Being Pagan/Wiccan

The Earth-Worshiping Religion.

Sometimes I do have a big mouth. For example, I tell someone that I have a podcast, and immediately they want to know the title is and what it is all about.

I hesitate on this question. Even though I do talk about what it is: It’s a Pagan Music Podcast. I host a show under a different name.

I am even hesitant in writing about paganism here.

Why are you hesitant in talking about your show?

It’s because I am Pagan, and yes, I do get a question about paganism after I talk about my show.

The reason why I am hesitant is what you would think when I say the word, pagan. Some people would think that it is a devil-worshipping religion. Or something New Agey.

I would usually respond that paganism is an Earth-Based Spirituality. Otherwise, we worship mother earth.

Why Did you Write Pagan/Wiccan in the title?

Paganism is an umbrella term that includes all sorts of earth-based Spiritualities, including Wicca.

A New Pagan Stereotype.

Even though I mentioned that we are not New Agers or devil worshippers, I found a new stereotype of us pagans that I am on the fence about.

I did talk to two people who thought that pagans were people who wanted to worship Viking Gods. Well, yes, we do, but not just Norse deities.

Before I go on, paganism is also polytheistic, meaning we worship more than one god.

Now Back to What Other Pantheons that We Worship.

Some of us worship the Olympians, Slavic, ancient Egyptians, and many other pantheons worldwide. Some pagans like myself are eclectic, meaning that we can worship a god and goddess from any pantheon and mix and match.

What problems do you have with Pagans that worship Norse Gods?

I don’t have a problem with Pagans or Heathens (Some Heathens do not consider themselves Pagans.) worshiping Norse Gods. However, I have a problem with a few of these groups confusing it with White Supremacy.

Yes, we pagans and heathens have a White Supremacists problem, and we as a community are doing our best to get rid of some of these racists who are using Norse symbols for no good. The best example on this was this past January, during the riots in the White House. You heard of one of the rioters calling himself the Qanon Shaman. If you remember this idiot, he was the one with a strange looking Native American hat and tattoos of three Norse symbols on his chest and stomach.

I am not a racist, and I don’t care what the ethnicity, gender, and sexuality are of my fellow pagans. We accept people, regardless of how different they look.

Paganism is an LGBTQ Friendly Spirituality.

I am straight. But I know some people in the community who are LGBTQ. I was going to say that there are deities in some of these pantheons that have LGBTQ qualities. But I got tongue-tied trying to figure out a way to write it. So I will leave it at paganism being LGBTQ friendly.

Witches.

Yes, I don’t mind being called a witch. However, not all Pagans are witches. And now that I mention it, I am not a good witch or an evil witch. No, I don’t worship Satan. I am not into Harry Potter, but I do know some Pagans who are. I don’t turn people into toads or sacrifice babies and animals (Which I both love and don’t want to see killed. Plus some of us Pagans are vegetarian). And I never seen a coven hold an orgy.

Here’s a link to Antonia Blumberg’s article called What Not To Say When You Meet Someone Who Is Pagan | HuffPost Communities.

There you go. You learn something new everyday.