The Silence of the Pagans
Author: Deverell
Posted: May 20th. 2007
http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usar&c=words&id=11611

We have all gotten it, the shudder, the quick end of conversation. It comes from all sorts of people, peers at work, friends, and sometimes even our very own family. In the military I've seen it more than a few times, that look, from NCOs (non commissioned officers), and officers when I speak of my religion. It's the look of �I'm sitting/standing next to a devil worshiper�.

Sometimes those people warm up to us, other times we lose close friends and colleges. Myself, even after seven months of discussing my religion with one particular person, I still get the same look sometimes. For the longest time I thought, well maybe I am a very rare case; maybe this person has never had the opportunity to work alongside someone with such differing religious views as myself. I am from the deep within the bible belt, within a group of people who are mostly Baptist, with the occasional Catholic, and it has been estimated that there are only 1, 800 Pagans serving within the military, thought I.

Let me begin by explaining my current situation. I am a Specialist serving in the Arkansas Army National Guard, deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Kuwait. I have served in the Guard for roughly three years; this being my first oversees deployment. I am a volunteer used as a fill in for a unit I am unfamiliar with, although it is from my home state, I did not know but a few of the people I work with before this deployment.

In July 2006 I was called upon to attend unit training at Camp Shelby Mississippi (one day before my birthday no less, a great birthday present I must say) in readiness for our deployment. I am usually fairly good at recognizing those people who will be open, understanding, or simply non-threatening/ed to discuss my religious views with.

After about one month of training, I felt that I would be safe in discussing my religious views openly within my squad (side note: an Army squad consists of eleven soldiers: one squad leader, two team leaders, and eight �Joes�, my squad happened to have only nine soldiers).

I immediately got �the look� from my squad leader, a few understanding looks, and a few �Ok, I really don't care to know� looks. I will note here that I have not been discriminated against in anyway because of my religion, so please do not take this in the wrong way, as the article is not particularly about me.

To get back to the present, I have recently become more and more vocal about my religion. I have begun to understand that in this day and age, one should not be ashamed about their religion, and if someone should discriminate against me (especially in the military) they would be the ones that felt the repercussions of it. With my more vocal stance on religion, I have realized that I was very wrong in my assumption that I am a very rare case of religion.

Two months ago, with the help of another Witch I met on an Army discussion forum, I met a Pagan study group on the base that I am stationed at. Through this group I have met a good many people following the same or similar path as my own. I have also learned of a good deal more who do not come to our weekly meetings for various reasons. This month, however, has really baffled every assumption I've ever heard about the number of Pagans in the world, and in the military particularly.

Earlier this month I was speaking with two of the people within my platoon (a platoon is made up of four squads, a platoon sergeant and a platoon leader), and I found them to be very religious tolerant. One of those two people was actually very interested in the faith, and had been studying it for some time. Both of these people are interested in attending a weekly meeting of our Pagan study group, and I believe that one may in all actuality join.

Then came this week, I am sitting outside of one of the areas in which my unit works, talking with one person whom I would have never expected to speak of religion. The conversation starts out with movies, this person suggests to me a movie that he calls a comedy (you must forgive me here, as I cannot recall the name of this movie). The movie is about two angels cast from heaven, and attempting to regain their stature of angles.

I then told him that I really did not like movies, especially comedies based on religion, even though I was not from that faith. When I seen that he was particularly open to that, I felt I could discuss my views on Christianity with him, and why I left that religion.

Conversation eventually wound its way towards Paganism, which he said he had studied for some time, and was very interested in. That is when it hit me; wow I am standing in front of another Pagan! After much conversation, and exchanging of printed information, this individual is actually interested in joining our weekly circle.

What I would like to ask now is our obedience to the silence of the craft as good of a thing as we think it to be. I understand that in times past it was essential, but would I have ever found these three individuals, or the last one particularly, if I had not been vocal about my beliefs? How many broom closet Witches, and Pagans are there really out there. I once saw an estimate that there were 300, 000 Pagans in America. I would really like to know the true number.

I believe each and every one of us needs to stop being afraid to be vocal about our religious views, we need to join in on more social activities that involve religion. We all need to have the mindset of �let's put our religion out there� rather than �I hope no one finds out�.

I am not in any means saying we need to begin going out and attempting to convert people to our religion, or be forceful about it, I will be the first to say that doing so is completely immoral. There are, I believe many more people practicing and/or interested in the Pagan faith than even the most optimistic of us believe. We need to be more recognized as a religion, and put the days of �Keep this book in your own hand of write� and stating �I had a dream, I was possessed by demons� behind us.

We are entering the Age of Aquarius; we have already gained equal rights for man and woman of any race, but what of religion. Sure we have the right to practice, but are the people of our countries treating us with equal respect as that which they afford other religions?

We actually have people fighting against our religion, as did the American government most recently in the case of the American soldier who died for his country, only to have his family told that they could not receive the militarily promised headstone with the emblem of his Wiccan faith.

