An article addressing the human aspect of Paganism.

When I became Pagan, several years ago, I was, like most people who finally gravitate toward Paganism and Wicca, under the mistaken belief that Pagans were somehow above the meanness, petty squabbles and competitive wars that the Judeo-Christian world was so overrun with.

I had the mindset that Pagans were more tolerant, less competitive, less manipulative, kinder, gentler and peaceful souls. After all, we all have the same ideals and goals…don’t we?

Evidently not. I was admittedly self delusional. What I have seen since those days is that Pagans are people—just like the people I have known since childhood. All different in many ways and yet all alike in others. And what a disappointment that has been. I believe it was Laurie Cabot’s work and website that hooked me. Her words pulled at my soul like no other had. Wicca, and Paganism were ancient traditions founded upon the nurturing of nature, the ideal of helping others in need, of giving something back instead of only taking. It was a shock to me when Laurie was brought up before a Witches Tribunal and censored for her “crimes” of using her position for self-gain. I do not know exactly what those “crimes” were but I suspect that the “trial” may have been to remove an obstacle to those who believed that she stood in the way of their successes.

After that event, I found myself faced on any given day with people who used spell-craft for only personal gain—usually at the expense of others who had done no wrong but were, again, obstacles in the way. Years ago I was affiliated with a local Pagan group, as a writer, and saw a positive force torn apart by the cancer of greed and manipulation. It seemed after a while that anyone who had read Scott Cunningham’s books were placing the High Priest or High Priestess abbreviations behind their names and offering to instruct others in the ancient traditions of their Pagan path. Unfortunately, it was apparent that these “leaders” didn’t have a clue what they were doing and their limited explorations in Paganism was painfully clear.

One of the attractions for me was the fact that in Wicca there is no hierarchy. Unlike the Christian church we have no Pope or Deacon or Bishop or other “leader” that dictates policy or ritual or belief. However, in many Pagan groups this is what exactly has happened.

Lately I have become aware of additional “witch wars” that frankly have me deeply concerned over the health of Paganism. One rather successful website is threatening to post the names of supposed “Problematic Pagans”—a blacklist of those Pagan individuals it deems heretical. An innovative Wiccan school has had individual students pull out, set up their own schools and then malign the original school to gain enrollees. And for what? It appears money. While many of us do have small businesses which we hope to make successful and perhaps to make some money with do we have to follow the corporate greed rules so prevalent in our society to stab our fellow Pagans in the back to make that mighty dollar?

In a world so filled with damaging competition, greed, hate and lies can we not be better? The acts of our shameful government should not be a signal to us that these things are acceptable now. Far from it. We must strive to become better, to fulfill those things that we were so hungry for when Paganism filled out souls with a purpose to live the right way and to do the right thing.

It is not too late to change. Let us all try to once again follow the path which we first set foot on years ago that we believed would lead us to something greater than what we had.