Paganism

Contents: Friends Hobbies Paganism Home

Paganism is an umbrella term for various nature religions. Paganism is more of a personal religion than most organized religions, as there is little, if any, distinction between the deity and the person. Most Pagans believe there is no need for an intermediary between him/herself and the supreme being(s). Pagan religions vary widely, from a belief that the Earth itself is God (or, more typically, Goddess) ranging on through a complex series of pantheons of gods. Many Pagans who worship a wide range of named deities tend to consider them aspects of the whole rather than each one a separate entity, but the range of Pagans and their beliefs makes it difficult to pinpoint the exact belief structure of this highly personalized religion. For myself, I tend believe that God is Nature, and Nature is God; that God is the Earth, the Heavens, and everything in nature; that God is Man and Man is God. That spirit is flesh and flesh is spirit, at least in life, although obviously they seperate at death. My belief structure tends to be rather complex, and yet extremely simple. To the outsider, it may even seem paradoxical, yet it all makes sense to me...and since I believe religion is a very personal thing, it only has to make sense to me. It also doesn't bother me when people misunderstand my religion, since, again, it only matters to me. I've rarely, if ever, cared what other people have thought, and that certainly extends to my religious beliefs. I'm more than willing to discuss my beliefs, so long as the person I'm discussing with doesn't judge me for having different beliefs than them. It's the main reason I try to avoid discussions of religion at work; there are too many who would judge me in a bad light because my beliefs don't follow their's. Once someone judges me for that reason, I tend to lose respect for them. And it's rather difficult working with or for someone you can't respect. More to come later.