Most followers of a Pagan religion are not born into or raised following a Pagan path.

There are varied reasons as to why one chooses to follow a Pagan religion, just as there
are varied
traditions and practices within Pagan religion. Among these various traditions and
practices there are commonly shared beliefs such as respecting all life, the honoring of
male and female energies, a Father God and a Mother Goddess and that all things within
the universe are interconnected. Pagan religions also share an ethic of self responsibility
in doing as you choose, so long as it brings no harm to anyone or anything.Among the
first hand accounts of a group of practicing Pagans of varied levels and years of
experience, the majority were raised within the teachings of main world religions such as,
Catholic, Baptist, Christian and Protestant religions.
One first hand account is that of someone that could be said to have been born into
Paganism, Daphne B, a 49 year old, who feels she is not Wiccan nor technically a Witch,
but more Episcopagan,considering herself as a nature based but starry eyed mystical type
stated, I come from a long line of traditional wise woman healers and herbalists from
Appalachia.My ancestry are mixed from the British Isles, France, Germany, Shawnee and
Cherokee, my personal motto pretty much sums up my attitude,,hold all sacred
All at some point questioned the beliefs and practices of these main world religions due
to a
feeling that their own beliefs and ideas did not agree with those of main world religions,
Shara H, a Wiccan since her early teenage years stated, Christianity in general, started
not to feel right Denice Gold, a 64 year old who was raised in a Baptist household and is
currently a coven
member, High Priestess and Wicca teacher stated, I always wondered how we can all be
sinners, everyone of us? How can a baby be born a sinner.3 Jamie S, a 26 year old ,
baptized Catholic and raised in a Christian household, stated, Why, if God is loving, are
we supposed to fear him and why does a god that wants us to love one another tell us to
wage wars. No one had an answer I could agree with.Jamie is currently a practicing
solitary Witch of two years and soon to be student of Beginning Wicca 101 at The Pagan
On line Campus, a reputable on line metaphysical educational facility which has been
said to have a dedicated, knowledgeable staff of instructors,most favorably noted for his
easy going humor that makes learning enjoyable is the facilities Wicca class instructor.
Timothy.M.Redfern,also known as Tigerdancer de Cannibius a 46 year old, who was first
exposed to Wicca ten years ago and is currently a solitary practitioner of Wicca for less
than a
year, stated, I was raised fundamentalist Christian and had every intention of going into
the
ministry...at age sixteen I adopted a hippie lifestyle. I have found that the hippie
philosophies I
learned 25 and 30 years ago fit hand in glove with the beliefs and precepts of Wicca.
Lacking satisfactory answers, those who questioned the differences of their own belief
and
feelings of what made sense in comparison with the teachings of main world religions,
searched for their own answers. FP, also known as Lady Bleu, stated, I started looking
more into the aspect of the Holy Spirit that had been taught to me, not mich was found

other than it was all around us and in everything. Lisa C, a 44 year old student of
Wicca and tarot, stated, I felt the need to learn and develop myself spiritually.
Many of those who found Pagan religion in their search for answers to define their
spirituality felt that Paganism gave a name to an unidentified spiritual calling within
them. R.T, also known as Morgainne DragonMoon, a 51 year old practicing Celtic Eceltic
Wiccan for twelve years ,who has attained third degree rank of High Priestess/Elder,
stated, I had been reading cards and working with pendulums since my early teens, I
read up on Occult subjects, dreamed dreams, and saw visions; but I did not think there
was anyone else quite like me out there. FP, also known as Lady Blue, stated, The more
I studied and learned the more I realized this was what had been missing in my life, I
embrace the Goddess in a way that I now know has always been inside me, I just did not
know what is was that I was feeling.A 33 year old known only as Ravenhawk
Shadowfeather, who is a teacher and Elder Priestess of the coven Hoof and Horn
Dragonsway,Stated, I heard the call of the ancients when I was very young. Krish H,
also known as Turtle, a 58 year old member of an Eclectic Pagan circle, who has been
officially a practicing Pagan Witch for fifteen years, stated, One day, as I like to say, the
Goddess smacked me upside the head and said look over here child so I looked and
found there were people who believed as I was coming to believe. Those who found
Pagan religion and define themselves as Pagan, regardless of the Pagan tradition they
practice, did not decide one day to convert from a main world religion to a Pagan
religion. The Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary defines the word convert, in part,
as Someone who changes their beliefs or habits and as to cause something to change
in form, character or opinion. In this context to claim that any of the first hand accounts
that are the sources of this paper, are people who converted to Paganism, is unfitting.
Most describe their embracing of a Pagan religion as a feeling of coming home. Jamie S,
stated, When I began studying Paganism and Wicca, it truly did feel like I was coming
home.Mary S, a 35 year old Eclectic solitary Wiccan who has been practicing for five
years,stated,like many Pagans before me, I have always been attracted to Paganism,
even before I knew it existed as a religion. Dough H, a 57 year old Wiccan practicing for
about eight years, who while searching for answers regarding his spirituality, found a
book called A Witches Bible and stated, ...everything feel into place. Denice Gould
stated, I am sixty four now and it has taken me quite a while to find this path that I have
walked many times before.Pamela W, a 41 year old Wiccan, who, in her spiritual search,
learned about a variety of religions. Currently raises her children as Wiccans and has her
own coven that focuses on teaching, stated, After trying on so many faiths, I found the
one that I could believe in, Wicca is the only faith for me. I live my faith, it is not a fad.
Derick V, also known as Ghostwalker, a 66 year old Pagan, stated , I found that the
ancient paths of the druidic way lay beneath my human footprint, and then I saw
something that few ever see, the pure white light of the radiant beauty of forgiveness and
love.Jazzmin Skye, a 41 year old Eceltic Wiccan solitary practitioner for about eight
years but feels she has been a Witch all her life, stated, The calling was just too strong
for me to ignore it any longer, I had to act on it, I picked up my first book on Wicca,
opened it and a light came on. I felt immediately like I already knew this path, something
came to life inside me as I read through the book and I felt a stirring inside me like I had
never known before, I felt..Oh my goodness Why did I wait so long to come home. As
previously stated, the word convert is unfitting to describe those who define themselves

as Pagans, although they were raised within main world religions.

A fitting statement is that those who define themselves as practicing followers of a Pagan
religion, became increasingly aware of a calling within themselves to define their beliefs
and
feelings. Finding Pagan religion was simply a revelation that others shared these beliefs
and
feelings. The calling within was now definable. R.T, also known as Morgainne
DragonMoon,
stated, One of the things I expect you to hear in your survey is that the craft felt like
home, I
know it did for me, and every time I get together with brothers and sisters and we tell
these stories almost everyone says...and I came home.This indicated that in her
experience, not only has she herself felt this sense of coming home that many describe
they have found in Paganism, but has first handedly heard many echo this description of
feeling as if they had come home in defining themselves as Pagans. Therefore, it can be
concluded that Pagans do not by definition convert to Paganism but rather, through an
awakening and self revelation, they journey home.