FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR ALT.PAGAN 4.01
ba...@dmcom.net
Last-modified: Febuary 2002
Version: 4.01
URL: http://www.dmcom.net/bard/altpag.txt
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR ALT.PAGAN
Authors: Susan Harwood Kaczmarczik; Br'an Arthur Davis-Howe; T. O.
Radzykewycz; Ailsa N.T. Murphy; Cecilia Henningsson
Acknowledgements to Jack Coyote, Robert Pearson, Chris Carlisle and
Izzy, and a special thanks to Janis Maria Cortese.
**Disclaimer**
Throughout this FAQ you will find the words "usually," often," and
other
disclaimers; this is because Paganism is not a rigid, structured
belief
system. We have tried to present as many faces of the neopagan
sub-culture as possible in the FAQ, but realize we can't possibly
cover
it all. Many people, no doubt, will object to every part of this FAQ
(and have done, over everything from specific etymologies to the order
of the questions), but we stand by it as our best attempt.
*First version completed 25 January 1993*
Questions:
1) What is this group for?
2) What is paganism/a pagan?
2b) What is Paganism? How is it different from paganism?
3) What are different types of paganism?
4) What is Witchcraft/Wicca?
4b) Why do some of you use the word Witch? Wiccan?
5) What are some different traditions in the Craft?
6) Are pagans Witches?
7) Are you Satanists?
8) What kinds of people are pagans?
9) What holidays do you celebrate?
9b) How do I pronounce...? What does this name mean?
10) What god(s) do you believe in?
11) Can one be both Christian and pagan?
12) What were the Burning Times?
13) How many pagans/Witches are there today?
14) What are the related newsgroups?
15) Two pagan newsgroups? Why soc.religion.paganism *and* alt.pagan?
16) Is brutal honesty or polite conversation the preferred tone of
conversation around here?
17) I'm not a pagan; should I post here?
18) How does one/do I become a pagan?
19) What books/magazines should I read?
20) How do I find pagans/Witches/covens/teachers in my area?
21) What's a coven really like?
22) How do I form a coven?
23) What does Dianic mean?
24) Aren't women-only circles discriminatory?
25) Can/will you cast me a love spell/curse my enemies?
26) Sometimes I see "magic" spelled with a "k". Do real pagans spell
it
a certain way?
27) Is it okay if I...? Will I still be a pagan if I...?
28) I am a pagan and I think I am being discriminated against because
of
my religion. What should I do?
29) Hey, I heard that [insert name of famous rock singer or famous
fantasy-novel writer here] was a witch/pagan. Is that true?
30) What one thing would most pagans probably want the world to know
about them?
1) What is this group for?
This newsgroup is for the discussion of paganism and Witchcraft in
their various forms and traditions; for sharing ideas for ritual and
completed liturgy; for networking with others of a like mind and those
who are not; for answering questions and disseminating information
about
paganism and Witchcraft (and, occasionally, for dispelling the
misconceptions about same). It's also for sharing within a larger
community than one might find at home. While we are interested in
traditional pagan practices, the alt.pagan community is fundamentally
neopagan -- our practices are modern, though they are based on ancient
ideas or images.
2) What is paganism/a pagan?
The words paganism and pagan come from the Latin "paganus," meaning
"country dweller." Neopagans hold a reverence for the Earth and all
its
creatures, generally see all life as interconnected, and tend to
strive
to attune one's self to the manifestation of this belief as seen in
the
cycles of nature. Pagans are usually polytheistic (believing in more
than one god), and they usually believe in immanance, or the concept
of
divinity residing in all things. Many pagans, though polytheistic,
see
all things as being part of one Great Mystery. The apparent
contradiction of being both polytheistic and monotheistic can be
resolved by seeing the God/desses as masks worn by the Great Mystery.
Other pagans are simply monotheistic or polytheistic, and still others
are atheistic.
Some people believe paganism to be a religion within itself; others
see it as a belief system (such as monotheism) that can be
incorporated
into religions like Wicca or Druidism; others see it as a broad
category
including many religions. The fact that we are re-creating religion
for
ourselves after centuries of suppression makes us very eclectic and
very
concerned with the "rightness" of a particular thing for the
individual.
So when you see some people calling it a religion and others not, when
you see it capitalized in some instances and not in others, don't be
confused -- we're all still basically talking about the same thing.
2b) What is Paganism? How is it different from paganism?
