Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Pagan
What Do We Do if Society Becomes “Less Friendly” to Pagans and Witches?

What Do We Do if Society Becomes “Less Friendly” to Pagans and Witches?

Last updated on: November 12, 2023 at 3:00 am by John Beckett

0 Comments

What Do We Do if Society Becomes “Less Friendly” to Pagans and Witches? 2023-11-11T16:37:04-06:00 John Beckett

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A local friend (who prefers to remain anonymous) sent me a question:

Today I was listening to a podcast where they mentioned a recent incident of a metaphysical shop in Pennsylvania where the police came in to remind the proprietor about an anti-fortune telling law still on the books [here’s a link to the Wild Hunt story on that incident]. One presenter on the show talked about how a recent order his wife placed at a bakery was rejected at the last minute because of the nature of her business.

So, my question is, what do we do if society becomes less friendly to folks like us?

On one hand, the United States is the most religiously diverse and religiously tolerant society in the history of humanity. My workplace includes Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, atheists, and at least one Pagan. We all get along just fine. I’ve been leading public rituals – in Texas – for 20 years and I’ve never had a problem with any of it. It’s not just me – each generation is more open and accepting than the last when it comes to religion, culture, sexuality and gender, and pretty much everything else.

On the other hand, being a religious minority always comes with risks and it only takes one aggressive bigot to ruin your day… or to ruin much more. Whatever your thoughts on the horrible events in Israel and Palestine, there are no excuses for attacks – physical or verbal – on American Jews, or on Jewish people anywhere. Nor are there excuses for attacks on Muslims.

Of specific concern to Pagans and witches are the Christian nationalists who make baseless claims that this is a “Christian nation” and who want to turn it into a white Protestant Christian theocracy. These people are politically active and many of them have made their way into positions of power in local governments. This is why we have to vote in every election in every race, especially for things like school boards. We can’t ignore them and hope they’ll go away – that’s how they’ve been able to get power far in excess of their numbers. They’re happy to use archaic and obsolete laws – such as the one in Pennsylvania – to force people to conform to their religion-based morality. And because they and their allies have taken control of the courts, what should be a simple appeal to reason and justice is often impossible.

See things as they are

As always, it is essential that we see things as they actually are. We cannot allow ourselves to be paralyzed by fear. Neither can we ignore threats that may escalate – locally, nationally, or worldwide – at any time.

For the most part, we can be Pagans and witches, Druids and Heathens, polytheists and pantheists, and all that involves to whatever degree we desire and to whatever degree we’re called. Two years ago USA Today quoted Jason Mankey saying “we’re in the middle of a witch moment.” That moment is still going on and it isn’t likely to be over any time soon.

At the same time, we need to pay attention to our environment and be ready if a situation gets out of hand – if society really does become “less friendly” to Pagans and witches.

Take care of ourselves

By “take care of ourselves” I mean mundane street safety and mental health and everything in between.

Before the first public ritual I led, I came up with a plan for what to do if someone showed up to disrupt it… or worse. That was 20 years ago. I’ve never needed that plan, but it’s there if I ever do. It’s just like walking in an unfamiliar city: who’s around me, are there any potential threats, and how can I respond if I have to?

Beyond that, there’s the question of what’s worth fighting over. As a straight white cis man I don’t face the subtle (and sometimes not subtle) discrimination many of my friends do. But there have been times I’ve been in places where it was clear I wasn’t welcome. I went somewhere else.

That doesn’t justify unwelcoming behavior – much less violating equal accommodations laws – and the bigots who tell LGBTQ people “there are plenty of other wedding cake bakers who would be happy to have your business” are legally and ethically wrong. It does mean my resources are limited and I’m going to spend them where I think they’ll do the most good, not in responding to people who enjoy making me angry.

It may mean moving to a more friendly location. I always thought I’d be in Texas forever, but it’s become too big of a drain on my mental health. As soon as I can retire, I’m out of here.

If you’re up for a fight, take it on. If you’re not, then do what you can to make things better without becoming a martyr. Take care of yourself.

Work to repeal unjust laws

The Pennsylvania law in question is intended to protect the public from fraud. Every so often we’ll see cases of someone who convinces a gullible person that they’re cursed and will offer to remove the curse – for a price. A reading turns into magical working turns into a major ritual and the victim has spent thousands of dollars to remove a curse that in almost every case wasn’t there to begin with. This is fraud, and no special laws are required to prosecute it.

