Starting an on-campus Pagan Club - Naming Problem

Bartholomew · Mar 5, 2011

A few friends of mine are toying around with starting an on-campus group for Pagans at my university. We have a million Christian groups, a Muslim group, and that's about it. I recognize that there's a lack of organization for on-campus pagans, but I'm worried that their definition of Pagan is basically a definition of "The Other."

With a Buddhist, a nature-worshiper, a druid, and an existentialist as the base group, I'm not really sure how to define the group. "The Non-Christian Club" is hardly acceptable, as that's essentially how they'd be using the word Pagan, and since exclusive groups are against campus rules. But I'm not really sure what other word would fit.

Deleted member 42 · Mar 5, 2011

Alternate Spiritual Ways/Paths?

Shadow_Ferret · Mar 5, 2011

What's wrong with Pagan Club?

Embrace your Pagan ways!

Deleted member 42 · Mar 5, 2011

Shadow_Ferret said:
What's wrong with Pagan Club?

Embrace your Pagan ways!

I suspect that the campus authorities may see it as exclusive, but frankly, it's essentially offering a target for hate groups.

I'd suggest not using Pagan or Heathen.

Shadow_Ferret · Mar 5, 2011

But if they have Christian and Muslim groups, aren't those exclusive, too?

I'm sure they have a Gay Club (at least I think my college did).

Why would Pagan me more of a target for hate groups then any other name?

PrincessofPersia · Mar 5, 2011

Isn't Christian group more exclusive than Pagan group? If that's allowed, I don't see how a Pagan group could be denied based on exclusivity.

ETA: Dammit. The Ferret beat me by seconds.

Mr Flibble · Mar 5, 2011

AWOL - Alternative Way of Life.

(actually this was once, maybe still is though I've not seen one in ages, a British Biking magazine, lol, though there's a biker spiritual/magazine spinoff facebook page with the same name too. But it might work for you as well)

not_HarryS · Mar 17, 2011

Medievalist said:
I suspect that the campus authorities may see it as exclusive, but frankly, it's essentially offering a target for hate groups.

I'd suggest not using Pagan or Heathen.

I agree. I think that the word Pagan comes with too much baggage. Your average person is going to see it and think "Satan worship." Not kidding. I'm not saying it's right, nor is it even slightly representative of what it means to be a Pagan... but still, you'll be shooting yourselves in the foot and spending most of your time trying to reclaim the word as opposed to bettering yourselves as a group.

What about Polytheists Anonymous?

robingood · Mar 19, 2011

Laughing.... AWOL AWOL AWOL AWOL AWOL!!!!!!!!!!

Indubitably.

frimble3 · Mar 19, 2011

I'd go with 'Alternative ... something'. That way, no matter who turns up, they feel included. Because, yeah, if you call yourselves 'Pagans' people will think Wiccans at best, Satanists at worst. If you want to encourage various believers, I'd go with something fairly vague.

STKlingaman · Mar 19, 2011

Pagans NaGap

mscelina · Mar 20, 2011

I'd go for something that's derivative of a general belief but non-threatening to the close-minded. Like Mother Earth or Blessings or Spiritual Path. Something like that.

Unless you want to going for my original thought, which was Pissing Off Bigots, or POB for short.

Your slogan could be "Pissing off bigots since the dawn of time" or "Can't burn us at the stake now, damnit!"

Then of course you could always go for something tongue in cheek in a foreign tongue. A freind of mine started a pagan group way back in the dark ages called "Convicti combustique est" COCE went on for a couple of years before someone figured out that this was the sentence the Catholic Church passed on heretics and meant "convicted and burned" instead of a warped spelling of a soft drink.

DanielleSilverheart · Mar 29, 2011

hey this is really late posting here. Nevertheless, Blessings be to my fellow Pagans. Even out here in Montana (my current location) the term "Pagan" seems to raise a few eye's or shot guns if uttered to loudly. MSU started a club for us though, it was called The Goddess circle and Open paths club....long name but great results. We even held some mixers with all the other denominational clubs, excluding the
"Campus crusaders" kid you not, they are real! who continued to send hate mail to us. (best wishes to you on making your club a reality!)

TedTheewen · Apr 12, 2011

When I was in college there were numerous groups for all kinds of things. To be honest, we didn't really have a pagan group. However, none of us were shy about what we believed in.

There was a graphic used on a t-shirt for a while that had some pagan god or whatever on it with horns. It read "Gimme That Old Time Religion" and that's what many of us wore around campus.

Have fun with this, don't be afraid of what anybody else things and stand tall about who you are. Part of the path you are on demands you deal with fear in many forms. This is what being a wise one is about--fear is for those who are not enlightened!

Blessed Be!

Ted

readlorey · Apr 29, 2011

World Spiritual Ways
The World Pathways
World Truths
Universal Paths of Spirituality

veinglory · Apr 29, 2011

How about the 'Inter-faith Understanding' group.

Diana_Rajchel · Apr 29, 2011

I ran a Pagan group in college. We called it "Pagan" and for the most part, we didn't have a problem. Just as the Muslim groups at the school for the most part didn't.
If you have any religious group, someone might look for a problem - just as someone might have a problem with you for having brown eyes, wearing that sweater or "swiping" a parking spot.

If you behave as though you have as much right to be as any other organization/religion on campus, you'll set yourself up to be treated well, for the most part.

Starting an on-campus Pagan Club - Naming Problem

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Deleted member 42

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Deleted member 42

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

PrincessofPersia

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

not_HarryS

Peen Copter Aficionado

robingood

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

STKlingaman

Followed the Red Brick Road

mscelina

Teh doommobile, drivin' rite by you

DanielleSilverheart

Words like paint; hard to remmove

TedTheewen

AW's Most Adorable Sociopath

readlorey

There may be bloodshed...just sayin

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Diana_Rajchel

Writing from my Seaside Palace