Frequently Asked Questions

   Collated by Rhiannon NosTylluan

   

FAQ for June-July 2005 Have you ever been discriminatory towards another individual not of your faith? How? How have you been discriminated against? What is something that we as pagans can do to change our discriminatory behaviour towards non-pagans?            Have you ever been discriminatory towards another individual not of your faith? How? Yeah - I think there are few normal people who are capable of true acceptance of all. I have stereotypical thoughts, attitudes. I'm sure at times I even act differently. I try not to, but it's hard since no matter how much I claim to believe we all have our own right journey, the thing is I also believe my faith is right. It is hard to really, completely, internally reconcile the belief that I follow the "true" path with we all walk the one that is right for us. ~ Avril H. I don't believe I have ever been discriminatory based upon religion. I am fairly certain I have unintentionally behaved or thought in a discriminatory fashion due to other people's apparent arrogance and stupidity - as I have a short tolerance for deliberate ignorance. But the big "D" issues such as gender, race, sexual preference, able-bodiedness, or religion are not differences I consider inferior or superior. ~ Axiom. It shames me to acknowledge it, but I have. Despite all the claims we Pagans make about our tolerance, we're no better than anyone else at times - worse if we call ourselves accepting of all faiths and then show we're not really. I have never physically been discriminatry - or not to my knowledge. But I have certainly engaged in thoughts and attitudes that are less than exemplary. I joing in the "jokes" and make snide comments to others. ~ B. Wolfe Yes. I was raised evangelical, and I was good at it. So, yes, I have been discriminatory against those of other religions. Then I went through an agnostic stage where I basically laughed at everyone and wished I didn't believe so I could be an Atheist. Then I fell into Wicca, and boy, my discriminatory tendencies reared up and lashed back at all I had been - anyone who was Christian was not good enough, not smart enough, not loving or compassionate or forgiving enough. But I'm getting better. I learned that I was lashing out about my own fears of not belonging, or making the wrong choice. I realized it doesn't matter. We could all be wrong and Cthullu will eat us while we go insane. ~ Josh P.    How have you been discriminated against? Nothing major - my family's been heathen for a few generations. Our village knows that and knows us. We aren't the only ones either. Most the people here consider religion a private matter as well - although we seem to be experiencing an influx of American values when it comes to that. We have some new neighbours - they are shunning us, and there have been a few brochures dropped off detailing Satanic practices. Obviously we are being equated with the Christian cult idea. ~ Avril H. Well, as a Pagan in the States I am in a definate minority. Especially as I am out. I have also experienced discrimination in other areas - but somehow it feels less "dangerous" or personal when it's not about my faith. I catch the comments, the delayed service. I've been picketed against which was pretty spectacular. It's the usual stuff - but in some areas it's a little scarier as the people (for example Southern Baptist communities) are very strong in their belief they are right and all others (including other denominations of Christianity, mind you) are wrong - even Satanic. ~ B. Wolfe I am female; live in a foreign country; I am a SAHM who homeschools, farms the kids out to daycare a few days a week so I can follow my career aspirations, and am happy with my current status of non-financial contributor to the household; I belong to a "race" which is at times not the same as those around me; I have a certain type of education; I do not speak every language in the world or follow the right "customs" or religion or philosophy (depending upon the circumstances). The list of things for which I have been discriminated against in one form or other is endless. But I don't think that is the issue. A certain level of discrimination is (I believe) necessary to the continued striving of the human race. It is one of the challenges we face and overcome in our efforts to succeed. And throughout history every society without sufficient challenge stagnates. This isn't to say I agree with discrimination - just that up to a certain level it is more harmless than harmful. But there are some ways and degrees of discrimination that will never be harmless - the ways that oppress and degrade other humans. ~ Catherine M. When I was Christian, I don't recall noticing any discrimination - although I'm sure it happened at some point. Since then, assuming this question refers to religious discrimination, yes, it's happened. It's interesting - I just returned from a trip overseas - to a country where I spoke none of the native tongue and they spoke little of mine. Christianity is the dominant religion there, but there is a growing return to their Pagan roots - which never actually died out by the way. The people live in harmony with the two religions, and I felt much more at home being open about my faith there than I do here in my "Pagan Community" where we often face incursions by well-meaning (and otherwise) Christians. Aside from the unconscious discrimination where people assume you believe the same and expose their prejudice against "those" people. When my religion is known, that prejudice is directed at me - either in hostility, or in an effort to convert me to save me. I lost a job because of my religion, got harrassed out of an apartment, and have experienced minor crud. It happens. ~ Josh P.    What is something that we as pagans can do to change our discriminatory behaviour towards non-pagans? Communication - it's amazing how accepting people are of those they know and love, despite the differences. The focus lies upon the common ground, not the unknown. In my village it is my new neighbours who are experiencing the cold shoulder, not us, despite us "Heathens" being a definite minority. There are 3 families and a couple of individuals, in a village of 2,000 or so. But we are known. We are "family", and so our different faith is accepted. I think that being an active member of the community, welcoming and friendly - getting to know others - helps to prevent discrimination surviving. ~ Avril H. I think education is crucial. And less aceptance of discriminatory comments. Being made aware of how I sounded when I spout off about "Christians" really brought it home to me. One of my dear friends parroted my words back - only with Pagan and Witch instead of Christian. I also do a lot of web surfing through some of the radical Pagan sites - I alternate fundie Christian with fundie pagan - after a while I began to see exactly how similar they were. ~ B. Wolfe Remember that we draw towards us what we put out. Not all discrimination occurs because of prejudice. It's a noxious weed that grows in envirnments devoid of compassion and willingness to tolerate, to listen to others. We are often as guilty of it as "them". And stop thinking of people with different beliefs, or unpleasant attitudes as "them". That immediately makes a division, and creates the idea that "they" are different in a way that could be wrong. We are all different, but ultimately, we are all the same. ~ Josh P. I think what it boils down to, is that no two people are alike, and if we can just accept that, and don't try to change people, or expect them to conform to our standards, then there will be no problem. I don't believe that paganism is for everybody, and neither is christianity, or anything else, for that matter. And if people stop thinking that they are better than others - well, that is a big one. ~ J.T.

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