Paganism (with a capital "P") is one strand of neopaganism which
strives to allow each person to draw from whatever religious and
cultural traditions are meaningful for the individual. The practices
of
Paganism derive from those of Wicca, but are not identical with those
of
Wicca. Some people view Paganism as a non-initiatory form of Wicca,
or
Wicca as an initiatory form of Paganism. Some say that Witches are
the
clergy of Paganism. (On the other hand, some Witches violently
disagree
with that viewpoint. As with most things in this FAQ, there is no
answer with which everyone can completely agree.)
3) What are different types of paganism?
Paleo-paganism: the standard of paganism, a pagan culture which has
not been disrupted by "civilization" by another culture -- Australian
Bushmen modern (who are probably becoming meso-pagans), ancient Celtic
religion (Druidism), the religions of the pre-patriarchal cultures of
Old Europe, Norse religion, pre-Columbian Native American religions,
etc.
Civilo-paganism: the religions of "civilized" communities which
evolved in paleo-pagan cultures -- Classical Greco-Roman religion,
Egyptian religion, Middle-Eastern paganism, Aztec religion, etc.
Meso-paganism: a group, which may or may not still constitute a
separate culture, which has been influenced by a conquering culture,
but
has been able to maintain an independence of religious practice --
many
Native American nations, etc.
Syncreto-paganism: similar to meso-pagan, but having had to
submerge
itself into the dominant culture, and adopt the external practices and
symbols of the other religion -- the various Afro-diasporic traditions
(Voudoun, Santeria, etc.), Culdee Christianity, etc.
Neopaganism: attempts of modern people to reconnect with nature,
using imagery and forms from other types of pagans, but adjusting them
to the needs of modern people. Since this category is the focus of
alt.pagan, the listing here is more comprehensive (though no listing
could be completely comprehensive):
Wicca -- in all its many forms
neo-Shamanism
neo-Druidism
Asatru and other forms of Norse neopaganism
neo-Native American practices
the range of things labeled "Women's Spirituality"
the Sabaean Religious Order
Church of All Worlds
Discordianism
Radical Faeries and other "Men's Spirituality" movements
certain people within Thelema and hedonistic Satanism
some of eco-feminism
and last, but not least, Paganism
4) What is Witchcraft/Wicca?
Wicca was the first (or at least one of the first) of the neopagan
religions. As a result, it is the best known, and tends to overshadow
its younger, smaller siblings. This bias appears in the postings in
alt.pagan and in this FAQ. This does not mean that Wicca is more
valid
than other neopagan religions -- just larger and louder.
Wicca, however, is only one of the things called W/witchcraft (or
sometimes, the Craft, a term also applied to Masonry). There are a
whole range of styles of folk-magic around the world which are called
witchcraft in English. If the word Witch is capitalized, it indicates
that it is being used to refer to a member of a pagan religion, not
just
to a practitioner of folk-magic. There are also Witches who practice
religions called Witchcraft which are not Wicca. These religions tend
to be more folk-pagan than Wicca, drawing on the heritage of a
specific
culture or region.
Wicca itself is a new religion, drawing strongly on the practices
of
Ceremonial Magic. While there are claims that Wicca goes back into
the
mists of pre-history, honest examination of the practices and history
of
the Wicca will make it clear that Wicca is new. (Actually, the word
"Wicca" itself is recently coined, at least in its present usage. The
OE "wicca" was pronounced "witch-ah" and meant male magician. The new
word "Wicca" is pronounced "wick-uh", capitalized as a religion, and
means a religion, not a person.) However, Wicca has developed in many
directions and should not be seen as a unified whole, even though it
is
fairly new.
Rituals and beliefs vary widely among Witches.
Unlike most of the neopagan religions, Wicca is an initiatory
religion, that is, people who choose to practice Wicca believe that
the
commitment to this path set changes in motion in their lives. Many
Traditions (sects) of Wicca formalize this with a ritual (or series of
rituals) of initiation. Others, especially Solitary Witches, trust
that
the Gods will do the initiating of the Witch.
4b) Why do some of you use the word Witch? Wiccan?
First, not everyone in alt.pagan is Wiccan/Witchy, so this
question
only applies to some of the people. Witch is a very old word meaning
"magic-maker", from a root which meant "bending" and "shaping". For
many of us, the word Witch is a powerful reclaiming of that inherent
human power to make changes around us. For others, including some of
the people within Wicca, that word is not their word. Some people
within Wicca take the adjective "Wiccan" and use it as a noun.
