Paganism with a small "p" in the sense of local small indigenous religions with widely varying beliefs and practices.
2007-11-23 23:16:51 · 7 answers · asked by skip 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Pagan religion has no intrinsic lock on religious freedom. Acts 19, for instance, tells how the pagan worshipers of Artemis seized Christian missionaries with the intent of doing them violence:
"When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater."
Paganism is quite amenable to totalitarianism. Plato taught that the gods create superior men who are fit to rule ("the Guardians") and inferior men who are fit to be ruled. The pagan Roman empire killed thousands of Christians for refusing to sacrifice to the emperor.
This tradition has continued in Islam, which uses military conquest to impose Shariah law, under which a woman can get 200 lashes for having a private meeting with a nonrelative man, even if she is subsequently gang-raped.
In contrast, Jesus taught freedom. Religious coercion was unthinkable, e.g., in Luke 9:
And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village.
For Christians, faith is liberation, not bondage. John 8:32: "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Cheers,
Bruce
2007-11-24 02:24:20 · answer #1 · answered by Bruce 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Freedom of religion is garunteed under the constitution. Most Americans apparently think this only applies to protestant religions. I choose not to disclose my religion to my employer, or fellow employees because they probably will make my life miserable, or I may lose my job. It's a nice concept but my family can't eat the constiturion.
2007-11-24 11:27:44 · answer #2 · answered by Lord Lothian 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Freedom of religion means we are free to choose our religion even if it is paganism. I did.Freedom of religion also means we are free from religion
Proud pagan
BB
2007-11-24 07:27:51 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Freedom of religion means you can have any religion you want or no religion without fear of persecution. That includes paganism.
2007-11-24 07:25:00 · answer #4 · answered by russj 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
paganism is different from free religion it is an ancient religion in europe before christianity arrive
2007-11-24 07:52:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Religions based on smaller groups, and even individuals, have more freedom from dogma to explore God.
2007-11-24 07:20:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Pagans have never tryed to dominate an society, most other religions have and are attempting to force their belief on the whole society.
2007-11-24 07:24:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