What exactly are pagans? In your own words, please?

Answer 1

What is a Pagan?

The celebration of equinox and solstice are commonly referred to as pagan holidays. Although the term pagan is used to describe any number of non-Christian belief systems, the actual term means something far different. The term's origins are from the Latin word paganus meaning "country dweller."

Christianity had taken hold in most of the towns and cities of the old Roman Empire but, by no means, was embraced outside of those enclaves. Those whose livelihood depended on the natural cycles of the seasons still followed those ancient beliefs. So the term paganus became synonymous with one who not only lived in rural areas—most of ancient Europe and Great Britain—but also one who did not follow the teachings of the Church. In time, and through language changes, the old Latin word became shortened to pagan and, while its original meaning became lost in the passage of time, the reference to non-Christian belief systems remained.

Festivals of the Lunar Calendar

The Eves
As with all lunar calendars, the actual celebration of many of these days begins the previous night. For example, Imbolc begins the night of January 31, Beltane, the night of April 30 and Lammas, the night of July 31.

For those who follow the Elder Path, eight major festivals, or sabots, mark the year. It should also be pointed out that this is a lunar year rather than a solar one. The reason for this is that the lunar cycle closely mirrors the human female cycle and, most certainly, reflects the sacredness of fertility in the natural order.

Candlemas: falls between January 31 and February 2, also known as Imbolc, Brigits's Day and February Eve. It marks the first indication of spring and may also have been an early basis for Groundhog Day.

Spring Equinox or Ostara: on or around March 21st, the beginning of spring.

Beltane: May 1st, also known as May Eve. Denotes the union of God and Goddess and the time when the seeds that have been planted now begin to sprout and grow.

Summer Solstice: on or around June 22nd, also called Midsummer, the longest day of the year.

Lammas or Lughnasadh: August 1st. The first harvest festival and the time when the seeds that have been tended with care show the fruit soon to be reaped.

Autumnal Equinox: on or around September 21st, the first day of fall.

Samhain: October 31st, also called All Hallows Eve or Halloween. This is often viewed as the New Years' Eve for those who follow the Olde Way. It marks a time of reflection not only of the past year, but of all that has gone before. The barriers between worlds are flexible this night and those who have gone before can walk among us. The harvest is done and now God and Goddess rest until spring again returns.

Winter Solstice: on or around December 22nd, the first day of winter.

Although celebrations of the solstice and equinox come to us from a far more simplistic time, they are, nevertheless, the foundations for our modern way of life and, in a deeper sense, for the rhythms of our existence. Truly, these celebrations, changed as they may be, are as timeless and eternal as the Great Wheel whose spokes they are.

Answer 2

This is a broad and deep topic.
Pagans are not the status quo.
Pagans believe in multiple Gods and Goddesses, and under that umbrella there are many decidedly different groups.
Pagans are NOT far from God. This is a narrow minded judgement, that too many people take for face value. It has undermined all of spiritualism, and this is a travesty for ALL believers. We are not so different as they would think. Just because we are multi-theistic, many of us pan-theistic (that all Gods and Goddesses are really One at the center of all this, and each represents a different energy and has different roles.) does not suggest that we are the Canaanites of our times. We have been greatly slandered, and many have made a mockery of the Wiccan faith. I must STRESS that many Wiccans and pagans do not believe in Hell, and as such, we realize that life is the Hell that is spoken of. If you do a terrible misdeed, well you get to come back and experience that, so that your soul can recieve it's karmic punishment. Now, in comparison, which seems fairer? Hellfires or real struggle? Not knowing why this horrible thing has happened? Paying for your mistakes?
There is much more to this than meets the eye. And NO, it's not just about ME ME ME, in fact, it's much more about the people around me and those I can help. So people shouldn't be making uninformed judgements about a group that they don't understand. I think that we have been portrayed in a bad light by the younger generations that are too glad to share their views, and this is akin to the fundamentalists extolling their beliefs. When someone finds something that fulfills them and works for them, they try to share it, sometimes not being as respectful as one should, but does it matter that these people are just excited? You know, if no one ever tried to share their views, then nothing new would come along, and still many would be without Light.
Blessed Be.

Answer 3

I have been told I am, though i do not consider myself to be pagan, rather an unbeliever. The closest thing i can describe is the concept of Karma.. whatever you do will come back to you.
if you are a bad person you will have bad things happen to you.
I believe that the seasons have a direct effect on the well being of people and that astrology has some truth to it but not all that bunk you read in the horoscopes. I do not sacrifice animals and small children nor do i dance naked by the moon( in the name of religion anyway.)

