E-mail: paganrightsalliance@ananzi.co.za ∙ Tel/Fax: (044) 850 1297 ∙ P.O. Box 184 Hoekwil 6538
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS NOTE: Modern Paganism embraces a wide diversity of spiritualities and beliefs. SAPRA's FAQ represents the spiritualities and beliefs of self-defined Pagan members of the Alliance. What is a Pagan ?
A Pagan is a practitioner of a religion called Paganism. The word 'Pagan' comes from the Latin words 'paganus', which means a 'country-dweller'/ 'rural citizen', and 'pagani' meaning 'country' or 'rural district'. It was used as a term of derision in a Christian inscription of the early fourth century of the common era to describe rural civilians of the Roman world who had not converted to Christianity. Contemporary Pagans have reclaimed this term to define their modern religion, a religion characterised by diversity of spirituality and belief and by tolerance of religious diversity.
Paganism is a religion - a 'Nature-venerating' spirituality that draws inspiration from ancient pagan and modern Pagan spiritualities and religio-magical belief systems. The word 'pagan' was first used prior to the fourth century to describe civilians of Rome who lived in the country and who more often than not worshipped ancient Roman, Greek, Celtic, Teutonic and Egyptian Deities very closely associated with Nature. With the gradual expansion of Christianity in Europe the word came to include men and women who worshipped the old Gods and Goddesses of the Teutons and the Celts. Largely Christian colonization broadened the usage of the word 'pagan' even further to include the beliefs and practices of indigenous peoples of the Americas, Africa, Asia and elsewhere. Contemporary Paganism, also sometimes called Neo-Paganism (meaning 'new Paganism'), has gained both official and academic recognition in Europe, America, Australia and South Africa as a modern religion of the 20th century. Contemporary Paganism is an eclectic and syncretic tapestry of established and emerging initiatory traditions, many of whom claim either direct or indirect descent from pre-Christian forms of religion. The most influential traditions in modern Paganism include Druidry, Shamanism, The Northern Tradition (including Odinism, Asatru and Vanatru), The Western and Eastern Magic Traditions, Witchcraft, Wicca, Stregharia, and Goddess Spirituality. The word 'Heathen' is a North-European equivalent of the Latin-derived 'Pagan', having similar connotations, i.e. dweller of the heath / country-side, and is the preferred term of many modern Pagans who adhere to Teutonic and Saxon Traditions. Until South Africa's adoption of a Bill of Rights in 1994 that guaranteed freedom of religion and belief, solitary Pagans and Pagan groups, Covens and Groves remained hidden from public scrutiny, much the same as Pagans had done in England prior to the 1950's. Since 1995 Paganism has received fairly positive, but highly sensationalised press and television coverage. Many Pagans have taken these opportunities to express their pleas for religious tolerance and an end to the discrimination of Pagans (and especially of Witches) in South Africa. Many new Pagan groups have been formed, each of which have and are contributing toward building, through networking, sharing and teaching, the Pagan religious community of South Africa. Contemporary Paganism must not be confused with the 'New Age Movement'. How many Pagans are there in South Africa ? Paganism is not the fastest growing religion in South Africa. To date (2007) – up to and including the 2001 Census - there is no accurate census of the number of Pagans in South Africa. Official government Census’s have not listed Paganism as a census choice. It may be assumed that Pagans, who registered for the 2001 Census, were collectively lumped with ‘others’ under either one of these listed figures: No official or definitive South African census on the number of self-defined Pagans exists. A very rough estimate may be deduced in the following way: c. Given the international figures on the rise of Pagan converts in the U.K., the U.S.A. and Australia, one could include an additional estimated figure for those who have recently converted or taken dedication as a result of exposure to film and publications, but who are not members of existing Pagan groups. One may correctly presume that there are more solitaries than Pagans who are members of known existing groups. A rough estimate of Solitaries who are self-defined Pagans would be 2000+- . These figures are conservative and may need review. (2007) The published estimated census figure for the number of self-defined Pagans in South Africa as 45000-50000 may more correctly reflect those who define themselves as New-Age practitioners, not necesarily Pagans. What is Pagan theology ? Contemporary Paganism has no central doctrine or theology and embraces a number of belief systems including but not restricted to polytheism, monotheism, pantheism and animism. Paganism draws spiritual and religious inspiration from many credible and authentic ancient and modern sources of religious doctrine, theology and philosophy. Modern Pagan theology is composed of beliefs and practices originating in many distinct pre- and post-Christian religious traditions. Contemporary Pagans may embrace all or part of this tapestry of belief systems. Pagans may explore their family and ethnic heritage to discover the indigenous practices of their distant ancestors. Others do respectfully incorporate indigenous practices that belong to a wide variety of cultures. Many Pagans create new practices which in turn may form part of a new Pagan tradition. Modern Pagan theology includes a strong environmental ethic, respect for the divine feminine, encourages a personal inner relationship with the Divine, and a respect for ancestral traditions.
