This is another thought I've had from my foray into Paganism.
I've reached the conclusion that Abrahamic (and monotheistic religions generally) and many Pagan religions (excluding certain Dharmic paths) are not the same thing. And by 'thing' I mean 'religion'. I think describing these two both as 'religion' is to miss the mark terribly. They are not the same in concept at all. @The Hammer essentially said on my other thread that Abrahamic religions are top down, while Pagan religions are bottom up. One has directions from God; do this, don't do that; wear this, not that; pray this many times; etc. As well as having an all-powerful force that cannot be tampered with, whether by magic, ritual or otherwise. Pagan beliefs tend to be nothing like this, and are built from the ground up, rather, in my view, from folks seeing things around themselves and making certain inferences. There aren't any dos and don'ts such as there are in Abrahamic systems.
Another main point I would like to make is that philosophies tend to exist separately from Pagan religions themselves such as in Greece and Rome, where philosophy (especially moral) was distinct from religion but one could, and rather should, have both - this seems foreign to an Abrahamic mindset, where one's religion essentially dictates one's philosophy and is basically the same thing.
I think it could reasonably be argued that these two God-beliefs are so distinct as to be different things and not really apt to be put under the same banner of 'religion'.
@Augustus @Vouthon @SalixIncendium @JustGeorge
I've reached the conclusion that Abrahamic (and monotheistic religions generally) and many Pagan religions (excluding certain Dharmic paths) are not the same thing. And by 'thing' I mean 'religion'. I think describing these two both as 'religion' is to miss the mark terribly. They are not the same in concept at all. @The Hammer essentially said on my other thread that Abrahamic religions are top down, while Pagan religions are bottom up. One has directions from God; do this, don't do that; wear this, not that; pray this many times; etc. As well as having an all-powerful force that cannot be tampered with, whether by magic, ritual or otherwise. Pagan beliefs tend to be nothing like this, and are built from the ground up, rather, in my view, from folks seeing things around themselves and making certain inferences. There aren't any dos and don'ts such as there are in Abrahamic systems.
Another main point I would like to make is that philosophies tend to exist separately from Pagan religions themselves such as in Greece and Rome, where philosophy (especially moral) was distinct from religion but one could, and rather should, have both - this seems foreign to an Abrahamic mindset, where one's religion essentially dictates one's philosophy and is basically the same thing.
I think it could reasonably be argued that these two God-beliefs are so distinct as to be different things and not really apt to be put under the same banner of 'religion'.
@Augustus @Vouthon @SalixIncendium @JustGeorge