| The Oppressed Pagan I'm always asked how I maintained my "normal" image after becoming a Pagan- as if people could read my mind and know I was Pagan and had changed my spiritual beliefs. I think something that kept me from being seen as "strange and different" or seen as not "normal" was the fact that I didn't change anything about myself except for my spirituality. After finding Paganism, I didn't adopt a new attitude or try to change my image, I still dressed in the same "normal" clothes I'd always worn, kept my long, blonde hair, didn't want to change the way people perceived me or change my appearance. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with being or appearing different- I have total respect for it if that is what you are truly drawn to. Different is good, as long as you really are different, and not just trying to be. I'm just saying that many Pagans tend to change their appearance and attitude along with their spiritual paths. Why? I get e-mails from so many teens and adults alike who say that they have been rejected because of their new beliefs. My first question to them is, "Have you changed your appearance or attitude since considering yourself a Pagan?" The answer is almost always "Yes." Well, no wonder! Honestly, what the hell do you expect? Being a teenager, especially, is tough enough without trying to look and act different, without becoming reclusive and adopting the "nobody understands me because I'm a Pagan" attitude. If you are already reclusive and seen as "different," dress different than most, etc...great. But if you are not, why change? I mean, knock yourself out if that's what you think you want. Just don't e-mail me wondering why people think you're a freak if you have suddenly decided to change your image simply because you are now a Pagan. "Waahh, nobody understands my religion or the way I am." Stop acting like a whiny three-year-old and maybe, just maybe, people won't think you're a freak. Besides, if you don't think you will be able to handle being rejected because of your religion, then keep your mouth shut about it. All people of all religions will endure criticism and hatred from those with different beliefs. Might as well suck it up because it happens to everyone. If you were at work and a co-worker, wearing a big cross necklace, told everyone in the workplace how happy he was about his prayer meeting and how he can't wait until communion on Sunday, don't you think you would have negative thoughts? Many non-Christians would. And many would even have negative comments and reactions. Pagans just seem to act as if the "persecution" they endure is on such a different level than any others'. It really isn't. And to those who think that Christians have it so easy and Christianity is still so widely accepted in the world- what world are you living in? Can you not see how incredibly liberal the world has become, and even though the idea of Christianity is still accepted, Christianity in it's true form really is not? Christians are seen as close-minded, old-fashioned, idiotic fools by many, many people. Everyone of every belief system goes through the "persecution" at some point. The misunderstanding of Paganism may seem more extreme, but feeling sorry for yourself gets you nowhere. Open your eyes and you might see that there actually are more important things to whine about. Bottom line, your spirituality is nobody's business but your own. If you can't handle criticism, then stop throwing your "religion" in people's faces. |
| The Oppressed Pagan |