FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR ALT.PAGAN 4.01
Question:
archive-name: paganism-faq Last-modified: Febuary 2002 Version: 4.01 URL: http://www.dmcom.net/bard/altpag.txt FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR ALT.PAGAN Authors: Susan Harwood Kaczmarczik; Br’an Arthur Davis-Howe; T. O. Radzykewycz; Ailsa N.T. Murphy; Cecilia Henningsson Acknowledgements to Jack Coyote, Robert Pearson, Chris Carlisle and Izzy, and a special thanks to Janis Maria Cortese. **Disclaimer** Throughout this FAQ you will find the words "usually," often," and other disclaimers; this is because Paganism is not a rigid, structured belief system. We have tried to present as many faces of the neopagan sub-culture as possible in the FAQ, but realize we can’t possibly cover it all. Many people, no doubt, will object to every part of this FAQ (and have done, over everything from specific etymologies to the order of the questions), but we stand by it as our best attempt. *First version completed 25 January 1993* Questions: 1) What is this group for? 2) What is paganism/a pagan? 2b) What is Paganism? How is it different from paganism? 3) What are different types of paganism? 4) What is Witchcraft/Wicca? 4b) Why do some of you use the word Witch? Wiccan? 5) What are some different traditions in the Craft? 6) Are pagans Witches? 7) Are you Satanists? 8) What kinds of people are pagans? 9) What holidays do you celebrate? 9b) How do I pronounce…? What does this name mean? 10) What god(s) do you believe in? 11) Can one be both Christian and pagan? 12) What were the Burning Times? 13) How many pagans/Witches are there today? 14) What are the related newsgroups? 15) Two pagan newsgroups? Why soc.religion.paganism *and* alt.pagan? 16) Is brutal honesty or polite conversation the preferred tone of conversation around here? 17) I’m not a pagan; should I post here? 18) How does one/do I become a pagan? 19) What books/magazines should I read? 20) How do I find pagans/Witches/covens/teachers in my area? 21) What’s a coven really like? 22) How do I form a coven? 23) What does Dianic mean? 24) Aren’t women-only circles discriminatory? 25) Can/will you cast me a love spell/curse my enemies? 26) Sometimes I see "magic" spelled with a "k". Do real pagans spell it a certain way? 27) Is it okay if I…? Will I still be a pagan if I…? 28) I am a pagan and I think I am being discriminated against because of my religion. What should I do? 29) Hey, I heard that [insert name of famous rock singer or famous fantasy-novel writer here] was a witch/pagan. Is that true? 30) What one thing would most pagans probably want the world to know about them? 1) What is this group for? This newsgroup is for the discussion of paganism and Witchcraft in their various forms and traditions; for sharing ideas for ritual and completed liturgy; for networking with others of a like mind and those who are not; for answering questions and disseminating information about paganism and Witchcraft (and, occasionally, for dispelling the misconceptions about same). It’s also for sharing within a larger community than one might find at home. While we are interested in traditional pagan practices, the alt.pagan community is fundamentally neopagan — our practices are modern, though they are based on ancient ideas or images. 2) What is paganism/a pagan? The words paganism and pagan come from the Latin "paganus," meaning "country dweller." Neopagans hold a reverence for the Earth and all its creatures, generally see all life as interconnected, and tend to strive to attune one’s self to the manifestation of this belief as seen in the cycles of nature. Pagans are usually polytheistic (believing in more than one god), and they usually believe in immanance, or the concept of divinity residing in all things. Many pagans, though polytheistic, see all things as being part of one Great Mystery. The apparent contradiction of being both polytheistic and monotheistic can be resolved by seeing the God/desses as masks worn by the Great Mystery. Other pagans are simply monotheistic or polytheistic, and still others are atheistic. Some people believe paganism to be a religion within itself; others see it as a belief system (such as monotheism) that can be incorporated into religions like Wicca or Druidism; others see it as a broad category including many religions. The fact that we are re-creating religion for ourselves after centuries of suppression makes us very eclectic and very concerned with the "rightness" of a particular thing for the individual. So when you see some people calling it a religion and others not, when you see it capitalized in some instances and not in others, don’t be confused — we’re all still basically talking about the same thing. 