(Some people question the authenticity of the etymology that says
"witch" means "to bend or shape." They believe that the word is
simply
from the Old English for "wise one" and has no relation to the root
mentioned above -- which gives us the modern word "wicker," for
instance. However, this definition is a good way to think of how a
modern Witch might see him/herself.)
5) What are some different traditions in the Craft?
Different traditions in the Craft include Gardnerian Wicca,
Alexandrian Wicca, Dianic Wicca, the Faery tradition, many branches of
Celtic-based Wicca, and many other forms of Wicca often called
eclectic,
since they draw their practices and liturgy from many different
sources.
There is no way to include all traditions because new ones are being
created every day by the practitioners themselves.
6) Are pagans Witches?
We've mentioned that even among pagans and Witches, there is
dispute
about just how specific these terms are. But the majority opinion
seems
to be that the question, "Are pagans Witches?" is about the same as
the
question, "Are Christians Catholics?" (or Methodists, Baptists or
whatever). Most Witches are pagans, but not all pagans are Witches.
7) Are you Satanists?
This is a bit of a loaded question, since there are several
different
conceptions of what Satanism really is. Most pagans do not worship
Satan or practice Satanic rites. Some pagans practice something
called
Satanism, but it is a far cry from the Hollywood image of Satanism.
These people tend to value pleasure as a primary motivation, or to
find
meaning in images which the repressive Christian churches attacked.
For
some of these folk, reclaiming the word "Satanist" is an act of
resistance against oppression. For more information on Satanism as a
religion, please check out alt.satanism.
If what you're really wanting to know is do we sacrifice babies and
worship evil incarnate, the answer's no.
8) What kinds of people are pagans?
People from all walks of life are pagans -- computer programmers,
artists, police officers, journalists, university professors -- the
list
is endless. Many people, no matter what their mundane occupation,
find
solace in the life-affirming aspects of paganism.
9) What holidays do you celebrate?
Because neopaganism follows so many traditions from many different
parts of the world, there is no single set of holidays that all
neopagans celebrate. Several calendars are available which list many
different holidays, one or more for every day of the year. Most of
these holidays are either dedicated to particular deities (e.g.
Brighid,
Diana, Thor), or mark seasonal changes in the environment (e.g. the
solstices and equinoxes).
What specific holidays are celebrated is something decided within a
certain tradition, or by the individual.
9b) How do I pronounce...? What does this name mean?
The names that are generally used to denote the Wiccan sabbats (as
well as festivals of many pagan traditions) come from Gaelic (both
Scots
and Irish), Welsh, Norse, and Anglo-Saxon. There are variations of
pronunciations for each one. We are not trying to say that if you
don't
say it like we tell you to, that you'll be wrong or anything like
that.
But since so many people have asked, here is a list that can give you
a
good start in trying to sound like the languages from which these
words
came.
Just remember, this is not some kind of Sekrit Pagan Language
(TM);
many of these words are in use in Europe today by pagans and
non-pagans
alike to denote these days. And yes, this shows a European bias, but
then so do the commonly-used names for Wiccan holy days. These seem to
be the names most frequently asked about in alt.pagan.
Samhain (31 Oct) -- Irish Gaelic for "summer's end." The standard
Irish pronunciation is either "SOW-in" with the "ow" like in "cow", or
"SAH-win". Other pronunciations that follow with the many Gaelic
dialects include"sow-een" "shahvin" "sowin" (with "ow" like in
"glow").
The Scots Gaelic spelling is "Samhuin" or "Samhuinn." There is no
linguistic foundation for saying this word "samhane" the way it might
look if it were English. (To be really untechnical about it, the "mh"
is a little linguistic gadget that tells you not to pronounce the "m"
like, well, an "m".) When in doubt, just say "Hallows" or even
"Hallowe'en."
Yule (@21 Dec) -- Norse for "wheel." It's pretty much pronounced
just like it looks, although if you want to make a stab at a
Scandinavian sound, it'll be more like "yool" and less like "yewl."
This
is the winter solstice.
Imbolg/Imbolc (1 Feb) -- Irish Gaelic for "in the belly."
Pronounce
this one "IM-bullug" or "IM-bulk" with a guttural "k" on the end.
Other
names include Candlemas; Brighid (pronounced "breed"), who is the
Irish
goddess whose festival this is; and Oimelc (pronounced EE-mulk), which
means "ewe's milk" in Scots Gaelic.
Ostara (@21 Mar) -- Saxon name for a maiden goddess of spring,
loosely connected to Astarte and Ishtar. This one's easy --
"o-STAHR-uh." Other names include Eostre (say "OHS-truh" or
"EST-truh")
. This is the spring equinox.
