Much of what the public believes about Pagans and Witches comes from folklore, horror films, and old accusations. Here are ten of the most common misunderstandings, each with a plain answer.
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Myth 1 Pagans and Witches worship the Devil.
Fact Pagans do not worship or believe in the Devil. Satan belongs to the teachings of other religions and has no place in Pagan belief. The horned God honored by many Wiccans is a figure of the forest and of wild animals, far older than the medieval image of the Devil and unrelated to it.
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Myth 2 Paganism is a cult.
Fact Pagan religions have no central leader, no required creed, and no means of controlling their members. Groups are small and self-governing, most Pagans practice on their own, and anyone may leave at any time. Pagans are encouraged to question, to study, and to think for themselves.
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Myth 3 Witches cast spells to harm people.
Fact The ethics of Wicca forbid it. The Wiccan Rede counsels "If it harms none, do what you will," and many Wiccans hold that harm done returns upon the one who does it. In practice a spell is most often a ritual prayer for healing, protection, guidance, or strength.
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Myth 4 Pagan rituals involve sacrifice.
Fact Harm to people is abhorrent to Pagans, and harm to animals has no place in Wiccan ritual or in the practice of the great majority of Pagan traditions. Pagans revere life. Offerings at a Pagan ritual are typically bread, fruit, grain, flowers, incense, milk, mead, or wine.
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Myth 5 Wicca and Paganism are not real religions.
Fact They are religions in every sense that matters to the law and to scholars of religion. They have deities, ethics, clergy, holy days, rites of passage, and communities of worship. United States courts have recognized Wicca as a religion since the 1980s, and the law protects sincerely held religious beliefs whether a religion is large or small, old or new.
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Myth 6 Pagans try to recruit, especially young people.
Fact Pagan religions do not seek converts. There are no missionaries and no door-to-door visits. Most covens and other groups do not accept anyone under eighteen without the knowledge and consent of a parent, and many accept adults only.
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Myth 7 The pentacle is a symbol of evil.
Fact The pentacle, a five-pointed star in a circle, is a sign of faith and protection. Its points are commonly understood as earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. It is among the emblems of belief approved for the headstones of United States veterans. See Symbols and Their Meanings.
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Myth 8 Paganism is a fad, a costume, or a game.
Fact Contemporary Paganism has been practiced openly for more than seventy years. Its members include grandparents who have practiced all their adult lives, as well as teachers, nurses, engineers, farmers, and soldiers. Samhain, which falls at the end of October, is a solemn day of remembrance for the dead and has nothing to do with costumes.
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Myth 9 Pagans are against Christianity and other religions.
Fact Pagans follow a different path, not an opposing one. Most believe that there are many valid ways to approach the sacred. Pagans take part in interfaith councils across the country and work beside people of other faiths in food pantries, disaster relief, and chaplaincy.
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Myth 10 All Pagans are Wiccan, and all Witches are women.
Fact Wicca is one Pagan religion among many. Druids, Heathens, and reconstructionist polytheists are Pagans and are not Wiccan. People of every gender practice Wicca and Witchcraft. A man who is a Witch is called a Witch. The word "warlock" is not used and is widely considered an insult.
Where Do the Myths Come From?
For several centuries in Europe and its colonies, people accused of witchcraft were tried and put to death. The accusations of that period, which included devil worship and secret harm, described a crime imagined by the accusers. They were not a description of any actual religion. The images created then have survived in stories and entertainment ever since.
When modern Pagans began to use words such as Witch and Pagan for themselves in the twentieth century, they inherited those images along with the words. Correcting them is slow work. It is the work this organization was founded to do.
If You Hear One of These Myths
- Assume the speaker is repeating something heard, not acting from ill will.
- Offer a short correction and a source. Our Plain Facts fact sheets were written for this purpose.
- If a myth is being used to justify unfair treatment at work, at school, or in court, see What to Do If You Face Discrimination.
- If you are a reporter or an editor, see A Guide for Journalists.
This page was last reviewed by the Education Review Committee in September 2026.