The difference between information, mission, evangelism, and proselytizing.

Information

Information is telling people about your path without any attempt at conversion or coercion. This is the ideal mode of communication in an interfaith dialogue setting. It’s also the default mode for Pagans telling people about our path.

Example: “Hello, I’m a Pagan and I am nonbinary and support trans rights. I also write books about inclusive Wicca and witchcraft.”

Pagans are not interested in making converts or persuading people to believe in the gods, because we believe that Paganism is a response to the natural world that comes from within. Either you feel it, or you don’t.

We are usually interested in informing people about Pagans because there’s been so much misinformation about us.

Mission

I’m not quite sure what “mission” means, as different people use it differently. In many cases, it seems to mean helping others.

For example, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee goes to places where there has been a disaster and helps people who other aid organizations won’t help, like sex workers. They do this without attempting to convert them.

By contrast, many religious aid organizations seem to exist to provide help to others in the hope that they will convert to their religion.

If Pagans have a mission, it is probably to persuade people to live in harmony with Nature and act sustainably.

Evangelism

Evangelism is telling people about the benefits of a thing. It’s trying to persuade them by selling the positive aspects of a thing. However, evangelism is dishonest if it conceals the existence of a threat (see proselytizing, which makes the threat explicit). In practice, evangelism and proselytizing often go together.

Evangelism is annoying in much the same way as sales is annoying. If I don’t want the thing, I don’t want sales calls about it. If I do want the thing, I’ll do my own research to find the best option.

Example: I’d like to tell you about the benefits of being in the cult of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I was touched by his noodly appendage and now I feel orgasmic. Are you not awed by the wonders of the FSM?

Proselytizing

Proselytizing is telling people that they are in danger of damnation if they don’t convert. There’s nothing good about proselytizing.

Example: If you don’t believe in my special flying teapot, it will cast you into the garbage with all the used teabags and potato peelings for eternity.

I used a ridiculous example just to show how bizarre this claim really is.