Historically there has been a significant link between Pagans and
libertarians.  One of the earliest
Pagan organizations, the Church of All Worlds, was inspired in significant part
by libertarian science fiction author Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a
Strange Land.
 Some of the founding folks involved in CAW considered
themselves libertarians.  You can
read about this in Margot Adler’s
Drawing Down the Moon. CAW people constituted many of the most creative and energetic people in our community, long published the leading Pagan magazine Green Egg, which is now an online journal, though most members would no longer call themselves libertarians.

In addition, I have met a number of libertarian Pagans over
the years – far more than would reflect the number of libertarians in our
society.  I think it is because the
libertarian view of personal liberty appeals to many of us who have been
attracted to a form of spiritual practice emphasizing personal practice out
from the guidance of gurus and masters and Higher Human Authorities. 

As the wonderful verse goes in the old Pagan song Heretic
Heart
 “My skin, my bones, my heretic
heart are my authority.”


Many of the old line libertarian Pagans as well as other
long time libertarians have been pushed out of the Libertarian Party as it has
been taken over by right wing authoritarians, such as their deeply anti-Pagan and
proudly ignorant
presidential candidate Bob Barr  as the Wild Hunt documented in 2008.  But once Pagans were a significant part of libertarians, just as libertarians
comprised an important part of the early NeoPagan movement.

Wild Hunt also reports that a libertarian Pagan is running
for office in Nevada as a candidate for the Libertarian Party.   See the June 28, 2010 Wild Hunt.  (scroll down) 

Googling about I found a Pagan Libertarian site that is still active or was recently: Ladies of Liberty.  But I am afraid with the growing right-wing authoritarian libertarians of the Bob Barr style and the growing disconnect of libertarian ideology and any sensitive discussion of nature and ecology, the two perspectives will gradually separate still farther.  

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