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Modern Paganism

post #1 of 28
7/18/02 at 5:29pm
Thread Starter 
I am happily surprised these days, how many people are more open to those categorized as Pagans. Used to be we had to hide and never admit to being a Pagan or Wiccan as some like to be called.

Though I was once asked by a male friend who noticed the pentacle at my throat, are you a devil worshipper! Ha ha!

Maybe it's because Gen X'ers and Y'ers are more open minded?
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post #2 of 28
7/18/02 at 6:43pm
In all honesty? It's probably because people that you know (ie, southern Californians) are more open minded. At least, more open minded than people in Alabama.

I am amazed on an almost daily basis at how close-minded most of the people around me are. I'm hesitant about telling people around here that I play role-playing games; I shudder to think what these people would do if someone told them that they worshipped an earth mother goddess instead of Jesus Christ. Hell, most of them have enough trouble with Catholics (sadly, not a joke).
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post #3 of 28
7/19/02 at 8:19pm
Thread Starter 
You are right on the money. People immediate think of the "organized" and "vocal" groups that appear on TV around Samhain wearing some costume.

The hardest thing for me to get across to those who have engaged me in debate before is the non-belief that we are all "sinners," that sex and enjoying our bodies is NOT "Evil" and that creation (the god & goddess) is metaphor not literal. They think I worship Mary or something
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post #4 of 28
7/20/02 at 12:43am
Mother Goddess, you're the one...

Sing along!

You make Samhain so much fun!
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post #5 of 28
7/21/02 at 10:50pm
I used to be a witch, when I was an alcoholic.
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post #6 of 28
7/22/02 at 10:35pm
What's modern about paganism?
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post #7 of 28
7/23/02 at 3:18pm
Thread Starter 
Modern Paganism is a generic term. Mostly used to describe the Beliefs not in sync with new world order religions like Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc. I've heard some people say they practice the "old ways" meaning pre-christian beliefs.

I prefer modern paganism because I don't worship a diety or a single concept, but rather a mixture of many "old ways" ideas like native american, egyptian, pre-christian celtic, etc., that tend to lean towards the acknowledgment of the power of the universe, creation, natural instinct, etc.

I cannot grasp the concept of a all-powerful diety God, Sin, Hell, Satan, Fate, and mostly woman as evil, stupid, lower than dogs, etc.
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post #8 of 28
7/23/02 at 3:53pm
I thought Paganism predates Christianity.

Or is there a modern version?
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post #9 of 28
7/23/02 at 3:58pm
And that is the first ime I've heard Christianity as a New World Order religion.

Last time I checked I was pretty far against a new world order and so was much of the church.

Are you saying in the times of organized scoiety as opposed to nomadic?
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post #10 of 28
7/23/02 at 5:40pm
Actually, Christianity was indeed the New World Order after the Paganism of the Roman Empire was replaced by it.

Islam came much later and became the New World Order for much of the Arab World.

Judaism, on the other hand, existed in tandem with Paganism for much of the history of the two "faiths".
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post #11 of 28
7/23/02 at 6:38pm
Interesting take on Paganism here:

<a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/paganism.htm" target="_blank">www.religioustolerance.org/paganism.htm</a>

Seems it's a pretty ill-defined term, thus used at your own peril. I'm rather unclear as to whether ancient polytheist societies like the Greeks and Egyptians would fall under the term "Pagan"(though it seems so to me), but I think those cultures would certainly be considered more "civilized" than "nomadic."
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post #12 of 28
7/23/02 at 7:16pm
I like that site.
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post #13 of 28
7/23/02 at 11:10pm
Quote:
Kronos
[QB]...Christianity was indeed the New World Order...[QB]
That's why Christianity is TOOOOO SWEEEEEEET!!
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post #14 of 28
7/24/02 at 4:01pm
Quote:
...but Christianity didn't "replace" Judaism
Never said it did. I said Christianity replaced the Paganism of the Romans.
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post #15 of 28
7/24/02 at 4:04pm
Quote:
The split between Judaism and Christianity was based more on custom than faith.
The split came when the Jews rejected Jesus as being the Messiah. They're still waiting. Christians believe he's already come, and will return.

Thus creating two totally separate religions based upon one origin and the same God.
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post #16 of 28
7/24/02 at 4:25pm
Indeed, but when a faith changes in such a radical way as to be unrecognizable or the old adherents are shunned, it's been replaced.

