What's a pagan?

Question

is it a religion or a cult group?

Answer 1

The origins of the word "pagan" are somewhat in doubt. According to Ronald Hutton, in his book _The Triumph of the Moon_, it either began as a term for a rustic who didn't follow the state religion, or for someone who preferred the localized deities of the pagus. These two possibilities are pretty similar actually.

In the seventeen hundreds onward, it referred to anything of classical (Greek or Roman) origin- ironic, since it was the Romans who first came up with it, to mean NOT them!

By the Victorian era, the word had come to mean savage or uncivilised. You'd have to read the literature of the day to understand how this worked, but this could be either a good or a bad thing. The word was equally applied to Christian slaughtering cannibals, and wild, wise, noble, savages.

Right around then, there was a surge in the popularity of non Christian religions and magical practices as something to be followed, not just studied. Previously, this had been the province of secret societies like the Horseman's Word. Anyway, soon thereafter the word "pagan" came to mean anything non-Abrahamic, and the people who followed the Non-Abrahamic religions began to claim the word for themselves. We're still using it.

To the gentleman who noted that "multiple gods" isn't capitalised- for the record, many of us, particularly reconstructionist pagans, will capitalise the pronouns used by ALL gods. For example, I might say "I worship Manannan because He is a wise and protective deity". Gods in the plural isn't capitalised simply because fighting linguistic convention on that grand a scale probably wouldn't catch on.

That aside, it may be beneficial at this point to go into what a cult is. The best checklist I have found was created by a pagan, although others exist that have been designed by cociologists as well. Here it is.http://www.neopagan.net/ABCDEF.html

Anyway, a cult is an organisation that controls its members to a huge extent in their thoughts and behaviors. It endeavors to seclude its members from outside influence, in order to better control them. There is invariably a strong leader who is elevated almost to godhood by the members. This can happen in pagan groups, Christian groups, or anyone else, really. I've encountered cults of varying doctrines. A friend of mine got taken in by one by simply going to a church group when she went to college. College students are targeted by these groups because since they are away from people who know them, deviations in behavior will be harder to spot. By the time their families know, it's often too late. My friend didn't suspect anything was wrong because a Christian group couldn't be a cult, could it? Of course it could, and the assertion "you don't need to read the Bible, we'll tell you what you need to know" would have tipped her off if she'd read the above checklist.

Hope that helped.

Answer 2

Paganism usually refers to early pre Christian polythesitc faiths like Druidism, Wicca, and Strega. But there are many others.

They are not a cult group.

I have posted a link to Issac Bonewits Cult danger evaluation form, It shows how a philosophical movement could be a cult and hopefully will educate you on what a cult actually is.

Answer 3

It's a religion based on worship of more than one god.

Notice the word god is not capitalized, so there is a question then of what the true God is among pagan worshippersI don't know of anybody still practicing pagan worship.

I believe it kind of died with the early Roman Empire.

In the third century, Emperor Constantine converted the Romans to catholicism.

Answer 4

A pagan is a derogatory word created by Christians to demean non-Christians.

This often meant people's who had traditional beliefs in nature spirits and such.

Technically, now, it is anyone who has beliefs outside of Christian, Jewish, or Muslim; and particularly in polytheistic religions. This "not pagan" list is often now extended to include Hindus and Buddhists.

Most other religions would be deemed pagan.

Answer 5

From Wikipedia:

Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "a country dweller" or "civilian") is a blanket term which has come to connote a broad set of western spiritual or religious beliefs and practices of natural or polytheistic religions, as opposed to the Abrahamic monotheistic religions. "Pagan" is the usual translation of the Islamic term mushrik, which refers to 'one who worships something other than God'. Ethnologists do not use the term for these beliefs, which are not necessarily compatible with each other: more useful categories are shamanism, polytheism or animism. Often, the term has pejorative connotations, comparable to heathen, infidel and kafir (كافر) in Islam.

Answer 6

Actually, Pagan is a derogatory word created by Romans to call those people who didn't follow the state church. Christians used it later, but let's remember, that the first official church was Roman.

Nowadays, the word Pagan means something quite different and those who use it in a derogatory manner simply amuse us. It is true that we don't follow the state church, and we're proud of that fact.
http://www.sacredhearth.com/whatispagan.html

Answer 7

I had fallen faraway from the Catholic Church at approximately 13, while i began out asking skeptical questions, and have been given no sensible solutions. i grew to become into an agnostic for virtually ten years, and then began searching for some thing which made extra experience to me. My spouse had began examining approximately Pagan faiths many times, and Wicca in specific, and that i grew to become into in basic terms marginally involved, yet i grew to become into trekking in the extreme floor to the East human beings slightly, and that i sat down below a tree and watched the meadow and flow below me, and that i had a surprising, and fairly deep, effective adventure. I observed how existence grew to become into divided between the genders, each and each complimenting the different, and each and each desiring the different, and by surprise loads of what my spouse were speaking approximately looked as though it may click into place for me. As I persevered to take a seat down, surprised, I had some thing extra...very own ensue to me. i will in basic terms liken it to a Christian's account of individually connecting to God. It grew to become into in basic terms like that. The Lord and lady have been there with me, not promptly, and that i ought to make certain that the introduction reflects the author, and that, as such, there grew to become right into a God and a Goddess. After that, it in basic terms had to do with a brilliant sort of learn. i grew to become right into a believer, and now i wanted to understand extra. it is 18 years later now, and that i'm nevertheless getting to understand.

Answer 8

"pagan" is kind of a blanket term. it is usually used to refer to people who are not of a mainstream monotheistic religion, or to people who are involved with the occult or with occult-like practices. it may also be used (largely comically or with out strong intent) to refer to an atheist or agnostic etc., in the sense that the person is not of a religion (as such)

typically, though, when i think of a "pagan" i tend to think of someone who is in touch with spirituality without being a bible-thumper - someone who has found and identifies with a personal set of beliefs that allows them to better make sense of the world.

but regardless of my personal ideas, the general connotation of the word "pagan" seems to be a barbarian or similar individual

hope that helps

Answer 9

depends on your perspective

pagans believe in the earth gods so it is a religion, with doctrines and rituals.

but if you don't believe in it it may seem like a cult.....

Answer 10

this is some of what pagan is about
http://andycaine.lovespells.hop.clickbank.net