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Paganism

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Dryad, Apr 21, 2017.

  1. Dryad

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    Are any pagans on EC? I've been interesting in this kind of religions for a while now, and although I'm too much of a sceptic to be fully into it, I'm very curious to listen to other people's experiences with it.
     
  2. Eldrher

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    Yo, I'm here to help. Ask me anything and I'll help.
     
  3. Daydreamer1

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    I forgot the link, but we have a few threads on paganism here :slight_smile: However if you need help or have questions, feel free to ask.
     
    #3 Daydreamer1, Apr 21, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2017
  4. AlexanderDragon

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    Hello! If you have questions, I can answer!
     
  5. Mysteria

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    I'm exploring paganism right now. I know a little about it, being a practicing pagan for 2 years. Now I'm looking at getting back to it.
     
  6. Cauldron

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    Please forgive me if my question comes off as ignorant. I realize that paganism is somewhat vague and is made up of different "Paths" so to speak, But is worship of gods necessary?
     
    #6 Cauldron, Apr 21, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2017
  7. Daydreamer1

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    Some people view the gods and goddesses as literal beings, and some look at them from a Jungian or metaphorical sense. So, personally, I don't think diety worship is necessary. However, you'll find some pagans who disagree.

    There's pantheism which is the belief that the Universe is divinity or in a sense, god. There's panenthiesm, which is a bit different but I don't remember the specifics. Animism is the idea that everything has some sort of essence or soul. There's also humanistic or naturalistic paganism as well, which has gotten some heat from people who say it's just spiritual atheism with a different bow.

    With all the various sub sects and labels, it can get complicated. But for the tl;dr version, I don't think the worship of one god or a pantheon is necessary to be a pagan.
     
  8. Dryad

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    Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure what to ask first. I mainly wanted to hear your experiences, how you got into this and how you relate with the divine. As for me, I'm mostly agnostic, my scepticism doesn't let me to believe or to dismiss the idea of a metaphysical realm.

    People sometimes talk about intuition, and that it's suppose to help you reach what you cannot reach by pure reason, but I don't know how to use it, and find difficult to trust it. How can you judge what to believe in and what not, if you put reason aside? However, I guess you could say that what motivates me to search for these things is exactly what you'd call intuition. I have a vague feeling that my experience and my relation to the world doesn't fit into pure reason. I can't explain it. I feel that the emotions and the mind aren't just chemical stuff. And I have questions, like "why do we feel?". Why couldn't humans function just like robots?

    Speaking of robots, I was thinking about them the other day and wondered if they could ever have consciousness. I can imagine how it feels to be a bird or a snail, because it sure feels like something, to be a bird or a snail. If I try to imagine how it feels to be a robot, it's blanc. I can't do it. I bet it feels like nothing, like being a rock or a chair, however sophisticated the robot. So, what's missing? Is it a kind of soul or spirit?

    Also: I've heard some people who are into spirituality, talking about "energy". I find this a vague notion. What is this "energy"? What I know as energy is electricity, chemical power, nuclear power etc, things you can measure. The energy and vibrations that spiritual people talk about, I never understood.

    I have some more specific questions about gods and pantheons, if we get into this, but I feel I have to discuss the more fundamental things first.

    ---------- Post added 22nd Apr 2017 at 01:10 PM ----------

    I'm sorry I didn't look for other threads about paganism before posting. It goes without saying that whoever wants to can post their questions and experiences too.
     
  9. Eldrher

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    Its not necessary. I, personally, don't believe in them as literal beings, but more as a manifestation of energy? I don't really know how to explain. I don't worship them though.
     
  10. Daydreamer1

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    It's hard to describe what energy is, since it's different for everyone. But, I'd love to see everyone else's responses. Also, feel free to unload with all the questions you have on the various gods, goddesses, and pantheons. We'd love to help out in any way we can.
     
  11. WeDreamOfPeace

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    So it's OK to be an agnostic, almost? To sort of see deities, rituals etc. as personalizations of energy forces or "spirits", not unlike seeing "God" as a benevolent force that animates and guides us, rather than as a person or deity?

    Am interested. My spiritual life is a little eclectic, so have pretty much been checking out everything.

    On a similar note, could the God and Goddess of Wicca be almost seen as the Yin-Yang of Taoism, two forces that cause "stuff" to happen, that the reverence and opening of self too can create changes, rather than two all-ruling deities?

    Thanks for reading! Hugs
     
  12. Daydreamer1

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    Absolutely, there's nothing wrong with that. With Paganism, it's not just how many gods you worship (or lack their of) but in what way; which people have described as 'hard' or 'soft', or literal and metaphorical archetypical if you will. So you can be agnostic and view the gods as a certain way, and so ritual work as well. Hell, there's a community of atheists who also identify as witches or practice witchcraft.

    As far as the God and Goddess of Wicca goes being viewed in a similar was a Taoism, I can see where you're coming from, though I'm not 100% knowledgeable since I've never self identified as a Wiccan. However, there's a pretty cool blog on tumblr called The Pagan Study Group Page that has a huge tagged section on everything you'd want to know about Paganism and are pretty active; and I do mean huge, and is one of the most extensive blogs on the subject I've come across of.

    So stuff like the different pantheons, science related stuff (psychology, quantum physics, astronomy etc..), LGBTQ issues, terminology, deity resources, types of magic/magick, and so on and so forth. If you can think it, they may have something for it. Also, no question is a stupid one with them. I remember asking if anyone had specific resources pertaining to a specific deity, and they were super helpful and seemed to know what they were talking about.
     
