Question for Pagans?

Question

What is Paganism? Do you have a book that you follow like the bible for Chritians? I would like as much FACTUAL (not peoples opinions that really don't know, or bashing) information as possible. I am trying to educate myself. Thanks;)

Answer 1

To the minds of medieval Europeans, there were only three religions: Christianity (by which they ment Roman Catholic), Judaism, and Everything Else. The English word for "Everything Else" is "Paganism".

Today, you can ask 10 people who consider themselves to be practicing Pagans to define "Pagan" and get at least 12 different answers. Some say they worship a creator goddess, some say they worship nature or nature spirits, some profess faith in "the devine pair" - a male god and female goddess who share the godhead.

There is no single book that is considered sacred by a majority of Pagans.

Answer 2

Pagans do not have one book that they follow, although there are a variety of books about Paganism avaliable.

There are also several different branches of Paganism, such as Wicca and Hedgewitchery. I'm know most about Wicca, so i'll just give you some brief info on that particular branch of Paganism :o)

Wicca is a Pagan religion that has developed recently, and focuses around nature and the worship of a God and Goddess, who are related to the natural aspects of the Sun (masculine) and the Moon (feminine). Wiccan's tend to be far more inclusive of women than a lot of other religions - they recognise a female deity and females and femininity are thought to be very important.

They cast spells, but not in a creepy way - they consider it an active prayer, a way to show the God and Goddess that they wan't what they are praying for enough to go through the effort of finding the right herbs/the right colored candles/crystals etc.

They celebrate a number of Sabbats throughout the year, including the Summer Solstice. Some of these Sabbats do not have fixed dates but depend on the movements and phases of the moon.

They follow the Wiccan Rede, which says:

Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.

For tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.

Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,
let love and light be our guides again.

Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane,
and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.

When the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek.

Heed the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.

When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.
When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.

Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.

Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God's
insight. Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.

Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.

Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.

Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.

Elder is the Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.

As the old year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain.
When the time for Imbolc shows watch for flowers through the snows.

When the wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lamas night power is brought to magick rite.

Four times the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all.
When the wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules.

In the spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun has reached it's height time for Oak and Holly to fight.

Harvesting comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the flower, bush, and tree by the Lady blessed you'll be.

Where the rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you'll know.
When you have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.

With a fool no season spend or be counted as his friend.
Merry Meet and Merry Part bright the cheeks and warm the heart.

Mind the Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow.

Be true in love this you must do unless your love is false to you.

These Eight words the Rede fulfill:

"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Technically, paganism is any religion other than Christianity. Nowadays it is considered any religion other than Judaism and its offshoots: Islam, Christianity, Bahai, Druze, etc.-- or other than all the major religions including Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism, however, has a lot in common with the polytheistic religions that were originally called pagan by Judaic practitioners. Originally, among Christians, it meant the Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Germanic and Near Eastern polytheistic religions. Much of the cult practice these religions engaged in went underground with the ascension of Christianity or were incorporated into local superstitions and practices within rural Christianity. This became known as witchcraft. Most pagans today consider all of this their heritage, from the original Eleusinian Mysteries of Demeter in Greece to the Magick of medieval Europe and have ressurected these practices in new forms. Most practices revolve around the worship of nature or the forces that drive nature. Some call this Wicca and treat it as a new (old) religion. Technically, you could call yourself a pagan if you merely agreed with Plato or any other Deist, but didn't believe in Christ or Moses or that the Bible had any supernatural right to the truth. Or, if you started worshipping Odin and Thor, or Zeus and Dionysus, you'd also be a pagan. My favorite pagan deity is the Green Man. Look that one up. Worship of Deistic nature survived within Christianity for well over a thousand years within the community of stone masons. Check out almost any 12th-17th c. church in England or sometimes elsewhere in Europe and you can find icons of the Green Man hidden in the corners or over doors.

Answer 4

Pagan has come to mean anyone that is not in the Christian/Jewish/Islam religions. But Paganism as is seen in Wicca is many different cultural/folk religions. It had a lot of superstitious beliefs (still does, actually)... such as crossing your fingers for good luck, horseshoes over doorways, etc... People were very ignorant of the world around them during those times and so created certain things in order to make them feel more in control. I mean, come on, some of these people had gods for everything, including personal gods for towns.
I suggest, if you really want to look into that sort of thing, to pick a culture that you are interested in and read up on its history. Or you can alway try reading the Golden Bough.

Answer 5

It is difficult to fit Pagans into one category because they are of all ages, creeds, races, and classes. Paganism is a study of the occult but it isn’t a cult. People hear "occult" and they associate it with cults such as followers of Charles Manson, the Branch Dividians or Heaven's Gate. These groups are analogous to murder or suicide and brainwashing. Occult also brings up images of Satan or wart covered witches.

