what does the word PAGAN mean to you?

Question

and is there any room in christianity for tolorance for people who dont belive the same way you do?

Answer 1

*sigh* Are you quite through with your persecution complex yet?

I am a pagan. I have been a pagan for a decade. In that decade I have lived in both rural areas and cities. I have been quite uncloseted the whole time, and the worst I ever had happen was having to explain to my parents that no, I'm not a devil-worshipper, and occasionally having my mom since then ask me if I'd consider going back to church.

I have many, many Christian friends, family and acquaintances of all denominations. They may not all agree with me, but they don't try to force me out of my beliefs, nor do they treat me as any less. They see me as a person.

Yes, there are Christians who are loud-mouthed jerks. But you know what? I've taken more flak from other *pagans* than Christians. EVERY religion has its good and bad people.

You want acceptance? Then you'd better be willing to offer it as well. You complain about being stereotyped because you let a few jerks who abuse their religion color your view of the entire religion. Are pagans all represented by the flakes and the posers within our community? Nope. So why do you let the extremists of Christianity represent that entire religion to you? Teapot, meet kettle.

And don't give me that "All Christians hate us" crud. I'll thank you not to insult my dear friends and family who are Christian and who are wonderful, tolerant, loving people--not to mention the majority of that religion who are just as annoyed by the likes of Falwell and Robertson as you are.

Answer 2

Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "a country dweller" or "civilian") is a term which, from a western perspective, has come to connote a broad set of spiritual or religious beliefs and practices of natural or polytheistic religions. The term can be defined broadly, to encompass many or most of the faith traditions outside the Abrahamic monotheistic group of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This group may include the Dharmic religions, which incorporate seemingly pagan characteristics like nature-worship, idol-worship, polytheism and reverence of female deities, and are thus diametrically opposite to the Abrahamic faiths. Ethnologists avoid the term "paganism", with its uncertain and varied meanings, in referring to traditional or historic faiths, preferring more precise categories such as shamanism, polytheism, or animism. The term is also used to describe earth-based Native American religions and mythologies, though few Native Americans call themselves or their cultures "pagan". Historically, the term "pagan" has usually had pejorative connotations among westerners, comparable to heathen, infidel, and mushrik and kafir (كافر) in Islam. In modern times, though, the words "pagan" or "paganism" have become widely and openly used by some practitioners of certain spiritual paths outside the Abrahamic and Dharmic religious mainstream to describe their beliefs, practices, and organized movements.

Answer 3

During the Hahn Dynasty in 1200 BC, Emperor Hahn was infamous for his terrible temper. He would have temples constructed in his honor, only to have them completely torn down after years of work because he wouldn't like one small piece. These temples were call Pagadiskus. As early European merchants and traders traveled the world, they would often visit China for silks and spices. They heard stories of the terrible Emperor Hahn and they saw the rubble from the remains of these torn-down Pagadiskus. Now to a Chinese person, the Emperor is a Deity. They worshiped him, either out of love, fear, or both. The destruction of these Pagadiskus, where many Chinese gathered to worship the Emperor, caused a lot of followers of the Emperor to revolt. As time has translated the word, Pagan derives from the Latin work Pagate, which stemmed from the Chinese word Pagadisku. It refers to anything that distracts one from their religious beliefs.

Answer 4

Pagan means you are not part of a book religion such as Christianity, Islam or Judaism. It is pre-Christian and a path of honoring the cycles of nature and life. It is not dogmatic. Being Pagan means taking personal responsilbility for your actions and not blaming someone or something else.

Answer 5

One who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew, especially a worshiper of a polytheistic religion.
One who has no religion.
A non-Christian.


In Christianity there is love for all people, and a desire for the lost to be freed from their sin and false religion, and a recognition that if they choose not to be reconciled to God and have a relationship with Him that will last forever, if they want nothing to do with Him and wish to be left to their own devices forever, they will eventually get their wish, though they won't enjoy it.

Answer 6

A pagan is someone who isn't a Christian, Muslim, or Jew and self Identifies as a pagan. It's worth noting that not all pagans worship or nature or the Earth (I don't and I know many others who don't) as such it shouldn't be included in the definiton.

Answer 7

Exodus chapter 20 out lines some of God's requirements for true worship.
Although we are no longer under the Mosaic Law Covenant the principles behind the law still apply.

Answer 8

Any spiritual belief which denies there is ONE true God, as revealed in God's Inspired Word the Bible, and looks to other idols, spirits, beings, or things to worship. Pagans may not like this response, but if it is not of God, it IS of Satan.

Answer 9

Part two answer is: Of course. We tolerate a lot. Because of the country we live in, and our beliefs.

Part one answer: Pagan = Pagani= Old Latin for field worker.

Answer 10

Pagans are people who worship nature. To the second question, don't know, don't care. I try to appreciate everyone's culture. So why don't you too?