Beltane/Bealtaine (30 April) -- Irish Gaelic for either "fires of
Bel" or "bright fires." If you want to try it in Gaelic, you can say
"bee-YAWL-tinnuh" or "BELL-tinnuh." Unlike Samhain, this word can
within the linguistic structure of its language of origin be
pronounced
like it looks -- "BELL-tane" -- without totally abandoning its
original
construction. Other names are Walpurgisnacht (vahl-PUR-gis-nahkt) and
May Day.
Litha (@21 Jun) -- Norse or Anglo-Saxon for "longest day." You can
say this one just like it looks, or you can try for a Scandinavian
sound
and say "leetha" with the "th" more like a "t." This is the summer
solstice.
Lughnasadh/Lunasa or Lammas (1 Aug) -- The first is Irish Gaelic
for
"festival of Lugh" (a major Irish deity); the second is Anglo-Saxon
for
"festival of the loaves" ("hlaf-mass"). Don't panic at that spelling
(it's that pesky "h" acting as a signal instead of a letter again);
the
second (which is modern Irish as opposed to old Irish) tells you all
you
need to know. Say "LOO-nah-sah." (Some people maintain that the
Scots
dialect says it "LOO-nah-soo.") Lammas is just like it looks,
"LAH-mus."
Mabon (@21 Sep) -- This is believed to be a form of the Welsh word
for "son." Therefore, it would probably be pronounced "MA-bon" with
the
"a" like in "mass." However, most Wiccans and pagans say "MAY-bon."
This is the autumn equinox.
10) What god(s) do you believe in?
Neopagans believe in a great many goddesses and gods. However,
not
all neopagans believe in the same ones, or even in any at all. Many
neopagans believe in a Goddess and a God that are manifest in all
things. Some follow particular pantheons (e.g. Greek, Irish, Norse,
Yoruban, Welsh), others don't stick to any one culture, and still
others
see the Divine in more symbolic terms. Many ascribe certain qualities
to different goddesses, such as Athena as the goddess of wisdom;
Aphrodite as the goddess of love; Artemis as the goddess of the hunt,
and so on. Many pagans and Witches see the Goddess in three aspects,
those of Maiden, Mother and Crone; and the God in two, the Young God
and
the Old God. Other pagans do not believe in any gods at all, but
instead honor spirits and/or totems in various forms such as animals
or
trees, as in many of the native American religions. As is usually the
case, defining "God" is a very slippery idea. But these are some of
the
more common among modern pagans.
11) Can one be both Christian and pagan?
Depends on who you ask. :)
There is much dissention on this particular topic, with both
pagans
and Christians taking both stances. There are many brands of
Christian
mysticism, some more similar to the aspects of paganism than others.
But some pagans who dance outside to the light of the moon and praise
the Goddess in Her aspect of Diana see and feel no contradiction to
going inside and lighting candles to Mary, the Queen of Heaven and the
Mother of God, the next day. And those same pagans see the same
sacrificial king motif in Jesus as they do in Osiris.
Many people might find it difficult to reconcile the two paths;
others see a successful integration possible. It depends on what is
right for the individual.
12) What were the Burning Times?
The Burning Times is the name used by many modern Witches and
pagans
for the era of the Inquisition, and of the other witch hunts
(including
Salem) which sprang from it. During that time, many women and some
men
were persecuted for practices objectionable to the Church, especially
witchcraft. The _Malleus Maleficarum_ was a guide on how to torture
accused witches into confessing to whatever they were accused of. At
the height of the persecutions, entire towns were left with only one
or
two women in them, and to this day no one knows for sure how many
people
were brutally murdered during this craze.
As is often the case, this horror sprang from fear and
misinformation -- most of the people who were arrested, tortured and
killed were not Witches (or witches) of any sort, but simply people
who
had gotten on the wrong side of someone who had the local magistrate's
ear, or who somehow didn't fit in (particularly beautiful or ugly
women,
widows who had wealth or owned land, the handicapped and retarded, and
even overly intelligent people are all examples of those who became
primary targets of this persecution).
Although discrimination still exists against Witches and pagans,
we
now enjoy comparative freedom of religious practice after those dark
times. But this time is considered a very important event by most
Witches and pagans (comparable to the atrocities and devastation
perpetrated during the Holocaust ), one that should never be
forgotten,
and many do active public education work to assure as best they can
that
it will never happen again.
13) How many pagans/Witches are there today?
