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 Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:20 am
How do you define the word Pagan? Some of the common definitions I've seen are: -One who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew, especially a worshiper of a polytheistic religion. -One who has no religion. -A non-Christian. -A hedonist. This site defines a Pagan as "a person who believes that everything has a soul or spirit." And then goes on to say: "This is called Animism, and all Pagan religions share this belief. Rivers, animals, rocks, trees, land are all filled with there own unique spirits for people who are Pagans. Traditionally, Christians believe that only humans have souls or spirits. Many environmentally conscious Christians today share the belief with Pagans that all forms of life have a soul. Pagans see the divine spirit in all life, as do some members of other religions." Scott Cunninham says "From the Latin paganus, country-dweller. Today used as a general term for followers of Wicca and other magical, shamanistic and polytheistic religions. Naturally, Christians have their own peculiar definition of this word. It can be interchanged with Neo-Pagan." in Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner.
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:49 am
It's the first one one in your posted list.
a person without a religion is an athiest. someone who believes that there is something out there, but doesn't know what, is Agnostic.
the reason the first is right, is because really only 3 religions (including their branchoffs) are guided by a book. (this all i learned from the lecture by Rev. Kirk White yesterday) the christians have their Bible, the Jews have their Kabbala & the Muslims have the Quran (sp).
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 9:19 am
*Nods* I figured that the athiest one was wrong... Other than that, what you just said makes sense...
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:50 am
I think the MAJOR definition is someone who is not of an Abahamic faith (Christian, Muslum or Jewish). I don't think being polythestic truly has much to do with being consitered pagan. Its hard to define, because under that basic definition Hindus and Bhuddists would also be pagan. It really depends on your dictionary. o_O
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 11:02 am
I wonder how Hindus and Buddists would feel about being called Pagan... I guess it's their opinion that counts them in or out when it all comes down to it...
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 11:41 am
callmebutterfingers I wonder how Hindus and Buddists would feel about being called Pagan... I guess it's their opinion that counts them in or out when it all comes down to it... just asked my BF (a Hindu) how we would feel about being considered a pagan.... he said it doesn't matter one bit to him. so there you go ^_^ pretty much doesn't matter to some. & i don't think it should matter to them. pagan is just n umbrella term for what i said befoe. anyone who isn't 1 of the 3 major religions, can be subcatagorized as pagan. because almost all "pagan" religions have some big parts that are similar.
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:32 pm
That may be true, but if people are uncomfortable with a label that applies to them, they tend to get angry if it's used to describe them. They can be Pagan without responding well to being called Pagan. 3nodding
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:53 pm
callmebutterfingers That may be true, but if people are uncomfortable with a label that applies to them, they tend to get angry if it's used to describe them. They can be Pagan without responding well to being called Pagan. 3nodding *nods*
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Underworld Priestess Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:34 pm
To me a Pagan can be defined as someone who is not Muslim, Jewish or Chrisitian, mainly because those are monotheistic religions and rather zealous that they have the one true god. Paganism is more polythesitc. Atheist believe in nothing and then there are people who consider themselves spiritualist and do not consider themselves part of any religion but who tend to have Paganist ideas. Religion is a very complex idea.
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:36 pm
As for the Hindu and Buddhist idea, I do think that they would fall under the broad Paganist idea but the ones I know really do not like being considered Pagan.
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Underworld Priestess Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:15 am
I personally do not like being called pagan. Its the whole thing of pagan being such a negative term. Now, if someone asks... What do I tell them? I could tell them many things. I'm a shaman or I could say that I am a green/kitchen witch.
Or some people call themselves Neo-pagan
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:28 am
Wow, Guardian, an actual shaman? I don't think I've ever met one on Gaia before. A lot of shamanic practitioners but not a shaman.
Still... the terms "shaman" and "witch" refer to roles one takes in one's community or in one's life. They don't describe religion. One can be a Christian witch, for example. Unsure about the shaman one... I mean, technically you'd have to be Siberian and a follower of that religion. I'd say the majority would be Pagans but some might describe themselves as spiritual atheists.
I think many Pagans use the word as a shortened form of Neo-Pagan in most contexts, so they aren't using it to mean "any religion but the Abrahamic faiths". But that's evident by context. Additionally many people of Eastern faiths don't identify as Pagans. I suppose that's because the old implications of the word are more relevant to them than they are to those of us who insert an invisible apostrophe at the beginning of the word. They're not resurrecting a "pre-Christian" faith or basing their personal faith off said religion.
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:38 am
Sanguina-chan Wow, Guardian, an actual shaman? I don't think I've ever met one on Gaia before. A lot of shamanic practitioners but not a shaman. Still... the terms "shaman" and "witch" refer to roles one takes in one's community or in one's life. They don't describe religion. One can be a Christian witch, for example. Unsure about the shaman one... I mean, technically you'd have to be Siberian and a follower of that religion. I'd say the majority would be Pagans but some might describe themselves as spiritual atheists. I think many Pagans use the word as a shortened form of Neo-Pagan in most contexts, so they aren't using it to mean "any religion but the Abrahamic faiths". But that's evident by context. Additionally many people of Eastern faiths don't identify as Pagans. I suppose that's because the old implications of the word are more relevant to them than they are to those of us who insert an invisible apostrophe at the beginning of the word. They're not resurrecting a "pre-Christian" faith or basing their personal faith off said religion. I don't think I really consider myself a shaman yet. It is just an example really. I am studying and getting really into it. My great grandfather was full Cherokee. So I am really trying to get in touch with my heritage.
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:45 am
i call myself a pagan proudly. I have no intention of adding "neo" to anything i do or am. neo it the negative part to me. it scream noob in my face.
& for the most part i call myself pagan because i' not sure of my path yet. at one point i tried calling myself a "eclectic pagan of celtic & egyptian influence w/ a wican base"...yea i'd rather just say pagan. cause celtic & egyptian...they're not my only interests.
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:40 pm
Since we're on the subject of definitions... Does anyone have a pretty clear idea of what an elcentric (is that the right word?) Pagan is?
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