"Neo-Paganism"

[Circle_One]

The Belief-O-Matic quiz thing made me think of this as the number one religion on my results was Neo-Paganism, and I despise the term. It made me wonder what the other Pagans out there in RF land feel about this.

Neo-Paganism is quoted as

Neo-Pagans are a community of faiths bringing ancient Pagan and magickal traditions to the modern age--including mostly Wicca but also Druidism, Asatru, Shamanism, neo-Native American, and more. Neo-Pagan is an umbrella term for various and diverse beliefs with many elements in common. Some Neo-Pagans find no incongruence practicing Neo-Paganism along with adherence to another faith, such as Christianity or Judaism.

Why do they feel the need to add the "Neo" to it? And how do you all feel about it? Do you prefer to be referred to as a Neo-Pagan or simply a Pagan and why?

 

[Master Vigil]

Well, technically speaking it is "neo." Since alot of the old ways were destroyed by christians. But it is indeed trying to bring back the old ways. I think they just use that term to distinguish between the paganism practiced today, and the paganism practiced long ago. They are different, but only slightly. I think they only have it just for scholarly uses. I have no problem with people using the term pagan, but I also have no problem with the scholarly people using the term neo-pagan. I feel they are used for 2 different things. Did that make any sense??

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I think I only don't like it since it reminds me of the phrase "Neo-Nazi". Also, I don't like Neo from "The Matrix." Maybe that's not a good enough reason, but I suppose I don't care. *grin*

 

[Jaymes]

What MV said. We don't know a whole lot about how the old pagans worshipped. I'd rather call myself 'neo-pagan' than risk offending an ancestor who's going "AUGH, we didn't DO that!"

 

[lilithu]

The Belief-O-Matic quiz thing made me think of this as the number one religion on my results was Neo-Paganism, and I despise the term. It made me wonder what the other Pagans out there in RF land feel about this.

Neo-Paganism is quoted as
Why do they feel the need to add the "Neo" to it? And how do you all feel about it? Do you prefer to be referred to as a Neo-Pagan or simply a Pagan and why?

The word "pagan" was kind of a catch-all word used to describe anyone that was not of the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), who practiced their local spiritual practices. Hence, a Hindu would be considered a "pagan." a Taoist, a Buddhist, a Jain, a Zoroastrian, etc. I think "neo-Pagan" refers more specifically to earth-based spiritual practices, which while varied have some core ideas in common. And as MV said, technically neo-pagan is "neo" in that it is (by necessity) reconstructed.

I usually just say "pagan" because I'm too lazy to add the extra syllables, but I don't think that "neo" is meant to be derogatory. For example, "neo-classical" is not inferior or inauthentic compared to "classical."

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Can I get away with simply calling myself a 'heathen'? *grin* (Good points, everyone!)

 

[Jaymes]

You can, Feathers, but the Asatru are a bunch that usually get huffy whenever someone that isn't specifically subscribing to Norse beliefs calls themself a heathen. They're quirky like that.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

You can, Feathers, but the Asatru are a bunch that usually get huffy whenever someone that isn't specifically subscribing to Norse beliefs calls themself a heathen. They're quirky like that.

That just shows my ignorance. I apologize to any Asatru out there!

Sometimes I wish I had a convient label, while other times I'm glad I don't have one.

 

[kreeden]

I perfer heathen too feathers , but as Jensa said , the term is taken . So I go by Ogre . hehe . And I have a BIG stick that says that I can call meself Ogre if I want to .

I don't really care for the term " Neo " anything because to me it sounds like " wannabe ", if you follow my drift . But at the same time , the term is true . So I guess it is one of those things that I think could be better , but I can live with it . But then , I'm not sure if I consider myself Pagan really ? If others want to label me as a Pagan , I have been called worst . { Neo or not }

 

[Unedited]

My problem with it, is that they're trying to emphasize the fact that it's not the same religion it was. But neither is Christianity. I guess my thinking, is that sure, maybe a Pagan today doesn't do the same things a Pagan a few thousand years ago did, but that doesn't mean they don't believe in the same thing, and I think that's the important part of religion when it comes to a need for labeling.