Some people in India (by no means am I saying all, or even a majority) killed a farmer for �allegedly practicing Witchcraft�. The Utah penal system kept an inmate from possessing runes associated with his religion, when other inmates are able to keep their religious symbols and materials. An Indianapolis court ruled a father must not teach his own children his religion.

These are only a few examples of many. Sure a select few of us stand for our rights as a religion, yet many more of us agree that we should� and yet do nothing. To the select few, thank you! The rest of us need to take your example.

I ask of each and every one of you, does your local grocery store have a flier for those interested in learning more about a Pagan faith?

Have you explained your religion to those who give you the �I'm standing beside a devil worshiper� look?

Have you volunteered to give a �Pagan awareness� class at you local government, to help stem the disdain by our government?

Again, I am not saying that we should invite everyone we meet to be members of our covens. I am not saying we need to preach to everyone we meet about our religion. I am, however, saying that we cannot be a silent religion and expect to get the religions rights we deserve.

Maybe we will get a few bad looks. Maybe we will lose a few friends, but are those the type of friends we would really want, those that would avoid us simply because of our religion?

Will our children grow up knowing their parents religion is a valid one? Or will they think that their parents were so afraid to tell anyone about their religion, because maybe all those people and movies were right?

If only a few stand up to protect our religious rights, they will be shot down, but if we as a group stand up, no government in the world can ignore us forever.

I definately agree with that article. I know that look. haha. thanks for sharing that Lady Elaine.
-JennaMoon

Very good article. In this day and age there is absolutely no excuse for religious intolerance. However, I have a couple of very close friends who are very devout--they always seem to like that word--Christians. One is a Baptist minister. The other one is Pentecostal. They are both very single-minded in their beliefs. Neither one is someone I could imagine myself, if I thought about it. voluntarily associating with. They just happen to be very good people. We have many deep discussions about morality and the nature of God. They each assume that I am One Of Them. All they really know about me is that I have a very deep and personal relationship with the Divine. That's all they need to know. I could tell them the truth, but I really doubt that they could handle the truth.

Blessings.
Monk

That is a good article.
He being a Man,,he would be treated different, if a women would be in his place, it would not of gone so well.
But I sadly find, at least those that I have met in person, do not want to know I am different (ie not the same religion they are )or if they did,,,they would deside not to be friends or tell me how evil I am. Just not up to that.
I just tell people, religion to me is very private and will not speak about it.

I think the American Army is already very open for pagan religion if they can have a weekly circle. I do not know very much about the army in my country, but I can't really imagine this to be happening.
In many countries in Europe, paganism and in particular Wicca is most often considered to be a sekt and talking about it is not a good idea.

I also do not talk about my religion, unless I sense that the person opposite me is also in any way connected to paganism. I think if I would talk about it on my school or my teaching practise school I would get more trouble than benefits out of it.

This person has a very good point, but the general way of thinking need to change a bit more for pagans to be able to come all the way out of their closet.

Blessings
Freya

I agree with Suzume - things would have gone differently for a woman (I believe Deverell is a male name - forgive me if I'm wrong )
Although there is alleged equality for men and women it is a far cry from being true. Women are still mistreated - to a disgusting degree at times - and individuals of minority ethnic backgrounds are still looked down upon. Black people are more likely to be arrested than white; people of middle eastern descent are regularly discriminated against both publicly and privately regardless of religious beliefs.

However, I do agree with the author of this article that we must always fight-the-good-fight and stand up for justice. However, I prefer to take the stance that people must be educated. Ignorance leads to intolerance more so than "religious convictions".

I recently read a Catholic publication - forgive me for not remember what or where - which stated that neo-paganism was "even worse" than the older pagan religions because it was established mainly to oppose Christianity (I laughed and then I cried) and that it had no moral or ethical code to speak of. It also stated that it was a truly sad thing that missionaries didn't have more money to spend seeking out indigenous peoples and then converting them to Christianity. It proceeded to then speak of the evils of indigenous faiths.

We have lost so much knowledge - spiritual knowledge, but sadder still medical and herbal knowledge and knowledge of nature - because of Christian evangelism. Even back in my Christian days I found this remarkably sad.

If Christians could only be taught the beauty of Paganism, if we could only convince them to open their hearts and minds, we would be able to gain the equality that we deserve.

I'm not trying to be rude, but, as I'm standing from a guy's standpoint, I'm curious as to how would it have been different for a female? I mean, isn't the pagan religion considered a female-based religion by most of those outside the religion. I have spoken to very few people about my beliefs, but, instead of the "Why are you in a cult?" question I would expect, I get the "Why are you in a woman's religion? Are you gay?" It may just be where I am living at, but i don't see how it would be harder for a woman. If i have stepped on anyone's toes, forgive me. I'm just speaking my mind.