How did paganism begin?

Answer 1

True Paganism started before man had written records so no exact date can be ascertained.

Neo-Paganism can be traced back to the early 1920s however, there is some proof that the Neo-Pagans might have been copying and adapting from much older patterns.

Answer 2

Paganism is a general term for any religion that is not one of the religions associated with Abraham, i.e. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and is generally polytheistic. Pagan religions date back to the Neolithic period. Modern pagan religions include Hinduism, Shintoism, and all of the shamanic and tribal religions of the world.

Neo-paganism on the other hand is a group of modern religions that claim to be a continuity of the pre-christian beliefs of European pagans. Wicca was probably the first of them, although it was derived in part from the beliefs of the Hermetic Order, the Golden Dawn, and Christianity. Wicca originated in the 1950's with the teachings of Gerald Gardner and any claims of it being an ancient and continuous religion from ancient times are dubious at best.

The word Paganism is derived from a roman word meaning country dweller. Most pagan spiritual paths are earth based, revolving and revering the seasonal changes, the wheel of the year and the phases of the moon. There have been "pagans" in one form or another as long as humankind has been self-aware.

Answer 3

The word Pagan is introduced to the vocabulary by Roman Soldiers in their invasion to Europe. Pagan originally meant a country dweller. It is a derogatory term to make the Europeans feel bad about their original culture and values. As the Roman culture superimposed on the European culture, the word Pagan is used to identify the culture of the ancient Europeans. This culture included a form of nature worship.

The nature worship of ancient Europeans comes since the dawn of the civilization. It could be 40,000 years old. You can date back the roots of Pagan religion to the cave paintings in Africa.

The Stonehenge is a one example of European Pagan religion which dates back to 3,000 BC.

Answer 4

Paganism has no initial date. It began before recorded history. The meaning of the term is variable depending on the context. Sometimes it means polytheistic religions. Other times it refers to non-Abrahamic religions or even non-religion. It is often referred to as a earth-worship--i.e. animism. It is the world's oldest form of religion, developed in different ways in different localities. It probably began when humans became human, or perhaps might even exist in the mind's of some animals.

There is a more formal version of paganism practiced today by those who follow modern interpretations of ancient northern-European religions, including Wicca and Norse Paganism. Some the ceremonies date back to ancient times and include special holiday rituals.

Answer 5

Tradition states that paganism began during the third century after Creation.

One thing that researchers agree upon is that mankind has always believed in a Higher Power. Archaeology has shown that no ancient society ever existed that did not believe in the supernatural. (See:Can you show me that God exists?)

Based upon a massive worldwide study of the most ancient inscriptions and the earliest levels of civilization, Dr. Wilhelm Schmidt (in his twelve-volume Der Ursprung Der Gottesidee) concluded that the original belief was monotheistic; a belief in One God (see footnote 1, below). It was a simple belief in the Creator (Dyeus Pater; Sky-Father) with no imagery of any kind. It gave way relatively quickly to polytheism and idolatry, but its traces could still be seen by the careful researcher, just as (for example) Proto-Indo European has left indelible marks within the later languages. Other traditions also are traceable worldwide, such as the religious significance of the number seven, and the immortality of the soul.

The process by which the awareness of One God gave way to a belief in many gods, has been described by Scandinavian researchers (see footnote 2) as splitting ("Gottespaltung"): the people gradually viewed God's attributes of truth, righteousness, fertility etc., as separate from Him, and afterwards personified and worshiped the attributes themselves, until God was largely forgotten.

According to Jewish tradition also, (Rashi commentary, Genesis 4:26), monotheism is more ancient than polytheism. Maimonides (see footnote 3, below) describes the process by which polytheism began: "A couple of centuries after the Creation, mankind made a great mistake. They said that since God had created the stars and spheres and placed them on high, accordingly it is fitting for people to praise and glorify them and to treat them with honor. They perceived this to be the will of God, that people should magnify and honor the stars. They began to praise and glorify them with words, and prostrate themselves before them, because by doing so, they would (according to their false conception) be indirectly honoring God too."

This descent into polytheism contributed to the weakening of any sense of religious belief and was also used as justification for excessive and licentious behavior, since the caprices which were narrated concerning the idols were adopted as an excuse to imitate their putative actions. See: Cruelties of the polytheists.

It was the original belief which Abraham reinstated through his teaching of ethical monotheism.

Footnotes:

1) Albright, "From the Stone Age," p.170; and J.A. Wilson, "The Culture of ancient Egypt," p.129. Also Baron, "A Social and Religious History," vol. I, p.44 and 311. Also James Meek, "Hebrew Origins," p.188, quoting Langdon, Lagrange and John Ross. Also Martin Nilsson, Handbuch der Altertumswissenschaften, 2nd ed., p.61, 141, 220 and 394.

2) G. W. Anderson, in "The Old Testament and Modern Study," p.287. Also Friedrich Baethgen, in Beitraege zur Semitischen Religionsgeschichte, p.288. Also Pallotino, "The Etruscans," p. 158 and 167.

3) See the full quote from Maimonides, in: "How did polytheism start?"

Answer 6

Pagan religion is as old as humanity's relationship with nature.