A blog about Personal Journals.
Gender: female Date of Birth: August 25, 1975 Member Since: February 10, 2007 Last Signed In: November 18, 2008 Profile Views: 562 Blog Views: 583 A Political Cartoon for the Dissapointed. Keep up the good fight! Mettler, Bly & Vegas: Evidently, they took a Hypocritic Oath My Artwork Being a Pagan in Bakersfield Corvus Reprobabilis 3,911 And Counting Some pics of Art Studio & 18th Street Gallery April 07 May 07 June 07 July 07 August 07 September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 November 08 My blogs are a very on-again-off-again kind of thing. I'm liable to write about anything that strikes me at the time. One thing you can be sure of, however, is that if it's posted on here, it matters to me, and as such, what I have to say isn't always going to sit well with everyone who reads it. If you ever read anything here that offends you, I apologize for the offense, but I don't apologize for the saying. I'm also very happy to admit when I'm wrong, if you can convince me of it! Happy trails! 
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Being a Pagan in Bakersfield
Location:
616 Jackson,
Bakersfield, CA 93238
Bakersfield is more intricate and interesting a place than many might assume. It shares many similarities with other California towns of the same size, and yet is vastly different from most of them. Our town is friendly, conservative, tightly knit and somehow conversely hostile, aggressive, and sectarian. It is one of the few places I can think of that holds clothing drives every year for students where donors bring new clothes and fan drives in the summer for poorer families, yet can still boast about having a sign hanging until relatively recently warning of violence that might be perpetrated against specific members of our society if they were caught in Oildale after dark. It is a town of approximately 640 Christian churches (if one is to go by the listings in the phone book) that can still raise a ruckus about anti-Christian sentiment should any be perceived. It is a small-town-feeling-city, which still shows the roots of its Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas forebears despite the influx of economic refugees from elsewhere in California. We have many parks, full of trees, and yet have massive numbers of “Screw the Sierra Club” stickers for someplace that seems to like so much greenery. We have established farming families in the Bakersfield hierarchy and yet we are plowing our fields into housing developments quicker than you can blink. One might wonder, then, how a Pagan feels about living in such a Bible-Belt-esque town. Many in today’s day and age have heard of Wicca and everyone has heard of witchcraft. Some claim that Wicca is one of the fastest growing religions in the United States, and some say even the world. As a Pagan, I have some doubts about this. While interest in the subject has certainly risen, since most Wiccans and Pagans (I’ll explain the difference in just a bit) are leery about disclosing their religious affiliations to strangers, it makes poll taking very difficult and accurate record taking nearly impossible. According to some sources, in 2001 there were as many as 408,000 adult Wiccans, making Wicca the 7th largest organized religion in the U.S[1]. Another source, which just recently completed a poll, estimated 768,400 Wiccans and Pagans currently in the United States.[2] At a convention I just attended, an online Pagan school said that it had over 1 million online members!
To explain some of the terminology I am using, Pagan refers to adherents of earth-based religions in the Neopagan movement. The Neopagan movement is the recreation or elaboration on older, pre-Christian earth-based beliefs into organized religions like Wicca, Druidism, etc. Some believe that these religions have survived, intact, since ancient times, but it is my argument that no religion has remained intact, without changes or adaptations, since its inception. It can be strongly argued that modern pagan religions are simply adaptations or even complete recreations of older beliefs systems. Interest in organizing pagan beliefs can be seen in the Theosophist movements in the mid- to- late 19th century, but Wicca as it is defined today can only be documented to the early half of the 20th century. Wicca in a particular is a belief structure within the wider umbrella of Paganism, which has many “paths”, “traditions”, or “branches”. The word witchcraft (and witch) is often interchanged with Wicca (and Wiccan), although witchcraft traditionally is used to mean any folk-based, traditional beliefs rather than a specific, organized religion such as Wicca. Therefore, one can be a witch without being Wiccan, although many Wiccans refer to themselves as witches. To over simplify and clarify, think of Pagan meaning something like Christian (those that believe that Christ is Lord and Savior, Son of and part of God) and Wicca meaning something like Protestant. Specific paths of Wicca, such as Gardnerian Wicca, could be equated with Lutherans, who are a type of Protestant. And to those Pagans and Wiccans who are bristling at my use of the word “organized”, Wicca does have certain set principles that extend to all traditions. There are no hard-set rules in Wicca, and beliefs between traditions can vary greatly, but the basic tenets and methods of ritual are consistent. It is this organization that helped earned Wicca its Federal recognition and protection as a bonifide religion in the United States.