For all its problems, Texas law gets this right. There are no state laws against fortune telling – just against fraud.

A client who pays for divination understands what they’re buying. When the reader delivers an honest reading, a fair transaction is completed.

It does not take an advanced degree in constitutional law to understand that while the Pennsylvania law was passed with good intentions, it makes religious and spiritual assumptions that cannot be substantiated (namely, that all divination is fraud). It does not apply to ordinary divination because there is no fraud, and the assumption that it does is religiously discriminatory.

Unfortunately, the police chief in question takes the position that “the law is the law” and vows to enforce it. He’s “just following orders.”

Given the conservative takeover of the courts, judicial relief is unlikely.

And so we do what we must do. Namely, petition legislators to repeal the law in question, and keep pestering them about it until they do.

This shouldn’t be necessary. But it is, so we do what we have to do.

Insist on our full rights under the law

We’re in a difficult situation when the law is against us. But when the law is on our side – as it is when it comes to equal opportunity in public accommodations – we must aggressively assert and defend our rights.

At the least, this means understanding our rights and being able to articulate them clearly, succinctly, and accurately. Screaming “that’s discrimination!” rarely accomplishes much. Being able to calmly cite the precise law such actions violate carries much more weight. Bigots don’t care that something isn’t fair. They care that they could be prosecuted or sued for violating a law.

At some point, though, laws have to be enforced – and enforcement costs money. The ACLU does not have a bank of lawyers just waiting to take your case on a pro bono basis. If you have the resources to pursue legal enforcement – time as well as money – please do.

Still, the court of public opinion can often do what courts of law will not. There’s a reason why homophobic wedding service providers rarely post “we serve straight couples only” signs – it would cost them too much business from people who would never patronize them if they knew.

That doesn’t always work – some bigots love their bigotry more than they love their business. But there are ways to insist on your legal rights even if you can’t access the courts.

Make alliances with other people of good will

We don’t have to do this alone. We can’t do it alone. And so we join together with other people of good will to build a better world.

This is one of the main reasons I’m a Unitarian Universalist. Most UUs don’t share my beliefs, but they do share my values. They support me in my free and responsible search for meaning and truth, and I support them in theirs. Most of my family are mainline Protestants. We don’t agree on the number of Gods, but we do agree that we should treat other people with dignity and respect.

Religiously, politically, and socially, there are people who share our values. Let’s find them and work with them where ever we can.

We do what witches have always done

For centuries, people have feared and persecuted witches – and people thought to be witches – because witches could not be controlled. Witches are people who work unauthorized magic, who live life their own way, who do as they will and not as they’re told.

The witch stands in opposition to the mainstream world and to its values.

If society becomes less friendly to witches and Pagans, then we will continue doing what we do in private, in secret, deep in the forest and behind closed doors, behind passwords that for all their metaphorical meaning have the practical value of letting us know who we can trust with our magic and who we can’t.

There are some in our community who think we should be doing that now. I don’t agree – I think we need to be as “out” as possible (with the full understanding that some people can’t). Some mysteries must be preserved for the proper times and places, but worshipping the many Gods and working magic is something we need to normalize as much as we can.

But if we can’t do it in public, then we will continue to do it in private. Because it’s part of who and what we are, and we can’t not do it.

And if we happen to hex a few regressive and fascist politicians in the process, so much the better.

Previous Post

November 6, 2023

Sharpening Your Tarot Skills

Next Post

November 16, 2023 Holiday Traditions and Toxic Families: Take Care of Yourself

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Glad you got to see it. Hail Cernunnos!"

MadGastronomer

The Pillar of the Boatmen: the ..."

"Concern about the attitude of Islam toward Pagans is not limited to the Trump Administration. ..."

Maureen Richmond

The Fear of Witchcraft

"Thank you for your much needed review of the Lucas Miles polemic. A key point ..."

Maureen Richmond

I Read Pagan Threat So You ..."

"A number of these are also available streaming through the Kanopy digital service, carried by ..."

C. Lee Vermeers

The Vampire Films of Jean Rollin

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Books Community CUUPS Druidry Foundations and Context Gods and Goddesses Magic Myth Nature Ritual Spiritual Practice Theology Travel Uncategorized Videos

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who leaped for joy after being healed at the Temple gate (by Peter, in Jesus' name)?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A rich man A blind man A Pharisee A lame man