h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

“Pagans are generally people who have decided that the religion (or lack thereof) they were brought up with was not for them and have actively sought out an alternative, often researching many religious belief systems before settling into Paganism.”
- Pagans are not generally people whom have come from another religion, if that were the case we would have no pagans around today, there are a large number of people who came into paganism after being raised in another belief system however to say this is generally true of pagans is quite incorrect.

“there are many solitary Wiccans who either practise a specific tradition alone or belong to none but still follow the principles of Wicca.”
- All Wicca follow a specific tradition, being as Wicca is a priesthood one cannot follow ones own ideas on the principles of Wicca, they have to follow the traditions within the priesthood.

“Typically, Pagans and religious Satanists do not share the same belief systems, though they may have some common ground in that most religious Satanists do not accept the Christian view of Satan, but see Satan as a powerful archetype of vigorous life-force demonised by the Church, whereas Pagans view their gods as powerful pre-Christian deities demonised by the Church.”
- This is interesting considering that a. there are many Pagan Satanists, and b. Satanists do not believe in Satan in unless Lutheran or Church of Satan. The vast majority of Satanists don’t believe in Satan in any way shape or form.

“The Pagan Federation is a UK-based organisation seeking to represent Pagans of all paths. The PF has regional representatives across the country, organises local and national gatherings, and provides media liaison. Their magazine, Pagan Dawn, is available online and in print.”
- Pagan federation FAR from representing pagans of all paths, they are well known that Pagan federation leave out Pagan-atheists, left-hand path pagans, heathens and a whole host of other pagan groups, they only seem to embrace pagans who follow a pantheist belief system – in fact one ‘tenant’ of the pagan federation if you will is the Wicca rede which is only followed by Wicca and Neo-wicca – even then not all of those follow this.

Sorry not to have got back to you - I simply hadn't looked in in quite a while. I'd like to make sure I'm understanding your points properly:

"Pagans are not generally people whom have come from another religion, if that were the case we would have no pagans around today, there are a large number of people who came into paganism after being raised in another belief system however to say this is generally true of pagans is quite incorrect."

So you're saying that the majority of Pagans are coming from atheistic or entirely non-religious backgrounds with their families not even nominally members of other religions? That hasn't been my experience, but I'm interested in this.

"All Wicca follow a specific tradition, being as Wicca is a priesthood one cannot follow ones own ideas on the principles of Wicca, they have to follow the traditions within the priesthood."

I know that this is a point of contention. I've been a member of a Wiccan Tradition for 10 years, and have seen many arguments over whether or not it is possible to be Wiccan outside of a specific Trad. There are, though, many solitaries around who are either members of a specific Tradition but have no co-Traditionalists available to them (they may have moved, for example, or left a coven for personal reasons, but continue to practise), and there are many people identifying as Wiccan who adhere to the principles and practises of Wicca. Here I was trying to convey the wide variety of attitudes and practises within the Pagan community.

"This is interesting considering that a. there are many Pagan Satanists, and b. Satanists do not believe in Satan in unless Lutheran or Church of Satan. The vast majority of Satanists don’t believe in Satan in any way shape or form."

My experience hasn't encompassed Pagan Satanists, and I would be very interested in further information about that The Satanists I have conversed with have explained their concept of Satan as a vigourous archetype which does not necessarily indicate belief in Satan as a being. Perhaps I was not clear enough there? Again, any further information you care to share would be very much appreciated.

"Pagan federation FAR from representing pagans of all paths, they are well known that Pagan federation leave out Pagan-atheists, left-hand path pagans, heathens and a whole host of other pagan groups, they only seem to embrace pagans who follow a pantheist belief system – in fact one ‘tenant’ of the pagan federation if you will is the Wicca rede which is only followed by Wicca and Neo-wicca – even then not all of those follow this."

This is why I described them as an organisation "seeking to represent Pagans of all paths" rather than as an organisation that does represent us all