2b) What is Paganism? How is it different from paganism? Paganism (with a capital "P") is one strand of neopaganism which strives to allow each person to draw from whatever religious and cultural traditions are meaningful for the individual. The practices of Paganism derive from those of Wicca, but are not identical with those of Wicca. Some people view Paganism as a non-initiatory form of Wicca, or Wicca as an initiatory form of Paganism. Some say that Witches are the clergy of Paganism. (On the other hand, some Witches violently disagree with that viewpoint. As with most things in this FAQ, there is no answer with which everyone can completely agree.) 3) What are different types of paganism? Paleo-paganism: the standard of paganism, a pagan culture which has not been disrupted by "civilization" by another culture — Australian Bushmen modern (who are probably becoming meso-pagans), ancient Celtic religion (Druidism), the religions of the pre-patriarchal cultures of Old Europe, Norse religion, pre-Columbian Native American religions, etc. Civilo-paganism: the religions of "civilized" communities which evolved in paleo-pagan cultures — Classical Greco-Roman religion, Egyptian religion, Middle-Eastern paganism, Aztec religion, etc. Meso-paganism: a group, which may or may not still constitute a separate culture, which has been influenced by a conquering culture, but has been able to maintain an independence of religious practice — many Native American nations, etc. Syncreto-paganism: similar to meso-pagan, but having had to submerge itself into the dominant culture, and adopt the external practices and symbols of the other religion — the various Afro-diasporic traditions (Voudoun, Santeria, etc.), Culdee Christianity, etc. Neopaganism: attempts of modern people to reconnect with nature, using imagery and forms from other types of pagans, but adjusting them to the needs of modern people. Since this category is the focus of alt.pagan, the listing here is more comprehensive (though no listing could be completely comprehensive): Wicca — in all its many forms neo-Shamanism neo-Druidism Asatru and other forms of Norse neopaganism neo-Native American practices the range of things labeled "Women’s Spirituality" the Sabaean Religious Order Church of All Worlds Discordianism Radical Faeries and other "Men’s Spirituality" movements certain people within Thelema and hedonistic Satanism some of eco-feminism and last, but not least, Paganism 4) What is Witchcraft/Wicca? Wicca was the first (or at least one of the first) of the neopagan religions. As a result, it is the best known, and tends to overshadow its younger, smaller siblings. This bias appears in the postings in alt.pagan and in this FAQ. This does not mean that Wicca is more valid than other neopagan religions — just larger and louder. Wicca, however, is only one of the things called W/witchcraft (or sometimes, the Craft, a term also applied to Masonry). There are a whole range of styles of folk-magic around the world which are called witchcraft in English. If the word Witch is capitalized, it indicates that it is being used to refer to a member of a pagan religion, not just to a practitioner of folk-magic. There are also Witches who practice religions called Witchcraft which are not Wicca. These religions tend to be more folk-pagan than Wicca, drawing on the heritage of a specific culture or region. Wicca itself is a new religion, drawing strongly on the practices of Ceremonial Magic. While there are claims that Wicca goes back into the mists of pre-history, honest examination of the practices and history of the Wicca will make it clear that Wicca is new. (Actually, the word "Wicca" itself is recently coined, at least in its present usage. The OE "wicca" was pronounced "witch-ah" and meant male magician. The new word "Wicca" is pronounced "wick-uh", capitalized as a religion, and means a religion, not a person.) However, Wicca has developed in many directions and should not be seen as a unified whole, even though it is fairly new. Rituals and beliefs vary widely among Witches. Unlike most of the neopagan religions, Wicca is an initiatory religion, that is, people who choose to practice Wicca believe that the commitment to this path set changes in motion in their lives. Many Traditions (sects) of Wicca formalize this with a ritual (or series of rituals) of initiation. Others, especially Solitary Witches, trust that the Gods will do the initiating of the Witch. 4b) Why do some of you use the word Witch? Wiccan? First, not everyone in alt.pagan is Wiccan/Witchy, so this question only applies to some of the people. Witch is a very old word meaning "magic-maker", from a root which meant "bending" and "shaping". For many of us, the word Witch is a powerful reclaiming of that inherent human power to make changes around us. For others, including some of the people within Wicca, that word is not their word. Some people within Wicca take the adjective "Wiccan" and use it as a noun. (Some people question the authenticity of the etymology that says "witch" means "to bend or shape." They believe that the word is simply from the Old … read more »
