It's time for Pagan Pride

Faith Files

Posted by Joel Mathis October 4, 2007 at 9:58 a.m.

As Lawrence-area pagans gather Saturday for the city's first Pagan Pride event, they have some misconceptions they want to clear up.Like, for instance, what a "pagan" is."There are two huge misunderstandings about our religion," says Kerry Johnson, who is organizing the event. "The biggest one is we worship Satan. Wiccans worship Divinity in the form of the God and the Goddess. We have no Satan concept. ... The other huge misunderstanding is this is a woman's religion."That last misconception might have been somewhat true in previous years, but it's no longer the case, Johnson says.Johnson, who owns Village Witch, 311 N. Second St. (and previously owned the Good Mother store downtown), says she came to become Wiccan after a different background."I was raised Southern Baptist, and in my early 30s realized that it really wasn't working for me," she says. "I was atheist for about three years when I realized that wasn't working for me either. I felt there was a Divine Power. I started researching paganism and discovered Wicca. I felt like coming home."Now, she's been promoted to the High Priestess position in Wicca, a position that generally leads rituals. Local wiccans also can participate in a newly formed Witches Meetup group, which is held the third Wednesday of each month at various locations. More information on that can be found at [this site][1].Johnson says she's never encountered hostility about her religion, despite the fact she's living in conservative Kansas."I have encountered virtually no hostility," she says. "I have lived in Lawrence for 35 years and yes, I think Lawrencians are definitely more open-minded than other cities in Kansas. I am not sure I would encounter hostility, but I think I might encounter fear in other cities.Saturday's event, at Burcham Park, runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It includes a potluck dinner, silent auction, vendors (including incense, jewelry and candles), a fire-spinner and workshops with pagan themes.For more information, contact Johnson at 856-8777, or pagan_idolator@yahoo.com._ - Faith Files, which examines issues of faith, spirituality, morals and ethics, is updated by features/faith reporter Terry Rombeck. Have an idea for the blog? Contact Terry at trombeck@ljworld.com, or 832-7145._ [1]: http://witchesmeetup.com/18/

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Azure_Attitude (anonymous) says…

Ah-hem, it was the Good Earth Mother, then she opened Mystic Realm, then the fire taketh away and she arose from the ashes to form Village Witch. Keep on keepin' on, my sister.

Blessed Be.
October 4, 2007 at 12:02 p.m.
zettapixel (anonymous) says…

Oooh that sounds like fun! I'll be out there with my camera for sure!
October 4, 2007 at 1:39 p.m.
cait48 (anonymous) says…

I would like to clear up another misconception. All Wiccans are pagans but not all pagans are Wiccans. Just as Christianity is an umbrella term for many different forms, i.e. Methodists, Baptists, Catholics, Nazarenes, etc., pagan is an umbrella term for many nature based religions that are indigenous to pre Christian Europe. Modern Paganism includes Wicca, Druidism, Celtic Reconstructionism, Norse Reconstructionism and several others. There are many pagans out there that even refuse to use the term or call themselves "witches".
October 4, 2007 at 2:15 p.m.
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October 4, 2007 at 2:47 p.m.
trinity (anonymous) says…

hah. at this point i feel like i should stand up&applaud the ljw staff.
October 4, 2007 at 2:52 p.m.
Centrist (anonymous) says…

Paganism was first equated with Satanism by the Church, many centuries ago. Like anything "Non-Christian", it was seen as the "Devil's work". It is unfortunate that popular culture ran with this idiotic notion for so long, because a shipload of people still think this way.
October 4, 2007 at 3:09 p.m.
toefungus (anonymous) says…

Pogo--Yes
October 4, 2007 at 3:28 p.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

... wicced, wicced people....

>:-)
October 4, 2007 at 4:25 p.m.
idarastar (anonymous) says…

It's just beautiful, just as nature is. Thank you.
October 4, 2007 at 4:31 p.m.
Valkyrie_of_Reason (Kathy Getto) says…

The midnight Earth sends incense up,
Sweet with the breath of prayer.
Go out beneath the naked night,
And get religion there.

Looking forward to the day of celebration! Blessed Be!
October 4, 2007 at 4:52 p.m.
GretchenJP (anonymous) says…

Wow, I'd like to go.
October 4, 2007 at 6:02 p.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

Actually, I had an opportunity to attend a Wiccan wedding in the Great Smoky Mountains, many years ago. It was autumn, and the hillsides were in full color. The ceremony took place in a meadow, next to a stream, beneath enormous trees from which golden leaves fell like huge snowflakes all afternoon.

