Want To Know, What is Paganism???

From the point of view of a Buddhist, Judaism, Christianity and the Muslim faiths are all basically the same monotheistic religion: The differences are rather minor.

I have used the quote " A heathen yes, but not an unenlightened one"
When I have been on the recieving end of a religious "debate"

hehe.. I usually side with the receiving people of a religious debate.. If there is something I hate is the over-piousness of some "Christians" *retches*

I totally understand what you are saying. Todays "Paganism" is only an interpritataion of that of old. I do not practice wicca. It isn't my thing.

I tend to be more attuned to the Shammanic belief system.. which in some ways Druidism could fit into that. But I also tend to get my information from anthropolgy/archeology books more so than books specificly on "religion" They seem to be a little less biased about the religious practices.
I guess what I am trying to say is I read alot and pick and choose alot

hehe.. I understand that, I'm the picky type as well. I'm not religous but there are some things I have a very deep respect for. I have never and will never photograph in a church for example because I have respect for the beliefs of other people. I love thinking of the dead in old graveyards that maybe have been forgotten by now and many things more.

I may criticise but I feel very deep seated respect for those that actually can believe in things. I sort of can't. I don't know why but I could not walk straight over a place that has a meaning for others. it just doesn't work with me.

But most pagan practices seem to be very weird to me thinking of it. We don't know how it worked so it doesn't really make any sense for me to interpret it in any other way. I just grieve for the knowledge that has been lost.

Having had Jehovahs witnesses beliefs rammed down my neck by my mother for 20 years [ I've now escaped] they are most firmly followers of Jesus Christ and commemorate each year the anniversary of his death. which is held on the same date as the Jewish Passover. this is the only festival they celebrate at all.
As they refuse to celebrate "Pagan festivals" they will not celebrate the following Christmas, Easter, New Year, Birthdays, Halloween, Bombfire night, [most Christian celebrations find their roots in Pagan beliefs]

Hope I have not now started a fire.... sorry
Jack

Where did you get the self portrait for your avatar, my friend?

Don't apologize for starting a fire here. Our fires are fun and friendly! GO Dude!

In the grand scope of religions, these actually do fit in the Judeo-Chrisian category.

you mean bonfire night as guy-fawkes night? That's not very pagan, it's commemorating the failed plot of said Guy Fawkes to blow up the English Parliament on the 5th november (can't remember the year...)

btw: I got a friend who recently managed to get out of Jehova's Witnesses (his parents were both in that)..
When we were younger I always enraged his parents by asking silly questions why they didn't have a telly and such

I only know a small amount. I wish I knew more.

I know someone who is not JW, I think she belonmgs to a Christian Assembly church, anyway, we were talking about Christmas and she came up to us with a sneer on her face and said "you celebrate that pagan holiday". I laughed in her face. Celebrating something pagan is by no means something bad to me. I was angry about how she made my other co-workers feel.

Because paganism describes a wide range of beliefs and practices, it's not possible to answer the question directly. A few pagan belief systems are polytheistic, some are pantheistic and others are monotheistic.

When one thinks on it, though, even some Christian belief systems could possibly be described as polythesitic. You have the trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, plus a plethora of angels and demons and such.

My personal feeling is that we probably all worship the same diety, but use different names and perceive it's manifestations in different ways. What one refers to as a "miracle" another may describe as a "blessing" while a third may call it "magik".

It's sort of sad to think that many religious conflicts may be nothing more than a fight over symantics, eh?

Swanny

Swanny - the voice of religious reason.