Simple. You don’t. Ok….let me put it in different terms.

A short while ago, I created some flyers that shared FAQ’s on witchcraft and Wicca. I thought that if anyone was interested in learning more, they could use the flyer. In addition, I figured if the Jehovah’s Witnesses could come up to you pushing their Watch Tower magazines, I could exchange that with the flyer…fair trade, right? Wrong.

Unfortunately the strict followers of the mainstream religions are not interested in hearing about any other religions. The comment I received was “We have read all about the other faiths and ours is the only way.” Hmmmmm.

Well, needless to say, this person did not even want to hear anything about Witchcraft!

So the story goes. It is extremely difficult to discuss the Pagan beliefs with the followers of the mainstream religions. Not so much that they do not believe in what we practice, but many of them believe that any faith other than their own is the wrong path. The reason behind this is the often quoted scripture from the bible:

“Those of you who are not with me, are against me”

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

The assumption here, by the Christians, is that anyone who does not follow Jesus is a Satanist, or more literally….a follower of Satan. This includes Jews, Catholics, Mormons, Buddhists, Hindus, and of course Pagans. Where am I going with this??

Well, based on the experiences I have had, and the hate sites I have been to, there is no really easy way to describe your path, no matter what that may be, to a die-hard Christian. They only believe one way. However, that does not mean that all Christians act that way. I have a few friends and know others that are Christians and are perfectly content with my beliefs. They wish to learn and know more about my faith as apposed to remaining ignorant and bashing me and others like me. I have also discovered that these same people are more educated as to their religion and the Bible. They have a deeper understanding of the meanings and original teachings of Jesus and therefore truly love and respect people from all walks of life.

Key things to remember when discussing your faith to others:

Are they open to other paths?

Are they constantly debasing others in the name of “God”?

Could this person potentially cause harm? (i.e. getting you fired, spreading gossip..)

Do they consider all other paths as Satanic?

These are of course only general flags to watch for. Again not all Christians believe in the same things. I do not say this as a ‘Christian-bashing’ session. Indeed, there are many who are extremists in any religion or organization.

As for discussing your religion and beliefs, make sure you ease into the highlights. For instance I wouldn’t jump into the fact that ‘we do some rituals stark naked’ ! Even some of my Pagan friends have trouble with nudity, and as a general rule, nudity tends to be a taboo by the general populace.

Also, according to your traditions, add the fact that there is a belief in ‘God’ but with many aspects. See how the person reacts before telling them about the’ Horned One’. Again, that programming gets in the way of common sense.

A good thing to point out is the similarities between the two beliefs. Write them down for yourself sometime. If you are not clear on a subject, look it up. Read the Bible and related studies. This will not only help make you a better person, but assist you in your chosen path.

Don’t get hostile! The worst thing to do is become obviously irritated and short. You want to be able to treat others as you would want them to treat you. If you don’t think that is something you can handle, then take a deep breath, apologize, recommend some books and go about your business.

Lastly, and importantly. Know your stuff. Please. Study and learn about your religion and beliefs. There is nothing more difficult and less humiliating then spouting off about the God and the Goddess and not knowing their roots, laws and loves. This makes it very arduous to explain your religion when you can’t even answer the simplest questions.