The human mind is like a computer (an analog computer which is why it isn't all that accurate, but the recent scientific research actually bears this out). Language, Religion, and Culture form our operating system. They shape how our minds accept and process information. Now, I am a member of a steadily increasing minority. Wiccans who were actually raised as Wiccans. Because of the relative youth of Modern Wicca, most of the people who are Wiccans converted as adults. Now, with absolutely no disrespect to those who have found Wicca. Since their minds operating system was fully developed when they found Wicca, they still sometimes tend to see the world from their old perspective. I don't, I always see the world from a Wiccan perspective. Not that a Wiccan perspective is all that set in stone. After all, if you ask five different Wiccans what Wicca is about you will get twelve different answers. But, it does make for the fact that I'm completely unable to understand some of the concepts that are taken for granted in our majority Christian society. For instance, I can not wrap my mind around the concept of Damnation.
Even though Wiccans are usually WASPs (White Anglo Saxon Pagans) we are a small enough minority to face Religious Discrimination. For the most part it's little things like the constant question of ",So you cast spells?" To the time that I had my taking Samhaim off from school declared an illegal absence when I was in High School. (As an interesting side note, I have had no trouble at all with that in the workforce. In fact I had a manager who was familiar with Wicca who went out of his way to make sure I had my religious holidays off.) The oddest part of that was they would have given me that day as a legal absence if I'd been Catholic. But, sometimes it's major. The most glaring is the fact that I've had my Pentacle ripped off of my neck. Also, there's been more than once where I've had to worry that I was going to be beaten for my Religion.
My Religious Beliefs are actually what made me heavily anti-George W. Bush during the 2000 election. You see, I discovered that then Candidate Bush was on record as saying that those of my faith should not be allowed to practice our Religion. At the time there were actually people who tried to tell me that Shrub wasn't serious. Unfortunately, as the last several years have shown. It's when George is being malicious and bigoted that we see the true man.
While it's not something I've ever been particularly serious about. I've always had some small desire to run for office. But, if belonging to a relatively mainstream Sect like Mormonism is enough to affect your ability to run. What would happen if I, a Wiccan, ran for office? This latest kerfuffle definitely has reinforced my feeling of being shut out of the political process. Not that I'm not already shut out of the process. As a member of the Working Class (or in more blunt terms, the poor,) who's tried to become involved with local politics. I've already had the experience of being solicited for a "small donation" that was equal to more than half a days pay.
Seeing the world from the perspective of a Minority Religion can also allow deep insight. The best example of that is the fact that the Religious Society of Friends started the abolition movement. Since the Friends see God within everyone they could not in good conscience allow the mistreatment of others. This belief is also the root reason why the Friends are pacifists.