Like any group, the occult has fanatics and conservatives. Unfortunately, immoral fanatics have made the biggest impression on society. The majority of pagans and mystics don't fit this horrible stereotype. Pagans do not acknowledge the existence of Satan. The definition of occult is involvement in the unseen, mysterious, and supernatural. It is a search for understanding of those universal powers of God, or the human consciousness and nature, which human beings haven't deciphered yet. To some Paganism is the peaceful search for God through nature, to others it is a path of personal responsibility and growth.

Pagans feel they are the caretakers and not the dominate force of the earth. “Part of this rethinking goes along with the resurgence of Goddess-worship, which is widespread in the Pagan movement. Many Pagans look to the fertility Goddesses of old and vibrant, dynamic models for ecological balance,” states the Pagan Educational Network. They revere the earth because of the common view that the God/dess resides in all things, manmade and natural. Pagans do have different ideas on who or what God is and if there are Gods. To damage the earth is sacrilege. Many Pagan rituals celebrate and mark transitions in the natural world (such as the four seasons, lunar phases, birth, and death or re-birth into the afterlife) as well as personal milestones (such as marriage, graduation, or a new home).

Pagan rituals and beliefs are as diverse as the different branches of Christianity. There are many different traditions within Paganism: Reclaiming, Asatru, Druidry, and Wicca are just a few. Some Pagans do not belong to a single tradition. Instead they explore the world and find their own unique path.
To know what a Pagan believes you must ask that person. People can not be easily labeled and neatly organized into categories. Personality types and philosophies among Pagans are as diverse as the different people of the world. Pagans are united by the idea that people should live by their conscious and not a strict dogma and that every person has the right to worship and live as they please as long as they are not harming others.

Pagans thirst for knowledge. They believe the Divine mind or life’s mysteries are revealed through the intricate balances of chemistry, biology and physics that allow all life to exist. Pagans tend to be avid readers with interests in art, science, social service, personal growth and creativity.

Pagans emphasize the use of holistic medicine, meditation and ritual as a form of prayer or enlightenment, the natural energy fields that surround the human body (chakras or auras), and stones and crystals. These tools are used to learn about this world and beyond. According to PEN, “While some Pagan religions can be quite esoteric, most Pagan beliefs and practices are rooted in everyday, natural experience. Myths, rituals, and techniques are adapted to meet particular needs.”

Answer 6

Pagans believe in personal gnosis for the most part. Much of our knowledge and guidance is gained through meditation, journey and astral travel. We do not have a specific book, but we respect the wisdom of many authors from many different faiths. We also make an effort to know as much about ancient history, mythology, various cultures and science as possible, believing these thing to be very important to our spirituality. Those of us who follow Earth-based paths will tend to be very into science and base our morality around environmental concepts. But no, we do not have a One book or One central authority.

Answer 7

I'd suggest picking up the following for introductory information on Paganism.

_The Paganism Reader_ by Chas Clifton, Ed.

_Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions_ by Joyce Higginbotham (Higginbotham has published several books on the subject).

Both are very informative!

Answer 8

The word "pagan" was originally used for all people not Christian. Today it has come to mean anyone polytheistic. There are quite a few polytheistic religions. Some have holy books, and others don't. Hinduism is probably the biggest polytheistic religion, and its holy book (if it can be called that, Hinduism is very different from western religions) is called the Vedas.

Answer 9

I had fallen faraway from the Catholic Church at about 13, at the same time as i began asking skeptical questions, and were given no useful solutions. i became an agnostic for exceedingly a lot ten years, and then began looking for some thing which made more effective experience to me. My spouse had started studying about Pagan faiths regularly, and Wicca particularly, and that i became in undemanding words marginally in touch, yet i became hiking contained in the intense floor to the East human beings a touch, and that i sat down less than a tree and watched the meadow and bypass less than me, and that i had a unexpected, and rather deep, effectual journey. I noted how existence became divided between the genders, each and each complimenting the different, and each and each wanting the different, and abruptly a lot of what my spouse were speaking about appeared to click into position for me. As I persevered to sit down, surprised, I had some more thing effective...own ensue to me. i am going to in undemanding words liken it to a Christian's account of in my opinion connecting to God. It became same to that. The Lord and woman were there with me, by some potential, and that i ought to work out that the creation reflects the author, and that, as such, there turned right into a God and a Goddess. After that, it in simple terms had to do with a good number of be taught. i turned right into a believer, and now i had to understand more effective. that is 18 years later now, and that i'm nonetheless learning.

Answer 10

Pagan comes from Latin meaning country dweller, rustic, peasant. Since Christianity spread more readily in urban areas these early urban dwellers differentiated between themselves and their non-Christian brothers living in the countryside

As Christianity grew, the meaning of the word took on a negative connotation. Instead of "country bumpkin" (my word), PAGAN began to mean heathen or infidel.

There seems to be a growing movement creating some kind of Pagan religion. Google the word and see what you come up with