Do pagans believe they will re-emerge as a major religion?

Question

Recognizing the diversity within paganism of course; I'm aware it is not monolithic. But even in it's loosely-structured form do you believe paganism will be restored - achieve a major come-back so to speak,and if so by what means? Please don't tell me you're going to use television to evangelize! But seriously...how?

Answer 1

Paganism was never a religion to start with.

Pagans are a group of unaffiliated (for the most part) sets of religions and beliefs that do NOT follow Abrahamic teachings. In other words, anything NOT Christian, Jewish or Muslim. That leaves a LOT of oher world religions - many still practiced unendingly through til today.

At one point, Christianity was considered a pagan belief - way back when it originated.

There is no comeback, there is no "restoration", there is no group effort to make it a major world religion because it never was. A lot religions found under the umbrella of paganism were major movers and shakers for their geographic and historical area. Some still are. Others have always been and likely always will be small belief sets carried by a few people.

And that is seriously and factually.

Answer 2

Actually, sometimes Paganism is monotheistic, often it is polytheistic, it depends on the beliefs of the practitioner. I don't think Paganism needs to be "restored" or to achieve a major comeback...Come back from what? Right now Paganism is one of the fastest growing religions. I don't think that Paganism seeks to become a major religion, or hope to become anything other than accepted and respected. I think the key there is to educate and let people know that Paganism isn't evil and that the lies Hollywood and evangelists have told them about this path are just that...lies. When there is open dialog and learning, then I feel Paganism will no longer be the "boogieman in the closet", and it will become more accepted. But the other objectives you mention, I just don't sense that they are a goal of those who practice Paganism. Pagans just want to be respected and treated kindly, like anyone else.

Answer 3

Broadly speaking, many comparative religion scholars might situate Hinduism among the so-called threads of 'paganism'. With this qualified expansion, and with the addition of African animism, Central & South American 'Creole' syncreticisms, and Japanese Shintoism, one could say that paganism has always been 'major'.

Further, the assimilation of pagan tradition into Christianity, Islam, and Judaism makes these so-called 'major' religions syncretic blends of paganism, if not pagan derivatives (as in Good Yule, Happy Easter, and Happy Halloween).

Paganism is particularly suited to answer and satisfy other post-modern conditions, especially the trend toward individualism and fragmented or devolved spirituality.

Here's a good question: Why does the 'Christian Pope' in Rome proudly claim to have the world's biggest pagan Christmas tree? The answer is, he's a big, dress-wearing incence burning pagan!

Question two: why does the Evangelical President Bush host a pagan Easter Egg Hunt on the Whitehouse lawn to celebrate the fertility bunny holiday? The answer is, he's a big, Jesus-freak, kiss-me-under-the-mistletoe pagan, that's why, like the rest of America.

Answer 4

Yes. I do believe that Paganism (of all different kinds) will become more popular. People are getting fed up with mainstream religions.

Now, Wiccans and Neo-Pagans, as a rule of thumb, do not and will not proselytize. It's a major taboo and it's against their core beliefs.

And to all of you who say that no Pagan proselytizes, that isn't true. The first Ásatrúar I even met was trying very persuasively trying to convert me. (Which by the way, worked. I'm an Ásatrúar.)

Ásatrúar, do not seem to have a particular taboo against proselytizing, although its practice is rare. Ásatrúar may be found joking that their religion is destined for the world, and the fact that some groups produce leaflets and tracts for distribution suggests this.

Answer 5

I don't really care if it becomes a major religion or not. I just want it to be recognized and not be put down as devil worship. I mean this type of thinking was popular back in the 15-1800's. It's kind of getting tiresom. It's exhausting to have to keep defending what you believe. I mean, how would anyone else feel if they had had to constantly defend their beliefs from those who thought they believed in some evil entity? It would get exhausting too. Put yourself in our places. Personally all I want is to be able to honor and worship openly and have the respect to do so without people coming up to me trying to convert me, saying that I'll go to hell if I don't stop believing in what I believe. How would anyone feel if a bunch of Pagans stormed into a Church on Sunday and tried to convert all the parishoners there and tell them that they will spend eternity in a place of eternal damnation if they don't change their beliefs? They would be offended. That is what happens when Pagans (whichever branch it may be) experience during a ceremony or even Pagan Pride days. I suspect that if we were left to practice as freely as anyone else, you'd be surprised as to how many are actually out there. It could already be a major relgion, but because of the persecution we face, we're still in hiding in many places.

