So....I don't know much about paganism. Instead of jumping on wikipedia or whatever, when it comes to what people believe I prefer to ask them themselves.
So...
What do pagans believe?
What drew you to paganism?
What is some of the pagan philosophy?
And etcetra?
Thanks;
The Unreal Pixie.
__________________ With each gift that you share
You may heal and repair
With each choice that you make
You may help someone's day
Well I know you are strong
May your journey be long
Now I wish you the best of luck
So....I don't know much about paganism. Instead of jumping on wikipedia or whatever, when it comes to what people believe I prefer to ask them themselves.
So...
Hi there! There are a couple of "ask the pagan/asatru/shaman etc."-threads already, but it's always nice to inspire curiosity and answer questions.
What do pagans believe?
Ask ten different pagans, receive eleven different answers. The term "pagan" encompasses a vast plethora of different POVs, sometimes even within a single group. (A side effect of any religion without dogma, holy books or centralized hierarchies.)
Some pagans are "hard" polytheists, believing in an actual pantheon of deities. (Think: the Greek gods, the Egyptian gods, the Germanic gods, the Celtic gods etc.)
Some are "soft" polytheists, believing that all the gods and godesses are in fact just facets of one overarching, unknowable deity/archetypes in the Jungian sense/personified natural forces. ("All gods are one God.")
Some are pan(en)theists, believing that the divine and the universe are one at the same (or at the very least partially identical.)
Some are animists or monists, believing that there is no distinction between spirit and matter, and that all things are "alive" in a sense.
In short: ten people, eleven answers.
What drew you to paganism?
The gods, of course!!! (Just kidding...)
I'll come back to you on that one. (I'm in a bit of a hurry right now...)
What is some of the pagan philosophy?
As with the first question, the answer to this one would be something along the lines of: "ten people, eleven answers."
But I'll gladly present my personal views in a separate post as soon as I find the time.
Bye for now,
WW
__________________ When man interferes with the Tao,
the sky becomes filthy,
the earth becomes depleted,
the equilibrium crumbles,
creatures become extinct.
--Lao-tzu, Tao Te Ching
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So....I don't know much about paganism. Instead of jumping on wikipedia or whatever, when it comes to what people believe I prefer to ask them themselves.
Usually a good move. Except with pagans. Because none of us agree.
What do pagans believe?
Like WW said, ask 10 pagans, get 11 answers...minimum. "Paganism" is a term like "Abrahamic" - you can ask a Yezidi and a Christian both what they believe, and you'll get to see a fight. Pagans are the same way, but without the fight part, just a wide variance of belief.
Examples, the Ethical Code and goals:
Wicca: "An' it harm none, do what thou wilt", combined with the law of Threefold Return.
Thelema: The Law - "Do what thou wilt be the whole of the law. Love is the law, love under will. There is no law but to do what thou wilt.", unite the divide via love, less emphasis on any kind of cosmic retribution for your actions, but rather practical effects of violating the will of others
Feri: Foster the Black Heart of Innocence, honesty with self, return to a primal state
...and those three have vague connections to each other, and still don't have a unified answer.
What drew you to paganism?
Interest in mythology, and I discovered that what I did/believed resembled paganism anyway.
What is some of the pagan philosophy?
Again, ask 10, get 11. There's no "pagan philosophy". I personally have a rather eclectic blend of Feri and Thelema with some Gnostic and LHP influences going on...basically, I believe in enjoying life, and I pay homage to those deities which encourage such enjoyment.
And etcetra?
Et cetera, ipso facto, quod erat demonstratum, habeas corpus, dies irae, veritas et equitas, IEOUSUS NAZOREUM REX IUDAEUM, umbra cis flammas...
Thanks;
The Unreal Pixie.
You're welcome;
The Genuine Sidhe
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How many pagans do the pagans on this forum actually know? Truthfully, I disregarded such beliefs as thoroughly dead before I joined this forum. There's hardly a sizeable pagan minority in London, and I don't know (or have heard of) any pagans in real life. But, lo and behold, I joined to learn.
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Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
How many pagans do the pagans on this forum actually know? Truthfully, I disregarded such beliefs as thoroughly dead before I joined this forum. There's hardly a sizeable pagan minority in London, and I don't know (or have heard of) any pagans in real life. But, lo and behold, I joined to learn.
