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Practicing Pagans find freedom, variety in faith


They don't sit around casting spells, they aren't all "witches" and they don't worship the devil -they don't even believe in one. They're Pagans, and they're all around ASU.

Paganism is the country's 10th largest religion, according to a 2005 Adherents.com survey that the U.S. Census cites for religious information, with about 1 million Pagans living in the United States.

Eighty-six of them are members of the ASU Pagan and Associates Network, said PAAN adviser Sheila Brushes.

A small number of them participate in meetings and events, anywhere from five to 12 members, added Brushes, an ASU library technician.

For the last three of its five years, PAAN has been hosting its Friday evening meetings at Three Roots Coffee House at Mill Avenue and 10th Street.

The group, mostly students, meets weekly to discuss their religious beliefs and learn about parts of their faith, such as the Aztec Day of the Dead.

The PAAN members say their beliefs are incredibly eclectic, worshiping in styles including Wicca, a denomination of Paganism in which members sometimes refer to themselves as "witches" and follow a guideline called the Rede, Brushes said.

This open variety of beliefs is one thing that drew PAAN President Shannon Byrnes to Paganism.

Byrnes, who practices a generally Greek form of Paganism, said she wasn't raised religious, and discovered Paganism in books at the library when she was 15.

"I liked the fact that it was very open and nonjudgmental," said Byrnes, an English junior. "We have the freedom to believe what we want and to practice what we want without anyone telling us we're wrong."

That practice usually includes the celebration of eight holidays, which occur at the solstices, equinoxes and their halfway points, Brushes said.

The most recent Pagan holiday was Samhain, which occurs on Halloween to honor the dead.

"What you do depends on what that means to you," Brushes said. "You can set food out for the dead and invite them to join you for a meal. Sometimes we light candles or burn incense to get into the mood, then we may invoke a deity to help us worship."

Beyond holidays, Byrnes said regular practices depend on the person's preferences.

"As with any other religion, you can be as serious or casual as you want," Byrnes said. "I'm aware of it every day, but I don't pray or meditate every day."

Each member's way to practice is also different because of their variety of beliefs.

Education graduate student Kathryn James, who used campus Pagan organizations as a deciding factor in selecting a graduate school, said she worships a number of female deities.

"I had 17 years of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost," James said of her Christian upbringing. "I figure, now I need to focus on the female side."

English freshman Betsy Johnson was raised Pagan, but explored Christianity briefly when she was 13.

"I found that it didn't fit my personal beliefs," Johnson said. "[Paganism] can be a fluid, changing thing and yet, it isn't a flaky, 'believe-whatever-you-want' religion either."

Christianity and Paganism are hardly opposites, according to Grace Community Church college pastor Chris Gonzalez.

In some ways, the two are very similar, he said, including the celebration of Easter, which was derived from an early spring Pagan festival.

"I hardly think we need to be archenemies," Gonzalez said. "However, I think Christianity is markedly different than Paganism ... Christians believe in one God."

Still, Gonzalez said misconceptions about both religions are perpetuated, and Brynes agrees.

Television shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Charmed," and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," are partly to blame for the misconceptions, such as Pagans are evil and devil worshippers, she said.

"I don't think people think that out of malice though, just out of ignorance," Byrnes said. "The information is all out there and I don't think people should judge us until they get their information from a reliable source."

Pagan Reverend Rhyanna said people don't realize that most Pagans have normal, everyday lives. A Pagan reverend provides spiritual counseling and can perform marriages like an ordained minister in any other faith.

"It's not women cooking up trouble in the kitchen," said Rhyanna, who uses her Pagan name for public spiritual matters. "When it comes down to it, Pagans shop with you at Albertson's, buy books at

Border's and pay their taxes. But we have a spirituality with

nature that is always with

us."

Reach the reporter at: meghan.keck@asu.edu.


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