What do Pagans believe?
It's really not possible to state what all Pagans believe.
The closest thing we have to a central doctrine is the Principles of Wiccan Belief.
In addition, our actions are guided by the Rede,which, in its simplest form, states "Harm None." (Compare this to "The Golden Rule" of the Christian faith: "Do unto others as ye would have others do unto you.")

What follows is an attempt to provide a brief description of Paganism.
Paganism is a nature religion. By this I mean that it grew out of early humans observation of, and interaction with, the world around them, not that we worship Nature.
(We are often accused of worshipping the earth, worshipping trees, etc; in short, of worshipping the creation instead of the creator. This misconception comes from a misunderstanding of our world view. To the Christians, the Creator and the creation are two separate things. To us, the creation is the manifestation of the Creators. For us, there is no separation: the world is part of the God and Goddess, and They are part of the world. We see God and Goddess in the earth, the trees, stones, rivers, etc. And, yes, even in ourselves and others.}
(Do we worship ourselves and others? No, but we respect ourselves and others as reflections of the divine, just as we respect the earth, the air, the water, etc.)
Since it is a nature religion, and since in nature there are males and females, and since nature is a reflection/manifestation of deity, it only make sense to have both a male and a female deity. (After all, both male and female are needed for there to be new life.)
Therefore, Pagans worship both God and Goddess. Some see Them as equals, and some place primary emphasis on the Goddess, even to the point of excluding the God altogether. (In part, this stems from a reaction to the strictly patriarchal mainstream religion.)

Are the God and Goddess real? Do They actually exist?
My answer to this is yes, They do exist. They are every bit as real as the God worshipped by the Christians.
On the other hand, the existence of deity is not something that can be proven, but neither is it something that needs to be taken as a matter of faith. Ours is an experiential religion...I know that the God and Goddess are real because I have experienced Their presence.
(In other words, I don't believe in the God and Goddess. I don't believe in rocks, either, but I know They exist.)
Do They exist independently of human belief?
Ultimately, that is a question that each person needs to answer for themselves. Some say that They were always there, some say that man created Them, and still others say that They are figments of our imagination, existing only in our minds.
Personally, I (Amethyst) believe that the truth lies somewhere in the middle of the theories. The forces that created the universe are timeless. They exist now, always have existed, and always will exist. But it wasn't until mankind began asking questions and trying to find answers to the world around us that these energies were named and worshipped. And, as universal as these energies are, they are also very personal. No two people will experience or visualize the deities the same way, so, in a sense, They do exist only in each person's mind.

What about the afterlife?
Pagans believe in reincarnation. After death, we believe that the spirit journeys to Summerland, where it looks back over its past life, and the lives before that, and decides what lessons it needs to work on in the next lifetime. After setting up the basic circumstances for its next lessons, it returns to Earth and continues its education.
Think of it this way: life is a school, and when you die, you're on summer break. And just when you've forgotten most of what you've learned, back you go.

Do Pagans have an organized church? Who is the head of the Pagans?
It's been said that trying to organize Pagans is like trying to herd cats. There is no central "church", although there are some national organizations. We also have no one central authority: each coven or solitary practitioner is autonomous, and each individual is responsible for finding and defining his or her own relationship to the God and Goddess.

Don't Pagans worship the devil?
Nope. Sorry. Remember, this is a preChristian religion. The devil is part of the Christian belief system, not the Pagan. This rumor was started by the Christian church in an effort to convert people to their religion.
That's not to say that we don't believe that he exists, just that he isn't part of our world-view. Throughout the last two thousand years, and especially in the last 600 or so years, a lot of people have put a lot of energy into believing in him.

What about sacrifice
We don't do it.
Remember the Rede? "Harm none."
Besides, all life is sacred, for the God and Goddess are part of all life.
As it says in The Charge of The Goddess: "Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold, I am the Mother of all living, and My love is poured out upon the Earth."

What about the orgies?
What orgies?
Paganism is a fertility religion, and sex is seen as natural and healthy. Sex is also seen as sacred and holy, not something to be taken for granted or treated lightly.

What do Pagans do?
We hold rituals to attune ourselves to the cycle of the seasons, and thus, to the cycles of our lives.
We celebrate eight Sabbats, or seasonal festivals. They are:
Yule, the Winter Solstice, also known as Mid-Winter. This is the longest night; from this point on, the days grow longer, as the new-born sun god grows in strength.
Imbolc, February 2nd, also called Oimlec. The name means "ewe's milk" and signifies the start of the lambing season. The days are visibly longer now, and spring is on the way.
Ostara, the Spring Equinox, also called Eostre, from which comes the word "Easter." Day and night are in balance.
Beltaine, May 1st, is the start of summer.
Litha, the Summer Solstice, also known as Mid-Summer. This is the time of greatest light, yet even in the midst of celebration, we know that the wheel turns and the light will decrease.
Lughnassadh, August 2nd, is the first harvest, the grain harvest.
Mabon, the Autumn Equinox, is another day of balance, as well as the second of the harvest festivals.
Samhain, October 31st, is the final harvest, and our most sacred day. The Veil Between the Worlds is thinnest this day, and we remember and honor those who have gone before. (The word "Samhain," by the way, means "Summer's End." It is not, as some would have you believe, the name of the Druid god of death.)

In addition, we celebrate the phases of the moon. Moon rituals are called Esbats, and the most commonly observed is the Full Moon, although many celebrate the New Moon as well. Esbats, in addition to being times to honor the Goddess, are when most magick is performed, for the tides of the moon influence magickal energy.

Where do Pagans meet?
Well, ideally, we hold our rituals out of doors, but this is not always practical, due to weather, nosey neighbors, etc. In that case, many of us have altars in our homes.

Are there really practicing Pagans in this day and age?
Yes, there are. In fact, some believe that Paganism, in all its forms, to be the fastest growing religion in the United States.

Are there bad Pagans?
Sure. Just as there are bad Christians. People are people, no matter what their religious path.

Are there warlocks in Pagan society?
Nope. "Warlock" is actually a term that many find offensive, as it's a word that means "traitor." A male Witch is a Witch.

How do I find out more about Paganism?
Well, you can come chat with us and ask questions.
You can also visit other websites. There are many out there, but here are a few to get you started:
The Witches' Voice
Witch/Pagan Resources

There are also several good books on Paganism, available from any major bookstore, including on-line ones. I recommend The Truth About Witchcraft Today by Scott Cunningham for an excellent overview.

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