Paganism, with a capital 'P' refers to the modern renewal and revival of the ancient religious, spiritual and ritual practices of pre-Christian peoples. These people did not define themselves as Pagans, but may be referred to as pagan (with a small 'p') to indicate that their belief systems and ritual practices are similar to those identified by modern practitioners as central to modern Paganism. paganism, with a small 'p', refers to those belief systems and ritual practices in their original form and usage. How does someone become a Pagan ? Paganism is not a proselytizing religion. If the Pagan path is right for you, you will find your way to it, whether through devotion to Nature, reading published books on Paganism and Pagan paths, or through actual apprenticeship to an initiate of an already established Pagan tradition, Coven, Grove or Pagan study group. What spiritual paths fall under Paganism ? Contemporary Druidry, Shamanism, Witchcraft, Wicca, Stregharia, Odinism, Asatru, Vanatru, and several other Western and Eastern religio-magical and mystical traditions are identified as Pagan religious paths. This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are as many valid Pagan paths are there are practitioners. There is no 'one right path' as all paths are equally valid spiritualities within Paganism. What religious holidays do Pagans celebrate ? Pagans venerate Nature by observing seasonal changes through religious ritual and ceremony. Pagans celebrate eight religious holy-days called Sabbats which occur on the solstices, equinoxes and four seasonal mid-points between them. These are the festivals that celebrate the seasons and the turning of the Eightfold Wheel of the Year in the southern hemisphere. Samhain Also known as: Halloween and the 'Day of the Dead'. This sabbat celebrates the start of the new spiritual year with the veneration of the ancestors. Date: 30 April / 1 May Winter Solstice Also known as: Yule and Alban Arthan. This sabbat celebrates the Winter Solstice Sun. Date: 21 June Imbolc Also known as: Imbolg and Brigid's Day. This sabbat celebrates the end of Winter and the quickening of stem and field to new life. Date: 1 August Spring Equinox Also known as: Ostara and Alban Eilir. This sabbat celebrates the Spring Equinox and new life. Date: 21 September Beltane Also known as: Bealtaine or Beltain This is a fertility sabbat in honour of Sun and Earth. Date: 31 October / 1 November Summer Solstice Also known as: Litha and Alban Hefin This sabbat celebrates the Summer Solstice Sun. Date: 21 December Lammas Also known as: Lughnasadh and Festival of First Fruits This sabbat celebrates the First Fruits Harvest. Date: 2 Feb Autumn Equinox Also known as: Mabon and Alban Elved This sabbat celebrates the Autumn Equinox and the second harvest of fruit and vegetable. Date: 21 March Do Pagans believe in an after-life ? Most Pagans believe in life after death; in the existence of an Otherworld, in the existence of an after-life in one form or another, and in the possibility of rebirth. Do Pagans venerate ancestors ? Pagans do venerate ancestors. On Samhain (Halloween) Pagans honour their ancestors by giving thanks and remembrance to those who have passed over into the Otherworld, a term used to describe the spirit-world, the place to which one goes after physical death. Do Pagans perform blood sacrifices ? Modern Pagans do NOT perform blood sacrifices. Are Pagans anti-Christian ? Pagans are not anti-Christian. Pagans tend to adopt a tolerant approach toward religious diversity. Do Witches believe in the existence of the devil ? Witches are not Satanists, and do not generally practice demonology. Ancient Pagans did deify the Masculine Principle of Nature as The Horned God, sometimes called Pan, or Cernunnos, representing the God of Animals and Nature. To the Wiccan, the Masculine Deity (the Goddess' Consort) is revered as Father and Protector of Nature. What is Witchcraft and Wicca ? Witchcraft is a religio-magical technique that employs the use of divination, herbalism, sympathetic magic and ritual. Wicca is an initiatory, polytheistic (with exceptions), Pagan mystery religion inspired by various pre-Christian western European beliefs and spiritual practices, whose central deity is either a Mother Goddess or a God and Goddess. Wicca was popularised in England in the 1950's by Gerald Gardner. An initiate of the Wicca is one who traces his or her intiatory lineage back to Gerald Gardner or his initiates. Are Wicca and Witchcraft the same thing ? Wicca and Witchcraft are not necessarily the same thing. Although the Anglo-Saxon word for a male witch was 'wicca', and for a female witch, 'wicce', in modern usage the word 'wicca' is used to describe both male and female initiates of the Pagan mystery traditions of 'the Wicca'. Wicca is a modern Pagan mystery religion. Witchcraft is an ancient magical system that employs the use of divination, sympathetic magic and ritual practices, but does not confine itself to the worship of deity, nor to any specific religion or culture. Contemporary Witches define their religio-spiritual practices as a craft. Modern Witches ply their craft as herbalists, diviners and magic workers. Not all Witches define themselves as 'Wicca' . Are all Pagans Witches ? Not all Witches are Pagan. Not all Pagans are Witches; some Pagans follow different Pagan paths and may self-identify as Shamans, Druids, Vitki or Magicians. Others inspired by Graeco-Roman paganism may simply define themselves as Pagan. What is magic / magick ? Loosely defined, magic is the practice of harnessing the energy that exists in the natural world for a specific purpose. Much in the same way as we use electricity to make a light-bulb burn, a magical practitioner uses magic, for example, to