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What do you personally think of Paganism?

Mata

Mata

Insert Witty Title Here
Many Sages One Truth said:
Well, what do you think?
Click to expand...

I think it's great. I am pretty much one, even though I don't call myself it often. But as a wanna-be reconish somethingorother it's what I am for all purposes. The only problem I have with paganism is that people conflate it with nature worship and/or witchcraft. Or just simply have a bad idea about what it is.

But I digress. Point being: YAY!

Oops. I'll use my inside voice now.
 
England my lionheart

England my lionheart

Rockerjahili Rebel
Premium Member
Being English Paganism to me means working in harmony with nature ie the Seasons and respect for ancestors Witchcraft Herblore Druidism,well thats what i get from the ancient monuments that are dotted all over Britain.
 
Revoltingest

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Pagans - just another religion or collection of religions.
The good things about'm are that they appear lacking in certainty, not expansionist, & less controlling. Some of the bigger religions have the inherent danger
of thinking they are the sole possessors of truth, & that to believe otherwise is wrong. Some of those believers of various faiths have even told me that there
is no religion, ie, that what they believe is the singular reality. They would, if they could, make this view law. Pagans seem more accepting of diversity of thought.
 
Draka

Draka

Wonder Woman
Jeneshisu said:
I don't want to step on toes... but I would say that Wiccans bother me quite a bit. Just because a lot of them (not all) are just hardcore harry potter/charmed/twilight fans...who think that Wicca=Witchcraft=Paganism, etc etc. People who jump aboard for all the sparkly stuff and spell casting stuff without understanding anything or taking the time to understand what the religion is actually about. Lots of tweens, etc. People rebelling against their Christian families, etc.

They ruin it for everyone else. Really.

But as for Paganism in and of itself, I have no issues with it.... I mean, it has it's issues, but it's alright. I follow a number of pagan practices, myself.
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Yeah, I have to say that what you described were "Fluffy bunnies" or "wannabe witches", not Wiccans in general. I've never met a real-life Wiccan like any of that. The ones I've met are more like myself. I dress like the average middle-class stay-at-home-mom. Jeans and t-shirts/shorts are my normal wear with the occasional blouse and skirt. I'm not outside running around naked or casting spells willy-nilly, nor do I honestly believe what I believe in order to "rebel" against anyone. If that's what I was doing I'm a little old for it, not to mention that my family has no issues with my religion at all. Oh, and Harry Potter is just awesome but has nothing to do with Wicca, Charmed was ok as a show though the main reason to watch was Cole (Julian McMahon) :drool: , and Twilight...ugh. :rolleyes:
 
blackout

blackout

Violet.
Pagans of substance,
I am very drawn to.
Pagan practices intreigue me, in general.

I tend more naturally to darker paganism,
but I can completely do without those
whose egos outsize their sense of humor,
and the reality of who they are. :rolleyes:

There are as many dark posers out there
as there are light fluff bunnies.
 
Justin Thyme

Justin Thyme

Child of God
Draka said:
Likewise, I disagree with Christianity as I don't believe there is anything to be saved from in the first place. :p
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:) I don't know, I've been saved from boredom, saved from dating the wrong girl, saved from buying a lemon off a used car lot. I think there are a lot of things one can be saved from and all of us have something. For me, Christianity saved me from a pretty meaningless life. I also got something from Christianity that most would think impossible, I learned acceptance of anyone seeking God, regardless of their religion or the number of gods they believe comprise God.

I've also leaned that many Christians believe themselves to be something else, or maybe its many Pagans believe they are Christians. Regardless, names mean little to me.

16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Matthew 7:16-20​

By this I recognize several Pagan friends as Christian brothers and sisters and I hope by my fruits they might recognize me as theirs. The name doesn't matter, its how we serve our God that matters.

Now speaking of Paganism as a religion and not about its practitioners, Paganism has little to no meaning to me. I appreciate the folklore its based on and understand its draw to some but it isn't the way I relate to God.
 
9-10ths_Penguin

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Revoltingest said:
Pagans - just another religion or collection of religions.
The good things about'm are that they appear lacking in certainty, not expansionist, & less controlling. Some of the bigger religions have the inherent danger
of thinking they are the sole possessors of truth, & that to believe otherwise is wrong. Some of those believers of various faiths have even told me that there
is no religion, ie, that what they believe is the singular reality. They would, if they could, make this view law. Pagans seem more accepting of diversity of thought.
Click to expand...
How much of this comes from the core beliefs of Paganism, and how much comes from the fact that they're a small and often mistrusted religious minority?

In my experience, small religious groups that might be on the wrong end of things if they ran afoul of the religions in power tend to be strong advocates for tolerance of diverse belief.

Justin Thyme said:
By this I recognize several Pagan friends as Christian brothers and sisters and I hope by my fruits they might recognize me as theirs. The name doesn't matter, its how we serve our God that matters.
Click to expand...

Hmm. I couldn't read this without being reminded of a line from Full Metal Jacket:

We are here to help the Vietnamese, because inside every gook there is an American trying to get out.
Click to expand...

While I know you had good intentions, I think it's a bit chauvinistic to describe Paganism as another way of worshipping the Christian God.
 
Justin Thyme

Justin Thyme

Child of God
9-10ths_Penguin said:
Hmm. I couldn't read this without being reminded of a line from Full Metal Jacket:

We are here to help the Vietnamese, because inside every gook there is an American trying to get out.
Click to expand...

While I know you had good intentions, I think it's a bit chauvinistic to describe Paganism as another way of worshipping the Christian God.
Click to expand...

Did I do that or did I describe Christianity as another way of worshiping the Pagan Gods? :) My own belief is that God is God, not Christian, Muslim, Hindu or Pagan. It is Man who has created religions, not God. So with that in mind maybe your quote from Full Metal Jacket is appropriate. The America that I live in has no one set ethnicity. On the street I live on I have Bosnians, Africans, Filipinos and Asians living along with people of Western European descent. Religions are just as diverse. Just as Pogue Colonel believed that each Vietnamese shared the same hopes and dreams of each American I believe that there are adherents to every religion that share the same values as every child of God.

But I don't believe my being a Christian is what makes me a Child of God, I think my service to God is what makes me a Child of God and I believe there are adherents to all religions who serve God. My Christianity is just my perspective of God.
 
O

Onkara

Well-Known Member
Re OP
I think Paganism has lots of potential. I think it needs scripture or some structure (from the little I have read, some branches don't subscribe to any structure). I assume lack of structure makes it appealing but also too lose for others. I would be interested in Pagan thoughts on this :eek:
 
G

Gaura Priya

IRL
GabrielWithoutWings said:
Good people. Good folks. On average, at least.

That, and I think hippie girls are kinda hot and the two mingle nicely. :p
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Well, when you have words in their writings, like:

"And ye shall be free from slavery;
and as a sign that ye be really free,
ye shall be naked in your rites;
and ye shall dance, sing, feast,
make music and love,
all in my praise."

-- excerpt from the Charge of the Goddess

It suddenly doesn't seem so bad, lol. :drool:
 
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