Answer 4

Don't listen to anyone that tells you we practice Satanic rituals and drink goat blood and sacrifice babies. It is not true, and that is a false rumour spread by the Church. A Pagan is also not just someone who is not Muslim, Christian, or Jewish. Paganism is a specific religion that is usually polytheistic, ditheistic, and sometimes nontheistic. It is a very earth-based, nature revering, peaceful, open-minded faith, and there are SEVERAL different branches including Wicca, Neo-Paganism, Druidism, and much more. Look on Wikipedia, there's lots of information.

Answer 5

Pagan meaning country dweller was coined to be derogatory term used by Christians to term anyone not like them as most people who still practiced non-Christianity lived in the country.

Most people however associate paganism with earth religions such as Wicca, Greek, Roman, and Egyptian Mythology, plus other Celtic, Norse and Aztec religions.

Usually there is a reverence for the seasons such as summer and winter solstice, fertility celebrated as Beltane, and various other holidays like Samhain.

There has of recent been a combining of such ideologies making it murkier to define who is who. New Age philosophy could be said to include an amalgamation of such ideas.

In short the word Pagans mean slight to greatly different things to different people of which have positive, negative or neutral associations.

Answer 6

In a nutshell to me it is someone who doesn't follow one of the three major religions, Christianity, Judiasm, or Islam. It is someone that believes in more than one deity. I am Wiccan. I believe in a Mother Goddess and a Father God. Together they make up every aspect of Creation. But this is just what I think. There's more than one way of defining a Pagan. All Wiccans are Pagans, but not all Pagans are Wiccans.

Answer 7

It's difficult to say "exactly" because different people have different interpretations of the word. See the entry on Paganism on ReligiousTolerance.org for examples.

In my case, someone who follows an earth-based spirituality that focuses on the natural cycles of life and includes ideas and myths of pre-Christian societies (primarily Greek and Celtic).

Broadly, someone who is not Christian, Muslim or Jewish.

More commonly, someone who follows a polytheistic spirituality that may incorporate or attempt to reconstruct religious and spiritual practices of pre-Christian societies.

It is important to note that while all Wiccans can be considered Pagans, NOT all Pagans can be considered Wiccans.

Answer 8

Pagans, contrary to popular belief, are not atheistic. They worship a god and a goddess (remember the Catholics? When the 'Holy Roman Empire' took over, they couldn't fight it and let the people pray to Mary.) The goddess represents fertility and fecundity. The god represents strength. Pagans tend to be more in tune with the earth. They know when to plant and when to harvest. They know which herb cures which ailment. Pagans are just people who don't believe in just a god. They are elemental enough to accept that life takes a sperm and an ovum. Maybe they are scientific, but they don't usually have to get their knowledge from a book.

Answer 9

To a Christian, a Moslem is a pagan. To a Moslem, a Christian is a pagan. "Pagan" is just an emotional word for anyone who doesn't share one's beliefs. "Infidel" is another. There is no logic in this, just unreasoning emotion. Someone said a pagan doesn't know God's truth. Where does one find such truth? The Bible has numerous contradictions and scientific inaccuracies, so one cannot seek real truth there. Fanatics blind themselves, for they don't want to know the truth.

Answer 10

in light of all of the mindless dribble posted in response to your honest question i will try to give you a good informative answer.

I am a Pagan Minister.

Most pagans,

1, believe in many gods.
2, do NOT believe in the devil or any diety of supreme evil.
3, do NOT practice animal or human sacrifice.
(this was done in the past in pagan religions just as it was
done in christian religions.)
4, feel that our religion is a way of life. not something to do for a
few hours each week.
5, Respect other religions.

many pagan religions see the path of truth and knowlege as a spiritual path. so we seek to know about every religion that is close to us. we can see enlightnement in the eyes of many gods.
so it is easy for us to see truth in the teachings of other religions.

we are scholars, seeking earthly knowlege and devine inspiration.

we have many differant backgrounds. and come from every land that there is.

we are not all WICCAN. many of us practice traditions that are much older than the religion of Wicca. some have new inspiration and practice something that is newer than Wicca and something that is also very personal.

confuseing a Druid with a Wiccan is about the same as confuseing a Catholic with a Jew. and many of the solitary practicioners will not claim any alliance to any organised religion.

i was a solitary untill i had several people ask me to head a group for teachings.
we call ourselves
N.A.P.A.S.
New Age Practicioners of Ancient Spiritualism.

you would find that everyone has their preferance as to what to be called. and most of us try to distance ourselves form titles that have negative attachments.

Yogi