what are pagans?

Question

I dont understand they are people arent they?

Answer 1

Pagan was orginally a word used to insult those who clung to the "old ways". We have since reclaimed the word for our own.
It's an umbrella term. It TECHNICALLY means any one who isn't Islam, Jew, or Christian. But it generally is used to refer to Wiccan, Asatru, and other polytheistic religions based on or reconstructing the faiths of our ancestors.
The traditions (denominations) are endless.
Kemetic (Egyptian), Asatru/Heathen (Norse and yours truley) Hellenistic (Say hello to Hestia's preistess here on the boards) Wiccan, Eclectic, Celtic Recon (also super cool trad since they are my religions "cousins") Arthurian, and all sorts in between.
We like pretty much everyone, feel no need for everyone to believe what we beleieve and many of us believe it is not MEANT for everyone to believe. Plus we eat and drink a lot. We throw one hell of a party.
We are evey day people. I'm a stay at home mother and a full time college student, I have a friend who is a school teacher who is also Heathen and another who does health and saftey at a plant. I know a Wiccan who teaches middle school, one who designs cookies for a high end cookie store, and everything in between. We are all races and genders. We follow our blood lines and end up where we started. Right where we should be.

edit: Peter I'm sorry you had that experiance. Most pagans I know, including myself, is more then happy to talk about our religion as long as the questions are respectful. My faith does not ask me to suffer fools gladly.

Answer 2

I had fallen far flung from the Catholic Church at approximately 13, while i began out asking skeptical questions, and have been given no clever solutions. i became an agnostic for extremely practically ten years, and then began searching for something which made extra experience to me. My spouse had all started examining approximately Pagan faiths in particular, and Wicca particularly, and that i became merely marginally fascinated, yet i became trekking interior the severe floor to the East people slightly, and that i sat down below a tree and watched the meadow and flow under me, and that i had a surprising, and quite deep, efficient adventure. I observed how existence became divided between the genders, each and every complimenting the different, and each desiring the different, and without warning lots of what my spouse were speaking approximately appeared to click into place for me. As I persevered to take a seat down, surprised, I had something extra...very own take place to me. i can merely liken it to a Christian's account of individually connecting to God. It became merely like that. The Lord and lady have been there with me, someway, and that i ought to make certain that the introduction reflects the writer, and that, as such, there became a God and a Goddess. After that, it merely had to do with a brilliant form of learn. i became a believer, and now i had to appreciate extra. that's 18 years later now, and that i'm nonetheless studying.

Answer 3

I am a person. I think you have some very good definitions already. If you are interested in knowing these many belief systems that fall under this giant umbrella do some research, read about the origins and the beliefs of each one use google or any other search engine. Knowing about any other religion does not make you any less devout in your own.

Answer 4

Pagan comes from an Old Roman word Paganus or Pagani meaning 'country dweller' It referred to the agri-cultural societies of the Roman times, often meaning the people such as the Druids.
The more modern term consists of anyone believing in more than one god, (pantheist), but also Animists or even people who worship other gods or goddesses. Druids, Wiccans, Goddess Worshippers, etc would be pagans.

Answer 5

Any person who does not follow the teachings of Abraham.
So all native American shamans, all people who follow indigenous religions and anyone who practices a religion older than Christianity (excluding Judaism). So basically any one who isn't a Christian, Jew, Muslim or atheist.

Some people include all non-Christians as Pagan.

Originally it meant anyone who hadn't converted to Christianity yet. ie the pagans (literally-country folk) who aren't up to the latest fashion (Christianity)

Answer 6

yes - quite so.

A pagan is anyone who believes in a religion or belief set that is not part of Abrahamic teachings- ie, Christianity, Muslim and Judaism.

Otherwise, they are people just like everyone else - and likely you won't know a person is a pagan just by looking at them.

Answer 7

Yes, we are people. We can generally be described as following nature-based religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. It is a broad term that generically describes many religions,

Answer 8

an outsider of christians, jews, or muslims.

apparently these religious people or their religion like to exhibit exclusivity in their own elite group rather than to share the love.

even if they like to share the love, they sure make it known that you're an outsider if you're one.

Answer 9

they are people who follow a pre Christian belief system
Pagan is an umbrella term that covers many different sub belief systems

Answer 10

christians