Frequently Asked Questions
This is a general list of commonly asked questions. If you have unanswered questions, contact us at [email protected]
What special holidays do Pagans celebrate?
What are some of the symbols used in Paganism?
Do all pagans believe the same thing?
Isn't the pentacle symbolic of Satanism?
Are Wiccans, Witches and Pagans the same thing?
Do pagans do magic and spells?
Can you do me a love/money/healing spell?
Q: What is Paganism? back to top
A: Literally, the word pagan comes from the Latin paganus, and means ‘country dweller.’ From www.dictionary.com: Pagan was the name given to idolaters in the early Christian church, because the villagers, being most remote from the centers of instruction, remained for a long time unconverted. For our purposes, the word pagan is synonymous with the term neo-pagan. From www.dictionary.com: Any of various religious movements arising chiefly in the late 20th century that combine worship of pagan nature deities, particularly of the earth, with benign witchcraft.
In a broader sense of the term, a pagan is one who does not practice any of Abrahamic religions like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. However, generally only neo-pagans will refer to themselves as Pagan. You will rarely hear a Buddhist, Hindu, or Taoist refer to themselves this way. Some examples of modern neo-pagan religions are Wicca, Druidism, Asatru, Celtic Reconstructionism, and Dianic Witchcraft. There are some religions that share elements with neo-paganism, or influence some pagan religions, such as tribal and indigenous religions, Voodoo, New Age religions, and Santeria. However, practitioners of these religions are generally not considered to be neo-pagan or Pagan. Within the Pagan Society, we prefer to be called Pagan or neo-pagan.
Q: What do Pagans believe in? back to top
A: Pagan beliefs are very, VERY varied. Some pagan beliefs, which are widespread, but certainly not universal, are:
Reincarnation and karma
A belief in magic
Desires to revere, honor, and respect the Earth as a sacred being. Many pagans are environmental activists.
Polytheism; the belief in many deities. Also, many pagans belief that Divinity is manifest and inherent in everything in the universe (pantheism)
A belief that the animal world and Nature is filled with gods and spirits (animism)
Many pagans believe that although Divinity is genderless, it is convenient to worship Divinity in both a masculine and feminine form. Hence, many pagans worship both the God and the Goddess.
Q: What special holidays do Pagans celebrate? back to top
A: It greatly depends on which pagan religion the person is practicing. The holidays vary greatly between different pagan traditions. The Pagan Society itself celebrates the eight holidays of the Celtic Wheel of the Year; the Sabbats, the Equinoxes and the Solstices. These holidays are as follows; Samhain (Oct 31), Yule (Dec 21), Imbolc (Feb 2), Eostara (Mar 21), Beltane (Apr 30), Litha (Jun 21), Lammas (Jul 31), Mabon (Sep 21). The dates of some of these holidays shift from year to year.
Q: What are some of the symbols used in Paganism? back to top
A: The pentacle (a 5-pointed star with a circle around it), the crescent moon, the Celtic Cross, the ankh, God and Goddess symbols, the spiral, circles, and the hexagram (Star of Solomon) are some of the more universal symbols.
Q: Do all pagans believe the same thing? back to top
A: No. Pagans tend to be highly individualistic in what they practice, and pagans greatly respect religious diversity. Beliefs and practice differ between the various pagan traditions, and beliefs within each tradition vary as well. Also, a lot of pagans are solitary practitioners who follow a spiritual path that is personalized and adapted on an individual basis.
Q: Isn't the pentacle symbolic of Satanism? back to top
A: Most pagans who wear a pentacle wear it with the point of the star facing upwards, to symbolize the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) plus Spirit. Some pagan traditions use a pentacle with a downright-pointing star to symbolize the Horned God. Other pagan traditions with degree systems use the downright-facing pentacle to signify attaining certain ranks. Satanists wear the downright-facing pentacle to symbolize the superiority of the material world over the spiritual world. Many pagans do not wear a downright-facing pentacle because of its association with Satanism.
Q: Are pagans anti-Christian? back to top
A: No. Pagans respect religions diversity, and many pagans respect Christianity. In fact, there is ongoing scholarly debate over whether or not ancient paganism influenced early Christianity. Pagans are not opposed to Judeo-Christian religions, or the practitioners. In fact, there is a pagan religion called Christian Wicca. The practitioners of this faith worship Christian divinities, but in a pagan context.
Q: Is paganism a legal religion? back to top
A: Paganism itself is not an official religion, but some pagan groups have legal recognition status as churches. The Canadian charter says that everyone has freedom to practice his or her own religion. Therefore, even if a pagan practices a non-recognized religion, they have legal protection. There are so many Wiccans in the US Military that it has been mentioned in the US Military Chaplain's Handbook.
Q: Are Wiccans, Witches and Pagans the same thing? back to top
A: No. All Wiccans are Pagan, but not all pagans are Wiccan. Just as all Catholics are Christian, but not all Christians are Catholic. Wicca is a religion, witchcraft is a practice. Many Wiccans do practice witchcraft, but many Wiccans don’t. And many witches do not consider themselves Wiccan.
Q: Do pagans worship the Devil? back to top
A: No. Most pagans do not even BELIEVE in the Devil. The Devil is a concept of various monotheistic religions, and pagans do not adhere to this belief.
Q: Do pagans do magic and spells? back to top
A: Many pagans practice magic, but not all pagans do so. Please keep in mind that pagan magic does not resemble the sort of magic in the movies and on T.V. Real magic is subtle, and uses natural energy to produce the end result. Regrettably, we can’t shoot fire out of our hands, or levitate. However, many pagans do use magic to enhance their lives.
Q: Can you do me a love/money/healing spell? back to top
A: First of all, not all of us do spells! Secondly, it is in bad taste to ask a pagan this question upon first meeting! Third, doing spells takes up
loved ones. Fourth, if you believe in witchcraft and spells, why not learn how to do your own spell? The Internet has a lot of good info on spell crafting and magic, although many sites have questionable information that must be taken lightly. When doing spells and ritual, many pagans follow the Wiccan Rede; ‘If it harms none, do as you will.’
That’s it for the FAQ, if you still have unanswered questions, please contact us. We’d be happy to hear from you.
If you
don't ask, you don't get.
--Mahatma Gandhi
Last Updated: June 9, 2004
Questions? Comments?
