Hey all! Yeah, well the purpose of this club is to allow people from different religious faiths to congregate and discuss each other's beliefs. Hopefully this can be a learning experience that could help untangle misconceptions or other inter-faith issues. Feel free to suggest ideas to improve the club

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== Paganism ==
Our fellow member:
has written an article on
"Paganism". Hope this is helpful for everybody.

The word brings up many different emotions for many people. To some it brings up fear, confusion, hate, even anger. To others it brings curiosity, hope, wonder and love. A rising number of people from around the world are embracing the term and it’s history, making it come alive once again.

Paganism is one of the fastest growing religious movements of the twentieth century. Although largely solitary and therefore unreported to census takers, some estimates range into the tens of thousands in the US alone. The term “agan” comes from the Latin word “agus” which means “locality” or people that lived in the countryside; farmers, peasants and the like. During the Middle Ages the term became the title for anyone that was not Christian, or considered “heathen” and unclean. Many people that say “agan” are talking about the ancient Celts from the British Isles, Ireland and Scotland but the Pagans of today are modernizing the Path.

Pagans today have reclaimed that word, giving it power to strengthen our bonds with our ancestors. We worship the Old Gods and Goddesses from many different religions, working with them on a spiritual and personal basis and incorporating the Old Myths and Stories into our everyday lives. We learn from the ancient wisdom that has been passed down through family lines or have been rediscovered from the past in books or artifacts.
Many people calling themselves Pagan follow the Deities of their ancestors, but others find the calling of different cultures strong and follow those instead; you can follow any Deity or culture that calls to you and no one with a Pagan mindset will judge you.

Many Pagans have a close relationship with Nature and find Divinity within Her embrace. We attribute energies to each and every one of Her creations, be it a creature or a rock, tree or water. Some may feel that these energies are sentient, while others feel they are more symbolic; it all depends on what you feel is right for you. There are many Paths within Paganism. Anything from American Indian Shamanism to Celtic and African ways and beyond.

Pagans can be Witches and Witches can be Pagan, but that doesn’t mean they always are. Being a Witch is different then being a Pagan, but they can go hand in hand. Being a Witch means you do rituals, cast spells and other such things. Being Pagan means you live more in line with Nature and try to adhere to the rhythms of life in your day to day things; no rituals/spells need be involved.

Pagans are a very varied people. We believe in many different Deities and practice many different Paths, but we all agree that we are only human and therefore cannot predict what the Gods will do, only that we can work with them to make it the best outcome for us at the time. Only in working with the Deities and with Nature can true balance be achieved.
We do believe that we can work to change outcomes, but the Gods have the final say.

Many Pagans believe in karma, or what some call “ay back” for what we do and the actions we take. Whatever we send out will be returned to us, be it good or bad. Many Pagans also believe in reincarnation, or having more then one life. Many feel that one lifetime is not enough to learn all that we must learn in order to progress to the next realm. Because of that Paganism has been compared to many Eastern religions.

There are some things that are not Pagan, but are implied by people that are afraid of us or are ignorant to our ways. One of which it that we are Materialistic. A British Catholic bishop once wrote that to open shops on Sunday was “agan”, but that is not Paganism. It is consumerism and should not be confused with a religious practice. Another thing we get accused of on a regular basis is that we are Sexual Deviants. As general rule we’re the same as anyone else. Yes, there are a few that have made news and have called themselves Pagan or Wiccan, but they are assuredly NOT Pagan in any sense of the word, and they shame those of us that are.

We are also not anti-Christian, or anti-religion in any way. A majority of us believe that if the religion you follow makes you happy, gives you something to believe in, and doesn’t hurt anyone, then we have no right to argue with you and we will not try to convert you. All we ask is the same consideration in return. But the biggest thing Pagans get accused of is Satanism and Animal sacrifice. Being Pagan it is very hard to believe in what is a purely Christian concept, such as Satan. We do believe that good balances evil, but that it is a natural balance, not a divine one (this does differ slightly depending on what branch of Paganism you follow, and there are many!). We do not go around sacrificing cats or dogs or chickens. There are religions that do, but as a general rule, many Pagans do not; we do not feel it is necessary to be able to connect to our Gods, but do not begrudge those that do as long as it is done humanely and with honor.

To go through everything that makes a Pagan a Pagan would take a book and there are already many great ones out there on the subject. This is but a very brief introduction and while informative of the basics it should by no means be held as true for every Pagan; we are as varied as the leaves and grasses of this world and have many different ways of interpreting who we are.

If you would like to know more about this topic, or the sources for the information contained in it, please don’t hesitate to contact me in a Note here on dA. I am very open with my Path and have been for the nine plus years I’ve been practicing, so I have no problem answering any questions you may have.

Thank you and may all your Paths be Bright!
Blessed Be,
Shara Moonglow


Note: This club is not affiliated with any internet site / organisation that may have the same, or a similar title