What exactly is Paganism?

Question

I have a family rooted in Protestant Christianity. My cousin and I have both converted to something outside of Protestantism, but have chosen different paths in the process. I'm now Eastern Orthodox Christian (not a huge change). She is now Pagan (quite a huge change). I would ask her what Paganism is, but sometimes her explanations are a bit fuzzy to me (I love her, but we think on completely different planes).

So, I'm looking to understand Paganism better so that I can better relate to my cousin. What are the practices? What are the core beliefs, values, etc.? What is it's background and historical context?

In response to moondown, that sounds a lot like the Orthodox Christian view of the Works of the Son and the Spirit. The Word, or Son, created all things giving them substance and intellect, or the nous. The Spirit, or Breath of God, breathed life into all things, making them living and vibrant - spiritual. I'm glad there is some common ground.

Answer 1

Paganism in a nut shell.

Pagan is a term that literally used to mean simple people or people living in the country. Now it is a term used to describe people that have faith in energy and nature. It is more of a spirituality than a religion. Often people new to Paganism are drawn to it because of it's worship of female as well as male deities. it is a nature based faith that knows that all things in nature must be in balance, kind of the yin and yang belief. Many pagans draw their beliefs from religions of the past, long before Christianity was worshipped, people believed in a Goddess and a God. the rejoiced in their beliefs by celebrating the gifts that were given to them by the Goddess and God, and by enjoying those gifts fully. To celebrate a good harvest, one would have a feast, to celebrate the arrival of spring, on would celebrae fertility, to celebrate, Yule (the shortest day of the year) one would burn fires all night, starting with a yule log. to welcome back the return of the sun. To celebrate Litha (the longest day of the year) one would again burn bonfires, but the bonfires would be allowed to burn out with the coming of dark, thanking the sun for it's hard work but understanding that the moon must have it's phase for life to be in balance.
Paganism is basically a spiritual belief system that teaches love for all things. It's values are simple, "Do what ye will, harm none" meaning enjoy your life to the fullest, but don't hurt anyone in the process. Also we have the "Three fold law" Which means anything you put out in the universe, you get back three fold. This means if you have love in your heart, you get love back, if you have pain in your heart, you get pain back.

You are welcome to e-mail me with further questions

Answer 2

Have you ever heard the saying "ask 3 Pagans what Paganism is and you'll get 5 answers" ?
If your cousin is a new Pagan even she might not be sure where her path leads. Encourage her to use you as a sounding board if you're both comfortable with that. That way you get to understand her view points and she gets to formulate her beliefs.
Badger
xx

Answer 3

Paganism is a huge type of religions. that's stressful to define yet many times is considered as being any faith that the two is non-Abrahamic (not Jewish, Christian, Muslim and so on), is polytheistic or is in keeping with pre-Christian eu traditions. there are various pagan religions consisting of Wicca, Druidry, Thelema and distinctive reconstructionist faiths between many others. some could be fantastically distinctive then others whilst some share many similarities.

Answer 4

Good for you for wanting to understand her different beliefs.

“Pagan” can mean several things. One definition is anyone who does not participate in any of the big 3 monotheistic religions. In ancient Rome it meant the people who lived in the country.

Pagan also means someone who participates in a pagan religion or tradition or concept (as well as we can understand it in today’s world and as practically as possible), which can be based on anything from Norse to Egyptian to Celtic to Wicca today. There are many, many variations on this. It’s a very individualized spiritual path.

Pagans may worship one god, a goddess, both, many, or none at all. Pagans tend to have a reverence for nature and a moral code that is not overly administrative but does forbid harming others.

Paganism is as old as history, although through the passage of time and oppression much the knowledge is lost. So we make do with our best understanding of its principles, and frankly many things do fit very nicely in the modern world. In fact, most common holidays gained new and wonderous meanings for me when I began to study their pagan origins.

Answer 5

Paganism is an umbrella for a variety of religions. Strictly speaking, it is any non-Abrahamic religion. More recently it has been used to describe earth-based religions and revivals of pre-Christian religions.

It includes Wicca, Shamanism, Asatru, Voodoo, and many other religions.

However, Pagand with a capital P or a general pagan would be someone who is ecclectic. They base their religion on whatever works for them, though it is usually a mix of the above religions.

Answer 6

both pagans and christians go about worrying about the next life and miss this one.
strange
this one is OK.Nice blue green planet to live on and diversity of fauna and flora, and big bits of wet and hills to sit on and look at the rest of creation who ever did it (if any one at all)
i will panic about the next one when i get there

