Pagans are still with us.?

Question

One of the things which has most surprised me since looking in on this website is the number of pagans(!) who are around. I had thought they were a thing of the dim and distant past. But no! Believing in a whole galaxy of different gods seems to be something which many thousands of people still do. They believe in 'magic'. (What is magic exactly?) The big appeal seems to be that they can be witches or wizards. To me it seems absolutley incredible that people can still think like that. Is it that we really only have a veneer of civilization,and that underneath is all fear and supertstion?

The answers so far are illuminating. I reacted with surprise at the ideas of pagans still existing and of them worhiping many gods, simply because I really was surprised! Some of the points made are fair but I just do not understand why anyone would reject the idea of one creator in favour of many? The idea of worshiping the sun or the moon is quite alien to me. What of the Roman and Greek gods? Mars? Jupiter? Zeus? Are they still regarded as valid entities in the pagan world? The full pantheon of worldwide pagan gods must number many thousands. These are all acceptable are they?

Answer 1

Magick is a form of prayer...using methods of meditation, incense, candles, etc.

Paganism holds the Craft, Druidry, and countless other branch offs under the umbrella of the word PAGAN.

I am under the Pagan umbrella....

EDIT* They believe everyone and everything is connected, and nature is Universal Spirit's creation, and all things on this planet are taught to be respected.

Answer 2

You've said yourself that you believe in God. So what is so 'incredible' in the belief in many gods? I'm not sure I get the distinction.

As for magic, well, that's a different matter. From your earlier Q&As I can see an empiricist streak, or at least a 'scientific' one, so it wouldn't surprise me to find you rejecting magic.

But isn't a lot of the bible 'magic' too? A bush that burns without being consumed and speaks with the voice of God? People wrestling with angels? A child conceived by the action of a 'holy spirit'? Transubstantiation?

And as for "a veneer of civilization,and that underneath is all fear and superstition" which religion is it that talks of the 'fear of the Lord' and the fiery pit?

So while it doesn't surprise me in the least that you have not encountered many pagans before, I do find your incredulity curious. Particularly when I find it difficult to imagine that you have not encountered any Christians with similarly 'incredible' beliefs.
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Answer 3

Gods are immortal, why should you be surprised that they still exist. The Christian God is but one and one of the very few who demand to be worshipped to exclusion of others.

Magic is making things happen. It's really very simple. If you understand the the world is energy. If you understand that we create our own reality through the way our personal energy interacts with the energy of others and how we choose to perceive it, then magic is a simple thing. It is the shaping of reality according to Will. You don't need to be Pagan to do it, many people do it unconsciously. This is different of course than practicing magic, which is a conscioius act. Not all Pagans practice magic. Not all who practice magic are Pagan.

Being Witches and Wizards (a Wizard is simply a very wise person who is an expert in his field, it doesn't have to be magic) may be a draw for some, but being Pagan is really hard work and the majority of the Pagan lifestyle is very mundane.

Civilization was invented by Pagans, as was democracy and the concept of a republic. There is no fear in Paganism or at least, there need not be. Paganism is about taking responsibility for your actions, honoring the Earth, giving thanks for your blessings and seeking knowledge. It is a path of self empowerment, one that really has little to do with magic once you get past the surface. Many Pagans are scientists and teachers. Paganism blends well with many scientific theories that other religions are forced to reject in the face of all logic. Quantum Physics, Evolutionary Biology and many other theories are supported by Pagan religions. Many Pagans are also greatly involved in History, Literature and the arts.

Yes the old Gods are still alive. I honor Gaia, Eos, Hermes, Hyperion, Helios, Selene, Hera, Zeus and Hestia.

Answer 4

Pagan is a relative term. One groups pagans are anther's loyal followers. The witches, wizards, warlocks, magic, and potions is something concocted by the barbarian Christan invaders who destroyed cultures all over the world. The Celtics, Norse, Aztecs, Incas, and others were run over by Christians possessing superior technology and numbers. The pagans were completely eliminated by stories of their "evil" so the invaders could turn the conquered against each other.

If you want incredible, how about the Bible. Accept, don't question, come to weekly meetings for reinforcement, and be punished for anything you do that the people in power do not approve of. Hell, Hitler liked the model so much he used it!

Answer 5

Look at it from this point of view and you will see that there is not a huge difference between yourself and them:

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One of the things which has most surprised me since looking in on this website is the number of Christians(!) who are around. I had thought they were a thing of the dim and distant past. But no! Believing in a single god seems to be something which many thousands of people still do. They believe in the 'holy spirit'. (What is the holy spirit exactly?) The big appeal seems to be that they can get into heaven. To me it seems absolutley incredible that people can still think like that. Is it that we really only have a veneer of civilization,and that underneath is all fear and supertstion?

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Did you see what I did there?

Answer 6

So you are shocked that yours isn't the only religion practiced and that your God isn't the only one worshiped? I remember back when I was still a Christian and I learned of that fact, I was shocked too.

I'm an Asatruar, I worship the Norse Gods and Goddesses. I do not go about calling myself a witch or a wizard (nothing wrong with that if someone wants to do so, people can label themselves whatever they like.) I also don't practice that much magic, magic is essentially a ritualized prayer.

Answer 7

People call faith when they need something. It is common to call God when we are in danger, especially during the time of war, but we do not think it through, who we really call and why. We call god, because we still believe in Christianity even if it is proved to be much more superstitious that pagan belief, since pagan magick-use it provable by doing some research in astral-energy systems and natural-circuit methods. The second problem is, that we call god because we still believe, that someone or something entitled as god can help us in some ways to handle our problems. And why? Because the clergy aggressively forced this religion to mankind nearly 1000 years ago. Nowadays, when there is no current world war or great diseases, we do not call god, but we still want to live a better life and handle our problems. But we are more individual and we want to create our own religions instead of obeying the medieval religious dogmas. In our society we need this to be better and more intelligent. Do not blame pagans, since they have found an accessible way for themselves to live a better life. Before blaming someone, please learn about the subject as much as you can, so you can more easily understand the different perspectives.

BELIEVE NOTING. TEST EVERYTHING.

Answer 8

Your last sentence sums it up precisely. I have noticed that with the reduction of Christian adherents, many young folk adopt an alternative `spiritual ` observance, swapping Biblical belief for a collection of seemingly harmless, but absurd alternatives. Amongst the various Pagan `deities` appears a plethora of superstitious oddities which could include all or some of the following. Elves, Unicorns, Dragons, Fairies, Ghosts, and other obscure mythical beasts. Having said that, any Pagans I have encountered have been peace loving folk, they do not evangelise their beliefs or trouble others. More than can be said for many so-called Christians.

Answer 9

Something which will never cease to amaze me is the number of people who believe in any god/s! It may be due to fear and superstition, but I don't understand why people seem to need religion as a crutch - especially when it's all make believe.

Answer 10

One of the many benefits of Religious Freedom, guaranteed by the Constitution is that we can be of the religion of our choice no matter who doesn't like it.

It is evident, for you have said so yourself, that you don't even know anything about Paganism and Witchcraft, yet you judge us without knowing what is Paganism.

Before speaking about something you don't know, perhaps it is better that you stick to what you think you know, or better yet, learn about Paganism and Witchcraft, so you can make a better criticism.

Answer 11

To echo most of the other answers, following/believing in paganism is no more (or less) weird than following any other religion. I don't belive in any of them, but I wouldn't like anyone to be told what they can/can't/should/shouldn't believe. Having said that I would like people of any religion to respect me and offer the same courtesy by not peddling their nonsense and misplaced feeling of superiority.