Pagans/Wiccans. Question.?

Question

Islam means Submit to God.

Do you submit to the Goddess?

If so how? And how far?

How far will you go to be in unity with your creator? ( will you do battle with evil)? If so how?

Are you there for passive to the globle strife?

So Jayelle can you not dissagree with your devine?

So Lökásennä areyou then Athirst?

I'm sorry I'm confused by your cokmment. E-mail me as to your convictions.

So do you accept what your Goddess puts before you? What they put in your path?
If so isn't that submitting to their wim?

Thank you all for your answers.

I hope to continue this dialog.

Answer 1

I am a Asatruar

Asatru means true to the Aesir (one of two families of gods we have, the other being the Vanir).

All I can do is reaffirm what Lökásennä said. We do not submit, kneel, or grovel before our gods and goddesses, and they would never want us to. To give up our soveriegnty to anyone, even the gods, isn't in our nature.

Answer 2

If you want a parallel to Islam meaning "Submit" then I would say that Pagan means (it doesn't really mean it, I'm being metaphorical, mind you) Harmonize.
We are not called to do battled with evil, because evil is subjective and we are not called to be judges. We will answer a wrong with a like action, especially if we must do so to protect the innocent (but again, innocent is subjective too and generally defined as someone I like better than the other guy). We are not called to submit, but to cooperate and if we don't want to, well, that's find too, just don't expect any favors.

We are at unity with our creator, because we are all One with the creator. In a way, we are the creator and the creator is us. We do not have a choice to be part of the All, but we do have the choice to accept it and strive to live in harmony (which comes naturally really) with it (and subsequently one another) rather than struggle against it.- So in a way, perhaps we are called to Submit, but not in the way you mean it because ultimately it is our responsibility. the Gods lead us, but they don't hold our hands.

We are called to find and fulfill our Purpose (or Will) and seek Knowledge in this incarnation and to do it in a way that glorifies the All and honors the Earth. How we do it, however, is ultimately up to us. Our Gods do not punish us for screwing up (though they may punish us for personal insults or generally getting on their nerves) and they don't protect us from harming ourselves (though they might try to reason with us). They do help us when we ask them (provided our requests are reasonable) and offer suggestions, but our lives are ultimately our own responsibilities.

Answer 3

No. I don't submit to my deities. To me, the word submit means to yeild authority (and thus responsibility) for my life. My deities don't want to have authority over my life. I make decisions and then live with the consequences. My deities seldom interfere with the natural progression of my life. Only in extreme circumstances. They are always there for me but they don't necessarily interfere. I'm here to learn and they allow that natural process to take place. Sometimes when I pray I get the answer, "No, you can do that by yourself". And they are right. They don't allow me to lean too heavily upon them to "fix" things for me. If I can do something myself, they expect me to do so.

I honor my deities and strive to please them out of love and respect. But I don't debase myself in the process. I don't think that my deities would like that.

"Battle with evil" is a concept that is foreign to me. I've never believed in absolute evil or absolute good. It simply isn't a part of my theology so I can't answer that question. My deities aren't all-positive anyway. They are a mixture of what we consider positive and negative. I also don't feel that they are all-knowing or all-powerful. I don't feel that any deity is these things.

You keep mentioning "the Goddess". Did you realize that not all pagans believe in a supreme Goddess? I don't although I know that some pagans do. Most of my deities are male; only a few are female. None are supreme over all others. But these are simply my views.....

Answer 4

Not all Pagans are Wiccans and Pagan is a very broad term!
Submit is not the correct term when talking about how most neopagans and wiccans experience the devine. "Pay homage to" would be closer. Certainly many Norse and Germanic pagans would expect to have to fight for their Gods at Ragnorok... The concept of Good and Evil are often a little different though as the Pagan dieties are more like forces of nature (for the obvious reason!) and are not alway "good".
Many pagans and wiccans are pacifists but then this runs the gamit through to warmongering white supremacist pagans so no one can be absolute!

Answer 5

Even if I wanted to submit to the Goddess, there isn't really anything to submit to. There is no Holy Book for Pagans to follow except our own inner knowing and most of us believe that the inner voice we hear is that part of us that is part of the divine. So if there is any Goddes that I submit to, it would be the Goddes that is me, myself and I. The word "evil" can only be defined by each person's personal "opinion" of what they think is bad. As far as most Pagans are concerned, people have the right to do what they want to as long as it isn't hurting someone. So, with evil defined as harm committed against someone, most Pagans would probably step in and help someone who is being harmed, unless the person wants the harm to themselves to continue and in such a case, they have a right to have it continue or end as they wish.

Thanks for your question, you truly seem to be interested in creating communication and understanding instead of strife and disconnection. Very appreciated!

Answer 6

I can not speak for all pagans, as there are many different belief systems within it (example: Wiccans, Traditional Witches, Druids, Asatruars, Eclectics, Celts etc.), however many pagans follow a similar set of tenets. We do not supplicate ourselves as those in Abrahamic religions do. We honor the God and Goddess, however we do not bow down before them as if we are "sinful" or bad. They are loving parents that work with us to help us grow. We are always in unity with the Divine. We do not see the God and Goddess as being separate from us or creation. Their divine energy is in each of us and in all things within the universe. As for doing battle with evil...you must understand first that we see evil as something very different than you do. Yes we do battle of a sort with evil...the evil within ourselves, striving to ever better ourselves, as well as protecting our loved ones and keeping balance. As for global strife, some pagans are passive and some are not, but most that I know do what they can in their own ways to help heal the world. For me I see global strife in not only how we are currently treating one another, but in how we treat the earth its self.

I have found your question to be lovely and thought provoking. Thanx.

Answer 7

I'm a Celtic Reconstructionist, but my views are pretty comparable to Lökásennä's - the gods are Elder Kin. I honor them, and certainly listen to them - but I'm certainly able to disagree with them.

If they put something in my path, what I do with it is up to me. Avoid it, deal with it, plow right through it - all depends on me, though they've probably got a vested interest in me taking a certain approach.

While there's not really a particular good/evil dichotomy in my worldview, I do take actions against things that are considered bad per my religion.

Answer 8

I do not submit to anything or anyone except my own conscience. I work WITH the goddess (sometimes the god) to create my reality.

I am constantly in unity with my Creator and I fight evil everyday when I smile and talk sweetly to the grumpy cashier at the grocery store.

I am absolutely disturbed by global strife. My daily prayer is directed towards the protection and care of children and women around the globe. I sponsor children from around the globe so that they may get an education (including Muslim ones).

Thanks for asking...

Answer 9

Okay, I'm an Asatruar.

No, I submit to no God or Goddess. I do not view my relationship with my deities as a slave/master one; I view them as my Elder Kin. I honor my Gods and Goddesses with great respect, love and awe. I stand before the Gods and Goddesses as though they are extended family, never begging, groveling, or bowing down like a slave or servant.

And I've never met an Asatruar who was a pacifist. We do believe in a concept known as "Frith", which roughly translates peace. But in order to keep that peace, one must be prepared to defend one's self. As far as doing battle, yes I've got a license to carry a firearm and during the final battle, Ragnarök, I full well intent to be a part of Odin's host. ;-)

Answer 10

I definitly feel unity with God (Who I believe is balance, God has no sex). And because I am part of God, it would be insulting to God for me to grovel. I should be greatful for my connection instead of pretending I'm no good, which is insulting also. I respect God and myself too much to grovel. But I do look at God, and the gods with great respect and know I can learn from their wisdom. They are the great teachers, they teach us through Nature.