Although many people have given estimates, it's impossible to know
this due to the number of people "in the broom closet." However, all
branches of the neopagan movement are steadily growing. Even
opponents
of neopagan religions acknowledge that they are the fastest-growing
religions in North America.
14) What are some of the related newsgroups? (This list subject to
change at any time)
alt.religion.wicca
alt.religion.druid
alt.mythology
alt.satanism
alt.magick
alt.astrology
alt.divination
alt.discordia
soc.religion.paganism
talk.religion.newage
15) Two pagan newsgroups? Why soc.religion.paganism *and* alt.pagan?
We had a vote to create a talk.religion.paganism newsgroup back in
January 1990 and it was voted down, largely because the proposed group
was to be moderated and people didn't like that idea back then. So,
when that failed, some enterprising soul took it upon himself to
create
alt.pagan, because you don't need approval to do that.
Over the ensuing years, we discussed changing newsgroup
hierarchies
(usually to either soc.religion or talk.religion), but the consensus
for
a long while was to leave things as they were. Being typical pagans,
we
like as little structure as possible (or at least we like to believe
we
do).
In 1996, in a response to continued inundation by spammers of the
electronic and evangelical sort, the moderated soc.religion.paganism
was
proposed, voted on and created. Although many people still didn't
like
the idea of a moderated newsgroup, enough people thought it was time
to
create a spam-free environment. However, alt.pagan is still very
active
and many people spend their time on both newsgroups.
16) Is brutal honesty or polite conversation the preferred mode of
conversation around here?
People tend to get a little rowdy around here sometimes, so don't
let it get to you. One of the disadvantages to this type of
communication is the increased possibility of misunderstanding due to
the inability to see the person and hear his or her vocal inflections,
see their facial expressions, et cetera. It's generally frowned upon
to
attack someone baselessly, but there is no problem with disagreeing
with
someone vigorously -- vociferously, even. Try being constructive.
And a brief lecture: There's really no need, honestly there
isn't,
to flame someone who posts the nth money-making scam you've seen this
week, or who cross-posts to every newsgroup imaginable. This mostly
leads to more wasted bandwidth, especially since the resulting flames
often end up cross-posted as well. Just ignore them. Start a new
relevant topic instead. It's better for the continued survival and
usefulness of the newsgroup anyway. (End of lecture.)
17) I'm not a pagan; should I post here?
Yes, definitely -- with a couple of caveats:
a) Don't come on to witness to us. We're really not interested in
being converted (or worse, saved). It's not a tenet of our path to
convert, and so we are particularly unhappy with the idea. Plus
which,
you will add unnecessarily to the noise level in this newsgroup, since
most readers will feel compelled to flame you to the farthest reaches
of
Hell.
(This doesn't mean we don't want to discuss aspects of other
religions as they relate to paganism, however. Discussion we like.
Argument, even. But *not* witness attempts.)
b) If you're new to News, then you might want to check out
news.announce.newusers for the posting protocol. And you might want
to
read some articles for a while -- get the feel of things -- before you
post.
And remember, Usenet and Internet provide you with (among other
things) the opportunity to make a total fool of yourself in front of
thousands of people worldwide, *and* the bonus of having it preserved
on
CD-ROM for many years afterwards.
18) How does one/do I become a pagan?
Most followers of pagan beliefs feel that, if someone is meant to
find the pagan path, s/he will eventually. Usually, it is not a case
so
much of "becoming" a pagan as it is of finding a vocabulary for ideas
and beliefs that you have always held. Good ways of investigating if
this path is for you is to frequent pagan or new age bookstores,
attend
open pagan gatherings when the opportunity arises, and look for
contacts. Most importantly, read read read! There are plenty of good
books out there, as well as periodicals. The latter especially might
be
useful in the way of making contacts in your area.
19) What books/magazines should I read?
There are many, many good books on this subject (and quite a few
bad
ones), and different bibliographies are available on the Internet. But
the best book to read is _Drawing Down the Moon_ by Margot Adler. This
is not a how-to book; it's a comprehensive study of the neopagan
movement in America, and the author is a journalist, a reporter for
National Public Radio, and a pagan.
Also, to get started contacting other pagans, the best place to
write is Circle Network, P.O. Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI, 53572. Circle
is
the largest pagan network in the country and publishes a guide to
pagan
groups around the United States, Canada, and overseas. They might be
able to get you in touch with pagans in your area if you can't find
them
yourself. They also have an extensive list of available publications.
