Members of the Pagans and Associates Network are accustomed to getting strange looks when they meet every other week at Borders Bookstore in Tempe.
One of them has green hair, most wear all black and their typical conversations center around spells, Wicca and Beltaine.
PAAN president and Japanese sophomore Carly Foreback said that while she understands the attention, she knows it's based on ignorance.
"They don't know any better," she said. "Paganism is a non Judeo-Christian religion where somebody worships more than one god. They think we worship Satan when we don't even believe Satan exists."
Foreback started PAAN - now one of ASU's official clubs - about two months ago with current club adviser Sheila Brushes, who works in Hayden Library as a staff adviser. The two met at witchfox.com, a Web site for Pagans looking to meet more Pagans or just talk about Paganism.
Brushes said she and Foreback decided to start PAAN for the same reason witchfox.com exists.
"What we wanted was for people of various Pagan beliefs to get together and learn from each other and exchange ideas," she said. "[We] got together and we were saying, 'There's no Pagan club here. Why is there no Pagan club?' As a solitary, I felt a little lonesome "
A solitary is someone who adheres to no standard dogma and usually prays and practices spells alone. As most club members, both Brushes and Foreback are solitaries in addition to being Wiccan.
Being Wiccan means believing in the god and the goddess, Foreback said. The god and the goddess represent yin and yen, the balance of power. They come from different aspects of many gods from around the world and include Greco-Roman, Egyptian and Hindu.
Foreback said the sun represents the god and the moon represents the goddess.
There are about six major Pagan holidays. Foreback said out of all them, major and minor, eight are dedicated to the god and have a lot of goddess elements in them while 12 are centered specifically on the goddess.
"The goddess in more emphasized," she added. "That's why a lot of feminists are attracted to Paganism; she has such a large role. I find it irritating that they don't have equality as far as the holidays go."
Beltaine, celebrated on May 1, is the only holiday that celebrates the union of the god and the goddess. Customarily, participants jump over a bonfire, but because PAAN will be holding their celebration on Hayden lawn, they will use red, yellow, and orange crepe paper instead.
The holiday also includes a marriage ritual of sorts between the high priestess, Foreback, and the high priest, religious studies sophomore Ash Naftule.
The club chose to hold the celebration in such a pubic area to spread awareness about Paganism. Foreback said many people do not understand what Paganism is.
She said one common misperception the public has of Pagans is that they perform human and animal sacrifices. She cited a Pagan poem to demonstrate that the perception is wrong.
"And it harm none, do what you will," she said. In other words, do whatever you want as long as it does not hurt anybody else.
Several members of PAAN said they have experienced discrimination based on being Pagan, mostly from Christians.
"A lot of Pagans tend to be defensive when Christians point fingers," she said. "It's hard not to take that attitude if a Christian comes in and they say, 'You're not worshipping Jesus, you're worshipping Satan. You're going to hell.'
"If more people would come and listen to us, that would be great. They would be welcome just as long as they're not coming to point at us and say, 'You're going to hell.'"
Brushes said she would like to clear up the misperceptions the public has for Pagans.
"I would offer to go have coffee with them and explain it to them," she said.
PAAN meets the first and third Monday every month at the Tempe Borders. Its Web site is http://www.asu.edu/clubs/paan/.
What do you think of Paganism? Post your opinion in the forum below.
Amanda Lee Myers is the Editor-in-Chief of the Web Devil. Reach her at amanda.l.myers@asu.edu.