The last line of that definition bothered me too.

"Some Neo-Pagans find no incongruence practicing Neo-Paganism along with adherence to another faith, such as Christianity or Judaism."

They way it's stated makes it sound like Neo-Paganism is a hobby.

It's just a word though, and I find language to be inadaquate in many aspects. Maybe the problem lies within the fact that many of the people using this term don't actually understand it.

 

[Jaymes]

Christianity has the advantage of having surviving texts from when it began, though. We have no such luck. I do agree about the believing bit, though.

 

[kreeden]

Well said Unedited . Times change , as do the people living in those times . And what I see as the beauty of Paganism is that it DOES NOT have a dogma telling you what you have to believe in , but allows one to form their own views and opinions . But as you say , it is just a word .

 

[Halcyon]

I call myself neo-gnostic because i believe in some of the core beliefs of the ancient gnostics, but i don't believe everything they did or worship in the same way. I think unless your doing/believing pretty much exactly what the ancient practitioners did then you ought to stick neo- on to the front of whatever you want to label yourself as. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I think I'll just call myself a 'Witch.' Hopefully, that won't offend the Wicca, since I'm not sure if that term is used esclusively for them or not.

 

[lilithu]

I think I'll just call myself a 'Witch.' Hopefully, that won't offend the Wicca, since I'm not sure if that term is used esclusively for them or not.

I'll just call you the world's tallest hobbit. And if hobbits get offended, I'll step on them!

 

[Lycan]

since I'm not sure if that term is used esclusively for them or not.

It's not.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Nooooo! *hugs hobbits protectively*

 

[kreeden]

No Feathers , not all Witchs are Wiccan . In fact I have been told that true Witchs are born , not made . And that Wiccans are wannabes ... Hey , not my view , but the view of some , which is why I get such a kick from the term " fluff bunny ".

Such a wonderful species , aren't we ?

 

[Circle_One]

In fact I have been told that true Witchs are born , not made

Ah, I hate this. I've heard this so many times "I was BORN a witch!" Oh yeah? Were you born floating pencils and changing people into frogs too? Gah, Star, you remember how many fluffy bunnies we used to get who would claim this?

And that Wiccans are wannabes ...

To be quite honest, I know many who aren't 'wannabes' persay, but throw the term Wiccan around loosely simply because they think it'll make people go "ooooooohhhh" with awe and astonishment. Similarly, I know many people who got into Wicca as a means of casting spells--love spells to be exact. Many a teenager has watched The Craft or something similar and thought how fun it would be to be able to do that and so has picked up a spell book and declared themselves Wiccan. This is where a lot of the gripes against Wicca has come from because it's rare for a teenager to just pick up a book and claim to be Asatru or Druid or any of the other hundreds of Pagan religions. The religion that has the most 'wannabes' is Wicca.

which is why I get such a kick from the term " fluff bunny ".

Quite a fan of this term, myself.

No Feathers , not all Witchs are Wiccan

No, not all Witches are Wiccan and in the same respect, not all Wiccans are Witches.

 

[Sagira]

Ah, I hate this. I've heard this so many times "I was BORN a witch!" Oh yeah? Were you born floating pencils and changing people into frogs too? Gah, Star, you remember how many fluffy bunnies we used to get who would claim this?

Yes, yes I do. Good times. I swear, after a while, it just got to the point where all you could do is laugh hysterically because there was nothing else you could say, haha.

Although, I must admit, one of my all-time favorite 'fluffies' was that who kept saying that they were a member of the 'harry potter' religion but didn't worship the devil, or anything like that.

Then there was that one who claimed up and down that the proper way to spell 'magic' is 'magick'. And since I happen to detest spelling it like that, I must not know anything. =D

I should really dig up my old screenies sometime, eh? ;D