them on the subject is a lost cause.

I understand your annoyance and frustration. I'm a Witch and have been called a devil worshipper too by some people I knew in college. It's hard, but the best thing you can do is let it go in one ear and out the other. Just remember that they choose ignorance and that's their problem. Disregarding them and their ignorance is the mature thing to do.

But from my experience, there are many annoyances. I would say the most annoying ones are the silly assumptions that stem from gross lack of knowledge, for example:
you're a devil worshipper
you're a fluffy bunny who prays to trees and dirt
you're a new-ager
you're a militant vegan
you're goth or a hippie
you're anti-social
you're a bad parent
you're a drug user
you hate Christians
you live by Charmed and Harry Potter.

And what is REALLY annoying is when they ask you to do spells for them or ask you how to become a witch so they can have magical powers

Answer 3

I only get annoyed when you say Christmas and Easter ARE pagan celebrations. I don't deny that some of the traditions that are associated with Christmas and Easter in SOME parts of the world (I'm betting that Christians in Africa probably don't even know what mistletoe IS, let along hang it up) have pagan origins.

Answer 4

I get super irked when I am told my gods are aspects of another god. That makes me grind my teeth actually. I've seen other Recons' veins pop at that a little too. LOL People don't realize how personally we take that. I respect thier beliefs, I don't SAY anything, but it does irk me.
For outsiders it would be when they just assume things that aren't true. Some mean well, some don't. The whole go to hell thing used to bother me but I really throw them for a loop some times and ask them which one. Two L's or one? Conversion doesn't bother me. Ain't gonna happen so I don't worry about it.
No one really bothers me about it. Most don't recognize our symbols or our terminology. I wear my necklace with no comment and I have several things with Heathen on it and the only person who "got it" was a pagan. My children are starting to learn the gods and the lore and even if they tell their friends about it, it gets shrugged off as "mythology". I guess people think my kids are just smart or something. I don't know. LOL
Don't let them get to you. They want to live in will full stupidity let them. Their world is bleak and black and white while ours is very alive and in technicolor. :)

Answer 5

I was surprised when I realized that people are actually upset by pagans even those who say they don't believe in "the devil".
Pagans often are a different breed or kind of people. I am a witch myself. Not that I decided to become one. It's not a religion either for me. And I don't believe in hell. I don't believe in people who annoy me either. So life is quite good ;-) All the best.

Answer 6

A lot of good, well thought-out comments here. The only thing I would add is that I do not like being lumped in with the various new age nutjobs out there who believe only in fairies and unicorns and pretending that they are doing good things for Gaia. We have to live in this world with all its different peoples and circumstances. Real life is not all bunnies and puppies. Real Pagans know that to have balance you must acknowledge the light and darkness in the world and in yourself. I don't like that those types are the most visible, and, hence what the mainstream world sees when they think of Pagans.

Answer 7

I'm annoyed by a lot of the misconceptions other people hold, typically because it's willfull ignorance on their part. But my religion itself does not annoy me ;).
I agree w/ all that you've said, but out of that I do think the attempts at conversion are the most annoying.
Then of course you have those who assume we're all a bunch of a fluffies -_-.
hehe a lot to take in huh?
but if I try to educate them and they still don't make an attempt to understand, I figure I've done all that I can and just go about my day as I please.

Blessed be.

Answer 8

It's a tossup between the Christians who will not take "NO" for an answer when they try to convert me ESPECIALLY if they try to convert me with threats of "Eternal Damnation" and those who are not willing to understand that there is a BIG differance between SOME varieties of "Fluffy-Bunny" Wiccans (not all Wiccans are "Fluffy", BTW) and Reconstructionist Single-Pantheon Pagans....

That is one reason that I actually use the term Hellenic Polytheist instead of Pagan most of the time.... There are fewer misconceptions

Answer 9

What annoys me most is when the uneducated go to criticize those of us who are pagan.. Paganism is a large umbrella for many belief systems.. we are not monocentric- no one can speak on our collective behalf.

I am a witch.. I am NOT wiccan.. that is a major assumption made by many. I also don't like those who are new to Wicca (and even some who aren't) that don't know their religion's history.. Wicca is approximately 60 years old.. it is NOT an ancient belief system. Gerald Gardner started it, his assertions are spurious at best. He was not a very honest man, nor a very moral one.. I'd like for those in Wicca to educate themselves before trying to educate others.

I also don't like when pagans start telling each other what they can or cannot believe.. that's the monotheists' game.. not ours.

Answer 10

I'm confused by your question... is it rhetorical? Are you saying that the most annoying thing about being a pagan is having to deal with Christians? I myself must deeply apologize on behalf of all my colleagues... telling people such things is not loving and therefore not in keeping with the Spirit of what we believe.

You're right, we know nothing about wicca as a religion - we only associate it with warnings about "familiar spirits". I'm going to be posting my experiences with wicca here: http://www.yaaway.com when it goes live.

all the best ~!