Stereotypes and Misconceptions of Paganism
Stereotypes and misconceptions are mainly false assumptions and beliefs about different cultures and groups. The reason as to why stereotypes and misconceptions exist is because many individuals Stereotypes are basically oversimplified images or ideas used to describe the gender, nationality or even nature of a certain type of person. While some stereotypes are humourous, they can also provide a negative impact upon their targets. Misconceptions, on the other hand, are false and rude accusations directed upon a certain individual or group. There are many stereotypes and misconceptions that are directed towards individuals of the Pagan religion because, since it represents only a small portion of the population, other individuals are uneducated and judgemental idiots who would rather stuff everything that they know in a fixed set of categories than learn something new.
Stereotypes are an active role in society and they exist because many individuals are provided with false information regarding a certain subject. Most individuals mistake the word prejudice for being stereotypical when, in reality, prejudice is a term of judgement when one perceives another without knowing their true nature. There are some stereotypes that are somewhat true and there are others that are plain idiotic. Some examples of idiotic stereotypes: all blondes are idiots, people in the south live in trailers, glasses are for nerds, all Americans eat hamburgers and love nascar, all mexicans eat burritos and salsa (the food, not the dance), everybody hates the French, ect. These stereotypes are common, but atleast they provide an example of the term whereas misconceptions are more profound.
Misconceptions serve as ...
... middle of paper ...
...re fewer, and strive to protect Earth. These stereotypes and misconceptions that society places on Pagans are false and, though some of them make sense, has caused many of them to go back into hiding. They recognise the divinity of nature and are intensely aware of all forms of nature and life. Pagans have ethics and values as well as codes that they honour and respect. They do not practice spells or sacrifice animals during their celebrations and rituals and they definitely do not worship satan. Paganism is not based on doctrine or liturgy. Many pagans believe 'if it harms none, do what you will'. Following this code, Pagan theology is based on nature and, with the aim of Pagan ritual, being to make contact with the divine in the world that surrounds them. Pagans are a group of law abiding citizens who seek to restore harmony and beauty back into the natural world.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, neo- means “new” and pagan means “a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions,” but what exactly are these people and what do they do? “Neo-Paganism is a group of contemporary religious movements influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various historical pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe” (Lewis 13). “Paganism is a polytheistic nature religion. It is re-creating ways of relating to the earth and all its inhabitants which express human relationships with all that exists. It is a sense of being “at home” on earth” (Harvey 1). One of the most important aspects, if not the most important aspect of these modern movements is the use, according to Dennis Carpenter, of “a universe that is interconnected… and the material and/or spiritual universe are one” (quoted in Lewis 50). Some of the concepts of neo-paganism are “the idealization of nature, the perception that primitive people and peasants live lives that are in harmony with natural forces, and the imagining of an early polytheistic religion where nature itself is sacred” (Magliocco 39). Combining the importance of nature and the lives people live is “the earth and the body,” which, “ is central and celebrated” (Harvey 126). Displaying within the religion, “at their seasonal festivals pagans regularly renew their relationships and deepen their intimacy with the environment, nature,” and “the festivals teach ecology” (Harvey 126). Neo-Paganism is more rooted in environmentalistic behaviors through rituals and mythology rather than non-religion or science.
The growing practice of Neo-Paganism in America has caused many to turn their heads. The misunderstanding of the religion has caused many to equate the practitioners with the popular conception of typical "witches," that perform black magic rituals, satanic sacrifices, and engage in devil-inspired orgies. After many years, the Neo-Pagan community has cleared up many misconceptions through the showing that many of them do not engage in activities, and are rather participating in a religion, just as those would that participate in a Christian community. It's unacceptance continues, perhaps due to its non-conformity to the ideal of worshipping a Christian God. Through the use of ethnography, anthropologists and sociologists are able to present the public with a much different view than what we are bombarded with in popular media.
Stereotypes are formed when a person sees a certain race, religious group or ethnic group behaving a certain way enough that they form an impression of that group as being that certain way. And it is considered a stereotype because they apply their impression to the group as a whole
Because of the Catholic churches attempts in the medieval times to make more pagan worshipers join, they have made the pagan’s religion into something that was evil and sinister. Anybody who was practicing a religion that was different from their point of views, especially any religion practiced by people they were trying to convert, was evil and they needed to bring to the light of Christ. This was a normal way of thinking for the people from the medieval time period who were oppressed by the Church and had very little education. A very common view was that all “witches” worshiped Satan, did unspeakable acts, stole and killed babies for their potions, and caused mayhem for the common people. For example, if a farmer’s crop failed to harvest much, the most disliked person in town that had no influence, could be the scapegoat of farmer’s anger and frustration. The person who is bein...
