Wiccans and other Pagans, what is the worst treatment you've suffered?

Question

Hello, all:

I was thinking today about how there is a general perception that Wiccans and other Pagans are put upon by members of other religions, in particular certain types of Christians.

As a result, I was wondering what the worst experience is that you have suffered, or have heard tell of, as a result of being Wiccan/Pagan. Naming no names, of course, if it has to do with another Y!A usr.

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to respond.

EDITED TO ADD: ... "user", it's spelled "u-s-e-r". D'oh.

Answer 1

I had the members of a local conservative Church actually burn a cross in my front lawn, scratch Bible verses onto my vehicle and spray painted them onto my house, slashed my tires, hung my cat from a tree (she was a lovely black cat, figures, LOL), and threatened to burn my house down with ME inside it if I didn't "repent or leave". That was in 1997. The folks ALL got arrested for terroristic threats and property damage. They were found guilty and at the sentencing hearing, I asked the judge to not impose jail time but rather community service on them by making them repair ALL the damage that they caused. The judge agreed and when they all showed up to do the work, I had a nice picnic lunch for them and provided soft drinks and even joined in and helped them. They were ALL so taken aback at my gesture of forgiveness that I never had any other problems with them again. They even came back later and brought me a new cat and we sat around talking about our different ways of worship. We agreed to respectfully disagree and several of them I can count on as good neighbors and ask for help and give help at a moments notice. One even dropped his Religion and became a Witch in his OWN right. LOL

Brightest Blessings,
Raji the Green Witch

Answer 2

Like Leith C said, most of the so-called "persecution" of Christians (particularly in this forum) is in response to unwelcome preaching -- not really persecution, more like standing up to religious bullying.

The worse I usually get is just the rare email from someone trying to convert me. Usually it just leads to some fun, but largely unproductive dialog. I haven't gotten one of those in a while, though.

And, one time when I was a young Pagan living at home, I went into the woods behind my house to burn some sage and do a short ritual. Somebody saw me, and called the cops on me, so I had to explain myself to a cop on my front lawn with my parents freaking out in the house. I don't think of that as mistreatment, so much as a misunderstanding. I mean, if you didn't know anything about Paganism or Wicca (and I was Wiccan at the time) and you saw someone in the woods chanting, burning something, and waving a dagger around, what would you think? But, as soon as I explained myself, the cops just rolled their eyes and walked away, with little more than a "burn it at home next time."

Answer 3

Hm... well generally I haven't gotten that much trouble because in the real world outside of Y!A, I only tell people my religious affiliation if they specifically ask.

Once in a while, I'll get another user who messages me and tries to convince me that I worship rocks and statues. However I usually make them feel like fools when they realize how little they know about my religion. I've also had some earnest and peaceful arguments with Christians over paganism, in which we did NOT eventually revert to the "bigot"/"sinner" name-calling. Also one time, a user managed to get me truly angry (which is extremely difficult) when they first said that all Wiccans deserved to be murdered, and them went on to say in their next question that Wiccans were evil for wanting to murder, and evil for sacrificing babies on Samhain. I don't think I've EVER been that angry, and I made sure she knew that.

However, there's plenty of of bad treatment and ill will, though it usually isn't specifically directed at me. Like the "witch school" that's being protested by churches in that town, and such.

Answer 4

i know several pagans who must endure constant witnessing from coworkers. we have an active community, and when we're out and about in the inner city, we have no problems. we get stares out in the suburbs and have been asked to go away by fellow patrons in a coffee shop, but we don't put up with it, and we spend money, so the staff supports us. we've been having pagan picnic in a public park for about 15 years, so we've been all over the local press, and since we leave the park in better condition than we found it, the park rangers do everything they can to keep picnic uneventful. we also have a group of guys who go out once a month in kilts. this is also in the inner city, so when people ask, we say we're a pagan men's group and they either skulk away or, more often, ask questions. we're lucky in that our fundies are distracted with the homeless or their own televangelist empire [joyce meyer], and there's a general attitude of live and let live in this region.

we still have crackpots, and i still get called a devil worshipper, tho.

