Conversation

If you've been a pagan for a while, you run into the same questions over and over again. It can be difficult to come up with quick, easy to understand answers to a topic as complex as religious beliefs when you're like, standing in line at the grocery checkout.

I've learned that the best strategy is to somewhat meet their expectations, and then direct the next question to a simpler, more specific topic with your answer.

Here are some that I've developed over the years that seem to work:

Q: "What is paganism?"
A: "It's a nature-centered religion where we believe in many gods, kinda like Buddhism."
(This gives people a frame of reference to something they have heard of before, even though it's not perfectly accurate.)

Q: Do you worship Satan?
A: Not personally, though pagans worship all dofferent kinds of gods. As long as no harm is being done, we don't tell people which gods to worship.
(Emphasizing the polytheistic nature of paganism works best, especially for christians, who have to get over that binary good vs. evil idea first if you want to reach them)

Q: Do you do spells/believe in magic?
A: Yeah, a spell is just like a prayer with ingredients. I make a brew, light a candle, and ask the universe for help. I mean, it can't hurt, amiright?
(Sounds a lot less cool and mystical like that, but it appeals to reason.)

Q: So are you, like, a witch?
A: Yeah, I practice witchcraft every time I work in my garden, lol. It sounds way cooler than it is, it's mostly meditating and lighting incense.
(Don't tell what witchcraft *is*, focus on what it looks like.)

#Pagan