What am I?

[possum]

So, those of you who call yourselves Pagan. how do you define Pagan?

Is it a simple love, respect and understanding of nature?

by definition it is just someone who isn't Christian, Jewish or Muslim, but follows some sort of religion, so it is a pretty vague term.

[Super.Niki]

See when anyone asks me my religion I say Pagan for a 2 reasons.

1) I am working my hardest to follow and learn all the different rituals and remember all the dates. So far this year I've celebrated every one (:cheers:) but it takes a lot of learning and I suppose a certain amount of dedication to practice as second-nature if you like... soo although I try really hard to follow the "religion" side of things... I am only human after all.

2) I hate the term wicca (sorry!!). It's actually derived from the old English for Witch (wiccans meaning witches) but I hate the modern link with silly emo-teens and the disturbing media links with things I wouldn't consider something I would believe in (sacrifice and scary things like that..involving lots of blood ). That being said, I know not everyone who calls them self "Wiccan" does all these scary things, just like not every Muslim is a terrorist... it's bad media and bad "ambassadors" of the religion that give it a cloud of mystery I suppose...


I've always thought of Pagan & Witch as two different things and don't think many definitions are wrong.
Pagan - the religious side of things, rituals, worship, etc.
Witch - the natural side of things (herbal remedies, growing veg, etc)

so.. who was it who just said not every witch is a pagan and not every pagan is a witch?...I think that's the best way to describe it so I understand it anyway!

so.. in my humble opinion (which is currently full of beer... so probably not the best advice in the world! ). If you want to be religiousy type call yourself a Pagan, if you just want to be naturally, call yourself a witch. If you want to be both, call yourself a Pagan who practices Witchcraft or a Witch who is a practicing Pagan.... or just give up and make a new religion? Vegist... that could catch on?

PS... insomnia is not fun...hence the post!

[MKG]

Latin, folks. It's them damn Romans again. Anyone who didn't live in the city and didn't follow the state religion (which varied from pantheism to emperor worship to Mithraism to Christianity, depending upon current advantage) therefore was a country bumpkin - a pagan. In Britain, the Catholic church later confused that term with anyone they called a heretic (anyone who disagreed with them) which then became conflated with anyone who followed the Northern Europe-wide "old" religion - which by all accounts was a nature-based religion with a horned god (horns stood for wisdom). And you know exactly what the church did with that image. Then, of course, the Puritans started the witchcraft hysteria, sending the majority of village doctors and their herbalism into hiding.

So a pagan, eventually, was simply someone institutionalised or fundamental Christians wanted to have a go at.

Even so, my local church (built in 1088) was put together by pagans, as evidenced by the three Green Men, the dragon and the lion which can all be found there if you know where to look. Nothing like hedging your bets, is there?

[Annpan]

Here was me thinking Paganism was some kind of religion... it really isn't.

According to wikipedia, it is really any kind of religion... including hinduism and mayan.
There appears to be no set definition, just that it is anyone practising a non-monotheistic religion.

What I thought was Paganism is perhaps more like druidism which is a pagan religion with it's own set of rules (whether adhered to or not)

Depending on the definition, I am either a pagan, or not... I am so glad I got that cleared up

I'll just carry on as I was then, shall I?

[possum]

at its broadest meaning, it is anyone who is not christian

[witch way?]

So then, the druids are mainly about rituals which observe rather than engage with nature, witches are about engaging with nature and some rituals, pagans and peasants are the default setting and are about working with nature and can observe rituals if they want? (ish?)

I had another think overnight (as I do) and thought about Spontaneous Appreciation Self Sufficientish Yokel. I'd be a SASSY but the dictionary says it means impertinent i.e., ill fitting or inappropriate. OK, so it fits.

No seriously, its nice to have a niggling problem and work through it with help, and form a conclusion at the end. (and nobody got cross). Thanks guys. ww.

