At work I am often asked about my pentacle...which in turn leads to questions abiout what Paganism is.

This is something I often have a problem with as I don't want to spend hours explaining myself and I have difficulty wording myself right without coming accross as some sort of freak, or pansy.
Plus some of my customers are way to clever for their own good and ask me lots of difficult questions just for the purpous of tripping me up...........

So has anyone got a quick, easy and simple way of explaining Paganism, in a grown up, and authentic and believable manner without sounding like a fluff bunny or tree hugger, that lives in a total fantasy land??????

Interesting question. A similar topic came recently up in the Thread about Enochian
<http://thevalley.ukpagan.com/http://thevalley.ukpagan.com/index.php?showtopic=6250> .

The Yahoo dictionary also has a definition of paganism: <http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/pagan>

But if you want to explain paganism in terms of what you believe wouldn't it better if you just developed a little credo of your own? After all, there are so many pagan paths and groups that this umbrella term really says everything and nothing in the same word.

My personal interpretation of paganism would be that paganism is a believe in nature and in the divine forces in the universe that are surrounding us. Paganism enforces the positive aspects in a person and aims to spiritually develop it. The main difference between Christianity and similar religions is that, even though there are groups, paganism is not an organised religion with structures that are aimed to supress the members and morally blackmail them ("Jesus died for you, now you have to be thankful forever etc".).

Hope this helped.

S.

I would just say, "Paganism is an umberella term covering a range of beliefs, religions and crafts, drawing inspiration from ancient beliefs and the natural world"

As for the pentagram I would simply say, "It represents the elements of earth, air, fire, water and spirit and their interconnection".

If they ask questions to deliberately try to trip you up I would say,"piss off".

mike

Say you're a witch, cackle and wander off muttering about toads. At least that way they won't ask any further questions

When people notice my pent over here they often mistake it for a Star of David - I jsut tell them it is the Star of Life (oh cringe doesn't that sound awful in English????) and explain the elements and Life Force.

Otherwise - yes, formulate a one line explanation ..... go on, try it. Been trying for ages meself and would happily accept one!

Had a collegue ask me if I 'do spells' yesterday (ugh so predictable!), I fumbled a bit and said no, mainly rituals, to which she wanted an explanation. My answer was that it is, for me, more of an acknowledgment of nature. So I got out of that one without letting on too much! She proceeded to tell me how Jamaican women get their men...

I find it easier talking to my generation about my faith, but I still find it hard finding the right things to say without them thinking I run around naked with a black cat attached to my shoulder, hugging trees. Or being questioned about “the devil” or some vivid scene from a Harry Potter movie. (Thank you Hollywood) I simply tell them that I believe in nature and its power, and I don’t believe in any conventional God that they would be familiar with; yet equality and equilibrium between male and female.

I do however have a harder time talking to people of an older generation as the close-mindedness seems to be very apparent and likes to stick its ugly, warty, wonky nose out. I’m young and I’m still learning, we all are as nobody knows everything about anything; so I don’t think that we can truly give somebody understanding about what we believe in, in a short space of time. My partner does not follow the craft, or any kind of but he’s interested in my beliefs and has asked me to teach him things. We can only hope that others are as eager to understand, if not now, but some time in the near future.

I first establish exactly what it is that they're looking for; are they looking for a definition of paganism or are they asking for a definition of my paganism?

If they're looking for a deinition of paganism I usually use a combination of this:
and this:with maybe a little embelishment. I think that the principles of the elements as illustrated in the pentacle can be used to very good effect to explain the principles of paganism in a simple and clear way especially when explained alongside our percieved positions as pagans within the natural world.

If they're asking for a definition of my paganism I usually begin by asking them how much time they have available to hear the answer.

If they have plenty and if I have plenty too then I will gladly spend several days explaining my beliefs to them. If they say that they don't have that time then I sometimes question the depth and genuiness of their interest.

Or:

We in Chatland came up with a very useful definition of what is a pagan just now. It seems to be someone who can quote all of the works of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett verbatim as well as everything Monty Python has ever done. When two or more pagans get together they are divinely compelled to start re-enacting the famous " parrot sketch ".

Well its a good a definition as any

Ah the hitchhijkers and terry pratchett and monty python thing........SO true of my boyfriend.........

Hmmm I quite like the "umbrella term drawing inspriation from ancient Nature based belief systems around the world" one........

Has anyone else noticed just how difficult it is to put accross "Reverance of Nature, Nature lover," etc etc in speaking without sounding like a total pansy? Its nigh on impossible I tells thee!

On tellin em to piss off.......I could do that except that I am probably the most unconfrontational person in the whole universe..........plus, I reckon if you're openly gonna wear pentacles and stuff in public, and make a fuss about trying to get 8 weekends off a year.....(including round christmas and busy bank holidays) when you work in a sports bar full of loutish football lads as I do, then you gotta have the guts to face the music and say why.

I've told people before that the pentacel (Not the Star Of David- count the effing points!!!!!!!!!!!) is the Witches Cross.

My reply for what do you do as a pagan?
Celebrate the earth and my connection to it.

Oooh, you're a witch? A white witch?
No- there's no such thing. I use all sorts of energies for various reasons. (which got me a wink from a guy also wearing a pentie!)