For residents of the UK who are looking for contacts, try getting
in
touch with the Pagan Federation. Similar to Circle in intent, they
publish a quarterly newsletter and provides contact information for UK
pagans. Their address is Pagan Federation, BM Box 7097, London,
WC1N 3XX, United Kingdom.
If you start with that, then you will generally find pointers to
other sources and resources.
20) How do I find pagans/Witches/covens/teachers in my area? How do I
evaluate them?
Some of your best contacts may come from your local new age, pagan
or occult bookstores. Check their bulletin boards for notices, or ask
the staff. Also, many periodicals frequently allow people to
advertise
for contacts in their particular area. Circle Network, based in
Wisconsin, has recently come out with an updated guide to pagan
groups;
it is available by mail-order or through certain new age bookstores.
Don't be in a hurry to find a teacher. "When the student is
ready,
the teacher will appear" is a popular saying in most pagan and Craft
communities. Frustrating as that may sound, it's really a sensible
way
to think. Neopaganism, like any esoteric movement, attracts its share
of unsavory characters. When you do meet people, use your intuition.
If they seem somehow "off" to you, then they're probably not for you.
If no one seems like someone you think you'd like to be with, then
you're probably better off working solitary, at least for such time as
you find no compatible people.
And by no means should you infer from this that all solitaries are
"pagans-in-waiting". Many people are quite happy to work alone, and
in
fact prefer it. There is nothing wrong with working on your own as
long
as you like -- even if that turns out to be a lifetime. In fact,
there
are several people who highly recommend that you study on your own for
a
while before looking for others to work with. This gives you the
chance to get started figuring out what feels right for you without
having pressure from others to conform to their beliefs and dogmas.
21) What's a coven really like?
Well, if you're expecting to hear about sex and blood magic,
animal
sacrifice, and ritual cruelty, then you'll be disappointed. Forming or
joining a coven is a spiritual commitment (the words coven and
covenant
are related) that is entered into advisedly. Once that bond is made,
though, you find yourself in a spiritual community of people who have
roughly the same theology, getting together to celebrate the passing
of
the seasons and the cycles of the moon, providing support and comfort
to
its members -- a lot like a small spiritual community of any faith.
Another common saying in the Craft is "In perfect love and perfect
trust," and that sums up the relationship among coveners pretty well.
Another kind of group for like-minded pagans to gather in is
called
a circle. The ties between coven members are as close as those
between
members of a family, and in some cases, closer. A circle is similar
to
a group of friends -- you like to do things together, but the bonds
between members are not as serious as between coven-members.
22) How do I form a coven?
Just as you shouldn't be in a big rush to find a teacher, you
probably shouldn't set right out to form a coven. Most Witches
believe
the coven bond to be a very intense and serious one, one that applies
on
the Karmic as well as mundane levels. Think of it as getting married
--
you wouldn't marry the first people you met who are interested in
getting married too, would you?
Forming a circle, or a magical study group, is perhaps a better
first step. It can be on a relatively informal basis, and you and the
other participants can get to know each other while learning about the
Craft together (as a matter of fact, many covens are formed from study
groups). The fun of this is that you can meet more people who are
interested in what you're interested in, and you can all learn
together,
and maybe even develop a tradition from the results of your studies.
(You can do this as a solitary, of course, but some people do take
more
enjoyment in working with others. Once again, do what's right for
you.)
The steps for contacting people to form a coven are much the same
as
finding other pagans and Witches in your area. A word of advice,
though: You may want to leave your last name off, or get a P.O. box.
Don't give out your number (unless you have an answering machine).
Advertising yourself as being interested in this sort of thing might
attract, shall we say, undesirables. Try writing such a notice so
that
those who are probably interested in similar ideals will know what
you're talking about without attracting the attention of people who
aren't. Remember that words like "witchcraft","pagan" and "coven"
mean
many different things to many different people.
23) What does Dianic mean?
Like everything else in neopaganism and the Craft, the term Dianic
is one that has several meanings. A majority of those who call
themselves Dianic are women that choose not to work with male energy
in
their ritual, magic, or universe. They feel that they need spiritual
and psychic space filled with only women's energy.
Some Dianics are feminist Witches, both lesbian and heterosexual,
who often come to the Craft through feminism. Although these women
may
be involved with men in one way or another, they agree that religion
has
over-emphasized the male for the last several thousand years, and
therefore want to share their women's energy in women's circles. They
may or may not also be involved with the mainstream pagan community,
and
they may or may not participate in magic and ritual with men.
The most visible groups of Dianics are those who are lesbian
Dianics.