Response:
Cool. Thanks for the post. 1993!!!! Zsarnok – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – archive-name: paganism-faq Last-modified: Febuary 2002 Version: 4.01 URL: http://www.dmcom.net/bard/altpag.txt FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR ALT.PAGAN Authors: Susan Harwood Kaczmarczik; Br’an Arthur Davis-Howe; T. O. Radzykewycz; Ailsa N.T. Murphy; Cecilia Henningsson Acknowledgements to Jack Coyote, Robert Pearson, Chris Carlisle and Izzy, and a special thanks to Janis Maria Cortese. **Disclaimer** Throughout this FAQ you will find the words "usually," often," and other disclaimers; this is because Paganism is not a rigid, structured belief system. We have tried to present as many faces of the neopagan sub-culture as possible in the FAQ, but realize we can’t possibly cover it all. Many people, no doubt, will object to every part of this FAQ (and have done, over everything from specific etymologies to the order of the questions), but we stand by it as our best attempt. *First version completed 25 January 1993* Questions: 1) What is this group for? 2) What is paganism/a pagan? 2b) What is Paganism? How is it different from paganism? 3) What are different types of paganism? 4) What is Witchcraft/Wicca? 4b) Why do some of you use the word Witch? Wiccan? 5) What are some different traditions in the Craft? 6) Are pagans Witches? 7) Are you Satanists? 8) What kinds of people are pagans? 9) What holidays do you celebrate? 9b) How do I pronounce…? What does this name mean? 10) What god(s) do you believe in? 11) Can one be both Christian and pagan? 12) What were the Burning Times? 13) How many pagans/Witches are there today? 14) What are the related newsgroups? 15) Two pagan newsgroups? Why soc.religion.paganism *and* alt.pagan? 16) Is brutal honesty or polite conversation the preferred tone of conversation around here? 17) I’m not a pagan; should I post here? 18) How does one/do I become a pagan? 19) What books/magazines should I read? 20) How do I find pagans/Witches/covens/teachers in my area? 21) What’s a coven really like? 22) How do I form a coven? 23) What does Dianic mean? 24) Aren’t women-only circles discriminatory? 25) Can/will you cast me a love spell/curse my enemies? 26) Sometimes I see "magic" spelled with a "k". Do real pagans spell it a certain way? 27) Is it okay if I…? Will I still be a pagan if I…? 28) I am a pagan and I think I am being discriminated against because of my religion. What should I do? 29) Hey, I heard that [insert name of famous rock singer or famous fantasy-novel writer here] was a witch/pagan. Is that true? 30) What one thing would most pagans probably want the world to know about them? 1) What is this group for? This newsgroup is for the discussion of paganism and Witchcraft in their various forms and traditions; for sharing ideas for ritual and completed liturgy; for networking with others of a like mind and those who are not; for answering questions and disseminating information about paganism and Witchcraft (and, occasionally, for dispelling the misconceptions about same). It’s also for sharing within a larger community than one might find at home. While we are interested in traditional pagan practices, the alt.pagan community is fundamentally neopagan — our practices are modern, though they are based on ancient ideas or images. 2) What is paganism/a pagan? The words paganism and pagan come from the Latin "paganus," meaning "country dweller." Neopagans hold a reverence for the Earth and all its creatures, generally see all life as interconnected, and tend to strive to attune one’s self to the manifestation of this belief as seen in the cycles of nature. Pagans are usually polytheistic (believing in more than one god), and they usually believe in immanance, or the concept of divinity residing in all things. Many pagans, though polytheistic, see all things as being part of one Great Mystery. The apparent contradiction of being both polytheistic and monotheistic can be resolved by seeing the God/desses as masks worn by the Great Mystery. Other pagans are simply monotheistic or polytheistic, and still others are atheistic. Some people believe paganism to be a religion within itself; others see it as a belief system (such as monotheism) that can be incorporated into religions like Wicca or Druidism; others see it as a broad category including many religions. The fact that we are re-creating religion for ourselves after centuries of suppression makes us very eclectic and very concerned with the "rightness" of a particular thing for the individual. So when you see some people calling it a religion and others not, when you see it capitalized in some instances and not in others, don’t be confused — we’re all still basically talking about the same thing. 