Why can't a Christian know about Pagan beliefs while still REMAINING Christian?

Question

There are many Christians who know about Pagan beliefs because there are friends or family members who ARE Pagans.

My own family is an example of this. They LEARNED about my religion, even though they are STILL Christian and I am Hellenic Polytheist.

There is NO VALID reason to say that someone needs to "admit" to being pagan if they know about Pagan beliefs for another reason.

Answer 1

Who says you can't?

I am a Christian who for a short time (and for a terribly wrong reason--trying to keep ahold of an abusive boyfriend who wanted to leave me, though I wouldn't have admitted that at the time) I became for a few months a solitary practitioner.

I quickly discovered that it was not right for me, but during that time I did do plenty of research, and learned all I could.

Christians who think that they can't learn about, hear about, or discuss other faith paths are not strong in their faith. If they are so afraid that the mear mention of any other faith might possess them and make them lose their faith, their interpersonal boundaries need massive work, and so frankly, does their trust in the Lord.

Those people love to quote the "nor powers, nor principalities etc..can seperate us from the Love of God" but apparently they think words and ideas can.

I love Harry Potter (which bore precious little resemblance to the Solitary Wicca I studied), I try to learn as much as I can about other faiths, and *gasp* I learned from my short time as a Wiccan, that there are many things we can learn from them to incorporate in our own faith practice. I'll list them here (if everyone will forgive me a digression)

1) Respect and love for nature. Christians have walled ourselves indoors, and when we briefly allow ourselves to worship outdoors, we do so in stuffy ampitheatres and spaces designed to bring as much of the indoors to the outdoors as possible. Why can't we worship in unadulturated natural settings? Why can't we work to be better stewards of the earth and work against those powers and principalities that are causing global warming and severe pollution?

2) Spontaneity and individual choice in worship. Every single worship act undertaken by a Solitary Practitioner Wiccan is undertaken willfully and with joy. There is no forced feeling to it, as there so often can be with the grind of Sunday morning services. Individuals and families can worship anytime that they desire during the week, and should be encouraged in developing that sense of willfully and joyously choosing to worship.

3) Offering to God. In every ceremony various offerings, often honeycakes and mead (or whatever the means of the individual allow to be used or substituted) are very consciously offered to whatever vision of God, or Gods plural, or Spirits or energies that the practitioner envisions. How many times do we rotely say in church "We offer ourselves...or We Lift our Hearts to the Lord" while doing nothing of the sort.

4) A strong sense that everyone, no matter, their means can worship with what they have. I remember being a poor college student, and not having the money to buy specific tools at any specialty shop. But SP's (for short, and not referring to Myers Briggs) that I knew assured me that it was okay to substitute what I did have. So for example, my athame was a plastic knife, my bell was a chime off of my windchimes etc...But how many of us Christians, even though we know its wrong and try not to, unconsciously judge anyone who comes to church shabbily dressed, or even homeless, unshowered, and wearing the only clothes they have (this happened once at my congregation before I was a member there) and people really did struggle with not cringing away from the smell and had difficulty greeting this person with open arms. They did resolve to do better next time!

These are the things that come off of the top of my head right now, but I know there are more!

Answer 2

Because it scares them. Fear=unknown. I had a friend that was Christian (by the way...I used to be Christian, now pagan). She absoluetly refused to read anything "pagan" because she thought she would go to hell. Nothing I ever said would get through to her. And it all boils to down to the wonderful topic of religion.

I remember her reading a book about France. I asked if she was going to become French. "No...don't be silly." "Then how can reading a book ABOUT paganism make you pagan?" "You're going to hell!" Wammo...RELIGION!!!

It has been drilled into some peoples head soooo much, that they are unable to think outside of the box. Not all Christians are like this, I've had some Christian friends do exactly as you're suggesting. They were interested in my beliefs so they studied it. However, for the most part, Christians believe in the bible so much, that they are unwilling to seek out the knowledge of other religions and don't see the point of doing so.

Answer 3

I was raised or in my terms forced no choice but to be a Catholic. I loved nature and RC did not make sense to me, making out the humans are not one with nature and no bondness to flora or Fiona. Basically going against nature. When I was down due to my hard time at school for being different it was the hills and the long grass and the wind that gave me comfort. I was drown to pagan but only stuck with RC for my grandmother but know I have denounced my faith and studying pagan. There was also hypocrisy's and contradictions and I had too many questions. I seen the faith for the power and greed off men, I have yet to see what they preach. Ironically Catholic was a pagan religion, its only the mans need that has made it in to a religion off want and turned its good values up side down. Any religon stemming from RC all ride on the back of pagan hoidays and events through the year?

Answer 4

You CAN be a Christian whilst learning about anyother religion. It could be your interest, a family or friends interest that your trying to learn about... anything. Just because you study it doesn't mean you are. Personally, I study all kinds of mythologies and religions - the topic is very interesting for me. However, I am no longer searching for what is my religions, I've found what I am - no questions asked. Still, just because I study and talk about Christianity, does NOT mean I am one - far from it! It goes the other way too! Perhaps people are worried when Christians study something other than Christianity that they will fall into the "dark side" *insert scary music here*

It's good to learn about religions, even if they are not your own. You can understand people better, and it makes you more aware of your own beliefs.

Answer 5

I don't know, why can't they?

Agreed, there isn't a valid reason to say someone needs to admit to Being a Pagan just because they know about our beliefs. That's silly to suggest that one has to admit to such a thing. Knowing about beliefs doesn't mean one is following them.

I wonder, since the majority don't know about Pagan beliefs, how can they say they are wrong? This only proves they are listening to other people and assuming they know what they are talking about.

Answer 6

I totally agree......I was a christian while learning about pagan beliefs and now......imma pagan too!

In all seriousness tho u can remain a christian while learning other beliefs actually i was taught that as a christian to know what others were talking about u had to be well versed in other religions just in case they were talkin some off the wall stuff u just cant agree with or whateva.

Answer 7

I know about paganism and a lot of other religions and Im still Christian. But I can say the same, why wont other religions and the non religious learn about Christianity? Seems they only take info about Christianity from non-Christians.

Answer 8

Sorry, I'm laughing my head off at the guy who said "insert pagan equivalent of hell"... Hel(l) is a pagan belief! (Although much altered over centuries by the medieval imagination) No, I don't get it either. The only thing I can think of is people who learn *just enough* to see similarities and then get scared because they can't reconcile them. There's no rational reason anyway, and personally my Christianity is much richer for studying other beliefs.

Peace to you.

Answer 9

To know is to put doubt in their minds about their own religion. It is a conflict with christians beliefs to even consider any thing Pagan.
The Truth

Answer 10

I know about Christianity, but I'm not a christian, I know about Buddhism, but I'm not buddhist, so why should someone who knows about paganism necessarily have to be pagan, it makes no sense