Fitting In
Donald Michael Kraig
Many years ago a Pagan acquaintance said to me that he knew Witchcraft would have made it when a Pagan musician produced music on the level of a Bach. I immediately considered that comment: For such a thing to exist would require a huge financial base, a highly specialized organization and a structure which worked against originality and sectarianism. That is not something I wanted to be a part of. As I put it, When Witchcraft produces a Bach, I start looking for another religion!
This attitude of wanting to be like other religions—specifically, what I call the Christianization of Wicca—and having their benefits under U.S. law, continues today. Many Covens have incorporated as churches. Frankly, I waver in my opinion of this process.
On one level, getting legal protection for the practice of Wicca can be seen as positive. Becoming legal churches is one way to achieve this. But this means that such Wiccan groups also have to follow certain rules that have nothing to do with the Craft. For example, some laws insist on a site where the church exists. How do you explain that wherever there is a tree and the open sky, wherever the People of the Lord and Lady get together, there is a holy place?
In a Pagan publication I read of a group that wants no more illegal substances brought to Wiccan rituals and festivals. My question is: Where do we draw the line as to what people should and should not bring to a Circle? The type of blade many use as athames could be considered illegal in many places. Should we switch from double-edged blades to butter knives?
I've also read some Pagans claim that nakedness has never been a part of the Craft, and those who practice it are either not part of Wicca or are doing it alone or only on rare occasions. As most of you reading this know, there are robed Circles and skyclad Circles. Should we only have robed Circles so as not to offend people from other religions? Even if we say that skyclad Circles should be allowed, do you realize that if any children are in that Circle you could be arrested for child abuse?
So, if we really want to fit in, we should consider having only robed Circles, use butter knives for athames and use Bach for ritual music. In fact, we could take it one step further—Jesus can be the God and Mary the Goddess. Then we would really fit in.
There is no easy answer. I certainly don't have the answer. It is true, of course, that some people bring illegal drugs to Circles or Festivals. I have no doubt that some people bring illegal drugs to churches and synagogues, too. While in Florida I recently heard a man give a lecture (which he usually gives to law enforcement agencies) where he claimed that Wiccan rituals do not involve the breaking of any laws except for misdemeanors such as simple possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Should we all stand up and oppose the bringing of illegal drugs to Circles? Should we also resort to butter knives? And be sure that your robe doesn't have a hood that you could use to hide your identity since it is generally illegal to wear a disguise in public.
On the other hand, if you bring an illegal substance to a Circle and a law enforcement agency moves in on your ritual, are you not harming yourself and others?
Since there do not seem to be any easy answers, you may be wondering why I bring this up at all. The fact is, the Pagan community is expanding, and it is expanding rapidly. It may be the fastest growing religion(s) in the U.S. This means we are going to be noticed more and more in coming years. And with the Evil Empire of what was the Soviet Union now in ruins, Fundamentalist Christians are going to need to look for someone else to raise the fears of the flock.
The magical community will be attacked more and more in the future. That means we are going to need to be squeaky clean, stand our ground or, as before, go underground. I do not know what will happen, but it will be interesting to stick around and watch.
1992, by Donald Michael Kraig | 
