http://www.sacredhearth.com/articles/whatispagan
2007-01-29 06:45:00
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answer #1
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answered by kaplah 5
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Depends on who you ask. Some definitions consider it as pertaining to the worship or worshipers of any religion that is neither Christian, Jewish, nor Muslim. Others define it more closely as a person that follows traditions of worship based on the polytheist religions of the Roman's, Greeks, Norse, and Celts, along with various other ancient religions.
Typically Pagan's follow religious traditions based on the natural world and nature in general. Their ceremonies follow the seasons, the phases of the moons, the natural cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in nature.
I personally don't follow any established Pagan traditions or sect, however I do celebrate the solstices, as well as the various Holy days associated with the full and new moons. Most Pagan Holy days actually coincide with Catholic Holy days, though with different names and different ceremonies and rituals used to celebrate and mark the occasions. This is do to the early Roman Christian church placeing many of its own Holy days on pre-established Pagan Holy days as a way to ease the transition of Pagan Roman to Christianity.
The Summer and Winter Solstice are the two most important days for most pagan sects. They mark the halfway points of the growing season and of Winter respectively, and for the farming cultures most pagan traditions come down from marked the point where those cultures could begin to judge how much food they'd have and the likelihood of surviving the year. Poor crops at the summer solstice dictated a bad harvest, low food supplies at the winter solstice could easily mean death to a large percentage of a clan.
The Full and New moon also tends play a strong part in Pagan traditions. Its a symbol of death and rebirth, the cycle of life. And the moons effect on the tides, and thus the weather was very important to more sea faring cultures as well as the farmers.
Pagan's also tend to be polytheists. They believe in multiple gods rather then on single god. Although some use a many in one approach similiar to Christianities Holy Trinity, however with each part being far more distinct and autonomous. Usually the primaries are the Goddess and the God. Symbolizing the masculine and feminine in nature. And the Holy days are often tied to the life cycles of these entities. What names they go by can be vastly different between groups and even between individuals in the same group. The name isn't the important part however, its the idea, the symbol. You could call them Bob and Mary if you liked and it wouldn't matter.
Pagan's do not worship trees, for the most part they don't make a habit of dancing naked around bonfires, and they don't all walk around trying to save the forest from loggers and breaking animals out of research centers. Most do try to live more in tune with nature, and a large number are vegetarians though its not something thats required.
There is no written bible or established set of laws that govern all Pagans, there aren't even any set rituals that all pagans practice. For the most part Pagans live under a simple mantra "an if it hurt none, do as you will."
2007-01-27 00:22:18
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answer #2
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answered by tentagil 2
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Pagan is a term used to describe pre-christian religions. Usually in pagan religions the earth was mother and sun was father, above is the creator, and below are several deities which are called on for specific reasons. I'm just using a very loose description for a lot of different complex belief systems.
2007-01-27 00:00:43
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answer #3
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answered by ☺☻☺☻☺☻ 6
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It's not a religion, it's a VERY broad category of religion. Basically Pagan (broadly defined) means non-monotheism. In a more narrow sense, the Pagan religions were the "old religions" of Europe that ruled before Christianity.
2007-01-26 23:56:47
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answer #4
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answered by STFU Dude 6
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Paganism isn't really a religion. It's a term that was at one time commonly used to describe a religious person that was not Jewish, Christian, or Muslim. For example, any faith that practiced idol worship would be considered pagan, and therefore frowned upon by those members of "the big three."
That's how I've come to understand it anyway.
2007-01-26 23:58:17
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answer #5
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answered by Da Beils 2
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I don't know about all pagan religions, mostly about Wiccans. They worship alot of things concerning nature. The seasons, the moon cycles, etc. Some other pagan religions are really into exploration of their dead.
2007-01-27 00:02:29
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answer #6
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answered by markmccloud_1 4
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Actually it's an umbrella term for a bunch of different Pre-Christian religions. Paganism refers to a range of spiritual paths which are Earth centered -- involving their members living in harmony with the Earth and observing its cycles.
2007-01-26 23:57:19
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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Modern day self-proclaimed pagans are usually polytheists. There are some earth centered ones too, but really those should call themselves animists (according to modern religious theory).
Pagan was a term created by the Catholic church to denounce those who hung on to old traditional beliefs (mainly in the former Roman empire and the surrounding nations). This included followers of Norse, Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Turkic and other gods outside of Judeo-Christianity.
They lived in Christian countries but on the outskirts of civilization, as opposed to infidels who usually lived outside.
It was originally an insult, kind of like "hick" or "country bumpkin". Most of the religions previously called Pagan are now called mythology by those who don't believe in them. But mythology means that it is false, and also implies a dead religion.
When referring to world religions, we don't say Pagan anymore. Though Buddhists and Hindus don't proclaim to be followers of Jehovah, they aren't thought of as "primitive" the way pagans are.
And minority religions in third world countries are properly called animist, polytheist or traditional religions.
Basically, Pagans have come to mean "white" religions who believe in polytheist traditions that don't include Jehovah.
2007-01-27 10:54:29
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answer #8
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answered by dude 5
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Paganism is very hard to track because the Christians completely destroyed all evidence of it in the crusades of Europe. Allmost all of Europe and Russia was Pagan before it became Christian.
2007-01-26 23:58:36
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answer #9
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answered by Robby 2
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I'm a pagan and a pagan religion is a non christian based religion
I'm celtic from the anciet path
2007-01-26 23:57:23
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answer #10
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answered by ~♥~Wytch Vampyre~♥~ 1
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A pagan is one who believes in false gods. Religion is man's approach to God.
2007-01-26 23:57:43
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answer #11
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answered by zeepogee 3
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