Results for: Pagans-mc

72 Contributions

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In Literary Devices and Figures of Speech

What is pagan?

What is a Pagan? Chandra Glick This was first published in the Newton Kansan daily newspaper in November of 2002. This article was written so that non-Pagans could… have a better understanding of where we are coming from and who we are. Several of my friends and acquaintances have found it useful in sharing their religion/faith with family and non-Pagan friends. If it will help you, please feel free to use it. The cliche among Pagans is - if you ask that question of twelve of us and you will get at least thirteen answers. Paganism is a non-dogmatic approach to spirituality. Paganism is recognizing that we are a part of nature rather than above and apart from nature. Paganism is basically monotheistic in that many of us recognize a single transcendent divine entity and our gods and goddesses are like Christian angels and saints. Paganism is any non-Abrahamic religion, ie: not Christian, Jewish or Islam. Paganism is essentially private spirituality - not to say that it cannot be practiced with a group. It is having a one to one relationship with your creator without anyone else's structures or controls placed on it. These are answers that I have gotten from Pagans I know who are living in and around Newton. As you can tell there is no simple answer. There may not even be a single complex answer. One of the features of Paganism is the tolerance of differing ideas. Some traditions (like Christian denominations) may have certain dogmas, but they will not impose their ideas on anyone outside their group. The ethical codes followed by most Pagans are some variation or other of the Golden Rule. The Pagans of my acquaintance are generally very well educated, highly literate and intelligent individuals. We are also, with but a single exception, well aware of Christian teachings. Most of us were raised Christian and for one reason or other found that it did not meet our spiritual needs. Many of us believe that Jesus existed and we admire his teachings. Our disagreements with Christianity are not with the founder, but rather the direction which churches have taken. As one individual stated, "I studied myself right out of the church." Paganism is not a single path. It is not a single religion. It encompasses a wide range of beliefs and practices. Most people who identify themselves as Pagans are in actual fact Neopagans, as opposed to say Buddhist, Hindu or Taoist. Neopaganism is a modern attempt to return to ancient pre-Christian generally European forms of worship. Some Neopagans are very scholarly in their approach and go to a particular culture and research literature and archaeology in an attempt to accurately recreate the way the religion of that culture was practiced. Others are more eclectic in their approach. They take the general structure of an ancient religion and adapt it to fit their modern lives, often fitting disparate pieces into what becomes, for them, a cohesive whole. Despite the variety, there are a few generalizations that can be made, bearing in mind however that no generalization will apply to every Pagan you encounter. There is a recognition of a divine entity or entities. Divinity is seen as immanent in all things. Freedom to follow the path which works for the individual is highly encouraged. Causing unnecessary harm to anyone or anything is frowned upon. The attitude reflected in Jesus statement, "love your neighbor as yourself" is preferred in ourselves and in those we choose to associate with. While sharing ones beliefs with interested people is acceptable, proselytizing is frowned upon. We respect a Christian's right to follow her or his religion freely. However, most of us have made a conscious decision to follow another path. We ask only that you respect our right to follow our own religion as freely. If you fear for my soul because that is what your religion teaches, fine. You may pray for me, but do not try to reconvert me. If you must try, the please follow the example of one Fundamentalist Christian of my acquaintance whom I highly respect; live as a shining example of the best your religion has to offer. http://www.paganlibrary.com/introductory/what_is_pagan.php (MORE)

V. A. Nicholsson

41,183 Contributions

I have come to realise, I don't have all the answers, I don't even have all the questions yet... but I'm working on it.

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In Paganism

What is the origin of paganism?

Not really known as it's a naturally evolved religion/belief. Scientists suspect that part of the human brain is programmed to believe in religion. This suspicion ha…s stemmed from studying epileptics and the visions some of them have during a seizure. It may also be of interest for you to know that elephants perform burial rites. (This is a religious act) We seem to be programmed to have religion and paganism is any naturally occurring religion that's based around nature and respect for the earth. It's not specific to any culture or race. According to the MountainMan391: Paganism is an umbrella term that encompasses every religion that is not Jewish, Christian, or Islamic in origin (I take this definition straight from the dictionary). Not all pagan religions are based around nature. Therefore, paganism has been around as long as religion has. Which is to say, as long as humans have walked this earth. See Discussion Board for further comments... EXTRA ANSWER:::: I think Paganism originated in Northern Europe, such as Britain and Scandinavia. It's all up to the person, but I have found that Stonehenge in Salisbury, England was a place of Pagan worship. And Now for another thought. Paganism, Witchcraft & magic are as old as mankind. Anything, beyond your understanding or comprehension can be considered magic. A cell phone to a primitive is magic. When mankind first started being self aware, we looked beyond ourselves and needed answers to things like, where does the sun go at night? How do we insure it will come back? How do we heal wounds and illnesses? How do we find food? Eventually members of the group who discovered things, like which plants helped an upset stomach, where to find water, what the migration patterns of the local animals were and other things, became the ones others turned to for answers. These were the Wise Ones... The cycles of the seasons where in our blood and instincts, as they governed our survival. The wise ones were the ones who kept track of the right time to plant, and harvest, ensuring the continuance of the people. As we became more evolved the amount of knowledge expanded, and those with the answers learned a few tricks of their own. If someone tells you a certain herb will cure your cut, you may or may not believe them, if they are well respected and do a little spell/prayer over the cut at the same time as using the herb, you tend to believe... Particularly if it works... you then tell others of the "power" of the Wise One... Eventually a name gets made, and expectation are raised... It is a commonly accepted fact that your mind has a strong influence on your body... If you believe in something it has a better chance of working. the Wise Ones figured this out early on, so a little "showmanship" helped their reputation... As spell/prayers/magic/ became standardized and passed on from generation to generation, the words became of equal importance to the practical application... Magic became accepted as something that worked... Science is today what magic once was, a practical, evolving set of standard results from repeated experimentation... Even modern medicine can't tell us everything the mind is capable of, so some of us still believe in and practice Magic... Most modern Pagans practice an earth based belief system that can but does not always include the practice of magic. We try connect to the cycles of the moon and the seasons. We revere the powers of nature and the universe. (MORE)

Eric Barnes

394,866 Contributions

Answered

In English Spelling and Pronunciation

What is paganism?

