Pagan Village News

As we go about our Imbolic activities, I thought I would write about some of the things we can do as pagans to shed a brighter light on who and what we are. It is imperative that those of us out of the broom closet lead and educate others by example. One can talk about paganism all day long, much of which falls on deaf ears. What we can do is make sure our ACTIONS are always in alliance with our beliefs. This is one of the strongest tools in our "toolbox" that can help others better understand what our path is all about.

So just how do we go about doing such a thing? Well, now that is not as hard as it sounds really. Even in this day and age I see young adults lay claim to our path...and to them its about wearing dark clothes, tons of pentagrams, black lipstick and "doing spells." OK before you start writing in to me...I mean no disrespect at all ... to each his own truly ... but is that the image we truly wish to portray? The Pagan path is not like the ever popular "Charmed" TV show or even Harry Potter but I've heard it referenced quite a bit from seekers who write to me. Or they want a spell to make their boyfriend love them. Or they hate someone and want to "put them in a box." Again I ask, is this what we want people to know about us? And where did all these people get the impression that the Pagan path is all about manipulation and shocking folks? Aww and then there are the ones who join because they think all we do is go around holding sex orgies. Those are the real fun ones to deal with. I really think we need to do some serious education here because I don't think we are really getting the meaning across. While all the above is a part of our path it is by far not all there is to our paths, it is much more complex than all that. Simply because we are not tied down and inhibited by the dogma of the mainstream religions and don't believe in what society deems as the norm, does not make us evil devil worshiping sex fiends.

As open as I am publicly about Paganism and Witchcraft, you will not see me doing any of the above. I really don't know how many in my town actually know I am a Witch, nor frankly do I care. They may suspect, but they don't confront me with it. Some, from time to time, will ask me questions and I answer them truthfully. They do know I'm different, they do know I'm active in community affairs and volunteer more then most people. They do know I'm against the current administration and war. They do know I care about animals and the earth. They do know I'm honorable and upfront with people and that they can count on me to be there when the chips are down. I think that is what we as Pagans need to show to people.

I strongly feel that if we are ever going to become accepted, we need to stress to others that we are just like everyone else. That we are honorable and ethical. That we care about current affairs and that we are the stewards of Mother Earth. That we can be counted on when needed. That we are honorable loving people just trying to make our own way in this world while abiding by the laws of nature and the wheel of life. I really think that if we let people get to know us first then it is easier to bring up the religion issue when asked. It's all about how you carry yourself and treat others really. These are things we can do to prove to others that what we believe is not evil and wicked. My father always said "Actions speak louder than words." This was sound advise then and it has proven to be sound advice now.

So I suppose what this is all leading to is that we can go a long way in furthering our cause through our own actions and how we carry ourselves. No, I don't believe in hiding in the "broom closet" simply because one could say that if you have to hide then there must be something bad about it. No, I don't believe in shoving my beliefs down anyone's throat. They must come to me if they wish to learn. But I will not stand by and let others who have no clue about our path bring us down or harm us. True Pagans are more honorable than any of the people from "societies' norm" and always have been. We have a strict code of ethics in which we are honor bound to follow. And we police our own. This is what we need to show to people. That is the key to our freedom to following our own Paths openly and without fear. In the words of John Lennon "Just Imagine".

Brightest Blessings,

Laura M. Crowe

President/Founder Pagans United

Georgia PUC Chairperson

North Central PUC Regional Chair

To read more about Laura, click here

But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.
--Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782

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