What exactly is a pagan?

Question

The first definition at www.dictionary.com says:

One who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew, especially a worshiper of a polytheistic religion.

Is that accurate?

Answer 1

Yes, that is fairly accurate. For a brief history of the word:

"Paganus" means someone who lives in a "pagus", ie, a rural administrative district. In Christian usage it gradually took on the meaning of non-Christian, since it was assumed that people who lived in such rural areas had not been Christianized. It wasn't particularly a derogatory label until late in the Empire, when it acquired the dual connotation of "hick" and "non-Christian". The people referred to as "Paganus" may have thought of themselves as "pagani" in relation to where they lived (if they lived in a pagus), but they wouldn't have applied the term to their religious practices. So the term "pagan" (in a religious context)was originally a label that was applied to a group of people, not from themselves, but from a culture outside of their own.

A person calling themselves "pagan" is a relatively new practice which may at best be traced back to the Modern Pagan movement of the Romantic period. I sometimes use the word "neo-pagan" (neo- means new) to indicate the difference between modern polytheists (like me) and the historical Celts who practiced their indigenous way of life. Actually, the ancient Celts did not have a specific word to describe their religion. If the ancient Celts would have had a word for their religion, it would have likely been something similar to "living" or "being" since religion wasn't separated from their way of life.

Answer 2

It's reasonably accurate, but it's not exactly *useful*. Among the problems it has is that it doesn't distingiush between people who call themselves pagan, and people who don't.

A great many Buddhists and Hindus do not wish to be considered "Pagan"--just like a great many Christians do not think of themselves as "cowans"--i.e. people who aren't members of a Wiccan coven. It's mostly used as a term of exclusion, and as such has problems.

When am trying to tell people what a "Pagan" is, I use the definition "a member of a religion with an immanent (non-transcendent) and/or polytheistic concept of divinity and rites & ceremonies based on or inspired by pre-Christian indigenous religions, Western occultism, feminist spirituality and/or nature-based spirituality."

Which is technical and someone complicated, but actually says something about their spirituality other than "they don't follow the God of Abraham."

Answer 3

I think that is pretty accurate. Christians, Muslims and Jews all worship the same god. A person would use the term "pagan" to describe anyone who worships a different god than they do.

Answer 4

yes pagans can believe in anything, they mostly reject the organizing of religion and the dogma that accompanies it. they may identify with any deity past or present, or just worship mother earth. there is no strict guidelines for someone to call themselves pagan. it's a personal choice, but you'll find most to be happy to discuss their beliefs if you're sincerely interested

Answer 5

If you are a christian muslim or jew that would be a definition, yes. My group, however, defines it as someone who follows or practices a folk religion.

Answer 6

Thats fairly accurate, though that description would also include Atheists and Agnostics whom I don't consider Pagans.

Answer 7

More or less, it is someone who practices one of a variety of ancient religions including Druidism and Wicca. Usually has lose ties to nature, many gods or even everything is god.

Answer 8

Pagan means false as in believing in pagan gods and pagan teachings if those gods or teachings are false.

Answer 9

It's a start

Answer 10

I would say so. I would not refer to the Tom Hanks movie Dragnet.