Misconceptions about Pagans and Paganism

[MaddLlama]

What do you find are the most common, and most insidious (as in, never go away) misconceptions about Paganism? Have you experienced any of them directly, or mainly through media (the internet counts as personal experience)?

Pagans sometimes spend a good deal of effort trying to "clear up" misconceptions about certain things, but do you think the methods are effective? If not, what's standing in the way?

(And, if you're a non-Pagan who previously had misconceptions about Paganism, but became better educated through some way, feel free to share here =) )

 

[Azakel]

The one that I have heard a lot is that all Pagans are Wiccan and/or Worship only The Goddess.

 

[Isabella Lecour]

That we are all Wiccans....

A friend of mine is just convienced that all Pagans, I guess I should say all Neo-Pagans are Wiccans. She sees no difference between Non-Wiccan Pagans and Wiccans. lol So it's a mess trying to spell out the difference as she's nither Pagan or Wiccan and doesn't care to learn anything more about them. She's only reacting to what shes sees on the surface.

 

[Mike182]

"Pagan? oh, so you're a Wiccan, right?" is the most common i think.

 

[Gentoo]

The one that I have heard a lot is that all Pagans are Wiccan and/or Worship only The Goddess.

That's the one I got a lot when I identified as Wicca, and it still annoys me to no end.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I personally don't like the "all pagans sacrifice chickens" one. Sheesh! In this day and age...

 

[Gentoo]

I personally don't like the "all pagans sacrifice chickens" one. Sheesh! In this day and age...

No kidding.

Hey, do you know where I put that Christian baby? I misplaced it again...

:sorry1:

 

[Guitar's Cry]

No kidding.

Hey, do you know where I put that Christian baby? I misplaced it again...

:sorry1:

I think we left it in the car.

 

[Gentoo]

I think we left it in the car.

Again??!!:cover:

 

[Azakel]

I personally don't like the "all pagans sacrifice chickens" one. Sheesh! In this day and age...

What you mean we don't? How did I miss that memo.

No kidding.

Hey, do you know where I put that Christian baby? I misplaced it again...

:sorry1:

Babies, oh so that's what the .....book....was talking......about. What don't look at me like that.:areyoucra:coverRuns)

 

[BFD_Zayl]

that we are all evil and desire world domination, and i keep telling them, i am not evil!

 

[Zephyr]

That we're all fluffy liberals.

 

[MaddLlama]

My personal favorite is that all Pagans are confused goth-kids, or naked pot-smoking hippies. Apparently according to some people, Paganism isn't a real religion, it's just a way for people to look cool and claim to be "alternative"


What are some of the strangest (and/or most offensive) misconceptions or ideas about Paganism out there? I saw on a couple of really out there crazy Christian websites that abortion is a Pagan sacrament, often described as "modern human sacrifice".

 

[Lemon]

That all pagans are new-age types who believe crystals will heal them and constantly do spells and magic.

 

[Mike182]

one of the funnier ones i encounted was "does that mean you can read my thoughts? you're creepy..."

 

[Azakel]

That all pagans are new-age types who believe crystals will heal them and constantly do spells and magic.

What you mean we aren't......^_^

one of the funnier ones i encounted was "does that mean you can read my thoughts? you're creepy..."

We can't......why does nobody tell me these thing when I signed up......

One that I have heard, and Gentoo hinted at it. It's that we(most Wiccan) kidnap Christian babies and sacrifice to the Devil while drinking there Blood. Don't know if it's heard a lot but I have heard it.

 

[shadow_fire]

I'm not pagan, but I do know of the religion.

A misconception about the Wicca branch of paganism is that there all dark spell casting dark people, when in fact Wicca is white magic and any spell you cast comes back three fold.

A classic misconception from history is that the horned god is the devil, and that pagans worship the devil. This misconception led many pagans to be murdered at the hands of Christians.

 

[Booko]

I personally don't like the "all pagans sacrifice chickens" one. Sheesh! In this day and age...

Well, I *really* don't like that one!

No one's mentioned the one where pagans all worship Satan yet?

I can't tell you how many times I've had to correct that one.

Well, I do live in the South. *sigh*

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Well, I *really* don't like that one!

No one's mentioned the one where pagans all worship Satan yet?

I can't tell you how many times I've had to correct that one.

Well, I do live in the South. *sigh*

Lol!

Isn't sacrificing chickens worshipping Satan?

 

[MaddLlama]

Well, I *really* don't like that one!

No one's mentioned the one where pagans all worship Satan yet?

I can't tell you how many times I've had to correct that one.

Well, I do live in the South. *sigh*

Surprisingly I don't get that one at all. Well, that's not true, but I don't really think the "If it's not God, it's Satan" line actually counts.

People seem to be a bit better educated about "alternative" belief systems here in NY since the papers like to do human interest stories on the subject every fall. I'm waiting for my phone call to be interviewed, lol.