What has any of this to do with Bakersfield one might be asking by now. There are Pagans in every community, and Bakersfield is no exception. There are a great number of Pagans in Bakersfield and the surrounding communities, some of whom remain solitary and independent while others are bonded in covens (think churches or parishes) or simply gather together for social occasions and community work. These people are your neighbors, teachers, bosses, employees, family members, students, police officers, nurses, doctors, drivers, postal clerks, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons- in short, anybody in your life could be a Pagan, and you may or may not know about it. Many Pagans fear openly expressing their religion for fear of violent reprisal, being disowned by family, being fired or discriminated against, or some other negative repercussion. This is not a flippant or unwarranted fear, for despite the Constitutionally protected right to freedom of religious expression, many choose to persecute members of faiths they do not personally approve of. Bakersfield, as a conservative, outspoken community, does not foster the belief that “coming out of the broom closet” will be a safe decision. As a result, many remain secretive about their religion, which makes it hard to identify and network with other Pagans. This is true, however, of many communities besides just Bakersfield.
Conversely, there are those who are very open and public about their Pagan beliefs. It was through such individuals that I, a Pagan for all of my adult life, was able to meet with and make friends with others in the Pagan community here in Bakersfield. I had been privileged enough to know a family of Pagans that invited me to participate in their holiday celebrations already, but my sister pointed out an article in the now defunct Blackboard that changed my life here in Bakersfield. It was a book review of “An ABC Book of Shadows”, a board book written by a Witch for her child, and published so that other Pagans could share their beliefs with their own children as well. Children’s books abound for Christians, and there is no end to the number of Pagan themed books for adults, but there are very few published with families and children of Pagans in mind. The author of “An ABC Book of Shadows”, Katie Olivares, felt that need, and so like many enterprising Pagans, filled it herself. The review was charming, but it was also instrumental in my finding a Pagan community, as it listed that Olivares owned and operated a Metaphysical shop. Upon visiting that shop, I met Olivares, and discovered that the welcome and inviting store also hosted a local Meet Up (www.meetup.com) group of Pagans.
My personal experiences as a Pagan in Bakersfield have not been very bad. I am openly Pagan, something I have never hidden from friends, employers, or anyone brash enough to ask me. When people wish me a “Merry Christmas”, I say “Happy Yule” back. I say “Goddess Bless.” I have had a couple of lovely seeming little old ladies give me the bird after reading my Pagan bumper stickers. My bosses at work, while making sure to make me feel appreciated and wanted on their work force, never the less discriminated against my religion within their bookstore. There have been a few rather awkward instances where customers would denounce Pagans, or books and movies they saw as pushing the “Pagan Agenda”, and I would tell them,”Well, as a Pagan, I can tell you that…” and then correct them on the false beliefs of real spells in Harry Potter, baby sacrifice, or other popularized stereotypes. Most times, these customers had already gotten to know and like me, and I think my explanations actually relieved their anxiety and discomfort. They remained customers, and still came to me for book suggestions and recommendations. My favorite experience dealing with the misperceptions of witchcraft actually come from another bookstore I had worked at before moving to Bakersfield. The movie “The Craft” had just come out and was playing at a theater across the street. A group of three teenagers came in to my bookstore, marched up to the counter, and asked with impish grins to see books on witchcraft. Rather than reacting with horror or shock, I simply asked them if they were looking for any particular authors, titles, or subjects, and gave them examples of each. They turned on their heals and left in a huff.
