The Noble Pagan Forums - Do you hafta hide?

I'm a member of a couple of different forums, and the topic of "hiding" came up--meaning, folks who cannot disclose their pagan beliefs for one reason or another.

Now, I fall under 2 categories with this one. First off, I'm not somebody who advertises my beliefs to anybody who will listen...I'm not really the preachy type. That said, my hub and I are in situations with our exes that would probably be made EXTREMELY difficult if it were known that we were, in fact, pagan (or "debil worshippers", as we would be labeled).

I guess that doesn't really count as "hiding", I suppose..we just don't shout stuff from the hilltops (and we aren't the pentacle-necklace-the-size-of-hubcap-wearing type folks anyway).

Some of the people on that thread were worried about their jobs, which is understandable. Heck, they can fire you for anything and just call it something else. I'm not worried about my job though. My boss is an extremely conservative Catholic (I tell him he's more Catholic than the Pope), but he doesn't give me grief whatsoever ('cept that he calls me one of those "tree hugging liberals"). Surprisingly enough he is very cool with me.

Anyway, is there anybody out there in the same type situation? I mean, do you feel like you have to "hide" from friends/family/coworkers/etc? If not, how do those people react to you?

Just so it's out of the way, this isn't a persecution syndrome post. Personally, I don't feel that "hide" fully describes my particular situation--truth be known I probably wouldn't go 'round shouting "I'm a Christian" either.

Then again, I don't think it'd be the beliefs that would cause us the most problems, but the witchcraft. We'd be labeled as either debil worshippers or just plain nuts.

Once I was "out" I never hid. My family, coworkers etc, all just had a bazillion questions and raised eyebrows. Now that's not to say I go around advertising but these things do come up in conversation from time to time.

Now, my DD is in an Anglican Episcopal Preschool, and I'm not so much hiding my religious preferences so much as keeping very quiet about them. Thankfully, these aren't people I socialize with so it hasn't come up as of yet.

Honestly I do na think I ever really hid. I never really advertised either. The nice thing about being The Standard is that I could probably get away worshipping in a religion where the patron Goddess is a baby eating marigold who's consort is a 6 legged Purple Cow with wings and no one would have thought that was even remotely odd.

I guess I just lucked out that way.



C.S.

The other day I was in discussion (argument) with a friend over religion and I was disgusted by myself. I was 'preaching'! But not necessarily my own faith, but the significance of faith, Divinity and having a spiritual relationship with yourself and your connection to creation/Divinity. I felt like I was being one of those naggy Mormon's that hand you pamphlets about finding their Savior at 7am on a Saturday morning.

I use to proudly display my faith because...well it separated me from the masses and because I truly was/still am proud to be who I am and of my beliefs.

As I've gotten older I've found that I'm more conservative of my beliefs-- meaning I do not openly share or express my opinions/beliefs/faith unless I'm asked (due to topic of discussion) or I'm on a Spiritual forum (where it is necessary/acceptable/expected).

I do believe that sometimes its a better option to hide, rather than not. Why? Because its not necessary to become a martyr due to other peoples intolerance and ignorance. You can't change anyone but you can enlighten and inspire, or at least thats what you can hope to accomplish should you chose to be open about your Spiritual Path. You can also hope that through this enlightenment they will find tolerance of you and a step further..or a bunch of steps further, acceptance.

I believe that it boils down to your better judgment. So some things to consider.

-Do you live in an area that is tolerant of minorities (Religion, Race, Sexuality etc..)
-How will this affect your status among friends, family, work place, and neighborhood?
-If you have a family; how will this affect them?

Much like choosing your path is personal, I believe being open about it is a personal choice as well.

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People I have known for a long long time know I am Pagan, though some do not know to what extent I am Pagan. To others, people I know less well, yet are in my life just the same, don't know about it at all (until recently). I can trust people in a general sense, but not with private, personal matters. And religious belief has been a very private matter with me. Unless I don't feel comfortable around a person, I don't talk much, nor reveal much. I have been embarrassed in the past, whether in a real or imagined way, by people who looked down on me for what I believed, or perhaps I wasn't Pagan enough for their tastes. I've let others define me in my silence.

It wasn't until recently that I've opened up a bit, as I've met people who don't look down on me, and consider what I have to share worth hearing.

Its just when you are private for such a long time (and, I live alone) that you get used to keeping things to yourself. Its gets to be too comfortable, shut off from the world, because there is some level of safety in not letting others know too much.

They don't know my beliefs at my workplace. Except for one woman I am friendly with who has said she is Pagan (though not in any way I can recognize).

There are a couple of other people in another department who are fundamentalist christians. She gets very angry at them, and complains to me about it and the attitudes of other christians in general. I'm not sure what she is angry about, she seems to be the one with the problem, as both of these coworkers are really nice people. They don't blast me with their beliefs (I didn't even know they were fundamentalists until my pagan? coworker told me), so I don't blast them with mine.

