Paganism. Ask someone who says they know something and they’ll tell you it’s one of the oldest religions on earth. Long ago, before even the ages of monotheistic religions, polytheistic religions populated the earth. Certainly these times cannot be idealized, because they were not perfect. There were still criminals, people still killed and stole.  However, I feel that these religions were better fitting to humanity’s ways even though their set of values were not unachievable. Today, the most commonly known type of Paganism is Wicca. It is a separate path, all its own, its own belief system, and own practices. Paganism, on the other hand is the broad name given to any belief system involving reverence for nature—it can include polytheism too.
I came across the pagan path by means of a friend. We were talking online, she knew I loved dragons and she asked what my religion was. I told her I didn’t really have one. So she introduced me to her belief system. She explained and recommended some books for me to read. Since then, I’ve selectively gathered information, ever refining what felt right to me and what I wanted to believe. So far, because I don’t know quite how people will react, I have felt the need to hide my beliefs from people. Even today, wearing anything vaguely pagan will get you something bad: from simply being stared at, to being harassed by people who think it’s for the best if they force their beliefs on you, to never feeling safe again. It has been a constant thirst for knowledge, where I have learned how to contact dragons, to shield my self from incoming attacks as well as many other rituals and rites.  I have learned that it’s not always easier doing this alone.  I have learned the history behind what I seek. And, I know that my growth, both spiritually and mentally will continue for as long as I want it to. For the first time in my life, I feel at home. I felt empty previous to finding this path. Now I know that there is a religion that feeds my spiritual needs. And it’s not some cult; sucking people in, brainwashing them, forcing them to stay is not what’s done. Wicca is a recognized and legal religion in the US. I know of magic and of the way of life that is Paganism. And it’s not worshipping tree frogs. It’s respect for everything around you. Everything is alive in its own way. Now, for me, the next step is to find people out there like me. People I can connect with.
Perhaps it is the open-mindedness that surrounded me as I grew up that has allowed me to accept this, to want to learn more about it, to delve into it. From what I have observed, most people stay open-minded, accepting, and worldly until you mention Paganism or something along those lines. Then, it’s either run and get the torches, someone’s spewing bible phrases at you, or they begin to stalk you. The burning times may be over, but people not in agreement with Paganism’s ways still find ways to harass/ I keep hearing about religious diversity. Of course, Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism are the three mostly mentioned. Perhaps Paganism is not mentioned nearly so often because there is a fear that someone will get offended and sue. My feelings go another way. It’s because there is still a fear of what the Pagan community represents.
..............It’s human to fear what you don’t know. The solution to that is to go around and educate, but not force the knowledge about who this group is. That gigantic group I belong to called Paganism.