One thing that has happened to me as a Pagan in Bakersfield that has not happened to me anywhere else is a stereotyping of a sexual nature. I have had more than once had propositions of threesomes or orgies tossed my way “since that’s what witches do”. I was actually asked by someone who purports to be an educated, intelligent man, that since I was Pagan, that meant I had no morals, right? Evidently the idea that to be Pagan means to be anti-Christian and thusly anti-morals is strong here in Bakersfield. I don’t know which presumption is more thoughtless- that only Christians can be moral, or that if you’re Pagan you’ll have sex with anyone who asks you. There are some Pagan traditions that use sex or sexual energy in rituals, but it is a very controlled, very specific action, and many traditions don’t use sex magick in group ritual. There are rumors and stories of orgies during rituals in the 1960’s and 70’s when Wicca really began to blossom, and while some of those stories may be true, it had more to do with the individuals than the religion. Swinger or “key parties” aren’t Pagan and aren’t limited to just one era in time. Many Pagans, while being less sexually restrictive and inhibited than most Christians, are still monogamous within relationships and definitely aren’t available for the asking just because they are Pagan.
Also, it should be noted that not all Pagans are homosexual and not all homosexuals are Pagan. While there are certainly some who are both, there are many more who are not. I have met many more Christian gays than Pagan gays in Bakersfield.
The stereotyping of witches (folk traditionalists), Witches (Wiccans and other Pagan religions) and Pagans (the whole range of earth-based religions) has actually caused me more problems than actual people. I don’t “look” like a witch. I don’t dress in all black, have frazzled hair, or a long pointy nose. Although I do, incidentally, have a large mole beside my nose. I don’t have piercings and tattoos all over me, and I don’t wear a pentacle the size of a hubcap around my neck. Honestly, most of the people who do dress like that aren’t Pagan, they are just into alternative fashion. I listen to all kinds of music, dress pretty blandly, and am pretty friendly, respectful and polite. Except for the dressing blandly part (because everyone has different tastes!) this could be said about most Pagans. We tend to be eco-friendly, respectful folks, and wear our faith (if not our religion) on our sleeves.
When I asked other Pagans about their experiences as a Pagan in Bakersfield, I got varied answers. I wanted to know how life here was for them, if they had lived openly as a Pagan anywhere else and if it differed from here, and what they wanted for the Pagan community at large here in Bakersfield. I got many varied answers. One came from a person who came here originally from outside of the United States. She is not openly Pagan, and said that it was actually easier to be Pagan in her home country. There, folk beliefs and traditions were still strong, and encompassed many Pagan beliefs. She was more afraid of repercussions here for her religion, in the “land of the free” and of religious freedoms, than in her original country, which is often times seen as restrictive of religious choice. Others varied, some saying they felt safe and accepted by their family and friends, some that they were terrified of being fired, of angering family, of losing spouses and children. A close friend of mine has not told her children about her religion for fear of her highly religious ex-husband suing for and winning custody of them. A family that participates in the Meet Up activities sometimes moved to Bakersfield from a mountain community where they actually received death threats for openly living Paganly. Katie Olivares’ metaphysical shop was targeted by a hate crime recently, probably in response to a news segment aired on Halloween about witchcraft, which showed scenes from a ritual being performed by Olivares, myself, and others on behalf of the victims of fire in the south. This undoubtedly will have two effects: the Pagan community has rallied around Olivares and her shop to support and protect her, and yet it will drive more Bakersfield Pagans into hiding their religious beliefs for fear of the same thing happening to them. The original news segment was meant to dispel stereotypes and myths about Witches, and the reporter was very gracious and considerate, going so far as to request that proper terms be used instead of sensational ones in the build up to the story.