Answer 7

The practices vary, for Paganism is a very open way to live. And since there are so many differing versions of Paganism, literally Paganism unto itself is an umbrella term. Much like the umbrella term for the religions of Christianity or Judaism. There are many denominations and sects in these religions; whereas many people who are Christian or Jewish simply do not conform to those religious standards...and are simply spiritual. Many of these types are practicing Pagans as well. The core belief of most Pagans is "do what you want, just don't hurt anyone in the process" kinda deal. Many Pagans these days are actually within the confines of the religion of Wicca...and they adopted the term "Do as you will and harm none." The background varies, for most Pagan beliefs stem directly from cultural backgrounds. Some Pagans practice with Celtic influence, while some practice with Egyptian. Some others focus on Greek or Roman, while many focus on Native American. Also Pagans worship multiple deities. They are polytheistic, meaning more than one deity...more than one god. They also acknowledge the existence of a female energy to god...many in fact worship a separate deity aside from the male form of god...being a goddess. They see things in a duality in all areas of life. The values from historical backgrounds are not what they used to be. Do some research and you will find that many of the Pagan religions back from biblical and even pre-biblical times are very harsh. Whereas the values of today’s Pagans promote for the most part peace, tolerance and love for all. You have though some people in the Pagan community though who do choose to follow what many Pagans consider a dark path. Dark not by way of acknowledging a person like Satan, for Pagans actually reject the thought or belief in Satan and Hell. The people who follow more of what some consider a dark path deals with doing as one wants despite what the consequences are. Basically, there are very two extremes in Paganism...and there are those who fit snuggly into the middle somewhere. As with all religion (which I dislike period...I hate religion. I am spiritual), there are these paradigm shifts and extremes.

Also, many Pagans mingle cultures and beliefs to fit their own beliefs and mindset. They pick and choose from a multitude of spiritualities, cultures and religions...take what is either good or not so good...implement them into their own...and go from there. These are what many call Eclectic Pagans and even Witches. These type of Pagans typically are your more tolerant of other religions, and apt and able to find themselves communicating and building relationships and friendships with those outside their belief system. More conservative types of Pagans tend to mingle with their own kind of belief system and mindset...these are your more "fundie" type of mindsets in the Pagan arena. Very religiously oriented type folk.

Answer 8

Any religion that is not one of the Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism). You'd be better off to ask your cousin which particular brand of Paganism she practices.

Answer 9

Please don't confuse Wicca, and the Wiccan Rede, which unlike that given above is "an it harm none do as you will" and makes sense, with Paganism, as it greatly insults non-Wiccan Pagans and even though it is RARELY a Wiccan doing it, they tend to hold it against Pagans like me, who are Wiccan.

And on that note, please don't call Yule a Celtic holiday. It alienates the local Asatruar and Senistrognatar very rapidly....lol.

Answer 10

Hi Josias B, Big Q. Lets start from the beginning, When first humans lived upon the earth they lived directly in the face of nature. They were more 'instinctual' than 'brainy' - that's key. They lived in harmony with Mother Earth and instinctually knew the properties of the earth; plant, stone, elements, directions, sun, moon, etc.. Everything. This is called 'Earth Science', knowing the energy properties of all things. Understanding that earth sustains our life and she is a gift, considered female as she nurtures. All things were revered and worshipped just from the attitude of gratitude that anyone will feel when they see their life through this perception; a wonderful, spectacular, magical miracle that goes beyond the physical. Human - hu=spirit, man= mass. Spirit in mass. There is great joy when life is lived connected with the "Living Presence (called so many names - God) which is in all things, including humans. Touching that L.P. in all things, including ourselves, leads to a harmonious, balanced and healthy way of life for all things - earth et al and human. Life IS a prayer, every moment an experience and each heart is filled with grace. Point in fact; how did these ancient peoples live so long on the planet and never destroy, abuse, nor poison it? The pagan Native Americans dwelled on this land for ? years? And the condition it was in when white man landed was naturally abundant, flourishing and unpolluted. And in a mere 400 years........egomaniacal, brainy white man polluted it. Pagan means 'country dweller'. A person who dwells IN/WITH nature, living in balance with it, in harmony and carrying the knowledge and wisdom of the earth and the right way to live -earth science. All aboriginal peoples (first earth folks) were Pagans. It is this wisdom of knowing the energy properties of all things that allow Pagan's to align like energies to obtain, acquire what they want to manifest, i.e. spells. The art of spells is not just simple chantings, incantations, etc.. It's a WAY OF LIFE and moves far beyond the mere physical as it includes the use of thought, intention and the many othe extra sensory perceptions. Humans have at least 28 other "extra" (?) senses that has been bred out of them through our unnatural way of life that presides today. We have names for all things that we may call upon the properties of the different elements, stone, plant, etc. and we praise and worsip them in gratitude but.......we know it is still a facet of the One Living Presence. This is where newly organized religions get the idea that we worship false gods. We revere the Goddess, the Sacred Feminine Principle but we also revere her consort, the God the Masculine Principle. For us, God is the idea and Goddess is the action, the propertiesd of the idea. The movement of the idea, the life of the idea. God is thought, Goddess is the action, movement of bringing the thought into life. ('Eve" means 'life'). One is no good without the other.God thought lays idle until Goddess action manifest it. It is the using of this energy (Goddess) in a most respectful and grateful way that the so called 'magic' is performed. Yet, back in the day, daily ritual was ceremonious, a celebration of life, and minds were naturally focused on the 'living with, in harmony and balance of' the Living Presence. Most opposite of what we focus on today. This is the basis. I hope it helps you. You can email me if you desire. Blessed Be