Paganism Is Not the Blanket Term For Wicca
According to Wikipedia, “paganism is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism.” According to The Free Dictionary, a pagan is “an adherent of a polytheistic religion in antiquity, especially when viewed in contrast to an adherent of a monotheistic religion.” It’s also used as an “offensive” term for “an adherent of a religion other than Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.”
In the witch and pagan communities, paganism doesn’t mean “non-mainstream religion”. It’s a term used to refer to the worship of “mythological” pantheons like the Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, and so forth pantheons, like Wikipedia defines it.
Using the modern term by people who actually identify as pagans, people who practice Buddhism aren’t pagans, they’re Buddhists. (I don’t know for sure because I’m not a Buddhist, but I’ve heard you can be both Buddhist and pagan because of what Buddhism focuses on.) People who practice Hinduism are Hindus, not pagans. People who practice Wicca are Wiccans, not pagans.
Wicca itself is the umbrella term for many, many Wiccan paths and traditions. It’s also the umbrella term for neo-Wicca, which is basically Wicca without the initiation ritual and specific coven/tradition ties. Wiccans tend to use pagan deities as “aspects” or interpretations of their two deities, the Horned God and the Triple Goddess (which is fine as long as you stay out of closed cultures and religions that you are not part of).
So while yes, by the dictionary definition, a Wiccan is a pagan, by the general terms used by the community, Wiccans are not pagans, Wiccans are Wiccans.
Please respect that there is a different interpretation of the word “pagan” in the witchcraft and pagan communities.
Sincerely, a pagan who is tired of explaining the difference to people who don’t want to learn.
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