The handling of that hate crime in itself makes for a great discussion on being a Pagan in Bakersfield. The news channel that aired the original Halloween story followed up on it, as well as another local station. Those clips were picked up by CNN and shown nationally. Bakotopia had an article about it, as well as several online sources such as WitchVox, a major Pagan website. From the Pagan community, locally and nationally, Olivares received an outpouring of support and sentiment. From the local media community, the focus was more on the scandal of it. Olivares being a “self-proclaimed Witch” echoed throughout one news segment. No one would ever say “self-proclaimed Christian”, so why was “self-proclaimed” used so much in the reporting of the story? All local stories were kind enough to point out that Olivares has had few other problems, that her shop is accepted by her neighbors (there is even a Santero shop nearby, although that wasn’t in the reports), and that she has had an outpouring of support. But few of them said she has been in business for 2 years now, and this is the first crime of this sort to have been perpetrated against her or her business. They all pointed out that it was a hate crime, but none of them discussed how the shop is used as a gathering place for Pagans in the community. All of them point out things for sale in the shop, like skeleton themed items and pentacles, but none of them discussed any of the community enriching events that Olivares and the Pagans that meet at her shop have done, such as a fundraising event for the local Arbor Society. Satan and Satanism are, of course, brought up by most at least once, even though Paganism in general and Olivares and her shop in particular are in no way Satanic. Words like metaphysical and new age are thrown into quotation marks as if they are code words for other things. It boils down to sensationalism and salaciousness being more popular than straightforward news. Rather than having a noose hung outside her store being reported as “a hate crime perpetrated against a shop owner and a peace-loving and community supporting group of locals” it was reported as “self-proclaimed witch has noose hung outside of her store of creepy things, but don’t worry, she’s not a Satanist!” Indeed, the police officers who came to take Olivares’ statement when she reported the incident wouldn’t originally admit it was a hate crime, as the store wasn’t considered a place of worship. It has now been acknowledged as a hate crime, but not until after all of the media attention, which has thrust Olivares into the role of spokesperson for Bakersfield witches, whether she wanted to be or not.
This image, this kind of stereotyping, this style of sensationalism, and this brand of discrimination are not new and they are not isolated to Bakersfield. I might get more weird looks and “Oh, you’re Pagan? That means you have no morals, right?” type comments than I have other places I have lived, but the things that make being Pagan difficult are not exclusive to Bakersfield. The type of environment Katie Olivares maintains for Pagans is the first such inviting, welcoming, and supportive place I have come across in a public setting, here or elsewhere. The Pagans I’ve met have been as diverse and varied as other places I have lived, but they retain that odd Bakersfield quality of being friendlier and more open to new people than other places while maintaining their distance. More people presume I am Christian here than anywhere else I have lived, where I was at least presumed to be Jewish or Atheist in addition to Christian. But I was never invited into someone’s home with their family to be a part of a Pagan holiday celebration before moving to Bakersfield. I never met such a warm, diverse and welcoming group as I have at Katie Olivares’s shop before my stay here. There are many things I find frustrating, backwards, unjust and uncivil about Bakersfield, but it’s Pagan community is certainly not one of them.
[1] From ReligiousTolerance.Org from a phone poll conducted in 2001 .
[2] From The Pluralism Project at Harvard University, www.pluralism.org which was in turn taken from a poll done by Covenant of the Goddess, one of the largest Wiccan organizations in the U.S. The methods used in the poll to gather information were not listed with the poll results.
Story also featured in Bakotopia Magazine, issue 24, 3-20-08 14 comments from 9 users
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posted by
Thesilenceclub
on Feb 21, 2008 at 03:44 PM
good blog. I enjoyed the read. :) so mote it be. posted by
AnnieLWhite
on Feb 21, 2008 at 05:21 PM
this was probably the most boring blog i have ever read. I'm not saying that to be a bitch, I'm saying it because I'm being honest. you have every right to write what you want to but religion, to me, it's boring. Every religion pagan, Christan, Wicca, catholic, etc. atheism, Mormon. Who cares about how many Christians there are etc etc whatever whatever. People are stupid, people do stupid things, religions can be stupid and religions have done stupid things. People are always going to hang nooses, people are always going to talk shit, people are always going to hate on people who think different than them, there will never be peace, Never, it will never happen. the only thing you can do is live your life the way you want. I personally think witches are lame, but that's just me, i don't think its wrong, just not my thing, but you let people have their freedoms. Freedoms to let people practice their own thing. I mean i would be pissed if the government stepped in and made me go to church. Vote for Freedom
Ron Paul 08 posted by
an1ok1joe
on Feb 21, 2008 at 05:32 PM
My understanding is that Islam is the fastest growing religion. When you say "pre-Christian" do you mean pre-Jehovah, or perhaps pre-Judeo? Christian believe we are apart of the family of God Jehovah , or Yahweh through Christ later on. Paganism, hmm started with Baal right? Later termed Beelzebub or Pan? Correct? Wiccan's have no hard set rules to their religion? Well there is something we certainly agree on these days Wiccan's and Christians are some what persecuted. I assume when you say "Goddess bless" you mean? Hmm Lilith or whom? You of course would know who Lilith is. The Gnostic's belief of Lilith and saying it was in the Dead Sea scrolls? It's a shame you would be met with such ugliness. My Lord tell me I should show all the love of Christ. "They will know us by our love." A "true" Christian wouldn't treat you badly. They would know that you are still representative of God (made in his own image) Your quote "There are many things I find frustrating, backwards, unjust and uncivil about Bakersfield" I could say the same and I've been here my whole life, and am Christian. I feel that is the same anywhere you go to be honest. You just have to look for it. Or perhaps try to work around it or avoid it. I might add that as long as I uphold your right to do what you wish religiously, then my rights as a Christian are intact as well. posted by
Squirrely
on Feb 21, 2008 at 06:09 PM
Isn't witchcraft more a belief rather than a whole religion? I mean it's an odd thing to compare Christianity and Catholicism to Wicca or Paganism.