They are generally not interested in revering any sort of male deity
or
in working with men in circle. They choose to limit their dependence
on
and acceptance of the male-defined world as much as possible, and they
do so not to exclude men but rather to celebrate women and the
feminine.
For that reason many of them do not interact much with the
"mainstream"
pagan community.
(There are also those who call themselves Dianic and who are not
like those described above, but who practice Witchcraft based on the
traditions found books like those of anthropologist Margaret Murray.
However, the term is more often meant to designate those practitioners
described in the first two paragraphs. This definition is taken
largely
from the book _To Know_ by Jade.)
24) Aren't women-only circles discriminatory?
Yes, women-only circles are discriminatory. So what? *ALL*
circles
are somewhat discriminatory, even if the only discrimination is that
they'll evict preachers who disrupt the proceedings of the circle.
If you're worried about being discriminatory in your own circle,
simply
look at the circle as a group of friends. Then, the discrimination is
simply a limit on who you'll have as your friends, which is undeniably
a
good thing.
If you're worried about being discriminated against, then you can
form your own circle, and you have the option to make it a men-only
circle. Why do you want to intrude into a social space where you're
not
wanted?
If the participants are discussing business-related things
affecting
you during their circle, then you have legal rights to be allowed to
participate, regardless of whether the discrimination is
gender-related
or not. It would be good advice to avoid such topics during circle.
If
you're worried that a circle from which you're excluded is doing so,
you
can talk to a lawyer to find out what those rights are and whether it
will be wise and useful to pursue them.
Ultimately, though, you need to remember that some people feel
strongly that some mysteries are gender-related and therefore it is
not
appropriate to have men (or women, depending) in attendance. It's not
a
plot to keep you out or to make you feel bad, but rather quite an
ancient method of exploring certain mysteries that only apply to one
sex
(e.g. menstruation).
25) Can/will you cast me a love spell/curse my enemies?
Can we? Probably. (Whether it might yield the desired result is
something else.) Will we? Not on your life, bucko.
Pagans and Witches usually believe in some form of what's called
the
Witches' Rede: "As long as you harm no one, do what you will." That
isn't nearly as easy as it might sound. That means whatever action
you
undertake, it can't harm anyone, including yourself. Witches and
pagans
also believe in some form of the Law of Return: "Whatever you do
magically [or otherwise] will come back to you," some say three times,
some nine, some just say it will come back to you. And it does. As
Ursula K. LeGuin said, "You can't light a candle without somewhere
casting a shadow." Most of us believe that it is wrong to use magical
power to coerce someone into doing something against his or her free
will. Curses and love spells are the most prevalent examples of
manipulative magic. Some Witches and pagans do believe that using
one's
powers in defense (say, to assure a rapist's getting caught) is all
right; others do not. Those who do choose to work that kind of magic
do so knowing that it will come back to them, and are making an
informed
choice when they decide to do so.
This makes it sound as if we spend our lives deciding whether to
curse or hex someone, when that's not true. Most of the time, our
spells and magical workings are for such things as healing the planet,
getting a job (or otherwise bringing prosperity into our lives),
healing
(both ourselves and others), and spiritual empowerment. Spells are
really quite similar to prayer -- they just have more Hollywood hoopla
attached to them. Besides, anything you do for yourself will work much
better than a spell or working done by someone else.
26) Sometimes I see "magic" spelled with a "k". Do real pagans spell
it
a certain way?
"Magick" is a spelling used by some pagans and magicians (yes, you
can practice magic and not be pagan) to differentiate from
sleight-of-hand, rabbit-out-of-the-hat stuff. Although it used to be
a
standard spelling (if anything before the last 200 years or so can be
called that), its use in this century by pagans and witches can be
traced to people like Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune -- people who
were primarily ceremonial magicians. Many practitioners of magic have
begun using this spelling. Many others still do not. (Then there are
folks who use other such creative spellings as "majic" and "majik".)
Any of these is fine. The "k" on the end -- or lack thereof --
does
not designate you or anyone else as either "in the know" or "without a
clue". How you spell the word does not affect your efficacy as a
magical practitioner one whit. Anyone who tells you otherwise is
being,
in this author's humble opinion, silly.
27) Is it okay if I...? Will I still be a pagan if I...?
Yes. Most pagans take a clearly anti-authorative (no one is your
superior) stance when it comes to other pagans' religious practices.
Ideally, we try to remember the relativity of our values.
