Paganism and Satanism are two distinct belief systems that are often confused or misunderstood. Both of these belief systems are considered alternative to mainstream religions and have their own unique practices and beliefs. However, there are significant differences between Paganism and Satanism that set them apart from each other. Paganism is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of spiritual beliefs and practices. It is rooted in ancient polytheistic religions and celebrates the natural world. Pagans believe in multiple gods and goddesses and often worship or venerate them through rituals and ceremonies.

Paganism vs satanism

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Our Non-Christian Nation How Atheists, Satanists, Pagans, and Others Are Demanding Their Rightful Place in Public Life Jay Wexler
IMPRINT: Redwood Press

2019
--> 2019
216 pages.
from $20.00

Hardcover ISBN: 9780804798990
Paperback ISBN: 9781503614994
Ebook ISBN: 9781503609068

Gold Medal in the 2020 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) - Religion (Eastern/Western) category, sponsored by the Independent Publisher Book Awards.

Less and less Christian demographically, America is now home to an ever-larger number of people who say they identify with no religion at all. These non-Christians have increasingly been demanding their full participation in public life, bringing their arguments all the way to the Supreme Court. The law is on their side, but that doesn't mean that their attempts are not met with suspicion or outright hostility. In Our Non-Christian Nation, Jay Wexler travels the country to engage the non-Christians who have called on us to maintain our ideals of inclusivity and diversity. With his characteristic sympathy and humor, he introduces us to the Summum and their Seven Aphorisms, a Wiccan priestess who would deck her City Hall with a pagan holiday wreath, and other determined champions of free religious expression. As Wexler reminds us, anyone who cares about pluralism, equality, and fairness should support a public square filled with a variety of religious and nonreligious voices. The stakes are nothing short of long-term social peace.

About the author

A Professor at Boston University School of Law, Jay Wexler is also a humorist, short story writer, and novelist. A one-time clerk to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and former lawyer at the US Department of Justice, he has written for National Geographic, The Boston Globe, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Salon, and many other outlets. His books include When God Isn't Green (2016) and Holy Hullabaloos.

"Timely, trenchant, and tremendously engaging, Our Non-Christian Nation is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the contemporary battles over religion's role in our national politics and culture."

—Phil Zuckerman, author of Living the Secular Life

"In this brilliantly erudite and hugely entertaining romp through recent religious and legal history, Jay Wexler shows why, as our country becomes more religiously diverse, non-Christians need to get their voices heard and Christians need to help repair the wall between church and state. A marvelous read."

—Michael Shermer, Skeptic magazine

"What would it mean to take seriously the idea of religious diversity in the public sphere? Jay Wexler tells the stories of Wiccans, Muslims, and other religious and non-religious groups outside the mainstream who show what existing constitutional doctrine means in practice. The picture he paints provokes us to think differently about what that doctrine should be."

—Mark Tushnet, Harvard Law School

"In this fine book, Jay Wexler urges humanists, atheists, Satanists, and members of minority religious traditions to take advantage of a fascinating new phenomenon: the opening of public space to a variety of beliefs and institutions. His compelling account of 'belief' in public life will be of interest to the deeply religious as well as those who cringe at the very thought of religion. I highly recommend it."

—Anthony B. Pinn, author of Humanism: Essays on Race, Religion and Cultural Production

"A zesty, opinionated assessment of how non-Christians should actually behave. With curiosity and openness, Wexler performs the action that he advocates: that is, making heard a 'cacophony' of voices in public life so that different viewpoints get brought to the fore."

—Dan Friedman, Los Angeles Review of Books

"A fascinating read, and a wonderfully hopeful one. For anyone who feels marginalized as a pagan, nonbeliever, or just not a Christian, it's a manifesto for effective and often hilarious resistance."

—Houston Chronicle

"Wexler. has made a timely, at times funny, and compelling piece of reportage looking at a variety of religious groups, as well as a strong argument for the importance of a pluralistic society."

—The Boston Globe

"[T]his book was written for the general public, which often struggles to understand the jurisprudence surrounding religious freedom. Even professors of religious studies often need help in this area. Wexler's writing makes this book ideal for getting undergraduates interested in these issues."

—Joseph Laycock, Journal of the American Academy of Religion

"[An] artfully presented, quite accessible, guide to major legal issues faced by minority faiths in America. recommended for all interested in such topics."

—James T. Richardson, Nova Religio

"Wexler's greatest strength is his ability to describe current case law in readily digestible terms, making his work an ideal resource for undergraduates interested in religion and American politics. . .[T]his work can serve as an ideal entry point into important classroom conversations regarding the place of religions, especially minorities, in American law, as well as how both public and legal discourses have shaped the role of religion in American life."

