By S. Nicole, orignially posted here.
Part 1 of 6
Pagan religions tend to be prone to misunderstandings or misrepresentations by other religions. There are many stories, myths and comparisons that are made up to give the impression that Pagan religions are not religions at all. Whether this intentional or not, it creates many problems for Pagan religions in that it is difficult for them to be seen as legitimate religious movements in the general public’s eye. The next few articles in this series will explore some of the myths and misconceptions regarding modern Pagan religions.
Misconception #1 – Pagans Worship The Devil
One of the most talked about myths is that some religions or people try to imply that Paganism equals devil worship, specifically Satan worship. It is fair to say that many, if not most, Pagans are not worshiping devils, let alone ‘the’ devil. There is a common way that Pagans tend to deal with this kind of misconception in writing: A disclaimer in a book or on a website stating that the writer does not adhere to Satanic beliefs and that this is something that is falsely attributed to their belief system.
While it should be enough to say that most Pagans don’t worship the devil, there is more to this misconception then meets the eye. As fair as it may be to say that most Pagans are not Satanic, many of these disclaimers also point out that Satan is a figure in the Christian religion which makes Satanism a part of the Christian religion. By saying this, Pagans are spreading myths regarding this misconception, too. Let me explain.
On a website about Satanism, I found an article that says that when Pagans try to use this as their reason, they have to remember that Pagans could be misrepresenting Satanism. Satanism, while having its roots in Christianity, is not part of the Christian religion (according to the article). Therefore, when Pagans try to debunk this misconception by saying that Satanists are Christian, they are also creating misconceptions. I think that it is reasonable to say that if you don’t want your religion misrepresented, it is necessary to understand how you are representing another’s religion.
While Paganism-is-not-Satanism-by-way-of-Christianity seems to be the top defense in debunking this myth, there is another one that I noticed. While looking around to see what some sites had to say about this particular myth, I noticed that one site goes beyond the above misrepresentation. About.com’s Pagan/Wiccan site* mentions that not only are Pagans not Satanists because they don’t believe in the Christian idea of Satan, but also because they don’t do summon demons to work for them. From my understanding of Satanism, Satanist don’t do this either.
Instead of creating more religious misconceptions, I think that a better way to deal with this myth would be to state that not all Pagan religions are associated with Satanism and that Satanists have their own beliefs. I think that it is necessary to leave out explaining this myth away by using an interpretation of the beliefs of others. I would rather see explanations of what Pagans believe rather than what they don’t.
In the end, it is true that Paganism does not equal devil worship and people who perpetuate this myth should stop passing this off as truth. However, it is also true that how the Pagan community deals with this particular myth could have an impact on how other religions are viewed and it needs to be addressed as well. We all need to be careful when we are discussing another’s set of beliefs.
* This original page that this link referred to no longer exists.
Please make sure to check back next week for part two of the Pagan Misconceptions series.
June 22, 2007 at 10:59 am
Agreed that it’s better to have a discussion of what Pagans believe than what they don’t. But I think you’re missing a fundamental (ahem) part of fundamentalist Christian belief. The very fact that we reject Christ and worship false gods makes us satanic, and it’s hard to argue with them about that. Not because we are satanic, but because that’s how their cosmology works. In fact, it’s the heart of their authoritarian power — if you are not with them, you’re against them. And who can be against them but satanists?
July 4, 2007 at 12:00 am
I think that this article makes a great point about being sensitive to representing others’ religions.
However, I do think that the argument: “Pagans do not worship Satan because Satan is an entity belonging to Christianity’s worldview” is an accurate argument. Satan is an entity in Christianity’s worldview, and those Christians who believe in Satan would not disagree with that statement. It would be beneficial also, however, to mention that Paganism is different from Satanism itself, which is also distinct from Christianity. Satanists may not worship Satan or commune with demons, either, but it would be best to let them represent themselves.
Many people argue that Satanism is an inversion of Christianity, and therefore can be classed with Christianity. My knowledge of Satanism, however, leads me to believe that it has little resemblance to Christians’ depiction of Satanism — the Malleus Maleficarum formed the basis for a fantastical worldview surrounding devil-worship and witchcraft, none of which was actually practiced, to my knowledge. The Malleus Maleficarum says much more about the authors, in my opinion, than it does about either witchcraft or Satanism. Modern Christians have unfortunately inherited the fantasy represented in that tome intended to prosecute innocents, and if my Christian upbringing was any proof, have little understanding of the practice of modern Satanism.
March 13, 2008 at 5:29 pm
It is common to think of “the devil” as only being a christian problem. But if anyone truly READ their bible they would understand, that it was there at the very beginning before anyone said there were RELIGIONS, or is anyone really paying attention? So then will anyone say they are misinformed?
March 25, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I think the concept of “Satan” is indeed a Christian figure - however the concept of Evil, the ultimate dark force that is the opposite of light, yes that was around before religion, and continues to be around in *every* religion. However, Satan or “the devil” as a figure is a Christian archetype.
May 8, 2008 at 5:00 pm
I have done a little digging on the Satanic religion and have found that many Satanists do not worship the devil at all. LaVeyan Satanism was founded by Anton LaVey, who wrote “The Satanic Bible.” Followers of LaVey do not even follow Satan; the idea of Satanism is essentially to worship oneself, that oneself is the most important thing in one’s own universe, and to live by one’s own morals and beliefs.