"We are not evil. We don't harm or seduce people. We are not dangerous. We are ordinary people like you. We have families, jobs, hopes, and dreams. We are not a cult. This religion is not a joke. We are not what you think we are from looking at T.V. We are real. We laugh, we cry. We are serious. We have a sense of humor. You don't have to be afraid of us. We don't want to convert you. And please don't try to convert us. Just give us the same right we give you--to live in peace. We are much more similar to you than you think." -- Margot Adler "If you take the Christian Bible and put it out in the wind and the rain, soon the paper on which the words are printed will disintegrate and the words will be gone. Our bible IS the wind and the rain." --Herbalist Carol McGrath as told to her by a Native-American woman. "When one defines oneself as Pagan, it means she or he follows an earth or nature religion, one that sees the divine manifest in all creation. The cycles of nature are our holy days, the earth is our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers. We worship a deity that is both male and female, a mother Goddess and father God, who together created all that is, was, or will be. We respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation." --Edain McCoy What is a Pagan? First of all, there is no official definition for the word "Pagan." Everyone has their own interpetation and no two are exactly the same. There is general agreement, however, that the root of the word is Latin, "Paganus," yet no record of the original meaning exists. Most modern sources refer to Pagan as another term for "hick" or "country bumpkin." As Christianity spread throughout Europe people living around the outskirts (or country) of the land were the last to adopt it. In fact they were still practicing Pagan traditions long after people had been converted in urban areas. Sometimes it's used to refer to all Earth based religions. More recently it came to describe any non-Christian based religion, which led to the eventual association with "evil" and reference to possible Satan worship, which of course is not the case at all. It was merely a way for the Christians to spread their own beliefs and prevent any stragglers from wandering away. Because this definition is SO varied it's hard to describe what a Pagan is and be exact. Any non-Christian can claim themselves a Pagan. Therefore not ALL Pagans will agree with what I am attempting to explain. However; in the following paragraphs I will try to share the details of the most common Pagan practices and themes. Be aware there are those that do NOT fall under the information provided below. Put simply; to be Pagan is to strive for inner peace and have a deep loving respect for nature. Nature is the divine. We believe the One true power is alive within everything that surrounds us. The sounds, textures, smells, and sights are infused with the breath of that which created us. We are one. Paganism is about turning your focus inward and listening to the voice of your spirit - the part of us that is immortal and connected to the essence of all life. We love what the Earth provides us and celebrate the ways in which we are tied to its seasons of change. It is to understand we are all created from the same energy and work to use that energy to shape ourselves and the world in which we live. A large majority of the traditions and practices of modern religions stem from Paganism. Easter, for example, is not originally Christian. Ostara or Eostre was a goddess worshipped by the Saxons long ago. She represented the awakening of the world from it's winter slumber into the time of renewal and rebirth that was spring. Her sacred animals were symbols of new life. Eggs, milk, and rabbits remided us we had survived the bitter cold and could enjoy a time of new beginnings. Because Pagans did not willingly give up their faith for Christianity, the church leaders of the time tried to blend the Pagan sabbats and themes into their own to make the transition easier. They could not force Pagans to convert and consequently found an alternative route. Pagans don't follow one set path or tradition, though common ideas and guidlines exist. The basis for this is the knowledge that no path is perfect for everyone. We all have our own ideas, beliefs, needs, and desires. Part of being Pagan is working to discover what path is best for you. They all share some common themes but in the end each road is shaped to work best for each individual. This is why no Pagan will try to convert you. When someone is ready they will find the way on their own. Of course we all share what knowledge we have, but the first step is wanting to understand and search our own spirituality. It cannot be forced. We don't worship Satan or believe he exists for that matter. For Pagans there is no one true "evil." We believe we are each responsible for our own choices. We don't sacrifice animals. We never harm others unless in self defense. Most importantly we respect the right of others to have differenet beliefs. All roads lead to the same place, they are merely different routes. What works for one person may not work for another. We just want to help each other along the way by sharing knowledge and kindness. Balance is the key to our faith. It's the relationship of opposites; hot to cold, woman to man, light to dark, and life to death we respect. In this sense we find the divine. There is no ONE good and ONE evil. They are merely the two sides of the One. Therefore we must learn to understand that balance. Once we do, we see it in every aspect of life. You may hear a Pagan mention praying to or recognizing more than one god. This is not because we believe there are various gods and goddesses, on the contrary, even Wiccans who refer to the God and Goddess believe they are but two halves of a whole. A Pagan may pray to Athena because she symbolizes wisdom, but is only praying to that aspect of the One, not the actual Athena. All gods are one God. Referring to the One by many names is a simple way for us to focus upon what we need. To visualize and concentrate on the specific area or topic at hand. Just remember - any person claiming to be Pagan is NOT if they exercise harm or cast spells that will manipulate or hurt others. Use your gut instincts. If the person doesn't "feel" right they're probably not what they claim to be. Lastly, as stated above, each Pagan shapes his or her own path as he or she sees fit. We are after all human, and in every group of people there are those that choose to demoralize and misuse what they know. It is an unfortunate but necessary part of life. "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." --Buddha [Index]