- Pagans do not demand that everyone else become pagans too. You will not be coerced, intimidated or threatened with eternal torment if you choose not to become pagan. People come to paganism of their own free will. There will be no pagan missionaries showing up at your door. Christians will also say that everyone has free will, but according to the Bible, anything other than Christianity would not be acceptable.
- There is no holy book or central ruling authority. There are certain texts like the Wiccan Rede (which is, of course, only for Wiccans) and other magical writings that are considered sacred to pagans, but they are not rules or laws that all must follow “or else”. There are pagan high priests and high priestesses, but they do not rule over others, instead offering guidance and wisdom to their individual covens and groups. Pagans can practice alone, or with others, as they choose. The Bible claims to be the supreme authority and states that there is only “one god”. However, within paganism there many gods, and none of them demand worship.
- Paganism is based on real experiences rather than faith. Pagans interact with their gods and guides on a personal level. Pagans do not pray to their gods, they commune with them.
- All genders and orientations are welcomed equally. Whether someone is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual, intersex, non-binary, it doesn’t matter, all are welcome in paganism. While there may be a few fringe extremist pagan groups who hold bigoted ideas, these are rejected by the larger pagan community. By the same token, while there are some Christian churches who claim to welcome the LGBTQ community in their spaces, there are often strings attached, and the more orthodox Christian churches are not so welcoming.
- In Paganism, nature is an ally, not something to be dominated and ruled over. Pagans view nature as alive and sentient. The trees, flowers and plants work with us as companions. The elements of earth, air, water and fire are living forces that we can call on for assistance. We do not exert force over them.
- The concepts of Sin and Salvation do not exist in Paganism. There is no need for forgiveness or grace. There is no Devil to be “saved” from. These are Christian ideas, and have no place in paganism. While some traditions of witchcraft do work with ‘daemons’ and spirits, this occurs within a pagan context and is not associated in any way with the Bible or Christianity.
- In paganism, desires and intentions are manifested with spells rather than prayers. Prayers are passive. Spells are active. Spells are not prayers. Spells direct active energy to achieve a specific goal. A properly cast spell is usually a collaborative effort with elemental forces, along with the assistance of deities and spirits. A prayer is a one-sided conversation spoken to a biblical God who may choose to ignore it. On a side note, some people claim to be “Christian Witches”, but quite frankly, it’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard of.
- Pagan deities do not claim to be all-powerful. While they do possess immense power and are immortal, they are not all-knowing or all-powerful. Many have limited abilities and knowledge only within certain parameters, and have human qualities. They are flawed, like us. This is what makes their mythologies so meaningful. They can empathize with our struggles and trials, because they experienced them as well. The God of the Bible claims to be all-powerful, yet he was powerless to prevent the holocaust, allows innocent children to be born with debilitating diseases, and seems unable to stop the atrocities we see happening all over the earth.
- Paganism is a spiritual path. It is not a religion. There are many pagan paths, none of which are dogmatic with rules that must be strictly adhered to. The word “religion” is tricky, because it is sometimes necessary in regard to legal rights and protections. I am of the belief that witchcraft and other pagan paths are not meant to be mainstream. We are the ‘Other’, the ones who exist outside the bounds. We are the ones who walk ‘between the worlds’. We do not need validation from mainstream society. We are sovereign.
- Sexual pleasure among consenting adults, in all it’s forms, is celebrated and encouraged in paganism. It is not considered shameful or something to be frowned upon and hidden. The human body is sacred and sensuality is part of that sacredness. At the same time, those who choose not to be sexual at all are honored with the same respect.
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