That happened to Paganism as practiced by the Roman empire.

Eventually Christianity replaced Norse Paganism and other Northern European flavors of Pagan ritual.

That is not to say there weren't nor still are practitioners of the old faith. But as a recognized faith...well, it's only beginning to come back to light.
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post #17 of 28
7/24/02 at 4:30pm
There's a really good PBS series called From Jesus To Christ which tells the story of how the cult of Jesus eventually turned into a faith then how it became a religion at the hands of the Romans. After all, the Romans owned the majority of that part of the World. When they accepted the faith of Jesus as Christ -which took a couple hundred years or more- the old faith of the Pantheon of Gods was gone.
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post #18 of 28
7/24/02 at 6:27pm
I does indeed give one a chuckle when one tells a hard-core Christian that much of their ritual is steeped in Pagan rite. They simply won't accept it. They seem to have gotten the idea that Pagan=Satanic.

Thinking Christians accept this historical reality. They're are also the type of Christians who have rejected most denominational boundaries.

Oh, and another great read is Mallory's The Golden Bough.
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post #19 of 28
7/24/02 at 7:34pm
Well heck I already know most of the holidays...actually i think all of them have some semblance based in pagan ritutals.

I think it was more Christians stating to those who practiced their own religion "you have worshipped this for so long, we come to eac you the reality behind the things you worship"

It was almost more cutural then religious and in turn they incorporated it into the faith. Christianity has roots in more then just Judaism. Before Israel was ever a nation there were people who worshipped the one true God. Many of those in the lineage of Jesus were actually from many different walks of life.

It's funny because the Bible never mentions many of these holidays as if they were to be celebrated. That came over time into tradition. And the thing is many Christians get caught up in traditionalism and not faith. Hence many so weak in faith when they think the traditional of going to church every sunday is a traditional that keeps you strong in Christ.

*Buzzer*

Sorry dont work that way.
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post #20 of 28
7/25/02 at 5:41pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Kronos
[QB]I does indeed give one a chuckle when one tells a hard-core Christian that much of their ritual is steeped in Pagan rite. They simply won't accept it. They seem to have gotten the idea that Pagan=Satanic.]
Indeed, it is actually very interesting to study past cultures and their religous practices -- you see so many things re-emerge for example the Egyptians had many stories that were based on resurrection (see Osiris).

I wish I could say I had no problem with today's "popular" religions, but too many people with agenda's have twisted the basic messages and replaced them with laws and ideas that basically bind people to a type of slavery -- a slavery of the soul.

I prefer to live by:

"Harm none and live as you will"
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post #21 of 28
7/25/02 at 5:43pm
Key words..."too many people with agenda's".
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post #22 of 28
8/12/02 at 3:00am
Quote:
I cannot grasp the concept of a all-powerful diety God, Sin, Hell, Satan, Fate, and mostly woman as evil, stupid, lower than dogs, etc.
Truer words were never spoken! wink
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post #23 of 28
8/13/02 at 2:03pm
Thread Starter 
Sort of related to what I've said before:

on a trip to London I was horrified to see 2 teenage girls in head-to-toe black berka's kneeling on the floor in front of the lavatories (toliets) to pray. I could see the group they were with and the men where dressed in regular clothing (pants, shirt, jacket).

One of the girls was handed a crying infant by an angry man. Even though I could not understand the language being spoken, I could see he was humiliating her, and he practically threw the screaming baby at her.

It took every once of restistence in my body not to say something to her, like why do you take that crap! but I realized she was trapped in her life so I stayed silent.

If I could rebuild an Amazon Nation, boy, we could really change the world!
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post #24 of 28
8/18/02 at 3:14am
sweet, amazons knew how to keep their men in line... break their arms and legs when they are babies so they are good for nothing but demeaning tasks. The amazons must rise again!
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post #25 of 28
8/18/02 at 5:00am
Don't get me started on the Amazons... Because there is only one thing worse than a male war culture, and that is a female war culture. The nastiest fights that I have ever seen were between two girls (but they were the most interesting).
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post #26 of 28
8/20/02 at 6:32pm
........

huh?
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post #27 of 28
8/21/02 at 8:24pm
Thread Starter 
. . . . double huh

WWGurl, you know it sister!

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to feminize the men, I just want to be able to kick their asses when they step out of line! *lol
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post #28 of 28
8/25/02 at 2:16am
Damn straight!
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