I was going to be a math teacher and a music teacher, so St. Olaf was the place for me to be. Excellent math program, world-renowned music program, and a 99% teacher placement rate. What more could I ask for? Sure, there are some major social drawbacks, among them the fact that it is a private Lutheran school. But I grew up in a Lutheran home, and thought they were pretty okay people...

   I knew before I got to St. Olaf that there would be a large Christian culture here, but the actual magnitude of it blew my mind. I knew that I would have to take two Christian theology courses to graduate. I also knew that chapel was in session every single day. Nothing wrong with that; I think people living in a predominantly Christian society should have an understanding of the Bible, and there's nothing wrong with optional worship service for those that want it.

   My expectations about these things didn't turn out to be quite right. What I didn't realize was that my "Intro to the Bible" class would not be quite as stimulating as I thought it would be. In a survey at the beginning of the year, half of my classmates wrote that they hoped the class would "teach" them what they believed. In the context of Wicca, and especially in my tradition, learning what you believe from another person was a startling concept. Throughout the beginnings of the class, they asked the professor, "How did God make light before he made the sun?" "Which of the two creation stories is the right one?" I was startled at how quickly my professor had actually become God. I was also appalled at my devout Christian classmates' lack of knowledge of some basic Biblical facts and concepts. I guess it is nothing new, though, to see that people sometimes know very little about the tool they use against us. Another thing I didn't expect was that every conceivable office on campus would be closed during chapel, and that none of the professors would hold office hours during this time. Likewise, I did not anticipate the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Young Life, the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, the Fellowship of Christian Musicians, St. Olaf Christian Outreach, the Student Congregation, the Christian Activities Network, the Catholic Students Association, the Bible study groups in every dorm, the lack of non-Christian music performed by the musical groups, and the church service to kick off the academic year. It was all very overwhelming.

   However, just being around loads and buckets of Christianity can't hurt me. Would I really have any bad experiences?

   At the beginning of the year, I found a group called the Forum for Inter-religious Discussion. They describe their group as a place where people of different religions can get together and discuss, in order to promote better understanding. They then go on to say that "anyone of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu faith is welcome at our meetings." When I contacted the group to see if they were really that specific, and if it meant that I was not welcome, the answer was yes. It seemed rather counterproductive of them to exclude me and the campus's many atheists and agnostics, all of whom have very profound ideas about religion and life.

   All of the discrimination I have faced has been nothing that we're not used to-verbal, childish, something new to make us laugh all the time. I have had one "pentacle-grabbing" incident, as I'm sure many other Wiccans have experienced, and a friend of mine was accosted by a few drunks while performing a meditative ritual in her cloak. One of my best friends is attending a Catholic school in the Cities, and she was told by her religion professor that since she did not believe in God, her ideas were not relevant in the discussion. She said, "I do believe in a god... and a goddess... just not your god..." and his response was to say again, "Exactly, so you have no relevance in this discussion." None of this is new to us, and it's all petty. We have had our toes stepped on, and we are adults. It may happen more often here, but we can handle it, and we do...

   Wait a minute, though, here comes the doozy. The Christian culture here is not at all what I've found to be the problem. It's the ANTI-Christian culture. I say anti-Christian instead of non-Christian, because that is plain and simply what it is. The other half of my classamtes in Intro to the Bible; the ones who weren't hoping to expand their Christian faith or learn about what they believe... they all wrote about how they "hated having Christianity forced down their throats" and "resented having to take this class." I have probably met as many atheists here as I have Christians, as well as a small scattering of people who follow non-Christian religions. But I've found that I fit into their group even less than I fit into the Christian group, simply because I am tolerant of Chrsitians and their religion. I tried to make a presence on this campus, meet some people like me, and make up for the exclusiveness of the Forum for Inter-religious Discussion, so I started a Pagan discussion group. Everyone was welcome, I advertised, and we could talk about any and every religion that we pleased. The people that came to my meeting seemed more intent on looking for a Christian bashing forum than anything else. Where are all the people in-between? I've found devout and ignorant Christians, I've found Christian hating atheists, and I've yet to find what I'm looking for.

