The more one looks at religions in general, the more realizes they are systems. Different recipes for the same soup. The more you look at religions, the more you realize they are more alike than different from another.

- They all move energy. It can be a prayer, casting a circle, or any other method used to change one’s state and move energy as an individual and as part of a collective whole.

- They all believe in a source, higher power, deity, etc.

- They all have “their way” of doing things. Their own system. Some are more accepting of other people’s systems (or religions), while many are not. Pagans, many of which are polytheists, tend to be more accepting of others than the monotheists are, but they all have “their way of doing things.” nonetheless.

I think the more one realizes the similarities vs minor differences, the better off they’ll be. Religions are a lot like cooking-by-the-book… it’s a great way to start out, but eventually you no longer need a book with directions on how to cook. When you reach that point in cooking, you move beyond books. When you reach that with spirituality, you move beyond the need for religion or such systems in your own life.

Systems have uses, but they all box you in.

A pentacle would probably even cause MORE discussion. People often confuse it with the star of david (funny). Most Pagans know more about religion than many people do because we tend to study ALL paths, all religions, not just one.

How many Christians read the Gnostic Gospels or know that the pentacle was originally a Christian symbol? (the 5 points represent the 5 wounds of Christ). The 5 points also represent the 4 elements plus Spirit.

Well, I’m not sure where you live, but try wearing a Pentacle out in one of the bible-belt states in the S and see how that goes. I happen to live in Minneapolis, the 2nd largest Pagan community right behind #1 San Francisco, but I tuck mine in when I travel.

If religions are like operating systems, then Paganism is like Linux… it’s out there, but far less people know about it, use it, and those who aren’t users of it, have all sorts of misjudgments about it. Paganism isn’t pimped and promoted like Islam, Judaism, and Christianity is because it’s not centralized (just like Linux isn’t). It’s similar to why Apple and Microsoft (centralized organizations with money behind them) promote so much and Linux doesn’t/can’t. Same thing with the religious counterpart examples I offer.

Just because Paganism doesn’t have the level of awareness out there for prejudice against it, does not make it any less so for those who suffer bias, discrimination and persecution because of their beliefs.

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The atheists are divisive and sectarian by definition. You’re with us or against us. Atheism is also dumb by definition.

Further, I’ve attended a Sikh temple in Toronto, Canada and have a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, of which I’ve read some. My wife and I celebrate new cultures and religions every year for our anniversary. This year is our 13th anniversary, and we will actually be celebrating pagan religions as they relate to superstition. We make a full day of the event. We’ve also celebrated Judaism and Rastafarianism.

Given the world stresses and turmoils (such as the Arab Spring), I don’t really see any other religions under attack than the Christians, Jews and Muslims, mostly in the Holy Land against each other, and against Muslims in the western worlds. Correct me if I’m wrong, but those two religions make up more than half of the world’s population. So, due to the massive intolerance between these two world religions, I’m trying to show that as a member of one of them, I can love the other.

If pagan religions really need awareness raising, I will certainly look into it. But, it doesn’t appear that they face the injustices that members of the Islam faith deal with day-to-day. It has nothing to do with Abraham.

If you truly wish to promote religious tolerance, rather than shoot down my imperfect examples, why not explore ALL of the world’s religions and not just the Abrahamic ones? Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are more alike than they are different, so proclaiming “tolerance” os something so akin to another isn’t a stretch at all.

Regarding Tempest Smith, the issue is less about Wicca, and more about school bullying, which I do agree that should have more awareness made. I was bullied from elementary school well into high school, because I was mostly a skinny, introverted, nerdy kid.

Regarding soldier Patrick Stewart, it’s less about persecuting those of the Wiccan beliefs, as much as the VA did not have the necessary pieces in place to make it possible to put the pentacle on the headstone. I would imagine this is because there are only a few hundred thousand, at best guess, in the United States that practice Wicca, and maybe a few hundred at best that have served in the military. How many of them have died in combat? It seems to me that the VA hadn’t made arrangements for it, because it likely had never been raised as much of an issue in the past. I don’t know. It just seems like red tape more than persecution.

Persecution of any religious, pagan or personal belief system should not be tolerated. Although I might be raising awareness for an Abrahamic religion, hopefully the point is being made about religious tolerance in general.

Other examples in more recent times include:
http://atheism.about.com/b/2003/08/03/persecution-of-wiccans.htm
http://en.ekopedia.org/Discrimination_against_Wiccans_and_Pagans
(It took YEARS for Sgt Patrick Stewart to get his pentacle on his tombstone from the military)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Stewart_%28soldier%29

Then there is the case of Tempest Smith, a teenager who committed suicide because of prosecution, She is one of the best known cases, but certainly not the ONLY one by ANY means.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_Smith
http://alterophobia.blogspot.com/2008/05/tempest-smith-another-victim-of-hatred.html

@Diego
Agreed.