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    Re: Coming out of the Broom Closet

    I feel very lucky that my mom (who is very active in her church) doesn't care that I'm a pagan. I explained my beliefs to her and while she doesn't always get it, she respects that I'm not harming anyone and following what I believe to be true. My brother knows and, being the sort of atheist that thinks all spiritual beliefs are equally dumb, doesn't really care. The members of my family who don't know I'm pagan still know I'm not Christian.

    Some of my friends are pagan. The ones that are not respect what I believe.
    Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

    Honorary Nord.

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      Re: Coming out of the Broom Closet

      Originally posted by habbalah View Post
      I feel very lucky that my mom (who is very active in her church) doesn't care that I'm a pagan. I explained my beliefs to her and while she doesn't always get it, she respects that I'm not harming anyone and following what I believe to be true. My brother knows and, being the sort of atheist that thinks all spiritual beliefs are equally dumb, doesn't really care. The members of my family who don't know I'm pagan still know I'm not Christian.

      Some of my friends are pagan. The ones that are not respect what I believe.
      You're lucky!
      "Fair means that everybody gets what they need. And the only way to get that is to make it happen yourself."



      Since I adore cats, I might write something strange or unusual in my comment.Cats are awesome!!! ^_^

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        "By yarrow and rue, and my redcap too."

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          Re: Coming out of the Broom Closet

          Since my mom and grandmother practice witchery themself they new. My four brothers wich does not share my path, but being raised both with a mom being pagan and my father being a christian they said "glad your found your path wich is right for you". When I found my husband to be 8 years ago, I told him as we started going out. It was very important to me that he did accept my belifs. He has never had any problems with me being a witch, and he let me practice my path

          At school I was a bit in a broom closet, since I thought that people shouldn`t judge me on what my religion were. Therefore I choose to not tell anyone before they started to notice it by themself Some of my friends wich had some strong religious beleifs for themselfs did not approve of me, and one of my friends parents acctually came home to my house telling my dad that he did not approve of me being a friend with his daughter, as we were all a part of an evil religion. My father responded "I am a christian, my fantastic wife is a pagan one of the most caring and wonderful person I have ever met, what my children choose to belive is up to them". He also went on about paganism and the practise of witchcraft and so on and how it was nature based, and so on. We did not sacrifice any people or animals to goods or goddesses My dad was talking about this for 2 hours and showed my friends father around in your house, when he went home he called us back and said sorry for being an ass and that he approved of our friendship. Sadly some friends are not my friends at they do not want anything to do with me, but then I always think that they are not good friends. Still most of my friends did not have any problems with me comming out of the broom closet.

          I learn never be afraid of who you are, and if they do not know about your path and the are curious tell them. If anyone tell you that they do not accept your religion and will not be your friends unless you change, then they are not the friends for you.

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            Re: Coming out of the Broom Closet

            Originally posted by thalassa View Post
            What is your story on letting others know you are Pagan? How has it effected you for better or worse? Has it changed your relationships with them? What challenges have you had to overcome?
            Once I accepted myself that I was pagan it was very easy to tell people. I have no shame, though, so I don't bother to hide it. I live in a really conservative state so the only way to get people to quit preaching constantly is to make them uncomfortable. Once I found Wicca and realized that's where my heart lay, I embraced it and now I tell anyone who seems interested in it. I think it's effected me for the better. My friends don't care one way or another and my family thinks it's just a phase but so far nothing bad has come from it. The one challenge I've faced has been the lack of like minded individuals where I live. Idaho isn't exactly understanding of those who aren't christian in some form. We have a lot of mormons, catholics, and pentacostals but very few pagans. It's been difficult being solitary.
            (user formerly known as beckly_freckly)

            You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.

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              Coming out of the broom closet?

              Since I'm only thirteen, I still have a while before I'm out of the house. I only live with my mom, so I want to tell her about being Wiccan first. My dad is an atheist, and is still trying to persuade me to become one, too, so I'm not comfortable telling him as soon as my mom. But the problem is, I don't know when would be the right time to tell her? We're really busy right now, so I don't want to bombard her with this, but summer is coming, so we will be less busy. Also, I have non idea how she is going to react. I have no idea what I would do if I couldn't practice Wicca. It's helped me get through some tough times.

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                Re: Coming out of the broom closet?

                I think it's best if you tell her during the summer. She'll have more time and attention for the subject. If you think she'll react in a rude way, then keep it a secret. Not everyone is ready for such things. I was unlucky with my parents here...
                "Fair means that everybody gets what they need. And the only way to get that is to make it happen yourself."



                Since I adore cats, I might write something strange or unusual in my comment.Cats are awesome!!! ^_^

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                  Re: Coming out of the broom closet?

