In America, pagans and witches (or those accused of such things) didn't ever sit too well with the majority Christian population. But in today's day and age when tolerance and acceptance are becoming more and more important, being a pagan isn't as hard.

There are several branches of paganism and Wicca, and each practitioner is different. The branch of paganism that I follow is the Hellenic branch, meaning I worship the Greek gods and goddesses (Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, etc). I pray to them and worship like a Christian would with their God, only I don't have any specific place, like a church or temple, to do it at. The gods communicate with me through signs in my environment. For example, if I ask Apollo for help, once my prayer is answered in some way, He may send a raven (one of his symbols). The gods also communicate with me in dreams or through meditation.

Now, I realize this isn't exactly in line with the social norms of American society. I wear my pentacle necklace every day and often I am confused with a satanist. My pentacle is not a pentagram, although it is similar. Pentagrams are inverted star shapes with an elongated point facing downwards. A pentacle is an upright star (maybe with a moon or gem in the middle) with proportionate points on all side.

Some people I encounter are ignorant and assume I am evil and that I worship Satan, but some are kind enough to ask, and I am always happy to explain. In all honesty, I don't believe in Satan or a "devil" of any kind, but instead, the Underworld and Hades and Cerberus. Contrary to popular belief, the Underworld isn't "Hell" or the Greek equivalent at all; there is no fire. No torture. No eternal pain and suffering (until you get into the pits of Tartarus- that's closer to Hell). The Underworld is just a place. Another realm of existence where the dead go. And Hades? He's nice. Not as cold and mean as everyone seems to think.

On top of thinking I'm a satanist, a lot of people assume that I'll put a curse on them. Not all pagans practice any witchery. I dabble, but really only to practice devotions to the gods or celebrate pagan holidays like Yule and Samhain. I mostly hoard mason jars, put too much cinnamon in my tea, and stare at the moon a lot. I also really like crystals.

All in all, pagans are really not that different from other religious folks. We just pray to different deities, in a different way, and practice our religion differently. In a country with freedom of religion, why not try out different ones until you find one that fits?