Why Choose The Name "Pagan Heretic"?

I Choose the name "Pagan Heretic" Because I went by that moniker on Myspace's Religion Forum for a time, and that was already an E-mail Address I used, So it was easier to use that as a contact e-mail for this site. But, that is not the only reason I choose the name, though it does make for an easy explanation.  

I choose the name Pagan, because I identify myself as a follower of Pagan Philosophy and Spirituality, and value the concept of Earth Stewardship and believe in the idea of a Female- Divine presence....a goddess if you will...as a co-creator force side by side with the Masculine Male-Divine presence....the god.  As well, as the fact that as previously described this site is intended to relay information and resources/references  about Pagan Religious practices as well as be a networking site for those seeking knowledge, wisdom, and just general information about Pagan religions.

And I choose the name "Heretic" because  it may be defined as "a person who has committed  heresy" Wikipedia 

"Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma"  - Wikipedia

Websters Defines a "Heretic" as one who is; "a dissenter from established religious dogma...." - Merriam-Websters Online Dictionary

In past conversations on other religious forum sites those of the other "mainstream" "established" religions would call me a "Heretic"  when I would share my beliefs which they would deem "controversial"  and in their eyes calling someone a "heretic" was seen as a negative connotation.....

But, I believe that being a "Heretic" is a positive thing, not a negative thing, and by calling this site "The Pagan Heretic" I am attempting to embrace that word, much like the term "Pagan" used to be seen as a negative connotation until modern day practitioners adopted the word and turned it from a word that used to mean "A backwoods Uneducated Country Bumpkin" in ancient Rome, to now stand for those who practice reverence and stewardship for Mother Earth, and follow a spirituality based on the balance of feminine and masculine divine energies. --- 

I feel that the word "heretic" can also be a positive thing. If you look at all the religious leaders of the world who are revered, I'm sure at one time or another they were seen as "heretics" within their chosen religious sect for standing up to the "status-Quo" of their time.  The word "Heretic" is not only use to describe those who challenge the set religious "status-Quo" but it was also used for those men of Science who questioned how things were, People who considered a "heretic" for centuries for insisting that the world was in fact round and not flat. The Famous Galileo Galilei  Was known as a "heretic" to the Roman Church in Italy for questioning the theory of the time that the Sun Revolved around the Earth, by insisting that the Earth in fact revolved around the Sun. He turned out to be right, and now Modern Science accepts what he and other Scientists theorized as common truths today, that they were ostracized for back in their own time. 

In short, to me a "Heretic" is someone who stands up for what they believe in, and sticks to their own moral compass and questions things as they are, even if those around  them see them as fools for questioning the "status-Quo" of how things are. 

That is why I chose the name "The Pagan Heretic" as the moniker for this  blogspot site and as the name for the main "ThePaganHeretic" website. Thank You.