A religion other than one of the main world religions, specifically a non-Christian or pre-Christian religion. Nowadays, it's come to mean a modern religious movement inco… (MORE)

RKOlistener

56 Contributions

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In Religion & Spirituality

What are pagans?

Pagan might be a bit of a loaded term, since it descends from the Latin term for "villager" and was used mostly by Christian authorities as a term against non-Christians. It i… (MORE)

Naz Khan

11 Contributions

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In Drama and Acting

What is an MC?

An Mc can be many things but 1 example is the boizz of the BFD Pure gangstaz like Bluezz & Twiggy 2K12

Pagan Magic

145 Contributions

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In Literature & Language

The meaning of paganism?

A Pagan is a person who believes that everything has a soul or spirit. Rivers, animals, rocks, trees, land are all filled with there own unique spirits for people who …are Pagans. Traditionally, Christians believe that only humans have souls or spirits. Many environmentally conscious Christians today share the belief with Pagans that all forms of life have a soul. Pagans see the divine spirit in all life, as do some members of other religions. There are hundreds of different Pagan Religions. Some of the best known Pagan religions are Buddhism, Shintoism, Native American Religions, Hinduism, Taoism, Wicca, Druidism, Asatru, Shamanism, Neo-Paganism and Eclectic Paganism. Pagans do not worship the Devil or Satan. Pagans do not believe in the Devil, he is part of the Judeo-Christian Religions and mythology. Most Devil worshipping groups are not Pagan, because they are centered on a Judeo-Christian supernatural being, namely Satan. Some Pagans are Witches, some are not. Many Pagan groups do not practice Witchcraft. Wiccans are a type of Pagan Witches, there are also Dianic Witches, Green Witches, and other types of Pagan Witches. There are also Christian Witches, many of these people are practicing Christian, but also practice Witchcraft. Santeria is a South American religion that is a blend of VooDoo, Witchcraft and Christianity. There are many kinds of Pagan Ritual, personal rituals you do by yourself, full moon rituals, by yourself or with a group. There are blessing rituals for a new home, or for children, or for healing, or cleansing. There are protection ritual, and banishing rituals, to name a few. Your Grandmother may have placed a horseshoe over the door, this is a popular form of simple protection ritual that is rooted in Pagan tradition. Or throwing salt over your shoulder if it is spilled, so as not to attract bad luck. For Wiccans and Neo-Pagans there are some basic Ritual Traditions that you may have heard about. Many Pagan Ritual begin by honoring the Earth and the 4 directions, as well as the elements the directions represent, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. A circle is cast and blessed with water, smoke, salt and light in honor of these elements. Rituals often include, singing, chanting, dancing, drumming, poetry and hymns to the Goddess or Gods. There is no single Pagan God. Some Pagan faiths, like Hinduism and Eclectic Paganism have many Gods and Goddesses. Some Pagan Traditions like Taoism have no Gods or Goddesses. Some popular deities with contemporary American Pagans are Artemis-Diana, Inanna, the GreenMan, IsIs, Brigid, Rhiannon, Apollo, Kore, and Demeter. The first deities humans worshipped were Goddesses. A Goddess is the female creative and life giving forces of the Universe and much more. Many Pagans pray and connect with the divine in other ways. Many meditate as a form of prayer, other drum as a form of prayer, others chant, sing or dance. Some dedicate each task they perform during the day, to the Goddess. Throughout human history people have spoken to their Gods or Goddesses through many different kinds of "prayer". Pagans try to live in harmony with the Earth and raise their children to honor the ways of Nature. Pagans strive to strengthen their understanding of this miracle called Life. Religious belief is a very personal thing, it is the most personal thing about you. How you express your spirituality is no ones business but your own and what you believe is between you and your higher power. Your truth is in your own heart, honor it and do not let anyone limit it. (MORE)

Brett Schnaper

5 Contributions

Answered

In Religion & Spirituality

Who is the god of the pagans?

It depends on the particular group of pagans. Considering that many pagan groups are culturally-identified (Celtic pagans are common around here), you'd need to look back to… (MORE)

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In Halloween

Was Muhammad a pagan?

Muhammad was not a pagan. He was not a polytheist. He was a monotheist. He abolished all forms of idolatry when he was alive and preached never to put a face or an image… (MORE)

Calista E

1 Contribution

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In Math and Arithmetic

What is the answer to 20c plus 5 equals 5c plus 65?

20c + 5 = 5c + 65 Divide through by 5: 4c + 1 = c + 13 Subtract c from both sides: 3c + 1 = 13 Subtract 1 from both sides: 3c = 12 Divide both sides by 3: c = 4 20c + 5 = 5c … (MORE)

Kjerne

18,602 Contributions

Answered

In Paganism

Are Buddhists pagans?

Buddhism can be considered a pagan religion when the term pagan describes a non-Abrahamic (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc) faith. However, it is not a Neopagan religion, wh… (MORE)