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Any Pagans out there?
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I'm interested in people's different beliefs (unlike some people on this site). I like to have an open mind and always like to more more. I don't know much about Paganism except that they revere nature and believe in pre-Christian gods/goddesses. If there are any Pagans out there, do you believe in gods and/or goddesses? Who or what are they? What do you think happens after we die? Do you have particular ethics or morals to live by?
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That's got the potential to be a very very long answer. Yes, there are some of us out here. I'm Pagan, and have been for most of my life. I am an animist, ie I believe that 'God' is the life force that creates and destroys, and that everything has a piece of that spirit within; that in this way all life is interconnected and all eventually ends up back at the source, like a raindrop will eventually reach the sea to start all over again. To further express this, all life is equal (with no heavenly godhead in charge - every life fragment being as equal and important as the next.
Many (most?) Pagans believe in personified Gods/Goddesses, and these are usually the nature Gods of the country or area you live in or are descended from. So, for instance, here in Ireland most Pagans are either Wiccans (Witches) or Druids, and worship nature through the Celtic (or for some, the Norse) pantheon. In England, the Saxon or Celtic Gods are revered, and so on. Almost all Pagans believe in the sacred duality of nature, hence the belief in the absolute equality of God and Goddess.
We try to attune ourselves to nature and the cycles of the planet, and try live in a mostly positive frame of mind.
Most, but not all, Pagans believe in reincarnation, but there are those who believe we go straight to a heaven-like world called 'Summerland'.
For the most part, we celebrate the 8 sabbats of the year as they mark the year's cycle. They are the solstices (summer & winter), the equinoxes (spring and autumn), Samhain (Halloween,,, start of winter), Imbolg (at the start of spring), Bealtaine (Mayday), and Lughnasadh (at the start of Autumn). In addition, the moon's cycle may be marked by worship circles at the full and new moons.
Many (most?) Pagans believe in personified Gods/Goddesses, and these are usually the nature Gods of the country or area you live in or are descended from. So, for instance, here in Ireland most Pagans are either Wiccans (Witches) or Druids, and worship nature through the Celtic (or for some, the Norse) pantheon. In England, the Saxon or Celtic Gods are revered, and so on. Almost all Pagans believe in the sacred duality of nature, hence the belief in the absolute equality of God and Goddess.
We try to attune ourselves to nature and the cycles of the planet, and try live in a mostly positive frame of mind.
Most, but not all, Pagans believe in reincarnation, but there are those who believe we go straight to a heaven-like world called 'Summerland'.
For the most part, we celebrate the 8 sabbats of the year as they mark the year's cycle. They are the solstices (summer & winter), the equinoxes (spring and autumn), Samhain (Halloween,,, start of winter), Imbolg (at the start of spring), Bealtaine (Mayday), and Lughnasadh (at the start of Autumn). In addition, the moon's cycle may be marked by worship circles at the full and new moons.
As for ethics and morals - we do not recognise the concept of sin as described by the Christians, but we do know right from wrong! We believe in karma and karma's big borther, the Threefold Law'. that is, we believe that what wrongs you do will be revisited on you three times as strong, and follow you from life to the next level. We live by the rule "...an it harm non, do what you will".
Many Pagans believe in Christ by the way - that He is another incarnation of the Sun God. This also applies to Khrishna, Lugh, etc etc.
Many Pagans believe in Christ by the way - that He is another incarnation of the Sun God. This also applies to Khrishna, Lugh, etc etc.
Thanks, Whickerman. I'm glad you gave a personal answer rather than just give a link to a website. I much prefer to get people's own thoughts on the matter. It's very interesting, and as for the bit about raindrops returning to the waters of the earth - it's uncanny, but that is something I thought up myself. Great minds think alike, eh?
Romeo, I am interested in your statement that you 'like to have an open mind'. How far do you take this? Where do you draw a line, or don't you?
Do you keep an open mind on astrology, alien abductions, flat-earthism, palmistry, ley-lines, Santa and the Tooth Fairy?
If, somewhere in that list, you replied "Of course not!" then where was that? What are your criteria?
Do you see any sense in the observation (and alas, I can't remember whose it was) that it's all very well to keep an open mind but not so open that your brain falls out?
This is not a challenge but a serious question.
Do you keep an open mind on astrology, alien abductions, flat-earthism, palmistry, ley-lines, Santa and the Tooth Fairy?
If, somewhere in that list, you replied "Of course not!" then where was that? What are your criteria?
Do you see any sense in the observation (and alas, I can't remember whose it was) that it's all very well to keep an open mind but not so open that your brain falls out?
This is not a challenge but a serious question.
Chakka - I am sceptical of many things (such as astrology, aromatherapy, etc) but on the other hand maybe there are unknown forms of energy in the universe. Spontaneous human combustion, for example, could be an unexplained natural phenomenon.
Where do I draw the line? Where I personally think it is unlikely, I suppose. You could give me a tick list of phenomena and I could tick which ones I dismiss or which ones I don't so easily dismiss, but there probably wouldn't be a consistent pattern to my reasoning. I'm only normal, after all (wibble wibble).
Where do I draw the line? Where I personally think it is unlikely, I suppose. You could give me a tick list of phenomena and I could tick which ones I dismiss or which ones I don't so easily dismiss, but there probably wouldn't be a consistent pattern to my reasoning. I'm only normal, after all (wibble wibble).
A very fair answer, Romeo.
I work on the same principle: I refuse to believe things which all evidence, logic, reason and commonsense tell me are not to be believed. This has enabled me, for example, to dismiss all religious belief as absurd and an insult to the intelligence that evolution has given us. Many people, on hearing that statement alone, would claim that it is the result of a closed mind, but it isn't. It is the result of a lot of honest, probing thinking.