2b) What is Paganism? How is it different from paganism? Paganism (with a capital "P") is one strand of neopaganism which strives to allow each person to draw from whatever religious and cultural traditions are meaningful for the individual. The practices of Paganism derive from those of Wicca, but are not identical with those of Wicca. Some people view Paganism as a non-initiatory form of Wicca, or Wicca as an initiatory form of Paganism. Some say that Witches are the clergy of Paganism. (On the other hand, some Witches violently disagree with that viewpoint. As with most things in this FAQ, there is no answer with which everyone can completely agree.) 3) What are different types of paganism? Paleo-paganism: the standard of paganism, a pagan culture which has not been disrupted by "civilization" by another culture — Australian Bushmen modern (who are probably becoming meso-pagans), ancient Celtic religion (Druidism), the religions of the pre-patriarchal cultures of Old Europe, Norse religion, pre-Columbian Native American religions, etc. Civilo-paganism: the religions of "civilized" communities which evolved in paleo-pagan cultures — Classical Greco-Roman religion, Egyptian religion, Middle-Eastern paganism, Aztec religion, etc. Meso-paganism: a group, which may or may not still constitute a separate culture, which has been influenced by a conquering culture, but has been able to maintain an independence of religious practice — many Native American nations, etc. Syncreto-paganism: similar to meso-pagan, but having had to submerge itself into the dominant culture, and adopt the external practices and symbols of the other religion — the various Afro-diasporic traditions (Voudoun, Santeria, etc.), Culdee Christianity, etc. Neopaganism: attempts of modern people to reconnect with nature, using imagery and forms from other types of pagans, but adjusting them to the needs of modern people. Since this category is the focus of alt.pagan, the listing here is more comprehensive (though no listing could be completely comprehensive): Wicca — in all its many forms neo-Shamanism neo-Druidism Asatru and other forms of Norse neopaganism neo-Native American practices the range of things labeled "Women’s Spirituality" the Sabaean Religious Order Church of All Worlds Discordianism Radical Faeries and other "Men’s Spirituality" movements certain people within Thelema and hedonistic Satanism some of eco-feminism and last, but not least, Paganism 4) What is Witchcraft/Wicca? Wicca was the first (or at least one of the first) of the neopagan religions. As a result, it is the best known, and tends to overshadow its younger, smaller siblings. This bias appears in the postings in alt.pagan and in this FAQ. This does not mean that Wicca is more valid than other neopagan religions — just larger and louder. Wicca, however, is only one of the things called W/witchcraft (or sometimes, the Craft, a term also applied to Masonry). There are a whole range of styles of folk-magic around the world which are called witchcraft in English. If the word Witch is capitalized, it indicates that it is being used to refer to a member of a pagan religion, not just to a practitioner of folk-magic. There are also Witches who practice religions called Witchcraft which are not Wicca. These religions tend to be more folk-pagan than Wicca, drawing on the heritage of a specific culture or region. Wicca itself is a new religion, drawing strongly on the practices of Ceremonial Magic. While there are claims that Wicca goes back into the mists of pre-history, honest examination of the practices and history of the Wicca will make it clear that Wicca is new. (Actually, the word "Wicca" itself is recently coined, at least in its present usage. The OE "wicca" was pronounced "witch-ah" and meant male magician. The new word "Wicca" is pronounced "wick-uh", capitalized as a religion, and means a religion, not a person.) However, Wicca has developed in many directions and should not be seen as a unified whole, even though it is fairly new. Rituals and beliefs vary widely among Witches. Unlike most of the neopagan religions, Wicca is an initiatory religion, that is, people who choose to practice Wicca believe that the commitment to this path set changes in motion in their lives. Many Traditions (sects) of Wicca formalize this with a ritual (or series of rituals) of initiation. Others, especially Solitary Witches, trust that the Gods will do the initiating of the Witch. 4b) Why do some of you use the word Witch? Wiccan? First, not everyone in alt.pagan is Wiccan/Witchy, so this question only applies to some of the
… read more »
Response:
Filed under: Feminism
Leave a Comment
XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
TrackBack URL | RSS feed for comments on this post.