posted by
an1ok1joe
on Feb 21, 2008 at 06:19 PM
Well I think Wiican's or Pagan's have a belief that is a religion, but you can make a religion out of drinking chocolate shakes too. It's the faith in that belief that charges or fuels the religion. I like Bob Dylan's thoughts "you gotta serve somebody,.." posted by
an1ok1joe
on Feb 21, 2008 at 06:21 PM
Furthermore I would assume that "witchcraft" would be more a peripheral of paganism. A part that is practiced along with the religion. posted by
JennW
on Feb 22, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Hey, good job you guys! Excellent insights! To Annie I would just have to say I'm sorry I bored you, and thanks for reading it anyway. The problem is, whether you care about it or not, it IS a relevant issue to many people, especially those who are experiencing persecution or even violence because of their beliefs. I too believe perfect peace on earth will never be achieved- peoplekind just aren't built for it. That's no excuse to roll over and play dead, though, is it? To An1ok1Joe, Islam is the fastest growing religion worldwide. In the U.S., it's Paganism. At least, that's what the bean counters report. Pre-Christian means only what it says- before the followers of Christ. The word pagan itself is from a latin word meaning, pretty much, a country bumpkin. Paganness in this sense would stretch back to the dawn of mankind. Cave paintings, crude statuary (like the Venus of Wilendorf, for example) are the only clues we have to truly ancient belief systems. So Paganism started way earlier than with Baal. Paganism the way it's practiced today, however, is NO WHERE NEAR the same thing! Baal, Beezelbub, and Pan are all different gods from different cultures and religions, and there are sooooo many more of them. Many of them are lost to history, and there are so very few of these old religions that have survived intact. I may be mistaken, but it is my understanding that Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Budhhism, and Judaism (and from that Christianity) are some of the oldest, intact religions still being practiced today. And I absolutely agree with you that we should all show eachother love and respect, and that true Christians (and Pagans for that matter) would never treat anyone with such ugliness. "In perfect love and perfect trust" is a popular pagan theme, and I think it fits in with Christs teaching just fine! I agree, too, that we should all respect eachother's rights! Amen to that! On a personal note, I do indeed know who Lillith is, but she is not the specific goddess I worship. Like God, I call my goddess just Goddess. That's part of that unspecificness of Pagans- we all worship various gods and goddesses, but we all still feel that they are different names for the same Oneness. Take the idea of the trinity and make it waaaaayyyyy more folks, and it's pretty similar. You get me? To Squirrely, I wouldn't say the comparison is odd at all! Witchraft can be a belief system rather than a religous system, but more and more Pagans are choosing to use the term Witchcraft (big W as opposed to little w in my blog) to label their religion rather than beliefs. And so, if Christianity is the broader religion under which the specific branch of Catholicism falls under, then Paganism is the broader religion that the specific branch of Wicca or even Witchraft falls under. Is that more clear? Then back to An1ok1Joe, you are very close! There is a huge debate, even in the Pagan comunity, over what constitutes belief systems and what constitutes actual religion. Wicca is a federally recognized religion. That means, whatever perameters the governement has for acknowledging a religion, Wicca meets those criteria. I don't have a degree in Religious Studies (yet, it's on my to-do list!) so I don't feel qualified to elaborate more about that. And as for witchcraft, it is a major part of many Pagan religions, not just peripheral- but here is where the problem of terms meaning different things to different people come in! Rituals, spells, divination, spirit communication- all that stuff, that most people would label "witchcraft" are main components to many Pagan religions. I can elaborate further, if you want, but I fear I'm already too wordy.... (yawn!) posted by
