Pagan Misconception #3

Pagan Misconception #3 – Paganism/Wicca can be whatever you want it to be.

Yes, there are different denominations of Pagan religions, but that doesn’t mean that you can make them what you want. That is one of the points of proclaiming that you are a part of a religion. It tells people a little bit about you and your beliefs, without having to explain everything. Contrary to common understanding, Pagan religions do have specific beliefs, ethics and Gods.

This is a misconception that is used against Pagans all the time. Critics use this one as a way to “prove” that this set of religions isn’t vaild. When you say that Paganism can be whatever you want, you seem to be saying that you can ignore the parts of the religion that you don’t like. Your choice of religion is a serious decision and if you make light of it by ignoring the issues that you don’t like, it make your choice seem trivial and it is then easy for others to question the choice that you have made.

Where did this misconception come from? This is something that I saw many times while looking at websites about ten years ago. It was mostly from Pagans themselves claiming that their religion allows them to believe whatever they want. I do think that this is a product of learning how to define what Paganism is, especially being that that it is a newish set of religions. While it is not something that claimed as often as is used to be, it is something that has stuck in people’s mind.

Here is a great article about this misconception from Witches Voice.