BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Pagan What do you tell people, if anything?

We have the Strega Nonna children's books! My inlaws are off the boat from Italy and they think we're just "celebrating" our son's heritage!

I think that you have to be strong in character to live according to ones beliefs. This town has 600 people, 95 percent of them are religious but incredibly intolerant of other belief systems. Several people have come to my door asking if they might come in and talk about their religion. They have been very nice about it and I, also being very nice in return, tell them that I am a witch man after they ask. They can't get out of the door fast enough. If my belief system was that shallow I would have abandoned it years ago. I was grilled one day by a local fundemental religious pastor who told me that I was hurting Yahweh's children by being here. I told my other half after he left that I was going to open a church right here in the house and call it the First Church of Witchcraft Watering Hole for the Relief of the Parched Masses of Stagnant Stupidity. We both rolled off of our chairs laughing until we cried.

I think it was Ravyn who mentioned an on the need to know basis. That's pretty much how I approach it. If people ask, I will most likely tell them, but it really depends on the situation.

I'm pretty much the same way, but I feel more comfortable with my beliefs now so if religion comes up in conversation with people I know well I will likely mention my background. Plus, I work with a bunch of Biologists (being a biology grad. student myself), which seem to be a pretty religiously tolerant group. At least if you aren't a fundamentalist.