Hiding Who We Are

The lovely Mrs.B shared a link on Facebook today, to this article stating how Earth Day is a gateway to paganism.

While I'm shocked that this was allowed to appear in a newspaper at all, it just really brings home once again the danger that is inherent in hiding who we are.  I've said this before, I know.  I'll say it again, because a lot of people just don't seem to understand it. 

When we hide who we are from the world, the world can make it's own opinions about us.  We won't be there to influence those opinions.  If people knew that the "model Christian" next door was actually a witch, maybe there would be a little less hate for all of us.  I'm not saying you have to go shout to the world that you are pagan, nor do you have to say to every person you meet the second you meet them that you are pagan.  Even one person stepping out and telling at least their family and friends about their choices and beliefs changes the world for the better.


Recently posted on Diana Rajchel's blog was a BBC video of an uncontacted tribe in Brazil.  Their land is being encroached upon by by other uncontacted tribes from Peru, because of industrial logging.  The Peruvian government has taken the stance that there is no such thing as an uncontacted tribe, because no one has seen them.  Therefore it must be okay to take away the land that they have lived on for hundreds if not thousands of years.

And we are doing the same thing to ourselves.  I will never quit being upset about this, because it could all change so easily!  If a pagan goes to their family and friends, even if that is only 2 or 3 people, and told them the truth, that would be 3 more people who know what we are and what we are not.  Most of us have more family and friends than that.  For every 10 pagans in the broom closet coming out and telling their family and friends, that would be at least 30 - 50 people knowing the truth about paganism and the lack of evil inherent in it.  Can you imagine if every pagan in Canada, America and Europe went to their family and friends and told them the truth?  How many people that would reach?  Most of our family members and friends are more supportive than we think. 

Because if we don't show people the truth about who we are and what we believe, they can make whatever conclusions they want.  Our Gods become devils, our sacred groves become parking lots. 

If we keep denying who we are, then we might as well all become devil-worshipers anyway.  That's what we will be painted as. 

Goddess Bless,

Stacy