Pagans at a glance

Paganism describes a group of contemporary religions based on a reverence for nature. These faiths draw on the traditional religions of indigenous peoples throughout the world.

Paganism encompasses a diverse community.

Wiccans, Druids, Shamans, Sacred Ecologists, Odinists and Heathens all make up parts of the Pagan community.

Some groups concentrate on specific traditions or practices such as ecology, witchcraft, Celtic traditions or certain gods.

Most Pagans share an ecological vision that comes from the Pagan belief in the organic vitality and spirituality of the natural world.

Due to persecution and misrepresentation it is necessary to define what Pagans are not as well as what they are. Pagans are not sexual deviants, do not worship the devil, are not evil, do not practice 'black magic' and their practices do not involve harming people or animals.

The Pagan Federation of Great Britain have no precise figures but estimate that the number of Pagans in the British Isles is between 50,000 and 200,000 (2002).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/ataglance/glance.shtml