Woodford resident Bill Worth, who is a member of the pagan group Hereditary Barbarians, said Christian churches and Pine Rivers Mayor Yvonne Chapman had attacked the festival in a cowardly way.
"They pick on a minority group because we can't fight back," Mr Wirth said.
"I remind these sanctimonious church spokesmen that it is not Pagans in Northern Ireland who are slaughtering one another in the name of their gods, nor was it any Pagan church that for years tortured and sexually abused children in its care.
"If people like that had their way they would be still burning us at the stake."
Mr Wirth and his wife Leisa plan to take their seven-year-old son to the Pagan 98 conference at the Young Men's Christian Association Camp Warrawee from August 7-9.
"Pagan 98 is an opportunity for anyone who is broad-minded enough to come along and meet Pagans from several different persuasions and to discover for themselves that we are no different from other people in the community," he said.
"We have long suffered being stereotyped as the best eccentrics or at worst dangerous lunatics."
Caboolture Crystal Connections owner Steven Barten said his shop catered for many Pagans.
"The Christian churches should clean up their own backyard before they start complaining about others," Mr Barten said.
Mr Wirth said the Hereditary Barbarians took their name from the label the ancient Greeks and Romans gave all foreigners.
"We follow their spiritual ancestry. Back then the human race had it right; their lives were fulfilling, they didn't have the social ills we have today," he said.
"We are striving to attain these values and make the world a better place."
At the age of eight Mr Wirth was introduced to Paganism while he was in the care of the Brisbane Catholic education system.
Mr Wirth was beaten after the church found out he at meat on Fridays.
He still carries the scars on his legs.
"I used to stop at the park on the way home from school and wash the blood out of my socks and shoes," he said.
"They used psychological brainwashing. They used to say if you eat meat on Fridays the devil's going to get you.
"In my family, half the relatives are Pagan and the other half are Catholic. Thankfully Paganism has won over."
Northern Times
Friday, July 24, 1998