Paganism Q&A
**What is Paganism?**
Paganism is an umbrella term. There is no single Pagan religion. There are many faiths that fall under the umbrella of Paganism, as Pagan refers to any faith that does not honor the god of Abraham (God/YHVH/Allah). At its widest, it refers to all non-Abrahamic religions. However, it's often used to refer to specifically Western religions (Eastern faiths like Buddhism and Shinto don't always like the term and are less likely to use it in reference to their religions).
Not all Pagan faiths worship nature. This is a misconception. While honoring nature may be a factor in many faiths, it is not generally the focus.
**You practice magick, right?**
Not all Pagans practice magic (no K).
While magic and/or witchcraft may be vital aspects of some Pagan faiths (i.e., Wicca), it is optional in other faiths (like Asatru [Nordic Reconstructionalism] ), or even somewhat frowned upon in others (Hellenismos [Greek Reconstructionalism] ). Magical practices can also vary greatly by culture and by practitioner. Not all witches are Pagan even!
**Do you worship the Goddess?**
Yes and no.
There are Pagans who identify as soft polytheists, meaning they believe all goddesses are facets of an overarching Goddess, and all gods are facets of an overarching God. Soft polytheists. So most polytheists will say that they worship *the* Goddess.
Then there are hard polytheists who believe each deity is his/her own unique, sovereign individual. If you ask a hard polytheist if they worship the Goddess, you will likely get the reply of "Which one?" as they see ALL goddesses as seperate entities and no over-arching, singular Goddess.
**What are some Pagan religions?**
Wicca is the most well-known Pagan faith; in some cases it is used synonymously with Paganism, which is erroneous.
Other Pagan faiths include:
Asatru
Kemetic (Egyptian) faiths
Celtic Reconstructionalism
Hellenismos (Greek)
Religio Romana (Roman)
Native American faiths (although most Native Americans do not self-identify as Pagan)
And the myriad of eclectic faiths that draw from non/pre-Christian beliefs and practices.
**Do you believein Karma/Three Fold Law?**
Karma as understood by the West is terribly flawed and decontextualized. In the West, Karma is distilled down to "Do good, get good back. Do bad, get bad back." In actuality, Karma can not really be understood without understanding Dharma as well. In a nutshell, Dharma is one's life path; what they are set out to do and accomplish in their life. Karma is accrued when someone acts in a way that does not follow their life's path. And in order to attain full "liberation," one must rid themselves of all karma. Karma is neither good nor evil.
Dharma
Karma
The Three-fold Law has also been taken out of its original context and shaped into something different. (As far as we know as non-initiates) The Three-fold Law is a ritual contrivance in Wicca. It isn't a law in the same way the Ardanes (the laws of Wicca) are. Speaking in terms of energy, this "law" just does not make sense. Would one plug in a 9-volt battery and expect to get 27 volts of work out of it?
Some Pagans do try to follow the Western version of Karma or the Three-fold Law, but these ideas are not central to most Pagan faiths.
**Do you follow the Rede?**
Another misunderstood and decontextualized piece of Wicca.
"Rede" means "advice." It is not *the* law of Wicca. The laws of Wicca, as mentioned previously, are called the Ardanes.
The Rede often gets shortened down to "Harm none" which isn't the whole of the phrase and ends up to be quite misleading. The Rede is not a blanket statement to do no harm, ever. Rather, the whole phrase "An it harm none, do what ye will" simply means if your actions will not cause harm, feel free to proceed. It does not place prohibitions on doing harmful actions. Rather, the implication is if you are doing something considered harmful you should carefully weigh and consider your thoughts and your actions before carrying through with them.
Some Pagans (usually of the more Eclectic persuasion) do try to adhere to the Rede. However, the Rede is not a part of most other Pagan faiths like those listed above.
**So what rules DO Pagans follow?**
There isn't really a list of rules that span all of Paganism. As mentioned in the first section, the spectrum of Pagans runs wide and varies much. Ergo, it is impossible to try to set in place one set of rules for ALL Pagans to follow. Rather, Pagans usually draw their rules and guidelines from the
culture/pantheon they draw from the most, or the cultures/pantheons that interest them the most and they feel are a good fit.
**How do I become Pagan?**
Again, there really isn't a uniform way to become Pagan. Some faiths (like Wicca) require the individual to undergo an initiation process before they may be considered properly of the faith. For other faiths, it is up to the individual on when and how they feel comfortable taking on the title. Some study for a year and a day. Others study for however long it takes for them to feel comfortable and sure in the title. To further this process of becoming Pagan, some people choose to dedicate themselves to their gods, although this is not necessary.
