Religious discrimination against modern pagans

The largest modern pagans communities are in North America and the United Kingdom, and the issue of discrimination receives most attention in those locations, but there are also reports from other countries.

"[3] In 2021, the Adelaide University Occult Club faced notable challenges in securing funding and campus access due to delays in reaffiliation from the student union, YouX.

[9] Referring to the followers, Father Eustathios Kollas, who presides over a community of Greek Orthodox priests, said, "They are a handful of miserable resuscitators of a degenerate dead religion who wish to return to the monstrous dark delusions of the past.

"[10] In September 2012, Conservative Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews cancelled a tender that had been issued by Corrections Canada in British Columbia for a Wiccan prison chaplain.

[citation needed] Following an article that appeared in the Independent on Sunday on April 2, 2000, Morse was summarily suspended from his post as head of drama, theatre arts and media studies at Shenfield High School in Essex.

[16][17] In 2006, members of Youth 2000, a conservative Catholic organization, on visit to Father Kevin Knox-Lecky of St Mary's church, Glastonbury, attacked pagans by throwing salt at them and told them they "would burn in hell".

[18][19] In 2006, the postal worker Donald Holden was fired from his position at Royal Mail PLC after 33 years of employment for printing photos of Odin for his personal religious use.

[21] A teacher at Shawlands Academy in Glasgow was denied time off with pay to attend Druid rites while members of other religions have their days of observance paid.

[27][28][29] Though this movement died a "quiet death", on June 24, 1999, then-Governor George W. Bush stated on a television news program that "I don't think witchcraft is a religion and I wish the military would take another look at this and decide against it.

[33] Prior to 2007, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) did not allow the use of the pentacle as an approved emblem of belief on headstones and markers in military cemeteries.

In Cutter v. Wilkinson, 544 U.S. 709 (2005), a case involving five Ohio prison inmates (two followers of Ásatrú, a minister of the Church of Jesus Christ–Christian, a Wiccan witch and a Satanist) protesting denial of access to ceremonial items and opportunities for group worship was brought before the Supreme Court.

In early 2011, a Stillwater prisoner named Stephen Hodgson filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Minnesota claiming his religious rights had been violated.

[41] Hodgson claimed he was prohibited from practising his Wiccan faith when guards and prison administrators refused to allow him to use prayer oils and herbs needed.

Since then, Margaret Murray's theory of an organised pan-European witch-cult has been discredited, and doubts raised about the age of Wicca; many Wiccans no longer claim this historical lineage.

[43] Due to negative connotations associated with witchcraft, many Wiccans continue the traditional practice of secrecy, concealing their faith for fear of persecution.

This was affirmed a year later by Judge John D. Butzner, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit [Dettmer v. Landon, 799 F. 2d 929 (4th Cir.

3389, introduced on September 19, 1985, by Congressman Robert S. Walker (R-Pennsylvania), which would have amended to the United States Internal Revenue Code that any organisation which promotes witchcraft would not be exempt from taxation.

3036, "The Treasury, Postal, and General Government Appropriations Bill for 1986", which similarly stated that organisations promoting witchcraft would not be eligible for tax-exempt status.

[52][53][54] However, in Town of Greece v. Galloway, the Supreme Court ruled that legislative prayer cannot be restricted on basis of belief, re-opening the debate about Simpson's case.

[63] In a join press release the Odinic Rite, Ásatrú Alliance and Ásatrú Folk Assembly charged the FBI with violating its First Amendment rights to freedom of religion, free speech, and peaceful assembly by giving "False, misleading and deceptive information about our religion and its followers" in FBI's Project Megiddo report.