[mrsflibble]

I'm a spiritual person, an ordained minister of a universal unitarian church (and yes I do practise, I'm not just some nut who got ordained 'cos she could) but I'm not into organised religion..... yeah I know it's a total contradiction.
I love the sun for it's life giving properties, the moon for the tides, the earth 'cos it's my home, the animals 'cos most of them are incredibly yummy or are beautiful in tier own way, and the plants for the ame reason as the animals. I love myself and am proud of what I've achieved and each time my daughter does something amazing I am proud of creating her too. I love and am proud of my husband for his intelligence, support and for giving me Sophie.

I have studied christianity, judaism and their roots, I have read most of the old testament just as a book rather than a religious text. I don't believe in one god, and I am fatalistic beyond even my own wildest imaginations. I'm a try *almost* anything once kind of person.

what will be will be, be good to others or a ton of s*i*e will fall on you, try and preserve a nicer world for your children, live and let live.

yeah. I'm probably a pagan.

[snapdragon]

sounds like you are totally sorted then MrsF

----Northern Europe-wide "old" religion - which by all accounts was a nature-based religion with a horned god -----

and of course the Goddess - which celebrates both male and female and shows no favour (therefore conveys no power) to one sex over the other

both that and that it is not west asia/eastern mediterranean makes me feel closer to it than the translated monotheistic religions of that area

ooh do that sound a bit serious ? ah well

[oldfella]

I am ME, neither good nor evil, sinner or saint, I follow no God, but Respect all Gods I think evil of no man until I see evil in a man, and try and walk in the way of Nature for I believe that Mankind is a Species amongst many on this planet. To me true beauty is the rising sun , the first signs of spring, a smile from a child on a shopping trolley, a dogs head on my knee, a beautiful young women walking down the street, and many many other things, but, all beauty is, of nature. I feel no need for religion or label, I feel no need to find my place in the scheme of things, for I am Me and walk with nature for that is the reality of our time on earth. When at the end of my time I will be content to return from whence I come to Nature.

[Martin]

like that! - from whence does it come?

[Marc]

I don't like labels, certainly don't want to use one for myself.
I guess I've always been a bit of an oddbod, don't really fit in any of the pigeon holes.
It's something I've frequently asked (myself?) - why is it that everyone seems to feel a need for some sort of religion? (I know it's not quite everybody, but you know what I mean)
Most people seem to feel a need to 'believe' in something bigger, more powerful, than themselves. Maybe even I do, just can't seem to find a 'god' that I like lol.
And basically, humans appear not that different from sheep, ie: either you're a leader, or one that follows the leader.

Whaat a load of drivell, I'd better go do some work :-)

Have a good day everybody,

Marc

[Thurston Garden]

OH is Wiccan - I have been a Mason for about 15 years. Only recently have we realised that the ritual of the two are closely linked.

OH will be cavorting on Calton Hill next week for Beltane as the Red Stag. I will be visiting a Lodge in Edinburgh. I bet the Masons have more clothes on

[Millymollymandy]

My dad was a Mason and I was invited in to see his Lodge once (in Fiji). One of very few women who had ever been invited inside.

Had to admit the first thing that came to mind when I saw this room with all the wierd stars and things marked out on the ground was......

WITCHCRAFT.

Wierd things, Masons.

[QuakerBear]

You are You, beautiful, perfect and blessed. Designations can apply flexably, on and off however you feel comfortable. Sometimes it's nice to be part of group and have the security of a group idenitity and group name but at the end of the day we're all the same so it doesn't really matter.

Live long and prosper bro'.

[Thurston Garden]

My dad was a Mason and I was invited in to see his Lodge once (in Fiji). One of very few women who had ever been invited inside.

Had to admit the first thing that came to mind when I saw this room with all the wierd stars and things marked out on the ground was......

WITCHCRAFT.

Wierd things, Masons.

Masonry is defined as 'a peculiar system of mortality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols'. Masonry having existed 'since time immemorial' does have a significant amount of symbology. It's symbology stems from the vast number of illiterate masons as a method of conveying the ritual from generation to generation. The three most used are here here and here.