                  Well, it might be helpful to know what your moms opinions are about religion in general.
                  When I discovered paganism I was about your same age and while I didn't think my parents would have a problem with it, I knew that they might be a little bit disappointed that I was choosing something different...that I was rejecting them, not just their beliefs.. So I kind of ease them into it--first I let them know that I wasn't entirely in agreement with the religion that I was being raised in (luckly that was a pretty liberal and open minded religion anyway), then I sort of let them know I was looking at other religions in general-- you know Buddhism and Hinduism and Paganism, and all those other -isms, then I sort of let it be known that I was interested in this particular religion. Eventually it wasn't even abig deal to them by the time they actually knew I was Pagan.

                  But before you even get to that point you should probably think about what your mom's religion is and take stock of what she actually believes about other religions in general.

                  I have more on this....but I'm on my phone and only have so much patience for posting from it!!
                  Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
                  sigpic

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                    Re: Coming out of the broom closet?

                    I agree with Thalassa. I come from a Catholic family and I had to keep my religion a secret for a long time. I still have problems with my family, but my mother is supportive and my dad is getting to be that way too.
                    Anubisa

                    Dedicated and devoted to Lord Anubis and Lady Bast. A follower of the path of Egyptian Wicca.

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                      Re: Coming out of the broom closet?

                      Being someone who's still very young myself (18, converted at 16). I've spoken to a lot of new Pagans (specifically Wiccans like myself) who were scared of coming out of the broom closet. That's completely normal.

                      The thing I say first though is that you need to know, for sure, that this is the path you want to follow. Changing religion is a mature decision and it's a commitment.

                      It's ok to be scared, I was. You should have enough knowledge to answer any and all questions and you need to be confident in the thought that this is who you're meant to be.

                      I I was always told by other, older Wiccans on other websites that I was too young, I was just a fluff bunny and would leave like many other teen Wiccans. I continue to prove them wrong. There will some a time when you stop caring what other people think about it. There will come a time when you're not afraid to tell you're family about you beliefs. That time only comes when you take the first step and tell them.
                      A Happy Little Wiccan:^^:

                      Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

                      Because who needs a life when you have a chatroom.

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                        Re: Coming out of the broom closet?

                        Another thing to remember when telling anybody anything that that person doesn't consider to be mainstream is to act in a way that shows that you don't believe it is anything out of the ordinary. If you are confident and comfortable it will help the other person not have a knee jerk reaction to it. (I have experience with this telling my family about poly, the first person didn't go so well, but it got better each time i did it).

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                          Re: Coming out of the broom closet?

                          Coming from someone who had his father dismantle his altars, and throw a lot of significant stuff away, I'd feel it would be better to tell them, and make a boundary with things before they stumble across something relevant, and make their own assumptions. That's just me though. I don't think telling my father would have made any difference, but it might in your case.
                          "In the shade now tall forms are advancing,
                          And their wan hands like snowflakes in the moonlight are gleaming;
                          They beckon, they whisper, 'Oh! strong armed in valor,
                          The pale guests await thee - mead foams in Valhalla.'"
                          - Finn's Saga

                          http://hoodednorseman.tumblr.com/

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                            Re: Coming out of the broom closet?

                            In the beginning, not too long ago since I came out to my parents, they forbid me to obtain any sculptures of my gods. They also forbid to make any rituals.
                            My thoughts about this? The part of the rituals is unfair. The part of the sculptures - I'm fine with it, because I'll have to go to army for 6 years. And my 3 year old sister will ruin them.
                            So I'll obtain the sculptures when I get out of the military.
                            "Fair means that everybody gets what they need. And the only way to get that is to make it happen yourself."



                            Since I adore cats, I might write something strange or unusual in my comment.Cats are awesome!!! ^_^

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                              Re: Coming out of the broom closet?

                              The thing to remember is that you don't need *things* to be Pagan, you just need you. Yeah, *things* can help, but most of those things are symbols and (if there is a problem) can be replaced by other symbols...for example, no candles in most college dorm rooms (or onboard a Navy ship)...so there are LED candles or glow sticks, etc. You don't need a statue of Athena, just a cute owl something or other. Symbols can always be replaced.


                              There's a certain skillset that is good to learn--meditation, visualization, a knowledge of mythology, world cultures, world religions, history and philosophy of religion, archaeology, history, geography, biology, cultural anthropology, neuroscience, chemistry, physics, etc.
                              Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
                              sigpic

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                                Re: Coming out of the broom closet?

                                Thanks everyone. The thing is, my mom doesn't talk about religion very much. Sometimes we'll get into a conversation when I ask a question about something, but it's always a short answer. She's a very relaxed Christian, and we don't go to church at all, but I don't know much about her views. I've asked her about Wicca before, and she said that it was a religion for people who would do anything to believe in something. When I asked her what that meant, she said it was more of a rebound religion. So I don't know where to start, or if I Should ease her into my believing in Wicca or not. (I asked her this on Friday, so that's why I'm posting this now)

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