Answer 5

Interesting question. I've received death threats and told "Thou shall not suffer a witch to live". I was, when I was younger, physically assaulted by a Christian man because I was wearing a pentacle (he picked me up and threw me five feet - in Jesus' name). I had bruised ribs as a result. I am also on a local police watch list because I'm an out-of-the-closet Pagan in my community. Mind you I've never done anything illegal - not even a speeding ticket in over 18 years, yet they watch me to make sure I'm not sacrificing neighborhood pets or whatever it is they think I must be doing. I've also had more distant family members shun me because I'm Pagan. Mind you I'm not really bitter about any of this and I'm sure Christians running around knocking Pagans around isn't the norm. But being treated like I'm contagious or the bane of humanity, or that I need to be saved, is mildly annoying at times.

Answer 6

I can't say I've suffered any ill treatment as a result of being Pagan. I have recieved harassing emails and such, but the funny thing is the vast majority of them have not been from Christians telling me I'd go to hell (though I've gotten a few) but from newbie Pagans wanting me to give them love spells and then cussing me out when I didn't comply. I can't say I know anyone personally who has gotten ill treatment as a result of being Pagan either.

Answer 7

I had a SDA preacher I was doing a bible study course with tell me I was possessed, but he didn't take it any further than that. (I did a 6 month bible study course about 5 years ago with the SDA, Ive been Pagan for about 14 years. It was just studying anothers persons beliefs. How many Xians could say they've taken the time to study our beliefs?)
My Ex-partner was called a liar and a dirty low down sinner by a street evangelist. She told me, so I went looking for him and gave him a lecture about how insulting strangers on the street can get him a punch in the nose. :-)
Ive had a couple of New Agers tell me Paganism was evil.
Apart from that, I cant say I had many problems with Xians.
I used to run public Full Moon Rites and had people coming up to watch and/or ask questions, they were all cool about it, even the Xians from the local Happy Clappers Church (he-he).
I don't advertise my beliefs, apart from wearing a Pentagram. They are personal to me. If people ask, I give them a basic run down. Otherwise, its just my religion, who cares?!

Reading the sister Question to this one, it seems the attacks Xians claim, have been induced by some sort of preaching. People just don't want to have religions forced upon them, and if Xians get pushy or knock on your door, then expect to be insulted. Its bordering on harassment, people!!
If people want to lean about your beliefs, they will come to you.

Answer 8

A former friend of mine was Wiccan for a good portion of her life. She might still be I'm not sure.
But she is one of the nicest people I've ever had the privilege to be my friend.
I don't know why people generalize Wiccans and Pagans to a certain stigma.
To be someone who is into dark magic or worshiping some evil being/spirit.
I don't know to much about the two practices, but I've never known them to be hurtful or harmful in today's society.

Answer 9

On this forum, I expect it. I think the worst thing that's ever happned due to religion outside of here was when my youngest son was put out of his classroom because of a book that was being read in class. Considering the agenda that was being pushed, that particular book should not have been "required" reading for a 4th grade class. I ended contacting Americans United regarding it. As far as I know, they've stopped forcing the kids to read that book in our school district.

Answer 10

We've had the police called on Halloween rituals - the police being told that we were abusing children and using drugs. Mind you, it was a vegetarian, drug-free, after 10pm ritual so no kids ritual. That same night we were preached at by about 10 Christians through a bullhorn.

On a job I had people refuse to talk to me * salt thrown at me * my desk vandalized * cross left on my desk * I( had to explain to my managers that I wasn't a devil worshiper *

I've been with a group that was refused service at a Denny's when the waitress saw our pentagrams.

Fortunately most don't know what a Thors Hammer is which is a symbol of heathenism. I've been told that my cross was broken though. LOL