Thanks to all who replied.

Seems the common denominator here is that it's not really "hiding", it's keeping it private. Extremely subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless.

I suppose my main concern isn't so much what people would think (I'm old enough not to give a shit about stuff like that), but how it could be completely twisted ('specially in the conservative courts we have around here--the "good ole boy" mentality) and used against me.

Again, thanks to all of you.

I wouldn't say I'm actually hiding, but keeping things hush-hush as ya'll mentioned.

For me, I'm pretty much in the clear to say MOST of my personal beliefs to my family, which are very new-agey types. I don't think I'll be able to walk up to them and tell them I'm pagan for a very long time because, to be completely honest, I struggle with calling myself that in the first place.

Since I live in the Bible Belt, I keep even more quiet about things. Texas isn't exactly the MOST pagan-friendly state, although I know there are a lot worse out there.

As far as jobs go, since I'm a student currently, it wouldn't really matter. But I'm wanting to be a teacher, which might matter at the K-12 level, until I get into college teaching. But I'm an art student, so it's usually a very liberal, accepting environment. Usually.

Weeel....
do I have to ? yes!

Due to my job I'm better not seen at any rites with a known coven - yet of course I could argue I just wanted to see what my friends to ** But I'm not a coven-person anyway...

Well - but I do have to keep silent about some parts of my belief. My family knows what I believe in, but apart from a few of them I doubt they know where those believes belong to. I'm basically just not mentioning it - and sometimes I'm amazes how much of it is shared by friends and familiy and I'm thinking a "If you only knew..." to myself *smirks*

I have to because of my job though - there would be no other chance than being roman-catholic. Basically - it's into a "hushhush" as you've said than real hiding. Yet sometimes I really notice how careful I have t obe with what I utter ... tend to talk faster than I think every now and then..

the moondancer

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I heard the adjective left the noun because it had a tendency to be possessive.

Lets see..

I converted to Paganism dureing my second year of Middle School. The first two months I kept it quiet. Until I bought my very first Penticle and watched a few YouTube Videos of a show about a Wiccan, a Voodoo/Hoodoo Priestess, A nudist, A man completely covered in tatoos, a dude whom lived the style of a Vampire, and a group of everyday norm peeps. The show is about a person developing, learning how to look inside these strange people and seeing the goodness. Also they had to become stronger for themselves, and to with 10 or so thousand dollars. It was a very nice Game Reality show.

I noticed the Wiccan refused to hide her religion, same for the others around her. So I decided if they could do it and still be living and breathing, so could I.

I live in Virginia. Most people here are dead sirous about their religions. They lived strickly on the bible and all had promise rings. It wasn't easy to come out freely with my symble of my faith. Instantly alot of my friends stepped away from me and quickly became my enamies. I've had a guy grab my hair at a bus loop and chop off a good handful of my hair with scissors. I had kids bring in lighters and threaten to set me on fire. I've had people at gym shouting 'Burn the Witch' and watched as the teachers looking the other way. I had to stay inside my house because a group of boys would chase after me if I so much as took a step out of my property. I've been hit, slapped, and spat at for the longest time.

All this happened and I stuck to my religion and wasn't afraid to let the symbol hang around my neck. It wasn't until I met the Nerbs, Anime fans, and punk kids in highschool did I have friends. Once I easily befriend the Punk and Goths, I noticed if someone started yelling 'Burn the Witch' again, my new friends quickly defended me. Ever since I've been under the protection of some of the most feared kids in school. Several even converted to Paganism after they heard me talking about the beliefs and so forth.

Do I think we should hide? I think not. Even after all I've had to go through, I'm glad I did. And I have a really good story too! Bwhahaha!

Why should we hide? Is Paganism not the mother of Christanity? It is so. My religion is hardly a religion in my eyes. Its more like a life style. Donno how, just feels like something more. I've always warned people its a hard road. But its so worth it!


Wow... just felt like I wrote a memoir.....

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*In Clint Eastwood voice* "They call me Penny.... Jenny-Penny. And Skittles. Because I like them... alot. And then there is another name they call me; its Miss Baggins..." -Me

"There is no such thing as a small part in a play, but there are small actors" -Me

"One does not simply Rock into Mordor!" -Random drunk dude down the street

That sounds like Mad Mad House.
Was the Wiccan chicky a blonde Australian.....?
If we talkin about the same show then I can tell you that was my hate crack ( mostly because of Fiona Horne the "Witch/Wiccan fluffy gag me.......*edit*)


Ask CR.....he knows how much that woman rubbed me wrong....
She DUMB!!!
How smart is it to wear long flowy sleeves and feather boas when you got a bunch of lit candles around you???

Soz about the Tangent.....

*hands out candy corn to all*



C/S/