Took the girls to a pagan store yesterday (they are 10 and 8 ) and we had a great time looking at stuff. Shanna, my 10 yo, said something pagan or "witchcrafty" (her word for what we do) and I made some comment and then she said "at least we can talk about this stuff here."

Made me smile in that it was a cute thing to say and I am glad she understood the store and what she said were pagan (shows I am teaching her something) but also a littel sad in that she also understands that there are certain places or people we just don't talk about this stuff around.

seakla, I understand the reason for her comment making you a bit sad, but she does sounds like a wise young lady to me. [smile]

I sympathize with you seakla; my daughter is 8 and she also knows that she can not talk about our beliefs in certain places or with certain people. Luckily, she understands that the reason for this is that those people would not understand us or our beliefs.

<sighs loudly>
Light and love!

Seakla, I think it's kind of sweet. It's great that she understands so early, and it's probably even a little bit fun for her, to have a "secret". No, some people will never understand, and she is pretty wise to know enough to protect herself from these people. That's a job well done to you. I want to raise my children Pagan, and my partner's only concerns deal with this same issue.

Seakla, I understand how that will make you sad. I think it makes us all a little sad to know that our children will grow up feeling that they can't discuss their beliefs in front of everyone. It was the one thing my husband asked me when I was pregnant with our son. He asked "What religion will we be raising him in?" (He is agnostic and does not have a "religion" but it comes from his growing up in Cuba because there religion is frowned upon and is not an acceptable social thing) and I told him I would raise my son in my beliefs. His response was "Are you sure, maybe people will give him a hard time because of it". It was sad to hear that from him, a person who is not religious. It was sad because he feels fine telling people he doesn't believe in God, per se, but he would think twice about saying, oh my wife is pagan and she is raising our son that way.

One day my son will probably say the same thing to me, about how we can't talk about our beliefs infront of everyone, hopefully I will have something encouraging to answer him with.

Thanks everyone!

Luna...that is sad that he is worried about your son being labeled or ridiculed for being pagan but he's not worried about himself being agnostic.

I always wonder what it will be like when the girls are my age...will there still be this angst over letting other people know they're pagan (if they continue to choose that path) or will it be as acceptable as the difference between saying you're lutheran or nazarene.

seakla wrote:
Thanks everyone!

Luna...that is sad that he is worried about your son being labeled or ridiculed for being pagan but he's not worried about himself being agnostic.

I always wonder what it will be like when the girls are my age...will there still be this angst over letting other people know they're pagan (if they continue to choose that path) or will it be as acceptable as the difference between saying you're lutheran or nazarene.

I believe there will always be those that scorn Wiccans/Pagans/etc. for their religion. Humans, by nature, try to destroy that which they don't accept as "normal." I think this is sad, but I don't see this changing any time in the near or remote future.

Seakla, my 11-year-old son knows as well that there are certain places that we don't talk about what mommy's religion is and it makes me sad as well. Â*
My husband is a very open-minded x-tion and we do attend an episcopalian church a few blocks away from us on a regular basis as a family. Â*My son knows that he can talk about church things with mommy's pagan friends but not vice versa.
He wanted to know when it would be ok to talk about the fun pagan stuff we do at home in church and I told him hopefully someday soon peoples minds will be accepting enough - we just have to keep showing them what great people we are!
I believe in this lifetime I will see a positive shift in our favor, and he believes it as well. Â*That's all that matters to me!!!
[smile]BB-Prissy

It would be nice to be able to talk freely about it to anyone.
It is said that we can talk Christian concepts with Pagans but not the other way around.

I think its really too bad that we can't just be who we are. I am not a bad person, in fact I feel I'm abit more accepting of others than I really ought to be. But perhaps its some christianity rubbing off on me, I often do unto others as I would have them do unto me, and am usually met with disgust when people learn I'm pagan. It hurts, but yet, I will continue on being me.
daphnerose