Hmm...let me count offhand...14 or more? Just that I see on a semi-regular basis. There was a turnout of over 200 at the local Pagan Pride Day.
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I am the microcosmic reflection of God Herself. I get to make up my own religion. I got my permission slip signed.
You laugh because I'm different, I laugh because...well, you're not laughing now, are you?
"Religion must remain an outlet for people who say to themselves, 'I am not the kind of person I want to be.' It must never sink into an assemblage of the self-satisfied." - Dune
Yes, I too have met quite a few nice Pagans here as well.
1 - What do pagans believe?
As many have said, that very much depends on the person. Paganism as a whole covers a broad range of faiths (pretty much all of the non-Abrahamic religions if I'm not mistaken) so it's quite true that if you ask 10 pagans you'll get 11 different answers, as it's been said. Most pagan faiths however have some basic similarities with each other.
2 - What drew you to paganism?
Well, a great many things really. I had been searching for a new spiritual path for about a year or so. And during that time I identified as Atheist (who believed in the soul, ghosts, karma, and reincarnation). At that time I didn't know paganism was a religion and none of the other "mainstream" religions that I researched seemed to speak to me. When I found paganism, it just clicked. It felt like this was what I have been looking for. And I've been pagan ever sense. I guess what drew me to paganism was how diverse it was, and how many different ways there are to worship the divine. It was like I finally had a name to put to what I believed.
3 - What are some of the pagan philosophies?
That would greatly depend on the religion and it's teachings. All I could really do here is give you a rough idea of the similarities between them and I suppose that could be called the pagan philosophy. I'll get back to you on that.
4 - And extra?
?
__________________ "People only see what they are prepared to see."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"For every joy there is a price to be paid."
- Egyptian proverb
So....I don't know much about paganism. Instead of jumping on wikipedia or whatever, when it comes to what people believe I prefer to ask them themselves.
So...
What do pagans believe?
What drew you to paganism?
What is some of the pagan philosophy?
And etcetra?
Thanks;
The Unreal Pixie.
The first and third of your questions have already been answered, so I'll move on to the second, if I may?
What drew you to paganism
Being born... I have always been this way, I cannot remember a time when I haven't been pagan. All of my family are pagan of some path or other and I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever had family of any other faith, certainly none that I've ever met. We all walk differing paths... some of my cousins are Druids, my parents are Hedgewitches, as am I, and my aunt is a Wiccan and is thinking of setting up her own coven. The rest are just pagans... I think it's in the blood
Originally Posted by Supreme
How many pagans do the pagans on this forum actually know? Truthfully, I disregarded such beliefs as thoroughly dead before I joined this forum. There's hardly a sizeable pagan minority in London, and I don't know (or have heard of) any pagans in real life. But, lo and behold, I joined to learn.
Real life or online? In real life my entire family, if they count (which numbers 27 people, not including children)... online the number is considerably higher, probably somewhere nearer 100. I am at many forums and message boards and have met many friends there. I speak on the phone to some regularly and we sometimes send cards and presents for festivals if we have the money to spare
There are an enormous amount of pagans in London... if you know where to look... most of them are very wary about sharing their faith with strangers, for obvious reasons. You have probably stood next to many of them without even knowing it, Supreme, we look like/act/are normal people... well except for my cousin Mac, normal is not a word that could be attached to him (and he likes it that way, his words )
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How many pagans do the pagans on this forum actually know?
About 40 well enough to hang out in their homes, and I'm usually on 'welcome wagon' staff at a regional pagan festival, so I've met hundreds.
Originally Posted by Supreme
There's hardly a sizeable pagan minority in London, and I don't know (or have heard of) any pagans in real life. But, lo and behold, I joined to learn.
Not everyone dresses the part. Some of us just wear odd pendants.
Originally Posted by durangodawood
I didnt think "pagan" was even an identifiable faith.... but more like an ancient designation for non-Christians.
.
From the Latin "paganus," meaning country dweller. Christianity spread through major trade centers first, and then out into the countryside.
Originally Posted by RealityPixie
What drew you to paganism?
Your other questions have been pretty thoroughly answered, but this one is subjective. An invitation to a pagan festival from the girl I was dating (and we've been together for 15 years now), a sense of community, and the intellectual freedom.
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