One of the major advantages of neopaganism, is that it is defined
by
you, and that is what makes it so empowering (making you feel your own
power). Nobody can tell you that you aren't a true neopagan, because
*you* decide what's right for *you*. There are no dogmas (truth
defined
by an expert) in neopaganism, simply because there couldn't possibly
be
any expert who knows better than you what feels right for you. Many
pagans also appreciate the Discordian catma (related to dog-ma): "Any
Discordian is expressly forbidden to believe what she reads." We also
like the paradox in this cuddly catma.
You are encouraged to share your new ideas and inventions with us,
but a statement along with a request for comments will probably give
you
more informative replies than asking your fellow netters for
permission
to do what is right for you. A "Am I still okay if I..." question
will
probably leave you with dozens of responses containing the most
frequently given piece of advice on alt.pagan: Do what feels right
for
you. If what you really want is to hear that you are okay, please turn
to alt.support.
28) I am a pagan and I think I am being discriminated against because
of
my religion. What should I do?
First of all, don't panic. Are you really being discriminated
against, or are things happening to you that would happen no matter
what
your religious beliefs were? Not to belittle religious discrimination
because of course it happens, but you want to be sure that's what is
going on before you take measures based on that assumption.
If, after looking at the situation objectively, you feel that you
are being treated the way you are *specifically because of your
religion*, then there are groups you can contact who specialize in
giving assistance in just this very thing. One is Circle Network,
whose
address is given above. Another is AMER (Alliance of Magical and
Earth
Religions), and they can be reached through Chris Carlisle at
C24...@wuvmd.wustl.edu, or from addresses on several hobbyist networks
including FIDONET as well.
29) Hey, I heard that [insert name of famous rock singer or
fantasy-novel writer here] was a witch/pagan. Is that true?
Well, the quick and dirty answer is: we don't know; why not ask
them? Seriously, this question is asked most frequently about those
artists/writers who use occult or magical imagery in their work
(Stevie
Nicks, Loreena McKennitt and Mercedes Lackey being the most
commonly-asked-about people, with Cybill Shepherd having suddenly
gained
great frequency after the 1996 Golden Globes). Just because someone
uses that imagery in their work -- even if it's in a positive,
pro-paganism way -- does not mean that they are pagan themselves. The
vast wealth of material provided by myth, folklore and occult
knowledge
is a tempting and lucrative well of inspiration for creative artists.
But its use does not automatically link the user to the Craft or
paganism. And that's okay. They don't have to be pagans to write
about
pagans, or about pagan ideas. They are creating art. That is their
job. If the art reflects your life, well and good. Just don't expect
it to also be a mirror image of the artist.
In short, unless the person in question has unequivocally stated
that s/he is a pagan (e.g., Patricia Kennealy-Morrison, a practicing
witch and Celtic high priestess, and author of the _Keltiad_ series),
you can't assume that s/he is a pagan. (Even then, they could change
their minds, like Gael Baudino did, or give different answers at
different times, like Marion Zimmer Bradley kept doing.) Does it
really make that book or song or painting less meaningful to you if
you
don't know the religion of its creator?
30) What one thing would most pagans probably want the world to know
about them?
The answer included here comes from Margot Adler's excellent book
_Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers and Other
Pagans in America Today_ (the revised edition). If after reading this
FAQ, you want to learn even more about modern paganism, we highly
recommend this book. It is available in most bookstores and in many
libraries.
"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, _Drawing Down the Moon_, p.453.
AFTERWORD The creators of this FAQ want to thank the readers of
alt.pagan for their input in compiling the questions. If you would
like
to distribute this document, or quote portions from it, for
educational
purposes, permission from the authors is hereby given, under the
condition that any such distribution must include the authors names in
their entirety. Portions of this document may not be used without
proper credit to all authors. Thank you and Blessed Be!
**References**
_Drawing Down the Moon_, Margot Adler, Beacon Press.
_To Know_, Jade, Delphi Press.
--
news:alt.pagan FAQ at http://www.dmcom.net/bard/altpag.txt
news:alt.religion.wicca FAQ at http://www.dmcom.net/bard/arwfaq2.txt
news:news.groups FAQ at http://www.dmcom.net/bard/ngfaq.txt
Want a new group FAQs http://web.presby.edu/~nnqadmin/nnq/ncreate.html
--
news:alt.pagan FAQ at http://www.dmcom.net/bard/altpag.txt
news:alt.religion.wicca FAQ at http://www.dmcom.net/bard/arwfaq2.txt
news:news.groups FAQ at http://www.dmcom.net/bard/ngfaq.txt
Want a new group FAQs http://web.presby.edu/~nnqadmin/nnq/ncreate.html