I'm just curious how and why some people convert too Neo-paganism in a world of monotheists, atheism, agnostic.
Campidoctor
Neopagans: What made you believe in the old ways?
I'm just curious how and why some people convert too Neo-paganism in a world of monotheists, atheism, agnostic.
“Nothing could be more dangerous to the existence of this Republic than to introduce religion into politics”
Senator
Re: Neopagans: What made you believe in the old ways?
Because those three are the only options. Yeah, right.I'm just curious how and why some people convert too Neo-paganism in a world of monotheists, atheism, agnostic.
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Dux Limitis
Re: Neopagans: What made you believe in the old ways?
At least a sixth of the world is the polytheistic.
Dux Limitis
Re: Neopagans: What made you believe in the old ways?
Most Hindu's will tell you they're monotheists, even though they clearly have all these gods they they worship. Something about them all being aspects of just the one God.
The wheel is spinning, but the hamster is dead.
Triggering
Re: Neopagans: What made you believe in the old ways?
Dawkins said it best, Paganism is sexed up Atheism.Originally Posted by B5C
"When I die, I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like Fidel Castro, not screaming in terror, like his victims."
My shameful truth.
Dux Limitis
Re: Neopagans: What made you believe in the old ways?
No that's Pantheism.
The wheel is spinning, but the hamster is dead.
Comes Limitis
Re: Neopagans: What made you believe in the old ways?
The thread title is a tad misleading- technically, most neopagans aren't believing in "the old ways", except perhaps neodruids to a small extent. That would be Reconstructionists, who mostly are not pagans though they are polytheistic revivalists. Recons strongly dislike being called neopagans.
The reason for this distinction is that paganism is a nebulous word that had its original meaning in contrasting rural or agrarian societies of the Roman provinces with the mercantile, urban societies of Italy and Greece.
I tend to stick with the original use of "pagan", which has connotations of a nature-oriented, agrarian society or religion; so, the definition for "paganism" that I use is "a religious path, usually polytheistic, that has a strong emphasis on the cycle of nature and agriculture."
As to why I chose a neopagan religious path, I'd have to say it is due to those religions matching to my beliefs very closely. When I read up more on neopaganism, I already held to an animistic-soft polytheist theology and had similar moral beliefs as most neopagan religions. Then, as I read more about Wicca in particular, it became apparent that this religion was a good fit, and I agreed with most of its tenets. I have since modified my beliefs to fit my personal experiences with this practice, and I am now a hard polytheist.
That's actually soft polytheism. And it's not exactly a majority belief among Hindus. It's certainly well-known in the Western world, but Hinduism is so broad in its variations that it's difficult to place down a "majority" belief.
As Helm stated, Dawkins said that about Pantheism.
Paganism is something entirely different, though some Pagan paths include pantheistic ideas and beliefs. Most are polytheistic, though.
Indefinitely Banned
Re: Neopagans: What made you believe in the old ways?
Isn't everyone that doesn't follow the abrahamic religions a pagan, including atheists?
Comes Limitis
Re: Neopagans: What made you believe in the old ways?
See above. Using "pagan" to mean "not Christianity, Islam, or Judaism" is incredibly vague, unwieldy, and inaccurate to the term's root meaning. It is far too problematic to use such a broad definition.
Comes Limitis
Re: Neopagans: What made you believe in the old ways?
Donno. If you just have to be irrational, then at least pic a cool religon... Like Norse.
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