The following article has been written from a variety of different sources. These include My own former experience with Witchcraft and occultism in general prior to my conversion to Christ, reading various Pagan and Wiccan literature, having Pagan and Wiccan friends, and having numerous email, message board, and chat room dialogues with those in the Pagan communities. This article will seek to identify, and assess, issues relevant to both Pagans and Christians alike, in a fair and balanced manner.
Ecology
Pagans of all persuasions revere nature. In fact, many individuals are attracted to Paganism as a direct result of a connection that they feel with the world around them and the beauty of the world they see. This reverence for nature leads many Pagans to the conclusion that the world itself must be divine.
“Our religion is about the sacredness of this life on this Earth, here and now. We are “Nature worshipers” so Nature is a sacred study for us. To paraphrase, we want to see Her more clearly, love Her more dearly, and follow her more nearly. Any ecological study, any bird watching, or other such activities, help us to understand Mother Gaia.” (Chas S. Clifton (ed.), Modern Rites of Passage: Witchcraft Today, Book Two, 1994, p. 99).
Many Christians could probably be more involved in the preservation of the planet in which we live. This, in and of itself is indeed a noble cause. Christians also recognize the beauty in the world around them but stop short of seeing it as divine in some way. The Bible speaks of the wonder of the created realm in which we live, but goes on to reveal that this has been put in place so that people would go further and reach out for the Person who created it:
“…that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power, and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.