(Sorry this is so long)

Answer 6

I don't think so, or if such a thing should happen, we are a long way from it yet. What comes under the umbrella term of Paganism is a wide variety of traditions and practices, there is no one thing that one can point to and call Pagan. Pagans tend to be pretty indivualistic spiritual explorers, and not interested in conversion of another. My own personal belief is that you will find your way to the path you were meant to be on, and to seek to pull you away from it is bad Karma, and could cause serious psychological damage, so I am way uninterested in recruiting others. While many Pagans are working hard to see it become more mainstream, and to find tolerance on a path that is traditionally hidden from outsiders, (for good reason) we are still a very long way from finding acceptance of any Pagan religion as a religion to anyone other than ourselves. Exploration in Paganism has become more fashionable for the moment, but fashions change, and some will fall away as they find a new flavor of the month, and the ones that were into it before it became fashionable will just keep on keeping on the same as we always did. Any growth to be realized in the Pagan community is likely to be slow, but seems to steady in recent years, as those who would study Paganism or related ideas seek it, it doesn't seek them. But no, I don't think it's ever going to be considered one of the big guys like Christianity, certainly not in my lifetime, anyway...

Answer 7

The various types of Paganism tend to be very personally spiritual experiences. Each person's spirituality is different, but many choose to gather together in Pagan Groups or Covens. There are far more solitary Pagans than groups of them out there, but we are not trying to make a big religious re-emergence. It is just happening on its own. And for those who think there's no Spirituality in Paganism, they are very wrong.

Answer 8

Well, we're certainly not out looking for recruits. I think most Pagans are content not to be a major religion. I do think, however, that as the Neopagan movement matures there will be need for us to organize to a certain extent. For example, how many of you want to spend your twilight years in a Christian nursing home? Wouldn't it be nice to have Pagan nursing homes? And Pagan cemeteries? What about Pagan charities? I'm talking about Pagan organizations which help people without the proselytizing that goes along with other "faith-based" charities. How many Pagans, Agnostics, Atheists, and members of other religions would like to help people but feel funny giving money to Christian charities who preach and seek converts? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to have a charitable organization to support that you know wasn't going to preach to the people they're supposed to be helping? And wouldn't be nice to have a Temple, an actual Temple to go to and give offerings to the Gods? Or legally ordained clergy who can perform marriage ceremonies? There are some Pagan organizations that are forming to establish legal status as Churches, and some of them are working on bringing a few of these things about. We will never be a major religion, nor should we, but as the movement grows we will need to take on some of the trappings of organized religions in order to meet the needs of our community. Are we so afraid of becoming an Organized Religion that we would undermine our very survival? I'm not saying we should proselytize, or establish dogma, or draw a line between heresy and orthodoxy. I'm only suggesting that maybe we should look to the long-term survival of our movement, and encourage the establishment of those institutions that would ensure our survival.

Answer 9

Paganism covers a wide variety of beliefs, some of them already mainstream.
As far as Wicca and it's variations are concerned I hope they never become mainstream, because then they will become corrupt (as some of the organizations already have).
"Organization" tends to breed a need for power, and those that strive to be in charge of all that surrounds them. Also organizations require funds, and those in charge seem to always get a cut of those funds, thus always asking for more.
I hope they become recognized, so that some that fear retribution do not have to hide their beliefs (freedom of religion).
Small groups of "family" that get together and share their spirituality in my opinion are much better than large impersonal groups.

Just my 2c

Answer 10

Don't look at paganism so literally... it comes in so many forms...

how people celebrate halloween, b-days, and certain "religious" holidays that i do not wish to name because people may be offended since there are different opinions.

But i think that all the major religions, like islam, christianity, judaism, won't allow paganism to be a "major religion"
it's just not possible...