deusexmachina
on Feb 22, 2008 at 02:53 PM
blessed be. posted by
an1ok1joe
on Feb 22, 2008 at 05:38 PM
I understood what you said and enjoyed the disccusion. I have to say alhtough I am not a scholar to theology: I do know that Baal was indeed the fertility god that Christ later, somewhat mocked by calling him Beezelbub. I do know that Crowley worshiped Pan, who inturn was also considered Satan. I feel these entities are all the same person. I suspect you eluded to that later on in the triny analogy. In any case, we should strive to love one another regaurdless! posted by
Chase
on Feb 26, 2008 at 12:27 PM
here is the long one you mentioned... haha. I will get back to it soon. posted by
Altar
on Mar 15, 2008 at 12:33 AM
Fascinating article and discussion. I was captivated and I'm enjoying your further explanations. If I could chime in regarding the polytheism of Paganism/ Witchcraft- not everyone agrees that there are different names for the same One. We may agree that all names are correct. Who am I to tell anyone else who to honor? an1ok1joe- you didn't intend to suggest that the nature, fertility gods are Satan; I hope. That is a common misconception that Pagans and Witches work with/ honor Satan. Satan is a Christian "deity." I would argue that Pagans don't necessarily believe that there must be evil in order for there to be good. We are not dualists in that way. Many, if not most, Pagan Gods have been vilified for the purpose of invalidating our religions thus converting Pagans to monotheistic paths. Suggesting if not declaring one's God Satan was one such way of coercing that conversion. That is my (and many others' I suspect) theory of how Pagan Gods came to be associated with Satan. Thanks for providing this forum and raising these questions. Its is outlets like this that foster religious acceptance. We certainly don't have to agree to mutually respect. posted by
an1ok1joe
on Mar 15, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Well I certainly can say there have been other "gods" first off. The bible does mention it . Even in the ten commandments. Not to have other God's before God Yahweh. I feel as those these gods could be fallen. As to say one could be Baal, yes the fertility god of old. I feel they are "in" wih Satan, so when I say that god is Satan, if he isn't he certainly goes along with Satan's power that God has allowed him. This is me saying these things in what I suspect given what I know of them. posted by
Wiccanwolf
on Mar 19, 2008 at 07:30 PM
Blessed be! As Wiccan I go out of my way to explain to people our religion is not a threat to any one. There is no such thing as "Black or White" Magics, magic is neutral, how it is used defines if it is good or bad. To some people a spell and a prayer are the same, both are a plea for assistance from a diety. I know Mrs. Oiveras among other pagans, we are a small group, but do our best to live by our beliefs. Yes, we do not believe in any religion as being superior to another. We all agree that there is something to learn from all religions, yes even Islam has a few grains of use in it. We do our best to be understanding in all matters dealing with religions. Now are we patriotic? Oh hell yes we are very patriotic, we are serving around the world in the military, despite not having priests or priestesses to lead our circles and to celebrate the Sabbats and Esbats. We stand shoulder to shoulder with all religions in an attempt to preserve "FREEDOM of RELIGION". Now to see some of the negative comments from some people, I understand that there is a minority who refuse to say anything positive about a group which is shedding it's blood to insure we have the right to practice our religion in peace and freedom. posted by
an1ok1joe
on Mar 19, 2008 at 10:01 PM
He he I KNOW your Patriotic! We have spoke before. Sadly some poeple are confused and put balck and white magic in with the Wiccan religion. I've studied a lot of different religions in the past.
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