Pagans seem to be outnumbered in the United States, a country createdby Christians, and so it seems, for Christians, people are generally taught the Christian way of life, along with Christian superstitions.

Now, if Christian superstition were based solely on the bible, this would not pose a problem. The bible does not teach to treat others of different religions with animosity; it teaches merely to provide a good example, and to use this example to bring them to Christ.

Unfortunately, many Christians care not about giving a good example, much less about converting pagans to Christianity. They, in fact, spur a negative viewpoint throughout many areas of the pagan community. These Christians are the bigots, the self-absorbed, or the misguided zealots, who are giving Christians a bad name.

And, also unfortunately, they are spiking a like reaction in some pagans. Pagans are being converted, not to Christianity, but to hatred of Christians. Just as many Christians have stereotyped pagans, some pagans are retaliating by stereotyping the Christians.

Now, I'm sure the Goddess wouldn't approve of that. After all, she is the force of love, not hate, or vengeance.

Just as the Christian's God is the god of love. Hmm... do I see a similarity here?

Sure, but there's nothing you can do about it... or is there?

Christianity's been around a long time. It's a pretty successful religion. Many people claim Christianity, or some form of it, as their religion. Perhaps we can learn from it.

Let's assume for a moment that Christianity was spread mostly by conventional means. We shall, for the purposes of this article, leave out the many blemishes on Christianity's recruitment record.

God says, set a good example, that others might see your good works, and follow him. Can this work both ways? Mythology and propaganda, handed down for centuries due to centuries of roman catholic doctrine (mixed with a little pagan lore), paints witches, witchcraft, and other forms of pagan beliefs and magick as evil. No pagan can really blame them for being skeptical about his or her intentions... it was how they were raised. But they (for the most part) are not monkeys who cannot be re-taught... they are subject to impressions also (I know this from personal experience).

OK, so let's say we set an example for them. How do we go about doing this?

Well, does not the Goddess teach the arts of love? We merely have to follow the guidelines of our own beliefs. Few traditions would condone spamming Christian Usenet, or spreading lies about Christian beliefs and methods. The Goddess teaches that we should treat them as brothers and sisters, for are we not all of the same species? If we treat them with the same treatment they are supposed to treat us, then they will see the stories they were told as children were untrue. Witches are people too... and so are Christians.

Now, I'm not so much hippie that I expect this to work on everyone. It won't. History teaches us this. Some people will still stay bigoted, and still persecute those who believe different.

But it works for some.

I have two very good friends, both solitaires, who truly follow the Goddess' teachings. They live in a city with perhaps 100 pagans, a few Satanists, a couple thousand atheists, and about 20 thousand people claiming to be Christians. One is a loner, but civil to all she meets; the other is highly sociable, and is well known throughout the town. Most of their friends do not know they are pagans when they first meet them, although they do not try to hide it.

And most of their friends, after find out they are pagan, are curious, and not at all hateful to them. And they soon learn the witches are not really all that different from themselves.

So the next time you are faced with a wall of persecution from the Christians, just remember the law of three; for the knowledgeable Christians who are persecuted by disgusted pagans will surely remember Christianity version: Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord.

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