1a. Is this a real organization, or some kind of joke?
1b. What do you guys do?
Yes, we are serious. The PSA exists to protect the interests of pagan students on the UT campus and to provide a common meeting ground for students of all pagan traditions, and others curious about those traditions. The PSA also serves as a safe forum for the discussion of alternative spiritual practices, with the goal of educating both members and the public.
Toward these ends, we hold open meetings every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in room 284 of the Sanchez building. Past meetings have included workshops and discussions on a diverse array of topics, ranging from divination to trance-dancing and from poetry to reviews of books on spiritual topics. We also meet for frequent social activities and field trips, and share a strong sense of community.
2. What is paganism?
The word "pagan" is derived from the Latin word paganus, which means "a country dweller." It acquired its religious meaning after Constantine declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire: people who lived in the cities were the first to adopt the new religion, while those who lived in the country districts held on to the old ways longer. Although the word began as an insult (equivalent to "hick"), many people today proudly use the word "pagan" to identify themselves and their religious beliefs.
Modern Paganism includes a large number of religions, each with its own traditions and beliefs. According to the briefest and broadest definition, anyone who follows a religion or spiritual path that is outside the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition is Pagan. Other definitions are also in use, however. Some people emphasize the importance of and reverence for the Earth in Pagan religions. Others focus on theology, which is a somewhat complex issue, as a variety of positions ranging from pantheism (belief that all of Nature is divine) to duotheism (belief in a God and a Goddess) and polytheism (belief in many gods) can all be found in Pagan traditions.
3a. Are you Satanists?
3b. You're wearing a pentagram. Isn't that a Satanic symbol?
No, none of us are Satanists. No, we do not practice human (or animal) sacrifice, and neither do Satanists, for that matter. The popular images of Satanism, witchcraft, and paganism were created as propaganda by Christian churches and have no basis in fact.
The pentagram
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)
is an ancient symbol, and has been used by many different religions at
different times; consequently, multiple meanings have been attributed to
it. Many people interpret it as representing the five "classical elements",
namely earth, air, fire, water, and spirit; these in turn represent represent
the forces and substances that comprise both human beings and the entire
universe. (This attribution probably derives from the followers of Pythagoras
in ancient Greece, who seem to have been the first religious group to use
the pentagram as an identifying symbol.) In medieval Europe, the points
of the pentagram were said to represent the Five Wounds of Christ, or five
cardinal virtues; in this capacity, the symbol appears on Sir Gawain¹s
shield in the Arthurian legend of Gawain and the Green Knight. Wiccans
(followers of one contemporary Pagan religion) often identify the five
points with the three aspects of the Goddess (Maiden, Mother, and Crone)
and two of the God (Consort and Son, or in another view Warrior and Sage).
Still other people use the pentagram as a symbol of Earth, or as a protective
symbol, or merely a way to publicly indicate their Pagan beliefs.
4. What about magic?
As Hamlet said to his friend, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Most members of the PSA hold the opinion that more things exist than traditional Western science and philosophy currently accept, and magick (the final "k" is used to distinguish it from stage magic) is widely regarded as one of them.
Magick comes in such variety that it is virtually impossible to define. Each practitioner works differently; where one person would call upon a deity or other spiritual being, another would use only his or her own resources, while a third might make use of the power of nature and its laws. Regardless of how it is performed, magick may be used for purposes ranging from healings and protective workings to spiritual development. Stories of levitation, love spells, hexes, and the like are stories and nothing more; despite everything Hollywood says on the subject, the laws of nature are the same for everyone, magick or no magick.
FAQ by Richard Persky
