Althaea Sebastiani
  • Home
    • Resources
  • Learn Witchcraft
    • Courses >
      • Reviews
    • Books
    • Articles
  • Blog
  • Throwing the Bones
    • Testimonials
  • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ's

What is Paganism?

7/31/2014

 
While not a religion in itself, per se, Paganism is a term that refers to non-Abrahamic (i.e. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) polytheistic religions. However, it does not refer to such religions as Hinduism or Buddhism, for example. Rather it refers specifically to religions such as Asatru, Celtic Reconstructionism, Druidry and Druidism, Hellenismo, Nova Roma, Slavic Reconstructionism, Stregheria, Traditional Initiatory Witchcraft, Wicca (both British Traditional and Eclectic,) as well as some monotheistic religions such as Dianic Witchcraft and Goddess Spirituality. While synchretic religions such as Voudon and Santeria are not always seen as Pagan, there are some followers who do self-identify as such. (Also, this is not a comprehensive list of which religions are or may be considered Pagan.)
Many Pagan religions are reconstructions, that is, they attempt to recreate indigenous European pre-Christian religious beliefs and practices. However, all Pagan religions are modern creations: none are ancient or contain but the smallest traces of the original belief systems that they are based upon, hence why they are often called Neo-Pagan.

Many Pagans honor the natural world through ritual celebration of days of significant change within nature, such as Full and Dark Moons and Solstices and Equinoxes. Many Pagans also regularly honor their ancestors. Pagans may practice their religion either alone, in established groups, or with their families and celebration may take place indoors or outdoors. However, this is not true of all Pagans or Pagan religions. Often there are more differences between two Pagans (or Pagan religions) than there are similarities, but this does not make either less Pagan than the other.

Paganism generally provides much flexibility, while still providing a framework for one's spirituality. While specific values may vary from religion to religion, codes of conduct generally come down to personal responsibility and the development of one's own personal ethos. 

For this reason, it is possible to be Pagan and:
  • be a Vegan or Vegetarian
  • to go hunting and fishing
  • to be male
  • to be female
  • to live in a metropolis
  • to live on a farm
  • to ride a bicycle ever where
  • to drive a gas-guzzling SUV
  • to be Pro Choice
  • to be Pro Life
  • to be a Soldier
  • to be a pacifist
  • to be Liberal
  • to be Conservative
  • to be yourself

**This article originally appeared on the website for the Central Wisconsin Pagan Alliance in the fall of 2012, and was written by my husband and I. As the group is no longer in operation, I have chosen to reproduce it here and may add to it in the future, discussing some of the common threads, intrinsic values, and stark differences between a polytheist and a monotheist worldview.**


-edited December 1, 2014

Comments are closed.

    Throwing the Bones

    Picture
    Get a Reading

    Stay Connected

    Thank you!

    You have successfully subscribed.

    Feral Witch

    Picture

    Archives

    January 2023
    February 2021
    January 2021
    March 2020
    September 2019
    May 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    September 2013
    August 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    June 2012
    May 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010

Picture
all photos and text copyright protected
and may not be used or reproduced, in part or in whole, without express written permission
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Cookie Policy
Disclaimer
  • Home
    • Resources
  • Learn Witchcraft
    • Courses >
      • Reviews
    • Books
    • Articles
  • Blog
  • Throwing the Bones
    • Testimonials
  • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ's