Be a Good Pagan Citizen

We want to be accepted and respected as a faith, so let’s show the world that we are just regular people (albeit probably quirky, colorful people). We have jobs, we fulfill our civic duties, we raise families and we want our communities to be pleasant and crime-free just like everyone else.

Here are some ideas for how we can learn from the mistakes of the past and model the behavior we would like to experience from other faiths:

1. Calmly, compassionately educate people about Paganism and its broad spectrum of traditions and beliefs when the opportunity arises. Emphasize the similarities that all faiths share – connection with Spirit, morality, beliefs about the afterlife and a sense of belonging.
2. Listen. This may seem elementary, but all too often we focus on our need to be heard and forget to listen to others. Listen. Hear what they are really saying and acknowledge the fact that their truth is true for them, whether you agree or not.
3. Stop the infighting. Period. It’s not productive, and it holds us back as a group.
4. Show tolerance. Don't perpetuate the "my religion is better than yours" game. Also, don't play the victim. None of us lived through the Burning Times in this lifetime! Let's move past it - assume that people will accept and respect you. If you walk into a room with a chip on your shoulder, that sets the stage for conflict.
5. Vote in governmental elections for candidates who support equal rights for all.
6. Consider mentoring someone who is new to the faith. If you are not able to do so, refer them to someone reputable and ethical.
7. Volunteer, participate and donate to charities, relief funds and interfaith projects in your community. If you’re out of the broom closet, so much the better!
8. If you’re a business owner, create a safe space for all – Pagan, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Atheist, straight, gay, trans, bi, queer – everyone!
9. Speak up and take action if you see injustice occurring toward people of any faith. Even if that person is a Fred Phelps-esque Christian. Remember that no one deserves to be harmed - even nasty, hateful people.
10. Band together with other Pagans, present a united front and work together toward common goals. We are a minority, and most of our groups are small. We can achieve so much more together!
11. Live your life in as environmentally friendly a fashion as possible. If you are called to it, participate in environmental conservation or justice efforts. Do your research and be sure the group you are supporting is really helping the environment and not just making themselves feel better.
12. If you don’t see the group or project that you are looking for in your area, step up and start it! Ask for help, collaborate and if appropriate, file for legal nonprofit status.
13. Participate. Fight the apathy. We’re all busy, but ultimately things will only change if we change them. Get out there and get involved! 

I think that things are changing for the better, but we are still at a delicate phase in history. Now is the time for us to show the world how it's done. Now is the time for us to work towards a world in which our children and Pagans yet to come to the faith can live happy, productive lives in which they are not afraid to be who they are. A world where we can all be open about our faith and not worry that we will lose our jobs, friends or homes. A world where this discussion will be, once and for all, irrelevant.

So mote it be!