Well, the word actually comes from ancient Rome. “Paganus” was a person living in a rural area or village. As Christianity became more widespread and generally accepted in the towns and cities, “paganus” became the term for a person who continued to worship the old gods. Eventually, the word crept into the English language as the word pagan. Today, a pagan is best defined as a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions.
Sounds a little vague doesn't it? That's because there are so very many different traditions in modern paganism, or neopaganism, it just can't be pinned down to “a modern pagan believes _____”. Some are monotheistic (one god/dess), others are polytheistic (many god/desses). There are animists, those who believe that everything, rocks, plants, animals, all posses a spiritual essence. Pantheists don't believe in a distinct god, but that everyone and everything IS god. Shamanism teaches how to focus on our connection to nature and all of creation. The list goes on...
Because there are many different paths a pagan can follow, I can't possibly speak for all of them. I can't say that all pagans believe or don't believe in something. However, there are common threads to many of the different traditions. Many are earth based religions, meaning they honour nature and believe humans are a part of nature, rather than separate and above it. Many do have gods and goddesses that figure prominently in their beliefs, and many have a central Goddess figure, a Mother of all creation. Most pagans respect that everyone must walk their own path, and don't expect that everyone must believe the same thing that they do. You may be hard pressed to find two pagans that believe in all the same things. In fact, many pagans find their beliefs change and evolve as they grow and learn. It's actually one of the things I love about it. There's no dogma, there are no strict rules to follow and it has a fluidity many religions don't.
There is one last common thread to many of the different pagan paths that I would like to point out. Pagans are not all Satan worshippers. Quite frankly, most pagans don't even believe in the devil. He is a figure that belongs to another religion entirely. I know there are many myths and misconceptions about paganism, and I don't have time or space to dispel them all. But that one's a biggie, and I want to get it out of the way ASAP.
It is my hope that as we go along, people will come to understand more about modern pagans, and that some of the other myths will see the light of day. I don't necessarily want to change your mind, but I do want to make you think! Blessings be with you!
Sounds a little vague doesn't it? That's because there are so very many different traditions in modern paganism, or neopaganism, it just can't be pinned down to “a modern pagan believes _____”. Some are monotheistic (one god/dess), others are polytheistic (many god/desses). There are animists, those who believe that everything, rocks, plants, animals, all posses a spiritual essence. Pantheists don't believe in a distinct god, but that everyone and everything IS god. Shamanism teaches how to focus on our connection to nature and all of creation. The list goes on...
Because there are many different paths a pagan can follow, I can't possibly speak for all of them. I can't say that all pagans believe or don't believe in something. However, there are common threads to many of the different traditions. Many are earth based religions, meaning they honour nature and believe humans are a part of nature, rather than separate and above it. Many do have gods and goddesses that figure prominently in their beliefs, and many have a central Goddess figure, a Mother of all creation. Most pagans respect that everyone must walk their own path, and don't expect that everyone must believe the same thing that they do. You may be hard pressed to find two pagans that believe in all the same things. In fact, many pagans find their beliefs change and evolve as they grow and learn. It's actually one of the things I love about it. There's no dogma, there are no strict rules to follow and it has a fluidity many religions don't.
There is one last common thread to many of the different pagan paths that I would like to point out. Pagans are not all Satan worshippers. Quite frankly, most pagans don't even believe in the devil. He is a figure that belongs to another religion entirely. I know there are many myths and misconceptions about paganism, and I don't have time or space to dispel them all. But that one's a biggie, and I want to get it out of the way ASAP.
It is my hope that as we go along, people will come to understand more about modern pagans, and that some of the other myths will see the light of day. I don't necessarily want to change your mind, but I do want to make you think! Blessings be with you!