Dear Pagans :-): can you please explain me what Paganism is?

Answer 1

http://www.sacredhearth.com/whatispagan

Answer 2

That is a long and involved answer. Basically Neo-Paganism is an umbrella name for a whole bunch of different branches of beliefs. Quite like Christianity is.... people are either Lutheran, or Baptist, etc. Wicca is an example of a branch of Paganism. Neo-Pagan religions are earth based and drawn from the pre-christian pagan religions. There are several great books and web sites you can look up. "Paganism" by Joyce and River Higginbotham and "The Complete Idiots Guide to Paganism" are two great books.

This is a great web page: http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm

Pagans are so diverse that you can't say that they are all polytheistic. Some are monotheistic, though most aren't.

Also, while most pagans are witches that is not a requirement. There are many who aren't witches and many witches who aren't pagan.

Please, please feel free to message me if you have any questions.

Just a side note: I dislike "When someone you know is Wiccan" it has a few untrue facts, but mostly I dislike it because it gets condescending toward Christians. The rest of wytchgypsy's suggestions are great.

As to Ryan's answer: There are no "real" pagans. The old pagan religions were almost all lost. Druids, etc recreated their religion off of what we do know. In some cases, such as Roman beliefs, that is a good amount...and in other cases such as the Celts, it is not a lot.
What he said about Wicca is true. I also don't like Gardener's version of Wicca. That is why I am Pagan and not Wiccan. But, there are other types of Wicca, Gardener's was just the first. But Neo-Paganism is simply the historically correct term to use. Neo-Pagan religions include Druidism and Shamanism, which have nothing to do with Christianity. There aren't really any original pagan religions left. They all kinda got taken over by Christianity or some other religion. Meaning their practices were lost to time.

Answer 3

I am a pagan and a witch. Paganism is an earth based belief. Pagan revere nature as the true creation. That doesn't mean that all pagans are witches because they are not. Just like the other secular religions there are different practices. You have the solitars who worship by themselves, druids, and many different witchcraft traditions. The one common thread is the reverence for nature and the changing seasons.

Answer 4

undead grove got it right... it's just a religion that worships nature- the sun and the moon are two of the main deities, the sun represents male energy, and the moon represents female energy. Paganism has been around far longer than christianity, and christianity borrows most of its traditions from paganism (i.e. easter is a pagan fertility celebration, and christmas is based on the pagan winter solstice celebration) so christians that denounce paganism have some identity issues to work out...

Answer 5

At it's simplest,it is an umbrella label to describe indigenous "Old World" faiths. In other words the European/Mediterranean faiths that were conquered by Christianity. It is not Anti-Christian, it's Pre-Christian.

By far the majority of (neo) Pagan faiths are "life affirming" faiths and respect other faiths as equally valid as their own.

There are some who identify with that label while using "New World" spiritual symbols AND there are some faiths who fit in this category may choose to use a different label. As conflicting as this may seem, this is their right. It is an individual thing.

It's the individual nature of it that makes it so hard to clearly define.

Answer 6

It's the belief that God has a male and a female side (The God and Goddess) and that They are manifested in all of nature and nature's creatures. Paganism teaches about karma, that whatever you do will come back to you. It teaches of reincarnation, and the use of magick. We are forbidden to harm other people, and we are forbidden to proselytize our faith. All acts of love are rituals of the Goddess. If you want to learn more on your own, I suggest reading "When Someone you Love is Wiccan" by Carl McColman, or "The Truth about Witchcraft Today" by Scott Cunningham. Steer clear of books written by Silver RavenWolf, she is a walking joke. I hope that help your understanding, and thank you for asking. Blessed be.

Frodo's recommended website is a good read as well.

Answer 7

actually there are 2 types of pagans theres the real pagans who actually follow the traditional rules and wat not then there are the neo-pagans who follow the reformed christian systemwhich was also bassed from wicca which is the base of neo paganism wicca is basically a newer ver of witch craft but in a controled way kinda like christianity and catholosismand it was created 50-80 yrs ago by gerald garner (bad spelling) real pagans follow there own paths and ways and not just 1 way is absolutethat and the form of teaching is diffrent as well

Answer 8

Normally, a pagan is someone that isn't monotheistic... someone who believes in more than one God. Sometimes it is used as a broad term to describe anyone who does not believe in the same religion. Example: If I am a Christian, then all other beliefs are pagan; If I am a Muslim, then Christians are pagan..etc.. normally, it refers to less traditional religions such as Wiccan beliefs....

Answer 9

A Pagan does not have a belief in God, as most people do. A person practising Wicken, which is witchcraft related, is a Pagan.

Answer 10

generally any religion that is not judaism, christianity or islam, is a pagan religion, some people also include hinduism and buddhism into nonpagan religions.

modern neopagan religions generally are just religions that centre around the earth and often or reconstructions of ancient classical religions and medieval practices with a dash of philosophy thrown in.

Answer 11

realtime_rachel, I am a pagan for being a christian?

are jews the only ones who will go to heaven?. Wow no wonder people talk so badly about jews. Now I am getting it.