The responsibilities of being Wiccan/Pagan
All of you know that being an "out of the broom closet pagan" is a difficult lifestyle. People look at you a little differently and maybe treat you differently too. Your pentacle always causes a few stares and whispers of "Satan Worshipper". We don't even believe in the Christian devil, and those people have just bought into the many misconceptions brought on by the media about wiccans. So why is it any of their business what we do or who we worship? After all this is America and we have the freedom to worship whatever way we see fit.
There is just one problem with the above scenario. We are a minority in this country, and we do have rights in this country but because we are a minority it can be very hard to fight for those rights. Worse yet, if you are pagan/wiccan and have children you must be especially careful. I know this first hand. I have four children, three of them being handicapped. We get services from agencies for our children because of their handicaps which includes a teacher coming to the house a few times a week for the children.
My husband and I had just gotten married, we had a wiccan ceremony and we were doing well. I was working full time as a manager of a metaphysical store. One day I came home from work to find child protection in my home. Apparently, there was a complaint about my husband and I and that we were worshipping snakes. <sigh>
We explained to the worker what wicca is and she was open about it....she seemed to understand, but,....every agency that works with us knows before hand that we are wiccan. We did not tell them this. I had to quit my job, that put an incredible strain on the family. It is difficult to say the least. Being under scrutiny 24/7 isn't any better either. I really have to keep up on things. So, think before you come out of your closets....they still burn witches, just in another sense. It is unfortunate that people are so closed minded still. I am a very open minded person and it was very disheartening to find in this century that people are still so unclear about what we do.
What is worse is, if my ex-husband ever wanted to make a case of it...he could take the children away from me. Judges do frown on pagans because of all the strange things they "hear" about us. The other parent could make a case out of your religion and most likely take your children away from you....legally.
This is why we all as pagans and wiccans must be on our best behavior. We are on trial as a whole. We must get the majority to accept us and our religion. We must make them understand that our religion nor are we evil, but good with only good intentions.
It's up to you and me....how will you behave?