(... wicced, wicced people....)
October 4, 2007 at 6:22 p.m.
GretchenJP (anonymous) says…

I'm still trying to find myself spiritually. I've studied a few different religions but they didn't reach me at all. Reading this article did.
October 4, 2007 at 6:25 p.m.
Ohyasee (anonymous) says…

====)))) I will be there!! w/ Bells on!
October 4, 2007 at 6:48 p.m.
FormerCentralKansan (anonymous) says…

The ritualistic sex during ceremonies sounds good to me. Where can we sign up?
October 4, 2007 at 8:36 p.m.
Azure_Attitude (anonymous) says…

You have to be pretty tight with a group to do that, FCK, if you can find one that does the GR. But they are out there.
October 4, 2007 at 10:11 p.m.
preebo (anonymous) says…

Pagans had a huge influence on our modern culture. Correct me if I am wrong, but do we not use the Druid Lunar Calendar to this day as opposed to the Chinese Lunar Calendar? As a matter of fact, the names of the days of the week were adopted from their gods (i.e. Thursday = Thor). Another example would be Christmas. I believe that historically speaking Christ's birth did not actually occur in December, but rather in the Spring. It was only officially designated to be in December as an attempt to bring pre-Christian European Pagans into the fold so to speak, because it coincided with the Winter Solstice and the Winter Harvest a big celebration for them.
October 5, 2007 at 8:22 a.m.
JJE007 (anonymous) says…

from Wikipedia:

The name Friday comes from the Old English frigedÃ:g, meaning the day of Frige the Anglo-Saxon form of Frigg, a West Germanic translation of Latin dies Veneris, "day (of the planet) Venus." This is, in turn, a translation of Greek Aphrodites hemera. However, in most Germanic languages the day is named after Freyja-such as FrÄ»atag in Old High German, Freitag in Modern German, vrijdag in Dutch, fredag in Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish-but Freyja and Frigg are frequently identified with each other.

The word for Friday in most Romance languages is derived from the name of Venus such as vendredi in French, venerdÃ in Italian, viernes in Spanish, and vineri in Romanian. In Hindi, Friday is Shukravar, named for Shukra, the Sanskrit name of the planet Venus. Russian uses an ordinal number for this day of the week-- piatnÃ-tsa, meaning "fifth." Similarly, the Portuguese is sexta-feira.
--------------------------------
TgIF!
October 5, 2007 at 8:38 a.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

Yew wacky pedian, yew.
October 5, 2007 at 8:53 a.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

"... do we not use the Druid Lunar Calendar to this day as opposed to the Chinese Lunar Calendar?"

Personally, I use the Lunar Toons Calendar. (Elmer Fudd, this month!)
October 5, 2007 at 8:56 a.m.
pagan_idolator (anonymous) says…

Okay tangential - you just gave me a great idea for a ritual! And my coven thought the martini ritual was a blast! We can call down Petunia and Porky Pig as the Lord and Lady. Gotta think where Elmer and Bugs go tho. This could work!
October 5, 2007 at 1:23 p.m.
pagan_idolator (anonymous) says…

Can you DRINK these demons??
October 5, 2007 at 4:19 p.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

"These bottles were empty except for some bait, which was not disclosed.... However, I would not advise this practice at home...."

well... especially if you have to guess at the un"disclosed" bait....
October 5, 2007 at 5:05 p.m.
ashera (anonymous) says…

To Fudgepop who said:

"Thanks for hunting me down in the street to accost me.

Ask Grge and Rhi, I am the dude with the boomerang and if you have to play games with me I will play them too.

I sure like activism. Of course I was hunted by people outside my church in my parent's youth group.

So sleep well under your brooms and stuff. I think you are an organized bunch of crooks. And if you want to harris me anymore about it:"

WHAT are you talking about? WHO harrised (sic) you? I know Grge and Rhi very well and they don't remember you. Met a guy once who made boomerangs, but don't remember talking about religion with him.

I can't imagine Wiccans hunting anyone down to 'accost him.'
October 5, 2007 at 8:34 p.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

"I can't imagine Wiccans hunting anyone down to 'accost him.'"

Me either... don't they generally LURE people to the "accost?"

,:-^)
October 5, 2007 at 8:42 p.m.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…

"But you would'nt know how to find holy water or even make it."

In our youth, we would break into the local Catholic church and simply take some.

( ... and it burned ... it burned! )
October 6, 2007 at 12:14 p.m.