—Savannah Finver, Religious Studies Review

Coltrain: Satanism and paganism are not the same thing

Religious freedom is a a fundamental characteristic of America; this includes respecting other religions and not spreading false representations of them.

Religious freedom is one of the founding ideals of this country. In the United States, an individual has the freedom to identify with any religion, whether that be as a member of the First Church of Cannabis or a member of the Church of Satan. America was formed with religious freedom very much in mind, and that battle continues to this day.

A lot has changed since the witch hunts of the Early Modern Period, when an estimated 35,000 to 100,000 people were executed under the pretense of being witches. Now, more than 400 years later, we have pop-culture icons using once-taboo religions as a way to gain popularity.

Recently, from Buddhism to Satanism, select religious have become trendy. This is where an issue that comes with religious freedom comes into play, the power to participate in a religion because it is viewed as cool or trendy. This can lead to unrealistic portrayals of a religion because those who simply jumped on the bandwagon are doing it for popularity reasons, not necessarily because they have a true understanding of the religion.

A prime example of this is Matt Skiba, the lead singer of the rock band Blink-182. Recently, Skiba told NME Magazine in an interview, “I had a bad feeling about that event [Fyre Festival]. I consider myself a pagan and a witch. With every inch of my energy, I wanted Fyre not to happen … I used my witchy ways, and it seemed to work. I’ll take responsibility, and everyone can blame me.”

However, this is untrue for two reasons. The organizers of Fyre Festival, Billy McFarland, who cofounded the event with rapper Ja Rule, have since been charged with fraud, in which they admitted the festival was a disaster because they spent all the money on promotions and advertisements, meaning it was doomed to fail before Skiba and his “magic” had anything to do with it.

The second reason is the more important one: Skiba is known as practicing LaVeyan Satanism and has been open about that since 2005. While to many people Wicca and Satanism seem to be pretty much the same thing, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The one key difference between the two religions is belief.

LaVeyan Satanists are actually atheist and do not believe in God or Satan, they simply view the idea of Satan as a symbol for individualism. However, Wiccans do believe in a god and goddess, and some variations of Wicca actually worship numerous gods.

Ironically enough, on the Church of Satan’s website under the Frequently Asked Questions section, it clearly states when asked if they are allied with Wicca, “Satanism is an atheist philosophy, hence it is not congruent with any other philosophy or religion which endorses the belief in supernatural entities.”

This showcases Skiba and his “witchy powers” had nothing to do with the outcome of Fyre Festival, and he was just using Wicca as a steppingstone to put himself in the spotlight. Furthermore, his statement conflated paganism with Satanism, which can lead to more confusion and stigma about two belief systems that are already usually misunderstood.

America gives us the opportunity to learn and experience a vast number of religions, and while it is great to explore and learn about as many religions as possible, we also have to respect their ideals and not simply view them as a trendy statement.

Do Pagans believe in Satan?

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Do Pagans Worship the Devil?

Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. She is the author of Daily Spellbook for the Good Witch, Wicca Practical Magic and The Daily Spell Journal.

Updated on August 14, 2019

You've just discovered and started researching Paganism, and that's great! But uh-oh. someone went and got you worried because they told you Pagans are devil worshipers. Even scarier, you saw a picture, somewhere on this website, of a guy wearing horns. Yikes! Now what? Do Pagans really follow Satan?

The short answer to that question is No. Satan is a Christian construct, and so he’s outside of the spectrum of most Pagan belief systems, including Wicca. If someone tells you they’re a Satanist, then they’re a Satanist, not a Wiccan.

It's also important to keep in mind that most people who self-identify as Satanists do not, in fact, worship Satan as a deity, but instead embrace a concept of individualism and ego. Many Satanists are in fact atheists, particularly among those who follow LaVeyan Satanism. Others consider themselves hedonists. Regardless of your feelings about Old Scratch, the Devil, Beelzebub, or whatever you want to call him, Satan generally doesn't appear in most modern Pagan spiritual systems.

Many evangelical branches of Christianity warn members to avoid any sort of Pagan belief path. After all, they caution you, worship of any being other than the Christian god is tantamount to devil-worship. Focus On the Family, a fundamentalist Christian group, warns that if you're looking at the positive aspects of Paganism, it's because you've been tricked by the devil. They say, "Many Wiccans say that Wicca is harmless and nature-loving—that it has nothing to do with evil, Satanism and dark forces. But that is exactly what Satan wants them to believe! Intent on deceit, "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light," says Paul. "It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness." Paul says that if they don't turn toward God and repent, "their end will be what their actions deserve" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)."

