Paganism 101

Paganism (also Neo-Paganism) varies widely because there is no single authority figure to define tenets or beliefs.
Therefore, it is very difficult to provide an all-inclusive definition. Paganism is a blanket-term referring to a wide
variety of spiritual pursuits and religions. According to William D. Frost, "Paganism is a catch-all term for a
collection of faiths that feel they are kin to each other, not due so much to doctrinal similarity but due more to a
shared cultural sense that there is more to the universe than is dreamt of in standard philosophy."

He also refers to paganism as a sub-culture rather than a religion. Pagans may follow many gods (polytheism),
one god of many (henotheism), that their gods are inherent in nature (pantheism), or no gods (atheism). I believe
it is safe to say that most pagans are not monotheists - that is, believe only one god exists. Most theistic pagans
believe that a god or goddess chooses you, not the other way around. Many, but certainly not all, practice magic.

As an example of the different types of pagans, WitchVox invites pagans to provide short write-ups of their tradition
(http://www.witchvox.com/_x.html?c=trads); 73 are listed as of March 2008. Another good discussion of the diversity
can be found at “Neopagan & Pagan religious traditions” @ http://www.religioustolerance.org/neo_paga.htm

Many, but certainly not all, pagans practice magic. Magic is commonly defined as "creating change in accordance
with will." Magic is not achieved simply by burning a candle and chanting strange words - it's about emotion and
willpower. There is no such thing as "black" magic or "white" magic; magic is a neutral force that the user changes
for his purposes. For example, sunlight feeds plants, but also causes cancer. Electricity lights our houses but can
kill. (Some people also call magic-users witches or magicians. Magic is not a religion, but a tool, so in theory one
could follow any religion and practice magic.)

What pagans practice and how magic works is not the same as seen in The Craft, Buffy, Charmed, Bewitched, Lord of the
Rings, Harry Potter, or other media representations of witches and magic.

A system of ethics is common. Many believe in some variant of karma: you reap what you sow. There are pagans
who use magic for negative purposes, which this group will not explore. The afterlife is another concept that is
not universal. Many pagans believe in reincarnation but differ in what we come back as, whether our past lives
affect our future lives, and how. Some believe in a resting place with the gods, whether permanently or between
incarnations.

A common misconception is that all pagans follow an "earth-based" religion. Again, paganism is an extremely
variant following, so to make any kind of generalization is useless. I would tentatively suggest, however, that most
pagans do hold nature in some kind of reverence as our one and only home. However, this is not necessarily a
reflection of their religious beliefs. Holidays are also not uniform. Some pagans follow solar calendars; some
lunar calendars; some a mixture of both. Many pagans at least observe the equinoxes, solstices, and moon cycles,
but certainly not all do. Some specific pagan religions include:

Wicca/Neo-Wicca (This group will largely focus on Neo-Wiccan, outer-court teachings.)
Ásatrú
Reconstructionism (Greek/Hellenic, Egyptian/Kemetic, Celtic, Roman, etc.)
Druidism/Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF)
Discordianism
Satanism