Paganism Defined

What is Paganism and how are Pagans different from Wiccans? The line between these two religions is a slim one. Learn how to identify Paganism and why people choose this

Paganism is a loosely knit, unorganized religion. There is no one person or group that controls Pagans. Each person, or group, is independent, allowing for a diversity that cannot be found in any other religion.

Pagan Word Meaning

Pagan comes from the Latin word paganus and means villager, rustic, or belonging to the country. Roman soldiers would use the word as an insult to civilians. Later, the term was adapted by Christians to mean unclean and ungodly.

What Gods Do Pagans Worship

There are many people who identify themselves as Pagan. They may each choose a pantheon that they feel closest to, such as the ancient Egyptian deities or the Greek deities. Some Pagans pick and choose a number of deities from different pantheons.

There are no right or wrong gods and goddesses to choose from. Each Pagan chooses the deities that she or he feels closest to. For example, a Pagan who loves animals might choose to have the Egyptian cat goddess Bast, the Celtic horse goddess Epona, and the Roman goat god Pan represented on his altar.

Nature Worship

Above all else, Pagans are in awe of nature. They love the raw energy of the Earth, the strengthening heat of the sun, and the mysterious coolness of the moon. Some Pagans choose not to worship any specific deities, and focus, instead, on nature’s energies.

Magic

The world is a magical place, however not all Pagans practice magic. There are Pagans that view their path as a spiritual one. Their time on Earth is spent observing and learning to work in harmony with nature. The world is already full of natural magic and they feel no need to meddle with what nature intends.

Some Pagans, such as myself, do practice magic. We recognize that the world is a magical place and we join in, adding our own individual touches to our personal landscape. We feel that by becoming in tune with nature’s energies, we are able to control our luck or destiny.

Back to the Land

Most Pagans feel a strong need to get back to basics. They enjoy learning basic survival skills such as gardening, baking from scratch, and hammering together their own furniture. Many Pagan individuals and groups are concerned about the environment and take action to reduce their own energy use by switching to solar panels, reducing their need for batteries by buying hand-cranked radios and flashlights, and reducing their need for fossil fuels.

Pagans Are United

While Pagans share many beliefs, a common thread unites them: nature. Each Pagan will readily admit that she or he does not have all the answers and that her or his path is not the only path to follow. They celebrate diversity as well as welcome all people, without discrimination, to join them in their reverence of nature.