Defined by Margot Adler, writer for Reader’s Companion to U.S. Women’s History, “Wicca is the term commonly used to describe several different traditions of contemporary Paganism—an earth-centered religion that reveres nature; celebrates seasonal and lunar cycles; and worships a goddess, or many goddesses, or sometimes a goddess and a god” (637-638). It is a religion that focuses on worshipping an earth god or goddess, using their power and the earth’s elements for good. For a misunderstood religion it has much history behind it and a deep core belief system.
Wicca is a spiritual path, a way of seeing the world and Divinity, and our relationship to it. They believe that Goddess is imminent in the world around us. Goddess permeates every living thing, and most of them define rocks, soil, water, air, fire, and the plant herself as living things. "The God of Wicca is the Horned God, the ancient God of Fertility: the God of the forest, flock, and field and also of the hunt." He is Lord of Life, and the Giver of Life, yet he is also Lord of Death and Resurrection. http://www.interlog.com/~spawn/gods.html
Chinese people eat cats or dogs. Blue is a color for boys. Women are bad drivers. Those are the most common phrases I've heard about stereotyping. However, stereotypes are assumptions that are assigned to groups of people because of their religion, nationality, gender, race, clothing, among others. In our daily life, there are negative and positive stereotypes, and it is possible that we all use stereotypes, all the time, without knowing it. Also, in my life I experienced this issue because of my ethnicity and my gender.
Stereotypes are relatively fixed, overgeneralized attitudes and behaviors that are considered normal and appropriate for a person in a culture based on race, gender, and religion.They are assumptions that people make about the characteristics of all members of a group, based on an image about what people in
Paganism is a religion of nature, in other words Pagans feel deep respect for Nature. Pagans see the divine as existence in life and the universe; in every living thing, every animal, plant, earth and man and woman, in the dark side of life as much as in the light. Pagans live their lives in tune with the cycles of nature; the seasons, life and death.
Stereotypes can be defined as sweeping generalizations about members of a certain race, religion, gender, nationality, or other group. They are made everyday in almost every society. We develop stereotypes when we are unable or unwilling to obtain all the information we would need to make fair judgments about people or situations. By stereotyping, we assume that a person or group has certain characteristics. Quite often, we develop these ideas about people who are members of groups with which we have not had firsthand contact. Stereotyping usually leads to unfair results, such as discrimination, racial profiling, and unnecessary violence, all behaviors which need to be stopped.
Paganism is a loose word for the large variety of polytheistic, shamanistic, and mystical non-monotheistic religions. Paganism exists in all cultures, from paleolithic to technological, but has historically waxed and waned. The ancient Egyptians are an example of a highly pagan society; so are the ancient Romans; and all paleolithic cultures from the Old Stone Age to the present have strong pagan elements. An example of a less pagan culture would be the West for the last thousand years or so, since the centuries following the Fall of Rome. The domination of the Middle East by Christians and Moslems has also largely shut out paganism.
Paganism has many sub-cultures, such as Wiccan, Druidism, NeoPaganism and more. But when a person is “Pagan”, it may include all of these. Unlike Christians who believe in God and Jesus Christ only, Pagans have many paths or theories. There are many paths because most Pagans take their own path in finding their spirituality. Paganism is a religion which is focused on the individual instead of groups. Oz, a Pagan who shares his beliefs through informative books, says,
When people think of Satanism or anything to do with that subject, they think of evil. People who sacrifice animals, do all sorts of drugs, murderers etc. But Satanism is completely different from what people may perceive it as. Satanism is actually a religion based on finding yourself and following a moral code other than the one society has made. Satanism goes back to ancient times before the birth of Jesus Christ any of the Gods that people worship today. The religion is spreading and is gaining popularity, not just as devil worshippers, but also as a religion.
Stereotypes play an important role in today's society and particularly in Propaganda. According to the Webster's Dictionary stereotyping is defined as a fixed conventional notion or conception of an individual or group of people, heldby a number of people. Stereotypes can be basic or complex generalizations which people apply to individuals or groups based on their appearance, behaviour and beliefs. Stereotypes are found everywhere. Though our world seems to be improving in many ways it seems almost impossible to liberate it from stereotypes.
Typically, when someone thinks of religion, they think about worship of a higher power, compassion for all living things, and a general love of the world. Satanism, while a religion, does not fit these conventions. The faith holds no belief in a higher power, is rather selfish in nature, and paints a bleak picture of the world and its workings. In addition, Satanism has controversy riddled history dating back to the seventeenth century. Due to the religion’s unconventional nature, it is often looked down upon and its principles and values are ridiculed. To better understand a faith like Satanism, it helps to look at it alongside a more familiar and commonly understood religion like Christianity.