I work on the same principle: I refuse to believe things which all evidence, logic, reason and commonsense tell me are not to be believed. This has enabled me, for example, to dismiss all religious belief as absurd and an insult to the intelligence that evolution has given us. Many people, on hearing that statement alone, would claim that it is the result of a closed mind, but it isn't. It is the result of a lot of honest, probing thinking.
I can indeed.
For more on Wicca, I suggest "Wicca" by Vivianne Crowley, or "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by the late Scott Cunnigham. For Wiccan ritual, "8 Sabbats for Witches" and "What Witches Do" by Janet and the lat Stewart Farrar.
Druidry - "The Book of Druidry" by Ross Nicholls, or any thing by Philip Carr-Gomm.
general Paganism - "The Phoenix from the Flame" by Vivianne Crowley.
For websites, it's hard to find great ones, but http://www.wicca.utvinternet.com/
is by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone.
http://www.paganfed.org/
is the Pagan Federation.
A lot of sites are US based, but this is a good one:
http://www.wicca.org/
Actually, just google Wicca, Druidry, Paganism or whatever - there are thousands.
For specific Goddess tradition, it's hard to beat the Fellowship of Isis.
For more on Wicca, I suggest "Wicca" by Vivianne Crowley, or "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by the late Scott Cunnigham. For Wiccan ritual, "8 Sabbats for Witches" and "What Witches Do" by Janet and the lat Stewart Farrar.
Druidry - "The Book of Druidry" by Ross Nicholls, or any thing by Philip Carr-Gomm.
general Paganism - "The Phoenix from the Flame" by Vivianne Crowley.
For websites, it's hard to find great ones, but http://www.wicca.utvinternet.com/
is by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone.
http://www.paganfed.org/
is the Pagan Federation.
A lot of sites are US based, but this is a good one:
http://www.wicca.org/
Actually, just google Wicca, Druidry, Paganism or whatever - there are thousands.
For specific Goddess tradition, it's hard to beat the Fellowship of Isis.
oh, and good beginner's sites:
http://www.glasstemple.com/
http://www.catanna.com/paganism101.htm
http://www.ecauldron.com/newpagan.php
http://www.glasstemple.com/
http://www.catanna.com/paganism101.htm
http://www.ecauldron.com/newpagan.php
What an interesting thread this is. Thanks to Romeo and Whickerman in particular.
I find it particularly interesting when I realise how much of some of the more "minor" religions I agree with, for want of a better phrase.
I don't know why it should make such a difference to me, but I'm beaming just because I've found a term to describe my belief in God. I'm an animist.
I'd love to know how Pagans celebrate the 8 sabbats.
I find it particularly interesting when I realise how much of some of the more "minor" religions I agree with, for want of a better phrase.
I don't know why it should make such a difference to me, but I'm beaming just because I've found a term to describe my belief in God. I'm an animist.
I'd love to know how Pagans celebrate the 8 sabbats.
tell-me-more
The 8 sabbats are festivals and can be religious or just social in nature. There are specific rituals in each tradition, esp Wicca, and for every group the method of celebration differs.
Actually, this isn't a bad starthttp://community-2.webtv.net/stormlght/Comphre hensive/
although you'll notice the names of the Sabbats are the Scots spellings as opposed to the Irish ones I mentioned. This naturally varies from country to country
The 8 sabbats are festivals and can be religious or just social in nature. There are specific rituals in each tradition, esp Wicca, and for every group the method of celebration differs.
Actually, this isn't a bad starthttp://community-2.webtv.net/stormlght/Comphre hensive/
although you'll notice the names of the Sabbats are the Scots spellings as opposed to the Irish ones I mentioned. This naturally varies from country to country
I just wanted to add in my part if poss. I too am Wiccan, my parents bought me up this way and I (as I have grown up) saw no need to change as my bliefs did not seem to conflict with anyone or anything, in fact, to me persobally they made much more sense. I am 25 and I am married to an athiest, I think it is very interesting seeing how we interact, he has a healthy scepticism for my beliefs and I have a sad feeling that he is missing out.
I myself perhaps have adapted certain Wicaan traits to suit me, i don't know if this comes from it being something I have known all my life through my parents or whether I try to make Wicca fit in to normal everyday living.
I live in a beautiful part of the country The Forest of Dean but unfortunatly I do not know many people near to me who beleive as well, so for the most part I am alone. For me being Wiccan just means loving and living in harmony with the earth, respecting the life cycles and celebrating the seasons (very basically put).
Wickerman you have very eloquently spoken about it and I love the way you have painted a picture of Wicca, I find that when people ask me about it I am treated more like a werido than anything else, yet the way you put it made it seem peaceful.
I do not beleive in God. That is a very personal thing for me, like I have said life experiences have adapted certain things for me.
Anyway, these are just my thoughts. Hope they help.
I myself perhaps have adapted certain Wicaan traits to suit me, i don't know if this comes from it being something I have known all my life through my parents or whether I try to make Wicca fit in to normal everyday living.
I live in a beautiful part of the country The Forest of Dean but unfortunatly I do not know many people near to me who beleive as well, so for the most part I am alone. For me being Wiccan just means loving and living in harmony with the earth, respecting the life cycles and celebrating the seasons (very basically put).
Wickerman you have very eloquently spoken about it and I love the way you have painted a picture of Wicca, I find that when people ask me about it I am treated more like a werido than anything else, yet the way you put it made it seem peaceful.
I do not beleive in God. That is a very personal thing for me, like I have said life experiences have adapted certain things for me.
Anyway, these are just my thoughts. Hope they help.
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