   It's not just Christianity that everyone seems to hate, either. "There are too many white people here. There are too many women here. There are not enough gay people here. There are not enough international students here." If you've ever lived in a dorm, you might be familiar with "potty sheets," big pieces of newprint put up in the bathroom stalls for you to write your innermost thoughts. Our current potty sheet topic is "Things I like and don't like about St. Olaf." Someone wrote right away, "95% caucasian?? That's going to breed a closed-minded atmosphere in and of itself." Among this were about 4 or 5 people writing that they are out of here next year; transferring to places where there's more people like them, and places where there are less whites, more exchange students, more gays, less Christians, etc., etc... and in all truth, these people fit the very description they're trying to get away from. Girls, whites, Minnesotans, etc. Fighting prejudice with prejudice: if it is bad to say that 95% caucasian is a good thing, is it not bad to say that 95% caucasian is a bad thing? This entire school has split itself up into the Christians and the anti-Christians, the X's and the O's, the Us's and the Them's. Where are the people who look at each individual? Where are all the in-betweens?

   There are various ways for you to help your situation at school as a proud and tolerant Pagan and find those in-betweens, depending on how ambitious and "out" you are. If you're a semi-gutsy sort, I would suggest starting a religious tolerance/discussion group or organization at your school (or a multi-cultural group, if that is your need). Most colleges and some high schools have their co-curricular system set up so that any student can start their own organization if they fulfill certain easy requirements, like having 4 members, having a written purpose, etc., and there are probably many other people at your school looking for the same sorts of religious and social outlets (Your student activities office or extra-curricular director can provide you with all the info and forms). Make an environment where people of any religion can feel comfortable speaking about faith. When you advertise for meetings, make sure the diverse purpose of your group is clear, while also making very sure that Christians know they are welcome. This sort of group will bring your X's and O's together for a dual purpose of awareness and bias-softening. Leading a group can also be an incredibly fulfilling experience, and also looks really good on applications and resumes.

   If your group gets under way, two important types of activities to involve yourself in are informative ones and social ones. You can provide informative fliers about different religions (like the WLPA's "Do's and Don't's of Witchcraft," which can be photocopied and distributed at will) in your school's post, in the cafeteria, or in homerooms. You could also start a newsletter or put up a homepage. If you give the people in your group the chance to get involved in writing for a newsletter or helping with other tasks, you're more likely to get the kind of diversity you're looking for, and being able to speak up about their religion gives everyone more confidence. Socially, your group could plan events centered around Pagan and religious holidays and have attendence open to the whole school. Parties are always a good way to loosen people up, and sneak in some education when they're not expecting it. Normally, school recognized organizations can obtain funds for office supplies, activities, and any other organizational expenses through the school. The funds available to you are usually more than you think.

   If you're not quite an "in-the-spotlight" type of person, remember that you can still make a difference. When you hear someone saying something you don't agree with-whether it be a small remark about Christians being closed minded, or an all out attack on non-Christians as Satan worshippers-speak your peace. You don't even need to let anyone know that you're pagan if you don't want to, but make them aware that what they've said bothers you. You can start a discussion or a debate, or you can simply say, "I don't feel that all Christians are like that." "You have to look at each individual for themselves, you know." "You may have some misconceptions about that religion." All of these are simple and harmless statements that don't even need explaining.

   I was thinking of transferring next year, to a place closer to home, with an easier music program, with more liberal people like me... I thought I would have problems at this school because I am not Christian, but in some ways, that's all I have going for me right now. But in light of what I've experienced here, I'm not going to bail out like everyone else. I'm going to stay at this school and find or make some diversity and tolerance if it means my eventual martyrdom.

   "I hug my black friends, and don't apologize for being white... I hug my gay friends, and don't apologize for being straight..." (Maude Meehan, "Is There Life After Feminism?") I will not apologize for being white, or straight, or female, or from Minnesota, or anything else that puts me in any majority group here, because I wanted to go to this school, and was accepted on my 3.8 GPA and my 36 ACT. I also will not apologize for St. Olaf's lack of recruiting of diverse students, because I am not responsible for that. And I certainly will not apologize for being tolerant of Chrsitianity, because I am not going to be a hypocrite. What I am going to do is to work my butt off to make this school the way I want it to be, instead of expecting it to change while I lay down. I am an in-between, hear me roar!

   Blessed Be,
   Fire Tiger