Pagans believe in multiple gods and goddesses and often worship or venerate them through rituals and ceremonies. Nature is considered sacred in Paganism, and many Pagans strive to develop a deep connection with the earth and its cycles. Paganism is not focused on Satan or the devil and generally rejects the Christian concept of evil or sin.

The Horned God Archetype

As to the "guy wearing horns," there are a number of Pagan deities who are often represented as wearing horns or antlers. Cernunnos, for instance, is the Celtic god of the forests. He is associated with lust and fertility and the hunt - none of which sound terribly evil, do they? There's also Pan, who looks a bit like a goat and comes to us from the ancient Greeks. He invented a musical instrument which ended up being named for him–the panpipe. Again, not too threatening or scary at all. If you happen to stumble across an image of Baphomet, he's another goat-headed deity and happens to reflect many of the theories and ideas found in 19th-century occultism.

In many Wiccan traditions, the archetype of the Horned God represents the masculine aspect of the divine, often as a consort to a Mother Goddess. In Margaret Murray's God of the Witches, she attempts to prove that there was an all-encompassing, pan-European cult that honors this archetype, but there is simply no academic or archaeological evidence to support this. However, there are indeed various individual horned gods that pop up in a number of ancient cultures.

On the other hand, Satanism is a more specific belief system that emerged in the 20th century. There are different branches of Satanism, but two major ones are theistic Satanism and LaVeyan Satanism. Theistic Satanism, as the name suggests, involves the worship or veneration of Satan as a deity. It is a minority belief system and can vary in its practices and beliefs. LaVeyan Satanism, founded by Anton LaVey in the 1960s, is a non-theistic form of Satanism that views Satan as a symbol of individuality and human potential. It doesn't believe in a literal Satan, but rather uses Satan as a metaphor for rebelling against societal norms and embracing personal freedom. While both Paganism and Satanism challenge mainstream religious beliefs and practices, they do so in different ways. Paganism promotes a harmonious relationship with nature and focuses on honoring multiple deities. It is often seen as a spiritual path that seeks balance and connection with the natural world. Satanism, on the other hand, often utilizes shock value and controversy to challenge societal norms and religious dogma. LaVeyan Satanism, in particular, embraces the individualistic and hedonistic aspects of human nature. In summary, Paganism and Satanism are distinct belief systems with their own unique practices and beliefs. Paganism is a broad term that encompasses various polytheistic religions and emphasizes a connection with nature and multiple deities. Satanism, however, is a more specific belief system that can be either theistic or non-theistic, centered around the symbol or worship of Satan as a deity or as a metaphor for individualism..

Reviews for "Paganism vs. Satanism: Understanding their Views on Personal Freedom"

1. Samantha - 2 stars

As someone who is interested in learning about different religions and spiritual practices, I was intrigued by the title "Paganism vs Satanism". However, I found this book to be quite disappointing. The author seemed to have a biased perspective towards Paganism, portraying it in a negative light while sympathizing with Satanism. The arguments presented lacked depth and were highly superficial. I was expecting a more comprehensive analysis of these two belief systems, but instead, I felt like I was reading someone's biased opinion rather than an informative book.

2. Robert - 1 star

"Paganism vs Satanism" is a poorly written book that lacks objectivity and proper research. The author's personal beliefs seem to heavily influence the content, making it difficult to trust the information presented. Furthermore, the arguments made against Paganism are based on misinformation and stereotypes, which only serve to further mislead readers. I would not recommend this book to anyone genuinely interested in understanding these belief systems; it is a biased and flawed representation of Paganism and Satanism.

3. Emma - 2 stars

I had high hopes for "Paganism vs Satanism" as a resource for understanding these two often misunderstood belief systems. However, I found the book to be poorly organized and lacking in factual information. The author's biased perspective towards Satanism was evident throughout, as they seemed to focus on painting Paganism in a negative light while overlooking key aspects of Satanism. The lack of balanced analysis and objective research made it difficult for me to trust the book's content. I would recommend looking for alternative resources if you want a fair and accurate understanding of Paganism and Satanism.

4. Ryan - 1 star

I found "Paganism vs Satanism" to be a complete waste of time. The book is filled with baseless claims and misinterpretations of both Paganism and Satanism. The author's apparent bias towards Satanism is evident from the start and heavily influences the entire book. It's clear that the author did not put in the effort to research these belief systems properly, resulting in a poorly executed and misleading book. I would not recommend wasting your time or money on this shallow and biased representation of Paganism and Satanism.

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