Eclectic Pagan Temple

The other goal of this is to get more organized and build protections for pagan practices. While in theory pagans have the same rights as other religions, certain legislators would like to leverage the qualities of modern paganism that make it unique compared to other, more organized forms of religion. Christian nationalist organizations like the Heritage Foundation and Turning Point USA would love nothing more than to limit and take away those protections we enjoy. I think it is also important to point out that protection isn’t necessarily guaranteed right now. Several states still have archaic laws centered on fortune-telling. My home state of Pennsylvania has one such law. Though these laws are rarely enforced, there has been an uptick in the harassment of pagans and witches. Serpent’s Key, a metaphysical shop in Hanover, Pa, was threatened by the local police. There have also been multiple cases of Christian groups gathering outside of metaphysical shops, harassing the customers and the shopkeepers. Recently, Pete Hegseth has expressed interest in limiting the rights of pagans in the military.

Christian nationalism isn’t just affecting pagans, of course. To Christian nationalists, many Evangelicals, and Fundamentalists, anything that is not of God is of the devil. Pastors have been using fear tactics and inflammatory language to convince their congregations that everything is a matter of spiritual warfare. A recent spectacle that comes to mind was members of a Baptist Church protesting a Buddhist walk for peace. Taking time out of their day to harass monks and a dog who were walking for the purpose of peace. This is relatively telling.

All this being said, one of the goals of this group is to build legal protections for Pagans and combat the spread of misinformation as well as subsequent demonization. To build presence, getting legal recognition as a non-profit religious organization will be a goal of our group; other ways to build presence in the US will be through dedication to environmental activism,social justice, and charity. This is out of the genuine pagan reverence for nature and our respect for the interconnectedness of all beings.