protect their families from harm. The term magick, coined by Aleister Crowley to differentiate magickal practitioners from illusionists, slight of hand practitioners and prestidigitators. Witches specialise in the practice of sympathetic or natural magic. A common phenomenon amongst Pagan traditions is the belief in the efficacy of magic and the realization that true spiritual religious ritual is by nature magical, both in its ability to manifest the practitioners will in consensus reality, and in its ability to induce visions of healing and transformation. Not all Pagans choose to practice magic/k. Is it true that Witches perform rituals naked ? The term 'skyclad' means "clad only by the sky". Not all Witches perform rituals skyclad, but there are those who believe that the absence of clothing allows energy to transfer to and from them more freely. Many Witches feel closer to the Goddess and God while in their natural form without the bindings of human technology, insecurities or societal inhibitions regarding the human form. Many Pagans tend to wear a robe or some other clothing made of natural fibre while participating in group activities, and may go skyclad only when observing rites alone or with their partner. Regardless, going skyclad during ritual is in no way a sexual act, it is a deeply spiritual one for those who choose to do so. What is a Book of Shadows ? Most contemporary Witches, Wiccans and Magicians keep a Book of Shadows (BOS) or Grimoire (magical grammar), which is a magic workbook, journal or diary meaningful to the person who keeps it. The magic grammar contains rituals, spells, herb lore, tables of correspondence, magical recipes, personal revelations and personal theology. Do Witches participate in orgies ? What people do in their private lives is their business, but orgies are not a required part of being either a Pagan or a Witch. Pagans in general tend to adopt a liberal but moderate view on sex and sexuality. Sex and the desire for sex is a natural function of the human condition. Pagans do not associate sex and sexuality with restrictive moral taboo. But this does not mean that Pagans are therefore more nor less sexually permissive than non-Pagans. Do Witches curse ? Pagans consider all life and all living things to be sacred. This does not prohibit a Pagan from defending him or herself from harm, nor does it prohibit Pagans from slaughtering animals and harvesting crops for food. Although Wiccans take an oath to do no harm, Witches in general act responsibly and honourably, and will only use harmful magic in defense of the innocent or afflicted. Witches have been known to curse. This does not make them more nor less dangerous than a non-Witch, nor does it assume that all Witches must therefore be dangerous, vindictive and destructive by nature. Why do Witches and other Pagans wear a Pentagram ? The Pentagram is a five-pointed geometrical figure which represents Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. The pentagram, most commonly presented with the apex (point) upwards, has become the internationally recognized symbol of modern Paganism and Witchcraft. The Pentagram was known to ancient Greek philosophers as the Pentalpha and represented health and life. A Pentacle is a Pentagram enclosed in a circle and represents the element of earth and the Earth itself. Are there black witches and white witches ? There is no such thing as a 'white' or a 'black' Witch as no person is totally good or evil. Life is not comprised of absolutes. Witches choose rather to refer to magic as being either beneficial or malefic (harmful). Witches believe that the motive or intent behind an action determines whether it results in weal (happiness) or woe (sorrow). Are male witches called wizards or warlocks ? Male Witches are called Witches. Over time the word Warlock has come to mean "oath breaker" or "traitor" to Coven and Craft. Wizards are said to be male practitioners of ceremonial magick, as are Magicians or Mages. Do witches fly on brooms ? Witches do not fly on brooms, but the broom is sometimes used by Witches to represent the spirit-flight or journey to the spirit world. Witches may also use brooms to sweep out negative energy from the home and magic circle prior to performing magic. The broom represents the union of the God and Goddess and is also therefore used to solemnize Pagan handfastings. The broom may also conceal a symbol of the God of Fertility in its bristles and so the broom is also used as a symbol of fertility. What were the Burning Times ? The Burning Times refers to the European inquisition of individuals charged with practicing Witchcraft and other heresy against the Roman Catholic church doctrine between the 14th and 17th century. Suspected and accused Witches were tortured to produce a confession and tried by an Inquisitional court before being executed either through hanging, burning or drowning. In contemporary South Africa suspected witches were and still often are banished from their homes and villages. In the 1980's witch killings started to increase in South Africa, notably in Venda, Lebowa and Gazankulu in the Northern Province. From January 1990 until April 1995, 455 cases related to witchcraft were reported to the SAPS in the Northern Province. Witch killings tend to increase during times of violent turmoil. The Witchcraft Suppression Act 3 of 1957 as amended by the Witchcraft Suppression Amendment Act 50 of 1970 makes it illegal to "accuse a person of witchcraft or sorcery, or to name a person as a witch or wizard or to injure or damage any person or thing on the advice of any witchdoctor, witch finder or similar person." Are Pagans Satanists? Satanism is not a Pagan religion or path.
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