Does anybody still pray to any pagan gods and how and why? I would like to know .?

Answer 1

I fully understand what you mean.

I have nothing against religion in general... nor pagan religion. But I do question peoples motives.

Its difficult to imagine people abandoning mainstream religions that have and do work for million... in favor of the obscure religions that only serve to alienate.

I wonder if people seek paganism because it truly is more spiritually sound for them... or if there is another impure motive.

I find that a lot of people chose alternate religions
• for spite against the mainstream
• for a rebellious image
• because they seek power and purpose that they cant find in "real life"... like the "magic" of some religious practices such as Wicca
• mysticism for the sake of asserting power and control over ones future and life... and over that of others... as in the case of exacting revenge and whatnot.

True spiritualism is in the mind and heart. Even if the religion you associate with is mainstream, the spiritualists direction is the same.

I dont see why anyone would revert to "lesser" religions that have already proven fallible. Hence they were abandoned by the majority.

No different that suddenly starting a cult, bringing ancient myth back into faith. I have more faith in something I personally made up... made up not in the imagined fairytale sense... but in the sense that it was created through deep thought and introspection about the spiritual world.


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Abbey Hansen:
I know that .... that is one of my points, in fact. Appealing to traditionalism is a logical fallacy. "Going back to their roots" isnt necessarily a good thing... especially if their reasons are not just.

Older religions might be far older... but that doesnt make them any more sound. Newer religions have been refined. In fact, they have been refined from the older ones. Newer religions are based on the older ones in many ways.

New religions are a consolidation of truths, if nothing else. The older ones are filled with junk to fill in gaps that couldnt be understood in any other way.

Answer 2

There are a good number of people who pray to pagan gods, as you put it. I'm a polytheist who worships deities from the Levant region (ancient Canaan).

How? I can pray silently while doing other things. It can be an informal dialogue or formal, set prayer. I can formalize it with spoken words, epithets, movement, song. I can incorporate it into a ritual that includes purification and offerings or libations. I can kneel at my altar or sit/stand at a quiet spot.

Why? For the reasons that a lot of other people pray, I suspect. I pray to express gratitude, offer praise, request help or guidance or to listen for an answer. I pray to communicate with the divine and maintain relationships with certain deities. It deepens my spirituality and brings peace to my heart.

Answer 3

Hindus are Pagan, and have many gods. Many people still worship them.

Neo-Paganism is one of the fastest growing religious bodies in the world, and have a plethora of Gods and Goddesses. Wicca is one branch of Neo Paganism.

So, yes.

Answer 4

I am pagan & follow the ancient gods & goddesses out of reverence for what they represented to the people at the time. As people sought answerers for the questions of life & the world around them they created deities in the expectations that their worship to them would have an effect on the mysteries that they did not understand. This is still true today.
I follow my gods for the same reason you follow yours.
It works for me.
PS (They're not real, we all make god up)

Answer 5

Define pagan

Answer 6

Hindus are not pagans, a pagan is one that does not follow any of the major religions, so not; Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Shinto etc. Pagans can also be those that do not follow any particular religion but may have spirituality. Neo-pagans are those that follow a newer form of an old religion. As "neo" means new, or modern form of.

Paganism covers many religions and spiritualities. There are many today that follow ancient religions, or modern forms of old religions as well as new religions. It depends on the religion/spirituality. However I will speak of religion. There are many pagan religions with differing Deities, practices, beliefs etc. In my religion the religion, we worship Three Main Gods as well as Lesser Gods. We pray to Them and honour Them by displaying images of Them around our homes so that we are always reminded of Them. We worship also in a Temple which is run by a High Priest and High Priestess as well as their priests and priestesses. I pray to The Gods for many reasons, but usually for guidance and to thank Them for helping me through life. I like to pray as it helps me form a closer relationship with Them.

CogitoErgoCogitoSum; people are not suddenly abandoning mainstream religion in favour of "obscure" pagan religions. Many pagan religious are many thousands or hundreds of years old. It's many mainstream religions that tried to eradicate all anicent practices and force people to worship their God and convert. In any way, those that are leaving mainstream religions, are going back to their roots. Although some pagans, like myself follow a religion, that has been in their family for some time. Also, magic is an entirely separate subject. It may have links to Wicca because some Wiccans are wizards however that is no more or less than other religions. People are born magical regardless of religion etc. Magic and religion do not go hand in hand.

Also many could argue that many mainstream religions are obscure regarding Deities and prefer impersonalism as oppossed to getting know Gods as people, which is what They are. You generalise far too much and pidgeon hole all pagans when we do not all share the same religion or beliefs. Some religions may be obscure however I do not think this is exclusive to paganism.

Answer 7

Depends on which of the many definitions you're using.

I'm Neo-pagan because it brings me close to my Indigenous roots as a European. Xanity is a valid faith, but is not indigenous to Europe.

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Answer 8

Many people pray to many gods that aren't the Abrahamic one (the god of Christianity, Judaism and Islam.)

Usually they do so because they've had direct interaction with said deities.

As far as I can tell, the Abrahamic god is the only one you have to believe in FIRST to get interaction with.

Answer 9

I do. I dont so much distinguish between the different Gods and Godesses because I think all Gods are one God and all Goddesses are one Goddess. The different Gods and Goddesses are just the different ways each God or Goddess can be acknoleged, or made more tangeable.

this is generally the wiccan view on Gods and Goddesses, but for specific religions that worship specific dieties try Druids. Their religion is based more on worshiping and getting to know the Gods, and celebrating nature.

Answer 10

not i. i believe in one God.

abby hansen: i do think your genuine and find your answer very interesting. i was wondering where did all these gods you believe in come from?...were they self-creating?...or did the three main ones have something to do with it?...genuine question