What is so wrong about Pagans? (See additional details)?

Question

I do not want a Bible/Qu'ran/Torah answer. I want a real, thought-out answer.

What is so wrong about the Pagans to you? I am tired of people mocking us and saying we do not believe in something true, that our beliefs are only myths, that we're going to Hell.

Put the books aside and answer this yourself... what is so wrong about us to you?

Is it because we believe something different from you? Is that really all it is? The difference in belief? I thought it was being different that made everybody beautiful.

Atheists who try to answer this, please do no say that we are all insane/stupid for believing in something not real. You cannot prove it is or is not real. And we have done nothing to Atheists, at all.

So, please, give a thought-out answer without Bible-references. I expect all answers to come with some sort of explanation...

Answer 1

I think much of what turns people off about Paganism is twofold: One reason is that the vast majority of Pagans are teenage Pseudo-Pagans; They can name a couple of their deities, they wear a pentacle, and they can at least superficially celebrate a couple of its holidays, but little else. I remember speaking to a Wiccan couple, and they were absolutely psyched about participating in Samhain. What made this hilarious, is that the man pronounced it "Sam-hane." I tried not to laugh, after all, how would you react if I called it "Ch-riste-mace?",-and, yes, I know the origins of Christmas. When I gently corrected their pronunciation by saying "Oh, do you mean "Sow-en?", they looked at me oddly and accused me of knowing nothing of their beliefs. I suspect that Pagans react the same when a Christian displays ignorance about his/her own religion.

The second reason is that Paganism is a religion celebrated by a small segment of the population and retains the vestiges of its old-world heritage, a heritage that has always riled Christianity with its witchcraft and polytheism. Most Christians know little of the religion and, as humans, we fear what we do not know. Case in point, how many Christians, other than myself, do you know actually know what a "hand fasting" is?

If you run into the latter, kindly remind the person that Catholicism is a blended religion: a blend of Christianity and Chaldean Paganism, and who fears Catholics?

Answer 2

I will be really honest with you. I don't think that there is anything wrong with pagan beliefs. It is one of the oldest religions in our world. My family came from Ireland and Scotland and I am a direct descendant of Pagans. I don't practice their religion because I don't understand it but in a way I know that somewhere deep inside me it is there. I have seen a lot of people try to expand paganism and that is what I don't understand really. If pagans have been around for thousands of years, like we all know that they have been, then why do the younger people try to change it and mold it into their practices instead of following the ancient ways? Don't let Christians make you feel bad about being pagan because Christians celebrate pagan holiday's and read a bible that was translated by a pagan king. As far as the hell thing. I think that even the darkest depths of hell are lighter than anything the human eye can stand to see. If this is your belief then it is very real to you and I respect that. Reality is just what humans try to make up as they go. Good Luck!

Answer 3

I don't know exactly what it is that you, as a pagan believe, but if it includes the supernatural (spirits, life after death, etc.), I'd say that you're simply wrong for believing in something not real.

Notice how that differs from saying that you are "insane/stupid". Pagan false beliefs in the supernatural are no more or less stupid than are Christian or Islamic (or any other) beliefs in the supernatural, and in fact it's quite clear that one does not have to be insane or unusually stupid to have such beliefs. But the supernatural beliefs are still false.

Now, I may be way off track here in assuming that among your beliefs are some beliefs in the supernatural, and if so, I apologize in advance. I consider myself a "Bright", which simply means that I have a purely naturalistic worldview: I believe in the natural world around me, and see no reason to believe in anything beyond that or any advantage in believing in anything beyond it. I believe that does the most justice to the wonderful natural world that we live in.

I suspect that most pagans share the sentiment, but just have not made the leap that a "Bright" has made to disconnect that completely from the traditional religious beliefs that we are typically raised with. In a way, being a "Bright" is like being a "Pagan plus" - taking the idea to the next level, and entirely getting rid of the worship of words and ideas, in deference instead to nature itself.

Answer 4

As an atheist, I see nothing wrong with Paganism/Wicca. I has a lovely long traditional history & is in sync. with modern conservation. The fact it does have an ancient text like the Torah or Bible seems to upset some people; but this is only because it never had a uniformity of oral tradition and tended to be more localised. I see it as being very close to the native religions of the original inhabitants of the new world & Japanese Shintoism.

Answer 5

First, I have no qualms with pagans. You have a belief system just as the rest of the folks who believe in a higher diety do. (No slam is meant on agnostics or atheists. Yours is a non-belief system or a belief-in-yourself system)

Some people feel odd, because you worship the sun, the moon, trees, and put a lot of emphasis on the winter solstice or the vernal equinox.

People just don't understand what it is a pagan does, thinking about animals sacrifice and whatever the druids do at Stonehenge.

They may also be afraid, as it represents a kind of primitive belief, more in tune with the Dark Ages.

Answer 6

Paganism is a catch all label for all religions outside Christianity and Islam. Many of those religions expounds on the same precepts that christianity enshrined in the ten commandments. Love your neighbor, do unto others...etc.

I see no wrong with pagans. Perhaps because my Dad was Buddhist before becoming a Christian. But we, I am sorry to say, christians are still suffering from the mentality of the crusades. We want to convert you dear, and save your soul whether you like it or not, for you know not what you are doing...and we'll do it by the end of the sword if we must.

Answer 7

Atheist/Rationalist here.

I see nothing "wrong" with paganism. Its' kind of a nice gentle belief system, earth goddess stuff, harmony with nature etc. Its certainly less destructive than christianity and islam. And they usually have really good weed, too.

As a reformed christian, I naturally have a bit more resentment against, and knowledge about the jesus cult and feel more compelled to challenge christians on their mythological beliefs. Also christians are in a dangerous majority in the USA and are politically enmeshed and wreaking the havoc of their belief system on the rest of the world. (yes...the same goes for islam)

That being said, I do find pagan beliefs just as silly, misguided, misinformed, ignorant, gullible, credulous as more mainstream religion. You are just, as Douglas Adams put it......Mostly Harmless. So I don't usually waste my time pagan bashing.

Have a nice day, and do an extra dance around the mandala next solstice for me.

Answer 8

I think the reason most so-called religious ppl are against "pagans" or ppl into withcraft etc, is b/c they think it is of the Devil. To them, it's the same as practising Satanism. It's believed to be against God and therefore they feel the need to be against it.

As for other ppl, I think it's just a misunderstanding or basic ignorance. I say to each his/her own. If ppl want to practise any kind of spirituality without harming someone else or another creature, more power to them! I think there are many mysteries in life, and if ppl want to explore them safely in the name of goodness I don't see why anyone should have a problem with it.

PS - wow, what a both "insane" and "stupid" answer by "Paul S"! Why do ppl who don't believe in life after death think they're incredibly intelligent? Einstein believed in God, and I highly suspect this guy isn't anywhere close to having the IQ Einstein had....

Answer 9

Im Christian.. and I dont see a damn thing wrong with Pagans.. Its a really beutiful religion if you ask me.. Worshiping nature.. I see nothing wrong with that at all..
People should not judge others because of different religious beliefs.. It is stupid, and all it does is spread hate..
I hope that you get at least, out of this answer, that not all Christians are the sterotypical preachers..

Answer 10

There's nothing wrong with Pagans to me. I think it is good for people to believe in something, doesn't really matter to me what it is. I don't think anyone can give you a good reason why people find fault with Pagans without citing other religious beliefs. Good luck!