  13. Mysteria

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    I'll be different. :slight_smile:
    I very much believe in the Goddess and God as deity. I do believe that they are manifestations of the One, the Divine Source of All. But I do believe they have the qualities of that would be typically associated with deity. And although there are disagreements on how you see them (some are true polytheists, some are pantheists, some are duotheists- which is probably the closest to my beliefs- etc.) I would say that, at least for Wicca, yes, worship of the God and Goddess is part of the religion. That's just my opinion.
    That doesn't mean I believe all the gods and goddesses named in ritual are deities on their own; I'm not a polytheist. Just like in Catholicism you have Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes, etc, but they are all the Blessed Virgin, that's how I look at the various gods and goddesses- different forms/manifestations for our various times and needs. I'm not explaining it as good as I'd like, but it's 2 am. :slight_smile:
     
  14. Eldrher

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    I always find Wicca to be different to other forms of paganism. I'd describe Wicca as a religion, and paganism as a way of life but I don't know if you would share that belief

    Everything is pretty free range and no two pagans have the same beliefs. Personally, I do a lot of crystal work and little spells and rituals, whereas my mum does a lot of tarot cards and pendulum stuff, as well as reiki and intuitive healing. When I move out, I'll do a lot more, but right now my options are limited
     
  15. PlantSoul

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    I'm not but through my interest in the subjects of witchcraft and Druidism, I've been feeling more open minded towards it and would like to learn the truth about it: Do pagans actually perform sacrifices? Do they have to worship deities? Is actual Paganism distinguishable from Satanism? That kind of stuff. My beliefs are predominantly nature based, I don't follow any tenants and I don't worship deities. I'm not following any established practice that I know of. Though, honestly, I think the path I'm being guided on is towards witchcraft, not Wiccanism.
     
    #15 PlantSoul, Apr 24, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2017
  16. Dryad

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    From what I assume, pagans don't recognise the christian binary of God and Satan, if you don't believe in a christian god, why would you worship Satan, either... If you mean, how the differ in their practices, I don't know. And the question about sacrifices is interesting. At least wiccans have a "law" about not harming anybody, but everyone reads it differently when it comes to animals.

    Other question: If gods and goddesses are just symbolic representations of universal forces or facets of the God and Goddess, then can someone make up and worship their own god or pantheon? I mean, the existing ones were also made up at some point. Also, do you find the focus on a gendered binary of God and Goddess outdated? I've read some people think Wicca is even transphobic because of the focus on the traditional idea of masculinity and femininity.
     
  17. AlexanderDragon

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    hey wow that's the way I see it, I've been trying to describe it but didn't know how!
     
  18. Daydreamer1

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    1) Do Pagans perform sacrifices?

    If I'm going with how you may be phrasing it, then no. At least, I'd hope not. A lot of the fears and stigmas associated with Paganism (or more so Satanism) are propaganda driven by Christians.

    -

    2) Do you have to worship deities?

    That depends on your definition of worship and how you look at deity. Some people view the gods as literal beings and some see them in a metaphorical way. Some people choose to have alters for the god/gods/pantheon(s) they worship and others don't. It really just depends on your own views and what you're comfortable with.

    -

    3) Paganism vs Satanism?

    The two of them are very different. Satanism, by and large,is atheistic in nature.

    Satanists don't believe in a god or a higher power, and is mostly worship of the self, and a system which someone strives to reach their fullest potential how they see fit--so long as they aren't hurting anyone in the process. The two often get mixed up, which is also furthered by the religious right. Also, Pagans aren't devil worship person which is another crude accusation.

    Paganism back in the day was generally seen as anything that wasn't Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or Islam. That began to change around the 4th century by early Christians in regard to Roman communities that worshiped multiple gods. Since Paganism is always evolving and has so many layers and labels to it, how you interpret it or how it works for you may be different for someone else.

    As for practicing witchcraft without being a Wiccan, you can do that. My partner is an eclectic pagan, and he wants nothing to do with being associated with Wicca.

    ---------- Post added 25th Apr 2017 at 11:07 PM ----------

    I don't see why you couldn't, but this is coming from someone who would look at various gods from a symbolic standpoint. You could ask the Pagan Study Group Page blog I mentioned what they think of the subject.

    As for the binary view of God and Goddess, I don't know. There are some pagans who are monotheistic and some who worship more than two, but if you mean from a duotheistic outlook, I've heard that as well with Wicca. However, I don't feel that it's my place to tackle that one. There are also gods who have been seen as embodying "both genders" or possibly nonbinary.
     
  19. PlantSoul

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    I apologize for linking Paganism with "Satanism" and "satanic sacrifices". My background is Christian originally. I've come to realize that Christianity demonizes anything that is outside of the religion. There claims are propaganda and should never be believed. The Catholic Church is very hypocritical in that it blends Christiany with Paganism.
    Would what Christianity views as 'Satanism' actually be the Occult? Is there actually a practice that matches up what they view as 'Satanic'? Or, would it be Luciferianism that is closer?
     
  20. Flowey

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    If religions were food items, and Abrahamic religions were potatoes, then paganism would be every non-potato food. Shinto, Hinduism, Buddhism, ancestor worshipping were considered pagans by early Christians.
    What people talking about is neopaganism, which is annoyingly diverse. A bunch of incoherent mish mash of nonsense make-beliefs. From what I read on this thread, there isn't much to being a pagan. You can grab some occult symbol, believing in some sort of higher power, add or take some deities, and you can be a pagan!
    It's ironic though. "Pagans", a term used pejoratively by early Christians to describe anyone who didn't believe in their god, now it is used as a proud rejection of Christianity.